• 1972-

  Tommy CaldwellBass, vocals1972-1980

  Toy CaldwellLead guitar, vocals1972-1983

  George McCorkleRhythm guitar1972-1984

  Doug GrayVocals, percussion

  Paul RiddleDrums1972-1984

  Jerry EubanksSaxophone, flute1972-1996
• Like Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Marshall Tucker Band is named after a real person who wasn't in the band. He was a blind piano tuner with perfect pitch who used to work at the studio where the band rehearsed. They saw his name on a keychain and decided to use it.
• The band formed in Spartanburg, South Carolina, but in 1972 travelled 200 miles south to Macon, Georgia to audition for Capricorn Records, home of The Allman Brothers band. They got the deal and released their self-titled debut album the following year, which includes their signature song, "Can't You See."
• Like the Allmans, this was a band with brothers, Tommy and Toy Caldwell. Both died young, Tommy in a car accident in 1980 when he was 30, Toy from a heart attack brought on by cocaine use in 1993 when he was 45.
• Lead singer Doug Gray became the last original member of the group when multi-instrumentalist Jerry Eubanks retired in 1996. Gray has kept the band going with phalanx of members - he estimates that at least 500 musicians and crew members have done time in the band over the years.
• Four of the original members - Toy Caldwell, Tommy Caldwell, Doug Gray, and George McCorkle - served in either the Army or Marines during the Vietnam War in the late '60s before the band formed. Gray became an advocate for veterans and often spoke about how hard it was to come home after fighting the unpopular war.
• Toy Caldwell didn't use a pick, relying instead on this thumb, sometimes plucking the strings. This gave him a distinctive tone that helped define the band's sound.
  
  Toy learned the technique from his dad, a semi-pro country musician who was emulating Merle Travis.
• The Marshall Tucker Band had saxophone and flute player in the lineup, Jerry Eubanks, which set them apart from other guitar-based Southern Rock bands. A good place to hear his work is the song "Can't You See," where his flute grabs the spotlight.
• The band never had a big hit but their first seven albums were all certified Gold. Their popular songs include "Can't You See," "Fire On The Mountain" and "Heard It In A Love Song."
• Toy Caldwell was their primary songwriter. After leaving the band in 1983 he formed a new group, the Toy Caldwell Band, but they released just one album and never came close the success of The Marshall Tucker Band.

Comments

More Songfacts:

Somewhere Out ThereLinda Ronstadt and James Ingram

The hit duet "Somewhere Out There" was written for an animated film about a family of immigrant mice who lose one of their young.

Mercedes BoyPebbles

"Mercedes Boy" by Pebbles is about a real guy she fell in love with - they both drove Mercedes when she wrote it.

Bust A MoveYoung MC

Young MC shows up in the George Clooney movie Up In The Air performing his hit "Bust A Move."

AngieThe Rolling Stones

"Angie" was the only ballad by The Rolling Stones to hit #1 in America.

Dirty WaterThe Standells

"Dirty Water" became a Boston sports anthem in the '00s, but it was written by a guy from California after almost getting mugged on a visit to the city.

Touch MeThe Doors

At the end of the Doors song "Touch Me," Jim Morrison chants, "Stronger than dirt!" The line is from an Ajax commercial where a white knight rides around destroying dirt.

Editor's Picks

Corey HartSongwriter Interviews

The Canadian superstar talks about his sudden rise to fame, and tells the stories behind his hits "Sunglasses At Night," "Boy In The Box" and "Never Surrender."

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside StorySong Writing

The in-depth discussion about the making of Jesus Christ Superstar with Ted Neeley, who played Jesus in the 1973 film.

Rob Halford of Judas PriestSongwriter Interviews

Rob Halford dives into some of his Judas Priest lyrics, talking about his most personal songs and the message behind "You've Got Another Thing Comin'."

Michael W. SmithSongwriter Interviews

Smith breaks down some of his worship tracks as well as his mainstream hits, including "I Will Be Here For You" and "A Place In This World."

Jimmy WebbSongwriter Interviews

Webb talks about his classic songs "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Wichita Lineman" and "MacArthur Park."

Michael BoltonSongwriter Interviews

Into the vaults for this talk with Bolton from the '80s when he was a focused on writing songs for other artists.