Ace in the Hole Band
Ace in the Hole Band |
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The Ace in the Hole are the backing band for Country Music performer George Strait, who was the band's lead singer before beginning his solo career in front of the group in the early 1980s. The band formed at San Marcos, Texas in the 1970s, and recorded several singles for "D Records" including the Strait-penned "I Just Can't Go On Dying Like This" and "I Don't Want To Talk It Over Anymore". After Strait attained status as the "King of Country", the group released an album of its own in 1995 featuring vocals from Darrell McCall and Mel Tillis.
Background
The origins of the Ace in the Hole go back to the band "Stoney Ridge," which was composed of Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University) students Ron Cabal (lead guitar), Mike Daily (steel guitar), Terry Hale (Bass guitar), Tommy Foote (drums) and Jay Dominguez (lead vocals). Dominguez and Foote left the band after graduating in 1975, prompting a search for a new singer. The band members posted bulletins around the Southwest Texas campus,[1] which were noticed by an interested George Strait, who at the time was an Agricultural science student. He contacted the band and was hired after an audition. Soon afterwards, the group was renamed "Ace in the Hole".[1]
The band regularly performed at Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos, Texas, where they debuted on October 13, 1975 along with new member Ted Stubblefield, who replaced Foote as the drummer. Acts such as Asleep at the Wheel and Jerry Jeff Walker also played at the forum. The band appeared at the locale nearly every week until the early 1980s, when they began touring with Strait. Drummer Foote returned to the lineup late in 1975.[1]
In 1976, the father of band member Mike Daily decided to record the group for his "D Records" label at a studio in Houston, Texas. At the first session, the band recorded Dallas Frazier's "Honky Tonk Downstairs" (later recorded on Strait's 1981 debut album Strait Country) and the Strait-penned "I Just Can't Go on Dying Like This". The songs were released to radio stations in Texas and Oklahoma. In 1977, Bill Mabry was added to the lineup as a fiddle player and the band recorded their second single, which featured the songs "Lonesome Rodeo Cowboy" (later recorded on Strait's 1990 album Livin' It Up) and "That Don’t Change the Way I Feel About You" which was written by Strait. The next year, the band recorded the songs "Right or Wrong," and "Little Liza Jane",[1] which were later included on the 2005 D Records label release Complete D Singles Collection, Vol. 6: The Sounds of Houston, Texas.[2] Strait re-recorded "Right or Wrong" in 1983 for his album Right or Wrong and took it to number one on the country charts. "The Loneliest Singer in Town" and Strait's "I Don’t Want to Talk It Over Anymore" also came out of this session. The three songs composed by Strait were later released on his 1995 compilation album Strait Out of the Box.[3]
In 1981, after Strait signed with MCA Records, the band began to tour with him and played the instrumentals on his recordings. They were honored in 1991 with the SRO's "Touring Band of the Year."[4] Four years later, the band released an album without vocals from Strait, instead featuring guest vocals from singers Darrell McCall and Mel Tillis.[1]
Style
The band plays in a honky-tonk and western swing style, and credits such performers as Bob Wills, Hank Williams, Johnny Bush, George Jones and Merle Haggard as influences. Because of their traditional style, performances in the city of Austin, Texas often eluded the group due to the city's thirst for a more progressive sound.[1] Strait traveled to Nashville in 1977 with hopes of beginning a career, but most in the industry passed on him, shunning his traditional approach for pop-influenced sounds popular in country music during the late 1970s Urban Cowboy era.[1]
Allmusic.com describes the band's styles as encompassing Alternative country, Neotraditional and Western Swing revival.[4]
Discography
Singles
| Year | Single | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | "I Just Can't Go On Dying Like This" | Strait Out of the Box (George Strait album)[3] |
| "Honky Tonk Downstairs" | Complete D Singles Collection, Vol. 6: The Sounds of Houston, Texas[2] | |
| "Lonesome Rodeo Cowboy" | ||
| "(That Don't Change The) Way I Feel About You" | Strait Out of the Box[3] | |
| 1978 | "I Don't Want To Talk It Over Anymore" | |
| "Loneliest Singer In Town" | Complete D Singles Collection, Vol. 6: The Sounds of Houston, Texas[2] |
Ace in the Hole (album)
| Untitled | |
|---|---|
The Ace in the Hole band released their self-named debut album in 1995.[5] Among its many covers, the album featured the song "You're Something Special to Me," which was recorded by George Strait on his 1985 album Something Special.[6]
- Track list
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Returning the Corn" | Rick McRae, Riff Ryder | 2:45 |
| 2. | "You're Something Special to Me" | David Anthony | 3:51 |
| 3. | "Mirrors Don't Lie" | Merle Haggard | 3:14 |
| 4. | "What Comes Natural to a Fool" | Ronnie McCown | 2:45 |
| 5. | "I'll Be Waiting Here Til Then" | Anthony, Benny McArthur, McRae | 2:29 |
| 6. | "Texas Bounce" | Gene Elders, McRae | 3:25 |
| 7. | "Back in the Swing of Things" | Anthony, McArthur | 2:55 |
| 8. | "The Difference Between Me and Him Is You" | Gary Harrison, Tim Mensy | 3:24 |
| 9. | "My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You" | Lee Ross, Bob Wills | 2:50 |
| 10. | "I'm Ragged But I'm Right" | George Jones | 2:32 |
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Mazak, Grant. Ace in the Hole Band, Texas Music History Online, 2006.
- ^ a b c Complete D Singles Collection, Vol. 6: The Sounds of Houston, Texas, Allmusic.
- ^ a b c Eder, Bruce. Strait Out of the Box, Allmusic.
- ^ a b Dillon, Charlotte. Ace in the Hole Band, Allmusic.
- ^ Ace in the Hole, Allmusic.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen. Something Special, Allmusic.