Carolina Dreams Explained

Carolina Dreams
Type:	studio
Artist:	the Marshall Tucker Band
Cover:	1977CarolinaDreams 20101001.jpg
Released:	January 1977
Recorded:	1976, Capricorn Studios, Macon, Georgia
Genre:	Southern rock country rock
Length:	37:18 (2005 reissue 41:46)
Label:	Capricorn
Producer:	Paul Hornsby
Prev Title:	Long Hard Ride
Prev Year:	1976
Next Title:	Together Forever
Next Year:	1978

Carolina Dreams, released in 1977, was the Marshall Tucker Band's sixth album and an ode to the band's home state, South Carolina, USA. Focusing on Western themes, it spawned their biggest hit to date, "Heard It In a Love Song", which rose to #14 on the Billboard Hot 100, taking the album with it to #22 and #23 on the Country and Pop charts, respectively. They toured early that year to promote the album.^[1] A bonus live version of "Silverado" appears on the 2005 reissue which was recorded the year after the death of bassist and founding member, Tommy Caldwell.^[2]

Track listing

All songs written by Toy Caldwell except where noted.^[3]

Side one

1. "Fly Like an Eagle" - 3:03
2. "Heard It in a Love Song" - 4:55
3. "I Should Have Never Started Lovin' You" (Toy Caldwell, Doug Gray, George McCorkle) - 7:10
4. "Life in a Song" (Jerry Eubanks, McCorkle) - 3:33

Side two

1. "Desert Skies" - 6:24
2. "Never Trust A Stranger" (Tommy Caldwell) - 5:28
3. "Tell It To The Devil" - 6:45

2004 CD reissue bonus track"Silverado" (George McCorkle) - (recorded live 1981 Winter Garden Theater - Dallas Texas)

Personnel

^[4]

• Doug Gray - lead vocals
• Toy Caldwell - lead, acoustic and steel guitars
• Tommy Caldwell - bass, tambourine, and background vocals
• George McCorkle - electric, twelve string and acoustic guitars
• Paul Riddle - drums
• Jerry Eubanks - flute, saxophone, background vocals

Guest musicians:

• Paul Hornsby - Piano and organ
• Charlie Daniels - Fiddle and harmony vocal on "Desert Skies".
• Chuck Leavell - Piano on "Life in a Song"
• Jaimoe - Congas
• Leo LaBranche - Horn section arrangements and trumpet on "Life in a Song" and "I Should Have Never Started Lovin' You"
• Dezso Lakatos - Tenor sax as part of the horn section.

Production

• Producer: Paul Hornsby
• Recording Engineer: Kurt Kinzel, Richard Schoff, David Pinkston
• Art Direction: Diana Kaylan
• Design: John Kehe
• Photography: David Alexander
• Handlettering: Bill Franks

Notes and References

1. Web site: Marshall Tucker Band Carolina Dreams Tour 1977. February 9, 2008. Jambands.
2. Web site: The Marshall Tucker Band - Carolina Dreams 8-track tape. 8tracksrback.ecrater.co.uk. 8 March 2013.
3. Web site: The Marshall Tucker Band Carolina Dreams. allmusic.com/. 8 March 2013.
4. Web site: The Marshall Tucker Band Carolina Dreams. allmusic.com. 8 March 2013.