The Notorious Cherry Bombs
Encyclopedia
The Notorious Cherry Bombs, originally called The Cherry Bombs, was an American country music
supergroup founded by singer-songwriter Rodney Crowell
in 1980. A former member of Emmylou Harris
's Hot Band, Crowell picked several former Hot Band members as his backing band, which he named The Cherry Bombs. They made their debut as Rodney's backing band on his 1980 album But What Will the Neighbors Think.
Although they served as Crowell's backing band for several years, The Cherry Bombs did not record an album of their own until a 2004 reunion (at which point "Notorious" had been added to the band's name). The album, also titled The Notorious Cherry Bombs
, produced a hit on the country music charts in "It's Hard to Kiss the Lips at Night That Chew Your Ass Out All Day Long".
's Hot Band; when he began his own solo career in the early 1980s, Crowell picked several former Hot Band members as his backing band, whom he named The Cherry Bombs. The initial members comprised Vince Gill
(background vocals
, electric guitar
), Hank DeVito (steel guitar
), Emory Gordy, Jr.
(bass guitar
), Richard Bennett
(electric guitar
), Tony Brown
(keyboards
), and Larrie Londin
(drums
).
As The Cherry Bombs, the band backed both Crowell and Rosanne Cash
, to whom Crowell was married at the time. After Crowell and Cash divorced, the band's members began leaving. Gill began a solo career in country music in the late 1980s, while Brown became a record producer for MCA Records
. Londin died from a heart attack in 1992. Gordy married country singer Patty Loveless
and served as her producer, while Bennett and DeVito found work as studio musicians.
(drums), Richard Bennett (electric guitar, bouzouki
, cavaquinho
), Hank DeVito (steel guitar, Dobro
), John Hobbs (piano, keyboards), and Michael Rhodes (bass guitar), with Gill and Crowell alternating as lead singers. A year later, the band was signed to a record deal with Universal South Records to record their first album as an actual band. Due to legal concerns, the band was re-named The Notorious Cherry Bombs. Their self-titled album produced a minor hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts that year in "It's Hard to Kiss the Lips at Night That Chew Your Ass Out All Day Long". This was followed by "Let It Roll, Let It Ride" which failed to chart. Also included on the album was "Making Memories of Us
", which had previously been recorded by Tracy Byrd and would later become a Number One hit when Keith Urban
released his own version in 2005. After the release of their second single, The Notorious Cherry Bombs disbanded again, and Crowell and Gill resumed their solo careers.
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...
supergroup founded by singer-songwriter Rodney Crowell
Rodney Crowell
Rodney Crowell is a Grammy Award-winning musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music....
in 1980. A former member of Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
's Hot Band, Crowell picked several former Hot Band members as his backing band, which he named The Cherry Bombs. They made their debut as Rodney's backing band on his 1980 album But What Will the Neighbors Think.
Although they served as Crowell's backing band for several years, The Cherry Bombs did not record an album of their own until a 2004 reunion (at which point "Notorious" had been added to the band's name). The album, also titled The Notorious Cherry Bombs
The Notorious Cherry Bombs (album)
The Notorious Cherry Bombs is the self-titled debut album by the American country music group The Notorious Cherry Bombs, a band that formerly served as country singer Rodney Crowell's backing band in the 1980s. This is the band's only studio album, with Crowell and Vince Gill alternating as lead...
, produced a hit on the country music charts in "It's Hard to Kiss the Lips at Night That Chew Your Ass Out All Day Long".
The Cherry Bombs
Rodney Crowell was a founding member of country singer Emmylou HarrisEmmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
's Hot Band; when he began his own solo career in the early 1980s, Crowell picked several former Hot Band members as his backing band, whom he named The Cherry Bombs. The initial members comprised Vince Gill
Vince Gill
Vincent Grant "Vince" Gill is an American neotraditional country singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman to the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s, and as a solo artist beginning in 1983, where his talents as a...
(background vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
, electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
), Hank DeVito (steel guitar
Steel guitar
Steel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use...
), Emory Gordy, Jr.
Emory Gordy, Jr.
Emory Gordy, Jr., born December 25, 1944, in Atlanta, Georgia, is an American musician and music producer. Since 1989, he has been married to country music artist Patty Loveless. Gordy was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1992...
(bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett (guitarist)
Richard Bennett is a touring sideman, session veteran, and record producer. As a touring sideman, he performed with Neil Diamond for 17 years, and Mark Knopfler since 1994. As a session player, he has worked with artists ranging from Billy Joel and Barbra Streisand to Rodney Crowell and Vince Gill...
(electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
), Tony Brown
Tony Brown (record producer)
Tony Brown is an American country music record producer.He was born in Greensboro, North Carolina.Brown played piano for Elvis Presley. He toured with the TCB Band for much of Presley's final two years and was a part of the 1976 "Jungle Room" recording sessions at Graceland...
(keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
), and Larrie Londin
Larrie Londin
Ralph Gallant, better known by his stage name Larrie Londin , was an American drummer and session musician. Londin played with a wide range of artists including Journey and Steve Perry....
(drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
).
As The Cherry Bombs, the band backed both Crowell and Rosanne Cash
Rosanne Cash
Rosanne Cash is an American singer-songwriter and author. She is the eldest daughter of the late country music singer Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian Liberto Cash Distin....
, to whom Crowell was married at the time. After Crowell and Cash divorced, the band's members began leaving. Gill began a solo career in country music in the late 1980s, while Brown became a record producer for MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
. Londin died from a heart attack in 1992. Gordy married country singer Patty Loveless
Patty Loveless
Patty Loveless , is an American country music singer.Since her emergence on the country music scene in late 1986 with her first album, Loveless has been one of the most popular female singers of the Neotraditional country movement, although she has also recorded albums in the Country pop and...
and served as her producer, while Bennett and DeVito found work as studio musicians.
Return as The Notorious Cherry Bombs
In 2003, several of the former members of The Cherry Bombs, including Gill and Crowell, re-united. Emory Gordy, Jr., decided not to participate in the reunited group, which by then comprised Eddie BayersEddie Bayers
Eddie Bayers is an American session drummer who has played on 150 gold and platinum albums. He received the Academy of Country Music 'Drummer of the Year Award' for eight straight years, and has three times won the Nashville Music Awards 'Drummer of the Year'...
(drums), Richard Bennett (electric guitar, bouzouki
Bouzouki
The bouzouki , is a musical instrument with Greek origin in the lute family. A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but...
, cavaquinho
Cavaquinho
The cavaquinho is a small string instrument of the European guitar family with four wire or gut strings. It is also called machimbo, machim, machete , manchete or marchete, braguinha or braguinho, or cavaco.The most common tuning is D-G-B-D ; other tunings include D-A-B-E...
), Hank DeVito (steel guitar, Dobro
Dobro
Dobro is a registered trademark, now owned by Gibson Guitar Corporation and used for a particular design of resonator guitar.The name has a long and involved history, interwoven with that of the resonator guitar...
), John Hobbs (piano, keyboards), and Michael Rhodes (bass guitar), with Gill and Crowell alternating as lead singers. A year later, the band was signed to a record deal with Universal South Records to record their first album as an actual band. Due to legal concerns, the band was re-named The Notorious Cherry Bombs. Their self-titled album produced a minor hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts that year in "It's Hard to Kiss the Lips at Night That Chew Your Ass Out All Day Long". This was followed by "Let It Roll, Let It Ride" which failed to chart. Also included on the album was "Making Memories of Us
Making Memories of Us
"Making Memories of Us" is the title of a song written by American country music artist Rodney Crowell that has been recorded by several artists. The first version was recorded by American country music artist Tracy Byrd on his 2003 album The Truth About Men...
", which had previously been recorded by Tracy Byrd and would later become a Number One hit when Keith Urban
Keith Urban
Keith Lionel Urban is a New Zealand-born Australian, country music singer, songwriter and guitarist whose commercial success has been mainly in the United States and Australia. Urban was born in New Zealand and began his career in Australia at an early age...
released his own version in 2005. After the release of their second single, The Notorious Cherry Bombs disbanded again, and Crowell and Gill resumed their solo careers.
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US Heat Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
||
| The Notorious Cherry Bombs The Notorious Cherry Bombs (album) The Notorious Cherry Bombs is the self-titled debut album by the American country music group The Notorious Cherry Bombs, a band that formerly served as country singer Rodney Crowell's backing band in the 1980s. This is the band's only studio album, with Crowell and Vince Gill alternating as lead... |
|
23 | 135 | 4 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak 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... |
|||
| 2004 | "It's Hard to Kiss the Lips at Night That Chew Your Ass Out All Day Long" |
47 | The Notorious Cherry Bombs |
| 2005 | "Let It Roll, Let It Ride" | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | "It's Hard to Kiss the Lips at Night That Chew Your Ass Out All Day Long" |
Eric Welch |