Great Plains (band)
Encyclopedia
Great Plains was a progressive
country
pop
band that formed in 1987. The band comprised Jack Sundrud (currently of Poco
), Russ Pahl, Denny Dadmun-Bixby, Michael Young, and Lex Browning. In their career, they recorded two studio albums and had four singles enter the Billboard
country charts. Their highest charting single, "Faster Gun", peaked at #41.
's ("Bluer Than Blue") backup band. Sundrud was a seasoned professional, having toured with various acts such as Poco
, Nicolette Larson
and Allman Brothers guitarist Dickie Betts. Brent Maher was producing Johnson and was looking for a new band to produce. Maher liked the sound of Michael Johnson's backup band. Sundrud was playing bass at the time, so Maher asked Austin Cunningham to join the band in the studio to do some experimentation. The band recorded a few tracks, mostly Cunningham's songs with himself on lead vocals. The band lineup / instrumentation at that time was Austin Cunningham on acoustic guitar and lead vocals; Jack Sundrud on bass and vocals; Russ Pahl on lead guitar, steel guitar and vocals, and Michael Young on drums. After recording a few sessions, Cunningham decided that he wanted to pursue a solo career and left the band. Sundrud then played some of his own songs for producer Maher and his daughter, Dianna, who ran Maher's publishing company, Moraine Music. They liked the songs and signed Sundrud to their publishing company as a songwriter
. Maher and the band then recorded more tracks of Jack's material, with Sundrud on lead vocals.
The band showcased for RCA, and they passed. It was around this time that the band decided to hire a regular bassist and move Sundrud to acoustic guitar and lead vocals, so in 1989, the band added Denny Dadmun-Bixby to join the band on bass and vocals. Sundrud first met Bixby when the latter was recording with Wild Choir, Gail Davies
band (Sundrud's first road gig was with Davies in 1982.) The recording of the first record was slow and piece-meal since the band all had other gigs and needed income — Pahl was working with Don Williams
, Bixby with Wild Choir and Gail Davies, and Young had a growing custom-car building business. The band recorded when they could until 1989, but in early 1990, Sundrud was asked to join country rock
band Poco after Richie Furay
had left the Legacy tour (the Legacy tour and album initially featured all 5 original Poco members.) This was Sundrud's second stint with Poco, having been a member of the band from 1985–87; Sundrud's first professional band, the Minnesota-based Podipto, a regional band signed to GRT Records, had opened for Poco in 1971. Sundrud's Poco gig put off the finishing of the Great Plains project for a year.
, assisted by Brian Maher. The first single, "A Picture of You", written by Sundrud and songwriter Gary Burr
peaked at #48. "Faster Gun" was their highest chart entry at #41.
The first album failed to bring in large sales numbers and both Russ Pahl and Michael Young left the band in 1992. Sundrud and Bixby hung on, using studio musicians to record most of a second album, but during the recording process, their record label, Sony, had a changing of executives and the band lost its allies at the label and were dropped in 1993.
It was around this time that Brent Maher became involved with what would become Magnatone Records, a well-funded independent label financed by Roy Speer, who founded the Home Shopping Network
. Other artists included Shelby Lynne, Billy Montana, Rich McReady and Caryl Mack Parker.
and Merle Kilgore
. "Dancin' With The Wind" and "Wolverton Mountain" also had videos produced. Once again, the ground beneath them fell apart as Maher left Magnatone and the label had a major executive shake-up. The band tried something different and recorded a couple of songs with Sundrud's old friend, producer Michael Clute (Diamond Rio
). Magnatone released a single, "There's More Where That Came From", written by Sundrud and Tia Sillers, but they dropped the band the day after the single was released. Great Plains played some priorly-committed dates for a few months and disbanded for good in 1996.
, which peaked at #26 on the country charts in 1995. He also co-wrote (with Craig Bickhardt) the #1 country hit "It Must Be Love
" for Ty Herndon
. Sundrud recorded a solo album, By My Own Hand, in 2005, and a second album effort in collaboration with Craig Bickhardt called Idlewheel in 2006 which morphed into a full band with tour dates through 2008.
Lex Browning returned to Portland, Oregon
, where he had previously played with Jeffrey Frederick
's band, Les Clams. He is a member of the Freak Mountain Ramblers, with whom he has recorded four albums, and in 2009 released his first solo album, Good Rain on Red Newt Records.
Progressive country
Progressive country is a subgenre of Texas country music started in the early 1970s in Austin, Texas. The term was coined by programmers at Austin's KOKE-FM in 1972 as a way to differentiate the style of country music in Austin from that being made in Nashville...
country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
band that formed in 1987. The band comprised Jack Sundrud (currently of Poco
Poco
Poco is an Southern California country rock band originally formed by Richie Furay and Jim Messina following the demise of Buffalo Springfield in 1968. The title of their first album, Pickin' Up the Pieces, is a reference to the break-up of Buffalo Springfield. Highly influential and creative,...
), Russ Pahl, Denny Dadmun-Bixby, Michael Young, and Lex Browning. In their career, they recorded two studio albums and had four singles enter the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
country charts. Their highest charting single, "Faster Gun", peaked at #41.
Early days
The band began with Jack Sundrud, Russ Pahl and Michael Young, who were all working in Michael JohnsonMichael Johnson (singer)
Michael Johnson , is an American pop, country and folk singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his 1978 hit song "Bluer Than Blue". To date, he has charted four hits on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, and nine more on the Hot Country Songs charts, including two Number One country hits...
's ("Bluer Than Blue") backup band. Sundrud was a seasoned professional, having toured with various acts such as Poco
Poco
Poco is an Southern California country rock band originally formed by Richie Furay and Jim Messina following the demise of Buffalo Springfield in 1968. The title of their first album, Pickin' Up the Pieces, is a reference to the break-up of Buffalo Springfield. Highly influential and creative,...
, Nicolette Larson
Nicolette Larson
Nicolette Larson was an American pop singer. She is perhaps best known for her work in the late 1970s with Neil Young, as well as her 1978 cover of Young's "Lotta Love". The song, her debut single, was a Number One Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks hit and #8 pop hit that year...
and Allman Brothers guitarist Dickie Betts. Brent Maher was producing Johnson and was looking for a new band to produce. Maher liked the sound of Michael Johnson's backup band. Sundrud was playing bass at the time, so Maher asked Austin Cunningham to join the band in the studio to do some experimentation. The band recorded a few tracks, mostly Cunningham's songs with himself on lead vocals. The band lineup / instrumentation at that time was Austin Cunningham on acoustic guitar and lead vocals; Jack Sundrud on bass and vocals; Russ Pahl on lead guitar, steel guitar and vocals, and Michael Young on drums. After recording a few sessions, Cunningham decided that he wanted to pursue a solo career and left the band. Sundrud then played some of his own songs for producer Maher and his daughter, Dianna, who ran Maher's publishing company, Moraine Music. They liked the songs and signed Sundrud to their publishing company as a songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
. Maher and the band then recorded more tracks of Jack's material, with Sundrud on lead vocals.
The band showcased for RCA, and they passed. It was around this time that the band decided to hire a regular bassist and move Sundrud to acoustic guitar and lead vocals, so in 1989, the band added Denny Dadmun-Bixby to join the band on bass and vocals. Sundrud first met Bixby when the latter was recording with Wild Choir, Gail Davies
Gail Davies
Gail Davies is an American country music singer-songwriter. She is the daughter of country singer Tex Dickerson....
band (Sundrud's first road gig was with Davies in 1982.) The recording of the first record was slow and piece-meal since the band all had other gigs and needed income — Pahl was working with Don Williams
Don Williams
Don Williams , is an American country singer, songwriter and a 2010 inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame. He grew up in Portland, Texas, and graduated in 1958 from Gregory-Portland High School. After seven years with the folk-pop group Pozo-Seco Singers, he began his solo career in 1971,...
, Bixby with Wild Choir and Gail Davies, and Young had a growing custom-car building business. The band recorded when they could until 1989, but in early 1990, Sundrud was asked to join country rock
Country rock
Country rock is sub-genre of popular music, formed from the fusion of rock with country. The term is generally used to refer to the wave of rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s, beginning with Bob Dylan and The Byrds; reaching its greatest...
band Poco after Richie Furay
Richie Furay
Richie Furay is an American singer, songwriter, and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member who is best known for forming the bands Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Neil Young, Bruce Palmer, and Dewey Martin, and Poco with Jim Messina, Rusty Young, George Grantham and Randy Meisner...
had left the Legacy tour (the Legacy tour and album initially featured all 5 original Poco members.) This was Sundrud's second stint with Poco, having been a member of the band from 1985–87; Sundrud's first professional band, the Minnesota-based Podipto, a regional band signed to GRT Records, had opened for Poco in 1971. Sundrud's Poco gig put off the finishing of the Great Plains project for a year.
Record deal
The band finished the recording in 1991, showcased for Sony/Columbia and got a record deal. The début album was produced by Brent Maher and Don PotterDon Potter (musician)
Don Potter is an American musician and producer in Nashville, Tennessee. A longstanding producer for Wynonna Judd, he has become known as "the man who created the Judds' sound".-Musical career:...
, assisted by Brian Maher. The first single, "A Picture of You", written by Sundrud and songwriter Gary Burr
Gary Burr
Gary Burr, born in Meriden, Connecticut, is an American musician and songwriter and producer, mostly known for his stable of hits recorded by country music performers. Burr began his career as a member of the group Pure Prairie League from 1982 to 1985, taking over after Vince Gill departed the group...
peaked at #48. "Faster Gun" was their highest chart entry at #41.
The first album failed to bring in large sales numbers and both Russ Pahl and Michael Young left the band in 1992. Sundrud and Bixby hung on, using studio musicians to record most of a second album, but during the recording process, their record label, Sony, had a changing of executives and the band lost its allies at the label and were dropped in 1993.
It was around this time that Brent Maher became involved with what would become Magnatone Records, a well-funded independent label financed by Roy Speer, who founded the Home Shopping Network
Home Shopping Network
Home Shopping Network or HSN began in 1977 as a 24-hour/7 day a week home shopping television network televised via cable, satellite, and some terrestrial channels in the Philippines. HSN can also be shopped online at hsn.com...
. Other artists included Shelby Lynne, Billy Montana, Rich McReady and Caryl Mack Parker.
Another chance
Sundrud and Bixby decided to make Great Plains a band again and brought multi-instrumentalist / singer Lex Browning on board. They scrapped what they had been working on during the 2nd album and started over, with Brent Maher and Don Potter producing again. The result was 1996's "Homeland". The label released 3 singles from that album, all of which once again failed to move beyond the 40s in the charts, including "Dancin' With The Wind", written by Sundrud and long-time Nashville songwriter / performer Craig Bickhardt; "Healin' Hands", written by Sundrud and Chuck Cannon; and "Wolverton Mountain", the old standard written by Claude KingClaude King
Claude King is an American country music singer and songwriter, best known for his million selling 1962 hit, "Wolverton Mountain".-Biography:...
and Merle Kilgore
Merle Kilgore
Wyatt Merle Kilgore was an American singer, songwriter, and manager.-Early life:Although born in Chickasha, Oklahoma, Merle Kilgore was raised in Shreveport, Louisiana. He was the son of Wyatt and Gladys B. Kilgore...
. "Dancin' With The Wind" and "Wolverton Mountain" also had videos produced. Once again, the ground beneath them fell apart as Maher left Magnatone and the label had a major executive shake-up. The band tried something different and recorded a couple of songs with Sundrud's old friend, producer Michael Clute (Diamond Rio
Diamond Rio
Diamond Rio is an American Country music/Christian music band formed in 1984 in Nashville, Tennessee. Since its foundation, the group has comprised the same six members: Gene Johnson , Jimmy Olander , Brian Prout , Marty Roe , Dan Truman , and Dana Williams...
). Magnatone released a single, "There's More Where That Came From", written by Sundrud and Tia Sillers, but they dropped the band the day after the single was released. Great Plains played some priorly-committed dates for a few months and disbanded for good in 1996.
After disbanding
Jack Sundrud joined Poco again in 2000 and is still with the band as of 2009, once again playing bass and providing vocals. Sundrud co-wrote the hit "Cain's Blood" with Michael Johnson for the vocal group 4 Runner4 Runner
4 Runner was an American country music vocal group founded in the late 1980s by lead singer Craig Morris, baritone Billy Crittenden, tenor Lee Hilliard, and bass Jim Chapman...
, which peaked at #26 on the country charts in 1995. He also co-wrote (with Craig Bickhardt) the #1 country hit "It Must Be Love
It Must Be Love (Ty Herndon song)
"It Must Be Love" is a song written by Craig Bickhardt and Jack Sundrud. It was recorded and released in August 1998 by American country music singer Ty Herndon on his album Big Hopes, from which it was released as that album's second single in mid-1998...
" for Ty Herndon
Ty Herndon
Boyd Tyrone "Ty" Herndon is an American country music and Christian singer. Signed to Epic Records in 1995, Herndon made his debut that year with the Number One single "What Mattered Most", followed by the release of his first album, also entitled What Mattered Most...
. Sundrud recorded a solo album, By My Own Hand, in 2005, and a second album effort in collaboration with Craig Bickhardt called Idlewheel in 2006 which morphed into a full band with tour dates through 2008.
Lex Browning returned to Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, where he had previously played with Jeffrey Frederick
Jeffrey Frederick
Jeffrey Sutton Frederick was a songwriter, guitarist and performer specializing in good-time Americana music—an idiosyncratic blend of folk, country and rock and roll. He was a largely uncredited predecessor of today's alternative country music genre. Also notorious for his pranks, he was a...
's band, Les Clams. He is a member of the Freak Mountain Ramblers, with whom he has recorded four albums, and in 2009 released his first solo album, Good Rain on Red Newt Records.
Albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Great Plains |
|
| Homeland |
|
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions |
Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
CAN Country RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
|||
| 1991 | "A Picture of You" | 63 | — | Great Plains |
| 1992 | "Faster Gun" | 41 | 42 | |
| "Iola" | 63 | 71 | ||
| 1996 | "Dancin' with the Wind" | 58 | — | Homeland |
| "Healin' Hands" | — | — | ||
| "Wolverton Mountain Wolverton Mountain "Wolverton Mountain" was a hit that launched Claude King's career in the US in 1962. The song was written together with Merle Kilgore and was based on a real character, Clifton Clowers, who lived on Wolverton Mountain in Arkansas. The song spent nine weeks at the top of the Billboard country chart... " |
— | — | ||
| 1997 | "There's More Where That Came From" | — | — | Single only |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | "A Picture of You" | Michael Salomon Michael Salomon Michael Salomon is a music video/film director, who has directed many music videos, including many of Toby Keith's music videos... |
| 1992 | "Faster Gun" | Pete Cummings |
| 1996 | "Dancin' with the Wind" | Gerry Wenner |
| "Healin' Hands" | Charley Randazzo | |
| "Wolverton Mountain" | Bob Burwell, Rod Thompson |