by Jeff Clark, Staff Writer
BILOXI (GG) — The term “yacht rock” can be controversial, just ask the director of HBO’s “Yacht Rock: The Documentary” what Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen had to say about the moniker. But regardless of what you call it, whether it’s yacht rock, soft rock, jazz rock, or soul lite, the genre of music has never been more popular.
Yacht Rock The Dock: Featuring Ambrosia, John Ford Coley, and Walter Egan, pulls into the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Biloxi on Friday, bringing some of the genre’s most popular acts with it. The show features Ambrosia (“Biggest Part of Me,” “How Much I Feel”), John Ford Coley, who, as part of the group England Dan and John Ford Coley, had hits with “I’d Really Love to See You Tonight” and “Love is The Answer, and “Magnet and Steel” singer Walter Egan. Doors open for the 8 p.m. show at 6:30, and tickets are $30 and available at Ticketmaster.com.
For Coley, he doesn’t care what label you give his music; he’s just happy to be still performing it live.
“It’s literally a walk down memory lane,” Coley said. “We play all of our hits, and it’s a great night for the audience. We laugh, joke, and tell stories about the old days. We have a blast. I love going out and playing. It’s always the first time for me. It’s a real thrill. We are seeing people of all ages at these shows. It’s a real opportunity for us. As far as yacht rock goes, you could call it ‘ice tea rock’ for all I care.”
When “I’d Really Love To See You Tonight” was released in 1976, it went to Number 2 on the Billboard charts. And now, 50 years later, the song remains extremely popular.
“I never dreamed that song would be such a hit,” he said. “In fact, neither Dan nor I wanted to record that song because we wanted to write and record our own songs. But it took off in a way none of us ever thought it would. It’s not good business to pass up a song that could be a big hit. When the record company brought us ‘Love Is The Answer,’ I knew it was Todd Rundgren’s song, and I was happy to record it. Of all of the hits Dan and I released on the radio, ‘Love Is The Answer’ is my favorite.
