rate 'POCO" (70's country/rock Group)-Any good?

I picked up a few of their CDs at a yard sale-their music is pretty good. was this group highly thought of? How do you rate them (vs the Eagles) for example?

As I recall they were considered to be underwhelming.

I really liked “Crazy Love”. Never heard any of their other stuff.

I like them for nostalgia value; “Crazy Love” I like and it takes me back.

Didn’t Phil Hartman draw the horse on the cover of their album?

I liked them a lot. “Pickin’ Up the Pieces,” “Just For Me and You,” “What if I Should Say I Love You,” “Heart of the Night.” All good stuff. I definitely don’t consider them underwhelming.

Back again.

Versus the Eagles? Nowhere near as good on record, but better in concert. Timothy Schmit (sp) did better work for Poco.

Verus the countrified Byrds? Better.

Versus Pure Prairie League? A damn sight better (except for “Amie”).

Versus Buffalo Springfield? Let’s just say that Richie Furay didn’t slip any going from one band to another.

“Rose of Cimarron” hasn’t been mentioned – I put it on my MP3 player a couple of months ago and have probably listened to it a hundred times since then. It’s got great musicianship and wonderful harmonies – great song.

I never saw Poco, but they produced some fine records. They were among the country/folk/rock pioneers–carrying on a theme that Ritchie Furay & Jim Messina began in the great Buffalo Springfield.

Bands that crash & burn get more publicity. Poco changed personnel but kept on making music. Far too many Poco songs make you smile, so they were considered less than tragically hip. No famous OD’s & no bodies stolen & (partially) cremated.

Some of us find the Eagles insufferable. Now that you’ve reminded me of Poco, I’ll probably check out a CD compilation.

Pickin’ Up The Pieces is one of my very favorite albums (uh, CDs) of all time! I keep about 4 or 5 CDs in my car, this one’s always one of them :slight_smile:

I was fortunate enough to see them live in the early '70s, opening for another great band, Little Feat. Always loved their music. And as much as I may have liked The Eagles back when, I can hardly stand to listen to them now.

I recommend their song Magnolia. It’s very reflective and easy, makes me want to sit on a creaky porch with a beat up guitar.

Magnolia, you sweet thang,
You’re drivin’ me mad
Got to get back to you, girl
You’re the best I ever had…

I saw Poco in concert years ago. Yes, they’re good. I especially liked “Grand Junction” with Rusty Young’s superb pedal steel guitar solo.

They sort of pioneered the sort of music the Eagles made, and their early albums were better than the Eagles early albums (the Eagles were not considered all that much when they first came out – “Take it Easy” is a truly mediocre song). The Eagles, however, just kept getting better while Poco stayed about the same.

In addition to “Grand Junction,” I love “Pickin’ Up the Pieces,” “Hurry Up,” “You Better Think Twice,” “A Good Feelin to Know,” and “Crazy Eyes.”

For my tastes, they were a little too mellow, a notch below the Eagles, who were way notches below the Byrds. And Gram Parsons pretty much kicks everyone’s ass right out the Okefenokee in that genre.

“Take It Easy” is a wonderful song. Jackson Browne did it better than The Eagles, though, IMO.

Now “Witchy Woman,” that’s a mediocre song.

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Poco had an extremely devoted fan base and were especially popular in the N.E. U.S. I went to dozens of concerts back in the 70’s and can vouch for their popularity. Poco was the ultimate Feel Good band.

I became good friends with them through the years and don’t mind confessing that I contributed to the delinquency of my little sister, geobabe, by dragging her along on the road. Yeah, good times.

When did POCO break up?

Written by the very underappreciated J. J. Cale.

Poco was way good. To the OP, enjoy the CDs.

That’s right, my sister made me into a groupie when I was 6 years old! :smiley:

The band really never broke up; the lineup has changed over the years, and there were no albums between 1989 and 2002, but Rusty Young and Paul Cotton, along with various other musicians, toured as Poco throughout that time, and they’re still going now.