name	Squirrel Nut Zippers
background	group_or_band
origin	Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
genre	Swing revival
years active	1993–20012006–present
label	Mammoth
website	Official website
current members	James "Jimbo" MathusKatharine WhalenChris PhillipsStu ColeJe WidenhouseWill DawsonTim KendtLaura McIndoe
past members	Tom MaxwellKen MosherDon RaleighStacy GuessRobert GriffinDave WrightTim SmithAdam LakeReese GrayAndrew Bird }}

The Squirrel Nut Zippers are a band formed in 1993 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina by James "Jimbo" Mathus (vocals and guitar), Katharine Whalen (vocals, banjo, and ukulele), Chris Phillips on drums, Don Raleigh on bass and sideman Ken Mosher.

While the band's eclectic fusion of Delta blues, gypsy jazz, 1930s-era swing, klezmer, and other styles makes them hard to categorize, their unique music found a niche in the late 1990s, when the band met with national recognition and commercial success, sometimes associated with the Swing Revival of the same period. They found their greatest success with the 1996 single "Hell".

After a hiatus of several years, the original band members reunited and took to the stage again in 2007, playing select dates around the United States and Canada through 2008.

They played the last night of The Voodoo Experience held at City Park in New Orleans, Louisiana over Halloween weekend 2009.

History

1990s

The band was founded by James "Jimbo" Mathus, formerly of Metalflake Mother and Johnny Vomit & The Dry Heaves, and his then-wife Katharine Whalen in Carrboro, North Carolina along with Tom Maxwell, Chris Phillips, Don Raleigh and Ken Mosher. The group made its debut in Chapel Hill a few months later. Stacy Guess (formerly of Pressure Boys) joined shortly after.

"Nut Zippers," is a southern term for a variety of old bootleg moonshine, and the band's name comes from a newspaper account which related the story of a highly intoxicated man who climbed a tree one night, refusing to come down even after authorities arrived. The article's headline read: "Squirrel Nut Zipper." It is also the name of a candy dating back to 1890.

The band was initially lumped into the "lounge" movement, along with Combustible Edison, and credited as part of the brief swing music revival of the 1990s. The Zippers' sound incorporates a broad range of music, ranging in influence from Harlem Hot Music, Cab Calloway, Johnny Ace, Delta Blues, Raymond Scott, Fats Waller, Django Reinhardt, Tom Waits, and klezmer. The band's break-through single, "Hell", was distinguished by calypso rhythms, and helped push the band into further association with the "Neo Swing" movement.

Songs from the band's first album, ''The Inevitable'' (1995) were played on National Public Radio in the US. Their second album, ''Hot'' (1996) was certified platinum. (The ''Hot'' album was also one of the first ECDs - an "enhanced" audio CD containing an interactive presentation created by filmmaker Clay Walker.) In 1997, the band toured with Neil Young.

The band's next studio album, ''Perennial Favorites'' (1998) also received critical acclaim.. Also released in 1998 was ''Christmas Caravan'', a Christmas themed album. The band then recorded ''Bedlam Ballroom'' in 1999, after touring extensively.

The band performed at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, on ''Prairie Home Companion'', President Clinton's second inaugural ball, Comedy Central's ''Viva Variety'', and major television shows: ''The Tonight Show'', ''Late Night with David Letterman'', ''Conan O'Brien'' and ''Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve'' in 1998.

The band had recorded a version of "Under The Sea" which was going to be included on the DVD release of ''The Little Mermaid'', but Disney decided against it. Disney had purchased Mammoth just months prior to this recording. The song was eventually released on the band's greatest hits CD.

2000-2006

The early 2000s rendered the band largely inactive, due to members pursuing other projects, but also due to Mathus and Whalen's divorce.

''Contact'' was a musical dance play made up of three separate dance pieces set to pre-recorded music. The show used Zippers' music along with the music of other artists. Although many criticized the show for its lack of original music, it was also widely-acclaimed and won the 2000 Tony Award for Best Musical. Movies that have licensed Zippers' songs include ''Monkeybone'', ''Dead Man on Campus'', ''Flirting with Disaster'', ''Fido'', ''Blast from the Past'' and the animated feature film ''Happily N'Ever After''. The band performed in a segment on ''Sesame Street'' in 2001. The single "Hell" was also featured on the pilot of MGM Television's ''Dead Like Me''.

During this period, Katharine Whalen released two solo albums, ''Jazz Squad'' and ''Dirty Little Secret''. Jim Mathus toured with Buddy Guy before forming his band, Knockdown Society. Je Widenhouse and Reese Gray are recording and touring with Firecracker Jazz Band. Chris Phillips spent two years playing with the Dickies, as well as William Reid from the Jesus and Mary Chain. His current side band The Lamps included members of the Bangles and The Connells. He also was the composer for the Comedy Central television show ''Lil' Bush'' and some contemporary films. Jimbo Mathus owns and operates a recording studio outside of Memphis, TN, where he has worked on albums with artists ranging from Elvis Costello to the Hives.

2007-present

In early 2007, the band's official website and MySpace blog announced new tour dates, with a lineup consisting of founding members Jimbo Mathus (guitar, vocals), Katharine Whalen (vocals, banjo, percussion, ukulele), Chris Phillips (drums), Je Widenhouse (trumpet), Stuart Cole (bass), and Will Dawson (piano/guitar/saxophone). With the proclamation "Ladies and Gentlemen... They're Back," the band performed concert dates throughout the United States and Canada in spring and summer of 2007 and through 2008.

In late February 2009, Chris Phillips sent out an e-mail announcing a forthcoming live album called ''You Are My Radio'', recorded in Brooklyn in December 2008. The e-mail included a link to a free download of "Memphis Exorcism" from the album. The album title was later changed to ''Lost At Sea'' and was released on October 27 through Southern Broadcasting/MRI. They also announced their plans for a new studio album in 2010. The band taped a new performance for NPR's Mountain Stage, which aired in mid-November.

As of 2011, plans for a new album from the band appear to be on hold for the time being.

Membership

Present members

James "Jimbo" Mathus — vocals, guitar, slide guitar, tenor banjo, trombone, piano

Katharine Whalen — vocals, banjo, ukulele

Stuart Cole — bass

Chris Phillips — percussion, contraption kit, drums

Je Widenhouse — trumpet, cornet

Henry Westmoreland — baritone saxophone

Robert "Griffanzo" Griffin - piano, keyboards

Former members

Ken Mosher — guitar, saxophone, vocals

Tom Maxwell — vocals, guitar, saxophone, gong

Don Raleigh — bass, gong

Stacy Guess — trumpet

David Wright — trombone

Reese Grey — piano

Tim Smith — alto saxophone

Andrew Bird — violin (honorary member)

Edward Clark — canjo

Guess left two weeks prior to the recording of ''Hot'', in September 1995. He died of a heroin overdose on March 11, 1998. Je Widenhouse (formerly of the Sex Police) joined the band in 1995.

Raleigh departed in the middle of the ''Perennial Favorites'' sessions in November 1996. He was replaced by Stuart Cole. In July 1999, Maxwell left the band. In October 1999, Mosher also quit. In 1999, Reese Gray, Tim Smith and David Wright joined the band.

Eugene Cottrell played trumpet in "Hell."

Discography

Albums

''The Inevitable'' (1995)

''Hot'' (1996)

''Sold Out'' (1997)

''Roasted Right'' (EP, 1997)

''Perennial Favorites'' (1998)

''Christmas Caravan'' (1998)

''Bedlam Ballroom'' (2000)

''The Best of Squirrel Nut Zippers as Chronicled by Shorty Brown'' (2002)

''Lost at Sea'' (live album, 2009)

Singles

scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;"	Title	Year	Peak chart positions		Album
			Modern Rock Tracks				! scope="col" style="width:2.5em; font-size:90%;"
"Hell"		71	13	rowspan="2"
scope="row"	"Put a Lid on It"	—	—
scope="row"	"Suits Are Picking Up the Bill"	1998	—	—	''Perennial Favorites''

References

External links

Band

Squirrel Nut Zippers Official Site

Squirrel Nut Zippers on MySpace

Band members

James "Jimbo" Mathus

Katharine Whalen

Tom Maxwell

Maxwell/Mosher

Andrew Bird

Related

Clay Walker, Squirrel Nut Zippers filmmaker

Category:Retro-swing ensembles Category:Musical groups established in 1993 Category:American swing musical groups Category:American jazz ensembles Category:Musical groups from Chapel Hill-Carrboro, North Carolina Category:Musical groups reestablished in 2006

de:Squirrel Nut Zippers es:Squirrel Nut Zippers fr:Squirrel Nut Zippers lt:Squirrel Nut Zippers uk:Squirrel Nut Zippers

name	The Marshall Tucker Band
landscape	yes
background	group_or_band
origin	Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA
genre	Southern rock, country rock, rock and roll
years active	1972–1983, 1988–present
label	Capricorn, Warner Bros., Mercury, Cabin Fever, Ramblin'
associated acts	Charlie Daniels
website
current members	Doug GrayPat EllwoodRick WillisB.B. BordenMarcus James HendersonStuart Swanlund
past members	Toy CaldwellJerry EubanksGeorge McCorkleTommy CaldwellPaul RiddleFranklin WilkieRonnie GodfreyRusty Milner Tom RobbAce AllenTim LawterDon CameronFrank TolerMark PetteyRonald RadfordPaul ThompsonGarry GuzzardoDavid MuseChris HicksClay CookTony Heatherly }}

The Marshall Tucker Band is an American Southern rock band originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina. The band's blend of rock, rhythm and blues, jazz, country, and gospel helped establish the Southern rock genre in the early 1970s. While the band had reached the height of its commercial success by the end of the decade, the band has recorded and performed continuously under various lineups for nearly 40 years.

The original lineup of the Marshall Tucker Band, formed in 1972, included lead guitarist, vocalist, and primary songwriter Toy Caldwell (1947–1993), keyboard player and vocalist Doug Gray (b. 1948), flutist Jerry Eubanks (b. 1950), rhythm guitarist George McCorkle (1946–2007), drummer Paul Riddle (b. 1953), and bassist Tommy Caldwell (1949–1980). They signed with Capricorn Records and in 1973 released their first LP, ''The Marshall Tucker Band''. After Tommy Caldwell was killed in an automobile accident in 1980, he was replaced by bassist Franklin Wilkie. Most of the original band members had left by the mid-1980s to pursue other projects. The band's lineup as of 2009 consists of Gray on vocals, guitarist Stuart Swanlund, keyboard player and flutist Marcus James Henderson, guitarist Rick Willis, bassist Pat Elwood, and drummer B.B. Borden.

Name origin

The "Marshall Tucker" in the band's name does not refer to a band member, but rather a Spartanburg-area piano tuner. While the band was discussing possible band names one evening in an old warehouse they had rented for rehearsal space, someone noticed that the warehouse's door key had the name "Marshall Tucker" inscribed on it, and suggested they called themselves the "The Marshall Tucker Band," not realizing it referred to an actual person. It later came to light that Marshall Tucker, the blind piano tuner, had rented the space before the band, and the landlord had yet to change the inscription on the key.

In his book, ''Top Pop Singles, 1955-2002'', music historian Joel Whitburn attributes "Marshall Tucker" to the owner of the band's rehearsal hall.

History

Early history

The original members (and some later members) of the Marshall Tucker Band had been playing in various lineups under different band names around the Spartanburg area since the early 1960s. In 1966, members of several such bands merged to form the Toy Factory, named after guitarist Toy Caldwell. The Toy Factory's constantly-shifting lineup included, at times, Caldwell, Caldwell's younger brother Tommy, Doug Gray, Jerry Eubanks, George McCorkle, and Franklin Wilkie. In the late 1960s, bandmembers served in the U.S. Armed Forces, and saw action in the Vietnam War. By the 1970s, Toy Caldwell and George McCorkle had returned to Spartanburg, and the Toy Factory had resumed playing in area clubs. In fact, in 1970 the Toy Factory was the opening act for the Allman Brothers when the Allman's played at the "Sitar" music lounge in Spartanburg.

In 1972, Caldwell and McCorkle once again revamped the band's lineup, eventually settling on Tommy Caldwell on bass, George McCorkle rhythm guitar, and Jerry Eubanks, flute/tenor sax, while adding Paul Riddle on drums; the new lineup adopted the name "Marshall Tucker Band." Wet Willie lead singer Jimmy Hall told Toy Caldwell to book the band at Grant's Lounge in Macon which he did. After hearing the band play at Grant's Buddy Thornton and Paul Hornsby recorded the band's demo at the Capricorn Studio in Macon, Ga. Frank Fenter and Phil Walden signed The Marshall Tucker Band based on those demos.

1970s

The Marshall Tucker Band's self-titled debut, produced by Paul Hornsby, was released in 1973, and certified gold in 1975. All of the tracks were written by Toy Caldwell, including "Can't You See", which was released in 1973 on Capricorn 0023 ("Bubbled Under" at #108 on 1 September 1973) and re-released in 1977 on Capricorn 0278 (peaked at #75 on 24 September 1977). After the album's release, the band began touring, playing upwards of 300 shows per year throughout the decade. Southern rock fiddler Charlie Daniels later recalled that the Marshall Tucker Band "came onstage and just blew it out from start to finish."

Daniels' first of many collaborations with the Marshall Tucker Band came on the band's second album, ''A New Life'', which was released in 1974, and certified gold in 1977. Daniels and blues guitarist Elvin Bishop were among several musicians that joined the band for ''Where We All Belong'', a double-album (one studio album and one live album) released by the band in 1974 and certified gold that same year. The following year the band's ''Searchin' for a Rainbow'' was also certified gold the year of its release, and contained the track "Fire on the Mountain," which peaked at #38 on the Billboard charts. ''Long Hard Ride'', the band's fifth consecutive gold album, was released in 1976, and its instrumental title track (which again features Charlie Daniels on fiddle) was nominated for a Grammy. ''Carolina Dreams'', released in 1977 and certified platinum that same year, proved to be the band's most commercially-successful album, and included the track "Heard It In a Love Song," which reached #14 on the Billboard charts. The band's final Capricorn release came with 1978's ''Together Forever'', which was produced by Stewart Levine.

1980s

The Marshall Tucker Band moved to Warner Bros. Records for their ninth album, ''Running Like the Wind'', although they retained Levine as the album's producer. On April 22, 1980, the band's bassist, Tommy Caldwell, was involved in an automobile accident in which he suffered massive head trauma, and died six days later. Former Toy Factory bassist Franklin Wilkie replaced Caldwell, but the band was never able to recapture its commercial success of the 1970s. After 1983's ''Greetings from South Carolina'', the band split up.

In 1988, Gray and Eubanks reorganized the Marshall Tucker Band to record the album ''Still Holdin' On'', their one and only release on the Mercury Records label. Although Gray and Eubanks added new members Rusty Milner, Stuart Swanlund, and Tim Lawter, ''Still Holdin' On'' was primarily recorded with studio musicians. The newer members had a much greater role, however, on the band's 1990 album, ''Southern Spirit'', released on the Sisaspa label. The album marked a return to the band's country and blues roots.

1990s

In 1992, the Marshall Tucker Band produced its first album for the Cabin Fever label, ''Still Smokin''', which managed to crack the top 70 on the Billboard charts. The band's 1993 release, ''Walk Outside the Lines'', marked a transition to a more country sound, relying less on long improvised jams that were the trademark of the band's early career. The album's title track was co-written by country music star Garth Brooks, a long-time fan of the band who considered writing a track for them a "milestone" in his career.

For 1998's ''Face Down In the Blues'', the band added Spartanburg-area guitarist Ronald Radford and multi-instrumentalist David Muse, the latter replacing Jerry Eubanks, who had retired in 1996. ''Gospel'', the band's 1999 album, featured the band's rendition of traditional songs such as The Wayfaring Stranger and Will the Circle Be Unbroken, as well as several original tracks.

Recent history

The Marshall Tucker Band continued recording and performing into the 21st century, playing between 150 and 200 shows per year. The band reissued many of its albums from the 1970s on its new Ramblin' Records label, as well as two two-disc compilations, the first (''Anthology'') being a 30-year retrospective and the second (''Where a Country Boy Belongs'') being a collection of the band's country songs. In 2004, they released another studio album, ''Beyond the Horizon'', and the following year released a Christmas album, ''Carolina Christmas''.

"Can't You See" was used for the opening and closing credits of the Kevin Costner 2008 motion picture ''Swing Vote''. "Take the Highway" was also used in the movie.

Discography

Studio albums

Year	Album	Chart positions			! rowspan="2"	Label
		! width="45"	! width="45"	! width="45"
1973
''Where We All Belong''
1975	''Searchin' for a Rainbow''
1976	''Long Hard Ride''
1977	''Carolina Dreams''
1978
1979	''Running Like the Wind''
1980	''Tenth''
1981	''Dedicated''
1982	''Tuckerized''
	''Just Us''
''Greetings from South Carolina''
1988	''Still Holdin' On''					Mercury
1990	''Southern Spirit''					Capitol
1992	''Still Smokin'''
1993	''Walk Outside the Lines''
1998	''Face Down in the Blues''
1999	''Gospel''
2003	''Stompin' Room Only''
2004	''Beyond the Horizon''
2005	''Carolina Christmas''
2006
2007	''The Next Adventure''
2008	''Carolina Dreams Tour '77''
2010	''Way Out West! Live From San Francisco 1973''
2011	''The Marshall Tucker Band's Doug Gray: Soul of the South''

Compilation albums

Year	Album	Chart positions			! rowspan="2"	Label
		! width="45"	! width="45"	! width="45"
1978	''Greatest Hits''					Capricorn
1994	''The Capricorn Years''					Era
1996	''Country Tucker''					K-Tel
	''The Encore Collection''					BMG
''MT Blues''					K-Tel
2005	''Anthology''
2006	''Where a Country Boy Belongs''
2008	''Collector's Edition''					Madacy
	''Love Songs''
''Essential 3.0''
2011	''Greatest Hits''					Shout! Factory

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions						Album
		! width="45"	! width="45"	! width="45"	! width="45"	! width="45"	! width="45"
"My Jesus"
1974	"Another Cruel Love"							''A New Life''
	"This Ol' Cowboy"							''Where We All Belong''
"Fire on the Mountain"
	"Searchin' for a Rainbow"
"Long Hard Ride"							''Long Hard Ride''
	"Heard It in a Love Song"							''Carolina Dreams''
"Can't You See"							''Greatest Hits''
	"Dream Lover"
"I'll Be Loving You"
	"Last of the Singing Cowboys"
"Running Like the Wind"
	"It Takes Time"
"Disillusion"
	"This Time I Believe"
"Silverado"
"Tell the Blues to Take Off the Night"
"Love Some"
	"Mr. President"
"Reachin' for a Little Bit More"
1983	"A Place I've Never Been"							''Just Us''
1987	"Hangin' Out in Smokey Places"
	"Once You Get the Feel of It"
"Still Holdin' On"
1992	"Driving You Out of My Mind"							''Still Smokin'''
1993	"Walk Outside the Lines"							''Walk Outside the Lines''

Music videos

! Year	! Video	! Director
1981	"Even a Fool Would Let Go"
1992	"Driving You Out of My Mind"	George Bloom
	"Walk Outside the Lines"	D. Gray, J. Gerik
"Down We Go"	D. Gray, J. Gerik, K. Mandel

References

External links

Official website

Swampland's Legends of Southern Rock, Marshall Tucker

Category:Rock music groups from South Carolina Category:People from Spartanburg, South Carolina Category:Southern rock musical groups

de:Marshall Tucker Band fr:The Marshall Tucker Band sr:Маршал Такер бенд