by Jeff Clark, Staff Writer
BAY ST. LOUIS (GG) — Southern Rock Pioneers The Marshall Tucker Band returns to Coastal Mississippi on Saturday with a show at the Hollywood Casino in Bay St. Louis. Tickets to the 8 p.m. show are available at Ticketmaster.com.
The Marshall Tucker Band continues to carry on its Southern rock legacy with founding member Doug Gray leading the lineup. Joining him are drummer B.B. Borden, known for his work with Mother’s Finest and The Outlaws, bassist and vocalist Ryan Ware, multi-instrumentalist Marcus James Henderson on keyboards, saxophone, flute, and vocals, guitarist and vocalist Chris Hicks, and guitarist and vocalist Rick Willis.
The group’s current roster blends veteran talent with fresh energy, keeping alive the sound that made The Marshall Tucker Band a staple of American rock for more than five decades. Although Gray has stepped away from the road for a while due to some health issues, the band continues to play sold-out venues across America.
“We certainly miss having Doug at the helm,” Henderson said. “But we have his full blessing to keep the band going, and we’ve been having some great shows.”
The Marshall Tucker Band formed in 1972 in Spartanburg, South Carolina, when six young musicians combined grit, drive, and a shared love of rock and country, taking its name from a blind piano tuner. But to pigeonhole the band as just a rock and roll band or a country band would be disingenuous, as there are flourishes of jazz, blues, gospel and pop in their extensive catalog of music.
At the heart of the original lineup was Gray and guitarist and songwriter Toy Caldwell, whose signature style became a defining sound of Southern rock. Caldwell’s lead guitar work powered classics like “Can’t You See,” on which he also sang lead vocals, and “Take The Highway,” helping the band build a reputation as both studio hitmakers and road warriors.
Over the years, the band’s catalog has grown to more than 20 studio albums and numerous live releases, with multi-platinum sales cementing their place in American music history.
There’s also a new buzz around the band and their music.
“We are seeing younger people at the shows,” said Hendnerson. “It’s very noticeable. Longtime fans are bringing their kids and even grandkids to the shows.”
Part of the new love for the band comes from younger musicians who are very vocal about their fandom for The Marshall Tucker Band.
Marcus King’s cover of “Can’t You See” went viral, and he played a cover of “Heard It In A Love Song” during a recent performance in Gulfport. Southern rock champions Blackberry Smoke have also covered the band, both in the studio and live.
King and Blackberry Smoke’s Charlie Starr have also started a side project to pay tribute to Caldwell and The Marshall Tucker Band.
The Toy Factory Project features King, Starr, original Marshall Tucker drummer Paul T. Riddle, bassist Oteil Burbridge of Allman Brothers and Tedeschi Trucks Band fame, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Josh Shilling of Mountain Heart, and acclaimed fiddle player Billy Contreras.
“Man, I got to see that live recently and it was fantastic,” Henderson said. “It’s great to see people keeping The Marshall Tucker Band legacy going.”
Courtesy Photo: Mariah Gray/MG Photography
