When Mike McGuire and guitarist Jim Seales started a band in
the clubs of Muscle Shoals, Alabama in 1984 they never dreamed
their dedication to great music would lead them down such a
long and illustrious road. By late 1985 they had added bassist
Ralph Ezell, keyboardist Stan Thorn, and a struggling bluegrass
singer named Marty Raybon to the mix and were confident they had
the winning combination they’d been looking for, and the
Grammy award winning group Shenandoah was born. Within their first
two years on CBS records, the band scored 5 number one records
including “Church on Cumberland Road”, “Sunday
in the South”, and “Next to You Next to Me”.
But after a lengthy legal battle over the name ‘Shenandoah’
they moved to RCA records. In no time at all they hit again with
4 more number ones including “If Bubba Can Dance”
and the heartfelt “I Want to Be Loved Like That.”
In 1996 the band was lured by music legend Jimmy Bowen to Capitol
Records and it was during this period that Shenandoah’s
live shows took on an exciting new dimension and the band produced
more chart toppers like ”Janie Baker’s Love Slave”,
and the Grammy award winner, “Somewhere In The Vicinity
of the Heart”. Some acts would have played it safe after
establishing themselves as a successful country “Supergroup”
and winning a CMA award, TNN and ACM group of the year accolades,
and the much coveted Grammy, but not these guys. With thirteen
number one songs, countless chart hits, Gold albums, and a reputation
as one of the hardest working touring acts in the business, this
band
is still evolving, taking chances, and striving for the musical
perfection and performance that have made them radio and concert
favorites around the country.
Shenandoah was again hungry for new musical ground when singer
Marty Raybon announced he was leaving the band at the end of 1997.
Seales and McGuire immediately called an old friend who had played
a vital role throughout Shenandoah’s career, a friend they
had wanted to work with for years. Curtis Wright had penned several
songs for the band including the #1 hits, “Rock My Baby”
and radio favorite “Next to You Next to Me”, not to
mention Clay Walker’s first #1 record, ‘What’s
It To You’, Darryl Singletary’s, ‘Too Much Fun’
and Ronnie Milsap’s ‘A Woman In Love’. The guys
had long admired Wright’s vocal talents with the recording
duo Orrall and Wright and his recording work as background vocalist
for Tim McGraw, Tracey Lawrence, Clay Walker, Pat Green and countless
other major country acts....most recently you can hear Curtis
on Reba McIntyre’s album ‘Room To Breathe’.
Yes, that’s Curtis singing background vocals on ‘I’m
Gonna Climb That Mountain’, ‘He Get’s That From
Me’, and ‘Somebody’.
“Man, we’ve wanted to work with Curtis for years,”
says McGuire. “Not only is he my favorite country singer
but I’ve always loved his writing, that boy can write hit
songs!” “I feel like I’m home”, says native
Pennsylvanian Wright. “I’ve been on the road with
some great bands and entertained country fans around the country,
I’ve watched my songs climb the charts to number one and
worked in the studio with some of the biggest acts in country
music ... it’s been exciting and I’ve certainly enjoyed
it, but I gotta tell you, there’s a special chemistry with
the new Shenandoah that I have never felt before.” With
a smile he adds, “You know sometimes
you do something and it just feels right, really right. Well this
is definitely one of those things, this band is smoking and we’re
writing hit songs and ready to hit the road to give country music
fans something to shout about!”
There’s a new buzz on music row in Nashville these days
and the buzz is; “SHENANDOAH IS BACK, AND BETTER THAN EVER!”
Visit the guys at www.shenandoahband.com
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