TOMMY CRAIN & THE CROSSTOWN ALLSTARS
"LIVE IN MACON"
DECEMBER 25 2012
77:41
1 - For What Its Worth/8:17
2 - Find Another Lovet/3:52
3 - Hot Lanta/5:27
4 - Papa Was A Rollin' Stone/9:10
5 - The Very Thing That Makes You Rich Makes Me Poor/6:49
6 - Spanish Moon/8:39
7 - Give It To Ya/5:53
8 - Everything That You Do Will Come Back to You/7:36
9 - Jessica/12:15
10 - Born Under Bad Sign/9:19
REVIEW
By Wildman Steve
It was one year ago this month that Tommy Crain passed away at the age of 59. As guitarist for the Charlie Daniels Band for 15 years and co-author of that band's mega-hit “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” Crain left a long legacy of great music.
He appeared on more than 20 CDB albums, authoring many of the band’s classic songs such as “Cumberland Mountain Number Nine,” “Blind Man” and “Franklin Limestone.” Crain was a multi-talented musician, adept on all stringed instruments including guitars, banjo and pedal steel, and left the Charlie Daniels Band in 1989 to spend more time with his family.
Settling in the Atlanta area, Crain formed his own band, Tommy Crain and the Crosstown Allstars, which continued his legacy of fine music around the south. After his death in 2011, drummer Towson Engsberg took upon himself the task of poring through hours and hours of live recordings to find a fitting epitaph to this great man's long and fruitful career. He finally settled on a single night's performance from a small club in Macon, Ga., called Rivalry's, recorded in the twilight of Tommy's life.
The resulting CD titled “Live In Macon” captures brilliantly the energy, the musicality and the soul of Tommy Crain and his fine band. Engsberg and guitarist/vocalist Bob Rumer were the only original band members remaining, with Bob Jones on keyboards and vocals and Jack Hall of Wet Willie fame holding down the bass and providing additional vocals. The band is at the top of its form, opening the CD with a rousing soundcheck performance of Buffalo Springfield's classic “For What It's Worth.” That's followed by a reggae-tinged original titled “Find Another Lover.” Then the band cuts loose on the southern rock/rhythm-and-blues sound at which they are so adept: The Allman Brothers’ classic “Hot 'Lanta,” The Temptations' “Papa Was A Rolling Stone,” and then an obscure Ry Cooder tune from his “Bop Til You Drop” LP titled “The Very Thing That Makes You Rich Makes Me Poor,” which segues into Little Feat's “Spanish Moon.” “Give It To Ya” is a smokin' original, followed by Wet Willie's “Everything That You Do,” the Allmans' “Jessica,” and the album closes with Cream's “Born Under a Bad Sign.”
Throughout the album, Crain shows again and again why so many revered his guitar prowess and singularly exceptional taste that defined his musicality. The world mourns his loss, but “Live In Macon” preserves a moment in time that will give us all a lasting memory of Tommy Crain's unending contribution to music.
"LIVE IN MACON"
DECEMBER 25 2012
77:41
1 - For What Its Worth/8:17
2 - Find Another Lovet/3:52
3 - Hot Lanta/5:27
4 - Papa Was A Rollin' Stone/9:10
5 - The Very Thing That Makes You Rich Makes Me Poor/6:49
6 - Spanish Moon/8:39
7 - Give It To Ya/5:53
8 - Everything That You Do Will Come Back to You/7:36
9 - Jessica/12:15
10 - Born Under Bad Sign/9:19
REVIEW
By Wildman Steve
It was one year ago this month that Tommy Crain passed away at the age of 59. As guitarist for the Charlie Daniels Band for 15 years and co-author of that band's mega-hit “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” Crain left a long legacy of great music.
He appeared on more than 20 CDB albums, authoring many of the band’s classic songs such as “Cumberland Mountain Number Nine,” “Blind Man” and “Franklin Limestone.” Crain was a multi-talented musician, adept on all stringed instruments including guitars, banjo and pedal steel, and left the Charlie Daniels Band in 1989 to spend more time with his family.
Settling in the Atlanta area, Crain formed his own band, Tommy Crain and the Crosstown Allstars, which continued his legacy of fine music around the south. After his death in 2011, drummer Towson Engsberg took upon himself the task of poring through hours and hours of live recordings to find a fitting epitaph to this great man's long and fruitful career. He finally settled on a single night's performance from a small club in Macon, Ga., called Rivalry's, recorded in the twilight of Tommy's life.
The resulting CD titled “Live In Macon” captures brilliantly the energy, the musicality and the soul of Tommy Crain and his fine band. Engsberg and guitarist/vocalist Bob Rumer were the only original band members remaining, with Bob Jones on keyboards and vocals and Jack Hall of Wet Willie fame holding down the bass and providing additional vocals. The band is at the top of its form, opening the CD with a rousing soundcheck performance of Buffalo Springfield's classic “For What It's Worth.” That's followed by a reggae-tinged original titled “Find Another Lover.” Then the band cuts loose on the southern rock/rhythm-and-blues sound at which they are so adept: The Allman Brothers’ classic “Hot 'Lanta,” The Temptations' “Papa Was A Rolling Stone,” and then an obscure Ry Cooder tune from his “Bop Til You Drop” LP titled “The Very Thing That Makes You Rich Makes Me Poor,” which segues into Little Feat's “Spanish Moon.” “Give It To Ya” is a smokin' original, followed by Wet Willie's “Everything That You Do,” the Allmans' “Jessica,” and the album closes with Cream's “Born Under a Bad Sign.”
Throughout the album, Crain shows again and again why so many revered his guitar prowess and singularly exceptional taste that defined his musicality. The world mourns his loss, but “Live In Macon” preserves a moment in time that will give us all a lasting memory of Tommy Crain's unending contribution to music.
