Pure Prairie League - A Hit at Last

A Hit At Last

As "Amie" grew in popularity, radio stations began receiving requests for it. As a result, RCA re-released Bustin' Out and issued "Amie" as a single in late 1974. It peaked at No. 27 on 26 April 1975, just as a minor, bluegrass revival was underway on midwestern college campuses.

RCA re-signed P.P.L. and their third album, "Two Lane Highway", was released in April 1975. It featured guest appearances by Chet Atkins, fiddler Johnny Gimble, Don Felder from The Eagles and Emmylou Harris, who dueted with the band on the song "Just Can't Believe It", which received much airplay on country stations. "Highway" was the band's highest 'charter' at No. 24 and Bustin' Out reached Gold status. Their subsequent records If the Shoe Fits, Dance, Live, Takin' the Stage and Just Fly sold in lesser quantities.

In 1977, Call left because of increasing back troubles. Larry Goshorn's brother, Tim, joined in time to record "Just Fly". In 1978, there was a mass exodus as the Goshorns left to form their own group, The Goshorn Brothers, and Powell, the last remaining original member, retired from the road to run his pig farm in Ohio.

The group soldiered on as Reilly quickly brought in temporary members, California country rocker Chris Peterson (vocals, guitar) and the group's soundman, Jeff Redefer (guitar), to play a few shows until new, permanent players could be located.

In September 1978, auditions found Vince Gill (vocals, guitars, mandolin, banjo, fiddle), who had played with the bluegrass outfit Mountain Smoke, as well as Boone Creek (with Ricky Skaggs) and Byron Berline and his band Sundance. Further auditions brought in L.A. musician Steve Patrick Bolin (vocals, guitars, flute, saxophone) in January 1979. This revamped lineup recorded "Can't Hold Back", which turned out to be their last for R.C.A. Sax player Jeff Kirk accompanied the band on some of their dates during the 1979 tour. Casablanca Records, who at this time was trying to play down its reputation as a primarily disco label, signed P.P.L. and other non-dance acts to its roster in 1980. In January, guitarist Jeff Wilson came in to replace Bolin and the band's 1980 release, Firin' Up, spawned the hits "Let Me Love You Tonight" and "I'm Almost Ready" both sung by Gill, with saxophone accompaniment by David Sanborn. A second Casablanca release, Something in the Night (1981), kept P.P.L. in the charts with "Still Right Here in My Heart". However, as fate would have it, Casablanca went bankrupt and was completely sold to Polygram Records. Polygram dropped most of Casablanca's roster including P.P.L. Gill left in early 1982 and pursued a hugely successful, solo career.