Grammy award winning artist Emmylou Harris first came to wider commercial attention with a series of albums in the mid-seventies beginning with Pieces Of The Sky an album which also spawned a #4 Billboard Country Chart hit with If I Could Only Win Your Love. Her career however had started in 1969 with the release of her debut album Gliding Bird. Her next brush with success came as a member of Gram Parsons band and with Gram recorded two studio albums Grievous Angel and GP before Gram Parsons died in 1973. Opting to continue the musical path started by Gram Parsons Emmylou Harris formed “The Hot Band” which featured members of Elvis Presley’s backing band including legendary guitarist James Burton and pianist Glen D Hardin.
Other key members of The Hot Band were pedal steel guitarist Hank DeVito, drummer John Ware, bassist Emory Gordy and importantly singer songwriter Rodney Crowell who would contribute to the material the band performed and recorded.1976 was a key year for Emmylou Harris in that she had released two successful albums in 1975; Pieces of The Sky and the Grammy Award winning Elite Hotel. The Hot Band also underwent changes with James Burton going back to Elvis Presley’s band and his place in The Hot Band being taken by British guitarist Albert Lee.
The performances contained on this set come from 1976 and include the line-up of The Hot Band featuring Albert Lee. The first show from March 1976 contains material typical of the bands set at the time and included material from both Pieces of The Sky and Elite Hotel alongside classic country songs from Hank Williams , Billy Sherrill, Merle Haggard and also a pair of songs from Gram Parsons. The second set from just six months later contains a similar mix of songs but also includes songs from Emmylou’s next album due early in 1977 Luxury Liner.
The set also includes the Albert Lee song Country Boy Emmylou Harris continued to enjoy success in a variety of styles including pop and folk and of course country and continues to record and perform and was inducted into the “Country Music Hall of Fame in February 2008. •This package contains two 1976 performances from Grammy Award Winner Emmylou Harris’s Classic period with The Hot Band •Includes key material including songs from Gram Parsons and Rodney Crowell•Rarely Seen Photographs •Liner notes by Broadcaster/Author Jon Kirkman
