| In 1975, the band went back into the studio
to do their second album, this time a collection of all classic
blues songs called “Open All Night.” They weren’t
entirely happy with the initial results, so went back into the
studio and re-did the album. It was released in early 1976 and
was a bold move at the time disco was reigning supreme and blues
was at an all time low. And they faced the challenge of doing
this as a white boy blues band. The album featured a powerful
mix of ensemble playing and received very favorable reviews.
It also did several other important things for the band. On record, the inclusion of the live cut
of “Red Hot Mama” with
Pinetop Perkins at the Cellar Door laid the groundwork for their “Jacks & Kings” albums
to come. On the road, the album expanded their touring horizons—leading
to regular gigs in Boston, New York and Atlanta. And in the overall
music scene, the band was starting to lay the groundwork for
other similar artists who would follow them in the early ‘80s—including
the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Stevie Ray Vaughan and George Thorogood.
|
