There is not,

nor has there ever been, a Marshall Tucker in the Marshall Tucker Band.

Marshall Tucker

was the name of a piano tuner whose name was on a key ring that the band

members found in their rehearsal space. The Marshall Tucker Band will

bring Southern rock sounds to Peachtree City this weekend, promising to

rock your socks off.

The band got

its start in Spartanburg, S.C., in the early 1970s. It signed with capricorn

Records, the label of the Allman Brothers and Wet Willie, in 1972 and

released its first album, "The Marshall Tucker Band," in 1973.

The band opened for the Allmans in 1973 and members found themselves headlining

tours a year later, when their debut album had gone platinum. The original

lineup featured Doug Gray, Tommy and Toy Caldwell, Paul T. Riddle, George

McCorkle and Jerry Eubanks.

Over the next

10 years, the band released 13 albums, seven of which went gold and three

of which went platinum. It is well known for the hit singles "Heard

It In A Love Song," "Desert Skies," "Fire On The Mountain,"

"Take The Highway," and "Can't You See."

There was a

hiatus from 1983 to 1988 when the band didn't release an album, then came

back in 1988 with the album "Still Holdin' On," followed up

by "Southern Spirit" in 1990. Since 1990 the group released

eight albums and continues to be a major draw with legions of fans.

The lineup

has changed a bit over the years. Doug Gray is the only remaining member

from the original group and he is still the lead vocalist. The new members

include guitarist Rusty Milner from The Artimus Pyle Band, Tim Lawter,

a veteran bass player and songwriter, slide guitarist Stuart Swanlund

and B.B. Borden on drums. Borden is a former member of Mother's Finest

and The Outlaws. The band also added Clay Cook, Gray's nephew, to play

keyboards, flute and saxophone.

The band's

most recent release was 1999's "Gospel" and it has scored hit

singles on the Billboard country and gospel charts. The group's music

also has been featured on movie soundtracks, such as "Smokey and

the Bandit," "The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper" and "Shipwrecked."

Marshall Tucker

brings its good-feeeling brand of Southern rock to the Frederick Brown

Jr. Amphitheater Friday and Saturday, Aug. 24 and 25. There are 35 standing-room-only

tickets available for each night of performances this weekend. The tickets

go on sale at 6:30 p.m. and allow people to watch the show from either

the back or the dance floor.

Call 770-631-0630.

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