Singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist Rusty Young, front man of the West Coast country-rock band Poco, released his debut solo album for Blue Élan Records, Waitin’ for the Sun, on Sept. 15, 2017. The album comes after a five-decade career that began in 1967 when Young was invited to play steel guitar on what would become the final album by Buffalo Springfield. Soon after—along with Richie Furay, George Grantham and Jim Messina—he formed Poco, which would also include Paul Cotton, Randy Meisner and Timothy B. Schmit. Young was the writer and vocalist behind hits including “Rose of Cimarron” and the top 20 hit “Crazy Love.”
“I learned how to write songs not only from the guys in Poco, but the people I hung out with too,” explained Young when the LP was announced. “Friends like Neil Young, Stephen Stills and Gerry Beckley from the band America all made a big impression on me. My grandparents, who were professional musicians in the ’20s and ’30s, have always been a huge inspiration. As the sole writer on this record, I got to visit all kinds of different places that relate to my musical heritage and experiences. Most of all, I wanted to take people on a journey that was fun to listen to from the first note to the last.”
ca. 1973 — The country rock band Poco: (l to r) Timothy Schmit, Richie Furay, George Grantham, Rusty Young, and Paul Cotton (Photo © Henry Diltz/CORBIS)
Produced by Young and longtime Poco bassist/vocalist Jack Sundrud—with assistance from Bill Halverson (Crosby, Stills & Nash, Eric Clapton, Emmylou Harris)—and mixed/mastered by Joe Hardy (ZZ Top, Steve Earle, the Replacements), the album’s 10 songs first came together in the hours just before dawn. Says Young in the release, “I live in a cabin that overlooks the Mark Twain National Forest in southern Missouri, and got in the habit of waking early to watch the sun come up. Just sitting there with my guitar, loving where I live and thinking about how far I’ve come and how lucky I’ve been. After a while, the songs just poured out of me.”
Rusty Young (Photo: Henry Diltz; used with permission)
The album was recorded at Cash Cabin in Hendersonville, Tenn., the former home recording studio of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. “June’s old piano is all over the record,” Young says, “and I got to play Johnny’s ’57 Les Paul.” He also played steel and acoustic guitars, Dobro, mandolin and banjo, with the current configuration of Poco—Sundrud, keyboardist Michael Webb and former Flying Burrito Brothers drummer Rick Lonow—filling in the rest. “They are, quite simply, the best musicians I know,” Rusty says. “You can’t separate me from the sound of Poco, but I wanted to take the Poco sound—the songwriting, the vocals and the playing—to the next level. The goal of this album was to go one step beyond.”
Young plans to tour in support of this new disc and is planning a series of special concerts to celebrate Poco’s 50th anniversary.
Watch the video for “My Friend.” The song features Furay and Schmit.
Rusty Young is currently on tour solo and with Poco (Tickets available here and here)
APR 27 – Admiral Theatre Bremerton, WA
MAY 3 – The Soda Fountain Streetsville, MO *
MAY 4 – The Leach Theatre Rolla, MO *
MAY 11 – Thrasher Opera House Green Lake, WI
MAY 12 – Thrasher Opera House Green Lake, WI
JUN 8 – Golden Nugget Las Vegas, NV
JUN 9 – KSHE Pig Roast St. Louis, MO
JUN 19 – The Mint Los Angeles, CA *
JUN 24 – Rock, Ribs and Ridges Festival Augusta, NJ
JUL 14 – Silo Napa Napa, CA
JUL 15 – OC Fair – The Hanger Costa Mesa, CA
JUL 27 – Florida Theatre Jacksonville, FL
*Rusty Young Solo
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