Loggins and Messina

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Loggins and Messina are an American rock music duo consisting of Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina.

In late 1970, Jim Messina, formerly of Poco and Buffalo Springfield, was working as an independent contract record producer for Columbia Records when he met Kenny Loggins, a little-known studio artist who had written a few songs of his own. At the time, Loggins was working as contract songwriter for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

Messina decided to produce Loggins' debut album. By the time it was completed, Messina had contributed so much to the album, both instrumentally and vocally, that an accidental duo was born, and the album was released as "Kenny Loggins with Jim Messina Sittin' in". Their harmonies meshed so well that what was begun as a one-off album became an entity unto itself. So rather than simply producing Kenny Loggins as a solo act, they both decided to form a duo, Loggins and Messina.

Over the course of the next four or five years they produced five original material albums, one album of covers of other artists' material and two live albums. One compilation album, a "best of", would be released after the duo had separated.

By 1977, the pair separated and pursued successful solo careers. They reunited in 2005 for a compilation album of their greatest hits, which proved successful enough for them to embark on tour together. The "Sittin' In Again" tour was launched in mid-2005 and played out the remainder of the year.

Their backing band changed from album to album but the core members are listed below. Many albums featured backing members who were well known in their own right, such as Stephen Stills who contributed to their self-titled second album. John Townsend and Ed Sanford, later of the Sanford & Townsend Band (Smoke from a Distant Fire) contributed vocals and songwriting to the Native Sons album.

[edit] Members

Kenny Loggins – 2nd guitar, Harmonica, and Vocals
Jim Messina – 1st guitar and Vocals

Backing Band

Lester A. Garth – Bass Clarinet, Saxes, Recorders, Violin, Steel Drum (2nd Pan), and Background Vocals
Jon Clarke (1951-2005) – Saxophones, Oboe, and Steel Drum (3rd Pan)

Vince Denham (since 1974) Saxophone

Larry Sims – Bass and Background Vocals
Merel Bregante – Drums and Background Vocals
Milt Holland; Percussionist
Steve Forman; Percussionist
Michael Omartian (first three albums only) – Keyboards, Steel Drum (1st Pan), and Concertina