Customer Reviews

Dedicated

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Dedicated is the much awaited first album of the Marshall Tucker band since the tragic automobile accident that took the life of Bass player and spritual leader of the band, Tommy Caldwell. Long time friend Franklin Wilkie has joined the band as the new bass player. Tommy was the brother of Toy Caldwell, who has authored the large majority of MTB songs during their Capricorn and Warner Brothers label tenures. (Toy Caldwell subsequently left the band a few years later and also passed away in 1993) Dedicated starts with Rumors are Raging. Good friend Charlie Daniels supports the band with some great fiddle playin' on this track. The song "This time I believe" was released as a single and got some airplay on radio stations. The group appeared on Solid Gold Live to perform the song. Silverado was also a popular song which was done on video also. The album is definitely worth buying. My personal favorite is the track "Ride in Peace", which was written for Tommy Caldwell. Any MTB fan should have Dedicated in their possession for this alone. Dedicated is a mixture of rock, pop, jazz, blues, country, and gospel. This is what makes MTB a great band, and they do not disappoint on Dedicated!

Recorded during a very difficult time for the band, "Dedicated" is generally a very upbeat affair.

Rumors Are Raging (4:04) - This tune literally jumps starts the album with a frenzied Toy Caldwell solo and a little Charlie Daniels fiddlin' tagged onto the end of the intro. The pace slows downs then speeds up a few times in this one before finally coming to an abrupt end. Top notch MTB.

Tonight's The Night (For Making Love) (3:52) - A bouncy, sing-along song written by George McCorkle; the first of several tunes "dedicated" to the subject matter referenced in the title.

Love Some (2:49) - Love song #2; a Spencer/Tarney tune that is similar to what the band would do later on their "Tuckerized" album. They put their stamp on it but it still isn't MTB. The strange thing is that I actually like it a lot.

Silverado (4:02) - In a word, "EXCEPTIONAL". This one smokes!!!

Something's Missing In My Life (3:28) - Swinging number with plenty of Jerry Eubanks on flute; a real toe-tapper.

This Time I Believe (3:15) - Jerry switches to sax for this, the third outright "love" song.

Tell The Blues To Take Off The Night (4:45) - A nice bluesy piece that is done with that special MTB touch and with lyrics which undeniably make this the fourth track "dedicated" to love.

Special Someone (3:55) - One of my favorite tracks on this disc. This up-tempo number has a very bright, positive feel to it. Norton Buffalo's harmonica contributions add a nice flavor to the fun.

The Time Has Come (2:40) - Norton Buffalo lets you know right away that he is still sitting in with the boys. Another bright, up-tempo number.

Ride In Peace (3:56) - A beautiful tribute written by Toy Caldwell to "Tim and Tommy Caldwell and to all lost loved ones".

Overall, this is a really solid product that I enjoy listening to frequently. It always seems to brighten my day. However, there are just too many outright love songs in the mix for me give this a full 5 star rating. I have nothing against love songs per se and especially not the ones presented here as these are all done well. I guess I'm just being picky ...

With DEDICATED, Marshall Tucker proved that they could survive the death of bass player Tommy Caldwell, who was also guitarist Toy's brother. The band cut a number of great songs for this CD, including the Old West revenge story "Silverado." Any fan of Southern rock should own this CD.

This album served as my introduction to Marshall Tucker and to a great extent southern rock. I believe this album, as much or more than any other in their catalog, shows the wide variety of musical styles the band was able to make their own. The band moves effortlessly from country to blues to jazz to rock. Twenty years later I am still in awe of the Toy's amazing guitar work, Paul's powerful drumming, and Doug's barroom voice. Also, the lyrics quite often tell wonderful stories (Silverado) or wish a beloved friend a fond farewell (Ride In Peace).

While this might not be quintessential MTB album (that title undoubtedly goes to one of the Capricorn releases), any Tucker fan worth his salt has this one in his collection.