The Fabulous Thunderbirds
The Fabulous Thunderbirds | |
|---|---|
| File:Girlsgowild.jpg Cover from the first T-Bird album | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Texas, USA |
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Members | Kim Wilson Nick Curran Kirk Fletcher Ronnie James Weber Gene Taylor Jimi Bott |
The Fabulous Thunderbirds are a blues-rock band, formed in 1974 (see 1974 in music). After performing for several years in the Austin, Texas blues scene, they finally earned a recording contract with Chrysalis Records and were later signed to Arista. The first two albums released in years 1979 and 1980 with Keith Ferguson on bass and Mike Buck on drums, did not sell well those days, but are nowadays regarded as being among the most successful white blues recordings. Their blues style mixed Texas blues with the harmonica-laced swamp blues sounds of Slim Harpo and Lazy Lester — both of whom the T-Birds covered. Their third album, released in 1981, took the band closer to old rhythm and blues and added piano and brass section played by additional musicians.
The band garnered their big break into the mainstream in 1986 with Tuff Enuff. "Tuff Enuff" was successful single, featured in Kirk Douglas' and Burt Lancaster's 1986 film Tough Guys, as was the album's follow-up single, "Wrap It Up". The band is also a key element in John Cusak's 1987 movie Hot Pursuit. Now the band's style had become more commercial. The Fabulous Thunderbirds' next album, their sixth full-length, Hot Number, fell off the charts quickly and alienated many of the bands' long-time fans due to its slick pop-oriented sound. There followed a long series line-up changes and more obscure, yet much improved, albums throughout the 1990s. Originally featured with Jimmie Vaughan on guitar and Mike Buck on drums, and has long featured singer and harmonica player, Kim Wilson, as the frontman.
Their current lineup includes original member Wilson, guitarist/vocals Nick Curran, guitarist Kirk Flecther, Jimi Bott on drums, Ronnie James Weber on bass, and former Canned Heat member Gene Taylor (not the congressman) on keyboards.
Discography
- The Fabulous Thunderbirds - (1979)
- What's the Word - (1980)
- Butt Rockin' - (1981)
- T-Bird Rhythm - (1982)
- Tuff Enuff - (1986)
- Hot Number - (1987)
- Powerful Stuff - (1989)
- Walk the Walk, Talk the Talk - (1991)
- Roll of the Dice - (1995)
- High Water - (1997)
- Girls Go Wild - (2000)
- Painted On - (2005)
External links
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