The Marshall Tucker Band

Pioneering Southern rock outfit The Marshall Tucker Band has incorporated elements of jazz, gospel, and R&B into their stable of hits over their nearly half-century career. ∙ Known for its distinctive flute intro, the classic “Can’t You See” helped make their self-titled 1973 debut one of Rolling Stone’s 50 Rock Albums Every Country Fan Should Own. ∙ Guitarist George McCorkle wrote 1975’s “Fire on the Mountain” for Charlie Daniels, but instead of recording it himself, he played fiddle on what became The Marshall Tucker Band’s first Top 40 hit. ∙ The instrumental title track from 1976’s Long Hard Ride—one of their eight albums to reach the Top 40 on the Billboard 200—was nominated for a Grammy Award. ∙ Their smash hit “Heard It in a Love Song” propelled Carolina Dreams to Platinum status in 1977—the same year they performed at President Jimmy Carter’s inauguration. ∙ A big Marshall Tucker Band fan, Garth Brooks helped bring a contemporary country flavor to their 1993 LP, Walk Outside the Lines, cowriting the title track. ∙ They’ve been name-checked in several popular songs, including Lee Brice’s “Parking Lot Party” and Florida Georgia Line’s “Cruise,” both of which were massive hits in 2013.