Mother Lode (album) explained

Mother Lode
Type:	Album
Artist:	Loggins and Messina
Cover:	LogginsMessina-MotherLodeAlbumCover.jpg
Released:	October 1974
Recorded:	Jim Messina's home ranch studio, Ojai, California
Genre:	Rock
Length:	44:27
Label:	Columbia
Producer:	Jim Messina
Prev Title:	On Stage
Prev Year:	1974
Next Title:	So Fine
Next Year:	1975

Mother Lode is the fourth studio album (fifth release overall) by singer-songwriter duo Loggins and Messina, released in late 1974. It was their final album with their original backing band, because multireedist and violinist Al Garth would soon leave the band, but multireedist Jon Clarke, bassist Larry Sims and drummer Merel Bregante remained, and saxophonist Don Roberts made his debut on this record. Future Toto keyboardist David Paich plays keyboards on this album while percussionist Milt Holland is augmented by Victor Feldman and the album was recorded on location at Jim Messina's California ranch. The Jim Messina composition "Keep Me in Mind" was sung by bassist Sims,^[1] whom Messina praised for having a phenomenal voice in a 2009 interview with Loggins for KCTS-TV.^[2]

Track listing

Side one

1. "Growin'" (Kenny Loggins, Ronnie Wilkins) – 2:39 (lead singer: Kenny Loggins)
2. "Be Free" (Jim Messina) – 7:01 (lead singer: Jim Messina)
3. "Changes" (Messina) – 3:53 (lead singer: Jim Messina)
4. "Brighter Days" (Loggins, Dona Lyn George) – 3:42 (lead singer: Kenny Loggins)
5. "Time to Space" (Loggins, George) – 5:48 (lead singers: Kenny Loggins, Larry Sims)

Side two

1. "Lately My Love" (Messina) – 3:32 (lead singer: Jim Messina)
2. "Move On" (Messina) – 7:29 (lead singer: Jim Messina)
3. "Get a Hold" (Loggins) – 3:37 (lead singer: Kenny Loggins)
4. "Keep Me in Mind" (Messina) – 3:38 (lead singer: Larry Sims)
5. "Fever Dream" (Loggins, Maury Muehleisen) – 3:03 (lead singer: Kenny Loggins)

Personnel

• Kenny Loggins – vocals, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, harmonica
• Jim Messina – vocals, lead guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin

Loggins and Messina band

• Larry Sims – bass, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Keep Me in Mind"
• Merel Bregante – drums, timbales, backing vocals
• Jon Clarke – flute, oboe, bass flute, English horn, tenor saxophone, alto flute, soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone, bass saxophone
• Al Garth – violin, recorder, tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, bass clarinet

Sidemen

• Chris Brooks – koto
• Milt Holland – percussion
• Victor Feldman – percussion
• David Paich – keyboards
• Don Roberts – flute, bass flute, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone, bass saxophone, bass clarinet, alto flute
• David Wallace – synthesizers

Production

• Producer – Jim Messina
• Engineers – Corey Bailey, Alex Kazanegras and Jim Messina.
• Technical Assistance – Lou Shatzer
• Recorded on location at Jim Messina's Ranch, Ojai, California using Haji Sound.
• Photography – Tyler Thornton
• Color Prints – Ted Staidle
• Art Direction and Design – Ron Coro
• Personal Management – Schiffman and Larsen
• Road Management – David Cieslak and Jim Recor

Charts

Album – Billboard (United States)

Year	Chart	Position
1974	Pop Albums	8
1974	Australia (Kent Music Report)^[3]	89

Singles - Billboard (United States)

Year	Song	Position
1975	Changes	84
1975	Growin'	52

Notes and References

1. Web site: In Memoriam: Larry Sims. December 18, 2014.
2. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Loggins and Messina CONVERSATIONS AT KCTS 9 . YouTube.
3. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 180.