Southern Pacific (band)
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Southern Pacific was a country rock band that ran from 1983 to 1991. They are best known for hits such as "Any Way the Wind Blows" (1989), which was heard in the film Pink Cadillac starring Clint Eastwood and Bernadette Peters, and "New Shade of Blue" (1988, their highest-ranking single on the country charts in November of that year).
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[edit] History
Formed in 1983 with former Doobie Brothers members Keith Knudsen and John McFee, bassist Jerry Scheff, Tim Goodman on vocals, and keyboardist Glenn D. Hardin, they signed with Warner Bros. Records in 1984. Their debut album Southern Pacific was released the following year. Scheff left after the debut album and was replaced by Stu Cook of Creedence Clearwater Revival, while Kurt Howell replaced Hardin on keyboards. Cook and Howell would join the others in the release of Killbilly Hill in 1986. This album would feature the cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Pink Cadillac". Goodman left after the second album, and would replaced by David Jenkins (formerly of Pablo Cruise) in time for the production of the group's third album Zuma in 1988 where their highest ranking single "New Shade of Blue" was included. Jenkins left after Zuma and the group remained a quartet for the final album County Line (1989) which included the single "Any Way The Wind Blows" that was used in the Pink Cadillac soundtrack and film that same year. The group disbanded and Warner Bros. released their Greatest Hits album in 1991.
After Southern Pacific's breakup, Knudsen and McFee returned to The Doobie Brothers. Knudsen died in 2005 while McFee continues to tour with The Doobies. Cook toured with fellow Creedence Clearwater Revival band member Doug Clifford with the group Cosmo's Factory (now Creedence Clearwater Revisited). Howell formed his own music group, called Burnin' Daylight; this group also included Sonny LeMaire, a former member of Exile, and Nashville songwriter Marc Beeson.
Southern Pacific's four studio albums were reissued in 2003 by specialty label Wounded Bird Records in two double-CD packages.
[edit] Members
- Keith Knudsen (1983-91)
- John McFee (1983-91)
- Jerry Scheff (1983-6)
- Tim Goodman (1983-6)
- Glenn D. Hardin (1983-6)
- Stu Cook (1986-91)
- Kurt Howell (1986-91)
- David Jenkins (1986-89)
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
| Year | Title | US Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Southern Pacific | 25 |
| 1986 | Killbilly Hill | 36 |
| 1988 | Zuma | 27 |
| 1990 | County Line | 42 |
| 1991 | Greatest Hits |
[edit] Singles
| Year | Title | US Country | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | "Someone's Gonna Love You Tonight" | 60 | Southern Pacific |
| "Thing About You" (w/ Emmylou Harris) | 14 | ||
| "Perfect Stranger" | 37 | ||
| 1986 | "Reno Bound" | 9 | |
| "A Girl Like Emmylou" | 17 | Killbilly Hill | |
| "Killbilly Hill" | 37 | ||
| 1987 | "Don't Let Go of My Heart" | 26 | |
| 1988 | "Midnight Highway" | 14 | Zuma |
| "New Shade of Blue" | 2 | ||
| 1989 | "Honey I Dare You" | 5 | |
| "All Is Lost"A | |||
| "Any Way the Wind Blows" | 4 | County Line | |
| 1990 | "Time's Up" (w/ Carlene Carter) | 26 | |
| "I Go to Pieces" | 31 | ||
| "Reckless Heart" | 32 |
- A"All Is Lost" peaked at #19 on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart.
[edit] References
- Goldsmith, Thomas. (1998). "Southern Pacific." In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 497-498.
