The Flatlanders

The Flatlanders are an American alternative country band that was founded in 1970 in Lubbock, Texas by Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock and Joe Ely.

Band History

They are regarded as pioneers of the alt-country movement, as their music aware of the Nashville Sound deposed. In contrast to the usual practice in Nashville The Flatlanders played their instruments, wrote their own songs and gave up elaborate production technology.

In March 1972 The Flatlanders took with Steve Wesson ( musical saw ), Tony Pearson (mandolin ), Sylvester Rice ( bass) and unrelated with Butch Hancock Tommy Hancock (fiddle ) in the studio of Plantation Records in Nashville seventeen songs for a first album. The pre-release promo single Dallas turned out to be a flop, however, and the record company gave up the distribution of the LP. Only a few dozen 8-track tapes found their way to the public. The band broke up then after a few gigs.

Gilmore, Ely and Hancock started their own successful solo careers. At first it was Ely, which grossed from 1977 highly acclaimed albums and made ​​a name as a live attraction. Since he also played songs by Hancock and Gilmore and recorded, these grew in popularity.

Early 1980s were briefly published in England under the title One More Road on vinyl and cassette recordings of the old band. Only in 1990, as The Flatlanders long had a cult status, the Plantation tape recordings appeared under the title More A Legend Than A at Rounder Records in the U.S.. The album largely corresponded to the planned 1972 album. It was missing two of the original songs, but four other unreleased tracks have been added. The album sold in a short time a few hundred thousand times. The original musicians received no royalties for this, however.

1997, the three become highly respected musicians met again in the studio and produced for the film The Horse Whisperer ( The Horse Whisperer ) the song South Wind Of Summer. It was followed by some live performances. Gilmore, Ely and Hancock found increasing pleasure in their work together. 2000, they made ​​their first joint tour and 2002, exactly thirty years after their first album, Now Again was created with a new studio album. The third album, Wheels Of Fortune appeared two years later, followed by a live recording from 1972., The band was in the possession of another, after thirty years again emerged tapes with fourteen shots from a studio in Odessa, which was added in January 1972 been. This tape has now been restored and published under the title The Odessa tapes with the label New West on 28 August 2012.

Discography

  • One Road More ( Charly Records 1980 / CR30189 )
  • More A Legend Than A Band ( Rounder 1990)
  • Unplugged ( Sun Records, Release Date July 11, 1995, Jimmie Dale Gilmore And The Flatlanders, Joe Ely and Butch Hancock incl )
  • Now Again ( New West, Publication Date 21 May 2002)
  • Wheels Of Fortune ( New West, Publication Date 27 January 2004)
  • Hills And Valleys ( New West, Publication Date 31 March 2009)
  • The Odessa Tapes ( New West, Publication Date 28 August 2012)
Lubbock (Texas) Odessa (Texas)
337578
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