Pure Prairie League - History

History

Although the band has its roots in Waverly, Ohio, it was actually formed in Columbus, and had its first success in Cincinnati. Fuller (who would also play with J.D. Blackfoot and Little Feat), McGrail, Caughlan and Call played together 'on and off' since high school. The first Pure Prairie League recording was a George Ed Powell-penned composition, "(Break Me) Down to Pieces" with Powell (acoustic guitar and vocals), Fuller (lead guitar and vocals), McGrail (drums), Kenny May (bass) and David Workman (pedal steel guitar). In 1970, the first official P.P.L. lineup was Fuller, McGrail, Powell, Phil Stokes on bass, and Robin Suskind on guitar and mandola, with steel guitar player John David Call joining the band later that year. His steel guitar improved the country songs and sparked guitar duels with Fuller that contributed to the country rock signature sound of the band.

Jim Caughlan, who played guitar with Fuller, Call and McGrail in earlier bands, took over on drums when McGrail quit the band in 1971, just before their first album was recorded. Jim Lanham replaced Stokes who left at the same time to rehearse with McGrail and Bill Bartlett (Lemon Pipers, Beechwood Farm, Ramjam fame). Pure Prairie League was looking for national artist management when they made contact with well-known, rock and roll promoter Roger Abramson. Abramson went to New Dilly's, a nightclub in Mt. Adams, Cincinnati, and immediately signed the band to management. Abramson was able to obtain a recording contract with RCA. He then placed Pure Prairie League as an opening act with many of the concerts he was producing. Their eponymous first album featured a Norman Rockwell oil painting of an old cowboy named "Luke". The painting originally appeared in the Saturday Evening Post magazine; "Luke" would feature on the cover of every P.P.L. recording thereafter!

After releasing their debut album in March 1972, and a nationwide tour, the band decided to relocate to a horse farm north of Toronto (Canada) for the summer of 1972. Fuller felt safer there since he was facing charges of draft evasion. New York City was where the first album was recorded and Call, Caughlan and Lanham were not agreeable to this move; they decided to leave. The second album, Bustin' Out, was produced, as was their debut, by Bob Ringe and featured the trio of Fuller, Powell and William Frank "Billy" Hinds (drums, percussion). Hinds' friend, Michael Connor, contributed piano to the sessions and would become a regular in the Pure Prairie League line-up for years to come. Mick Ronson, of David Bowie and Mott the Hoople fame, contributed string arrangements on several tracks, most notably "Boulder Skies" and "Call Me Tell Me". Michael Reilly, who would become the longtime bass player and front man for the band, joined them in early September 1972, after the record's completion. Bustin' Out was released in October 1972.

Shortly afterwards, the group returned to Ohio and Fuller had to face trial in Kentucky. Before conscientious objector (C.O.) status could be arranged, he was sentenced to six months in jail and forced to leave P.P.L. in February 1973. At this point, RCA dropped the band and their future looked bleak.

By August 1973, the band members were in Cincinnati and managed to persuade Call to return. Fuller, though out of prison by now, was working the late shift in a community hospital to satisfy his C.O. requirements and was not inclined to rejoin at that juncture. He was eventually given a full pardon by President Gerald Ford. Reilly took over as the band's leader and brought in his friend Larry Goshorn (vocals, guitars) to replace Fuller in November 1973. Goshorn played in a popular Ohio band called Sacred Mushroom.

P.P.L. hit the road and began playing gigs constantly, mostly in the Northeast, Midwest and Southeast. As a result of their heavy schedule, particularly at colleges, their songs became well known; "Amie" (Craig Fuller’s ode to an on-again/off-again relationship), from the second album, became a particular favorite.