It’s a sold-out crowd for a special concert by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Richie Furay — credited as one of the founders of country-rock — at SOPAC in South Orange, NJ, this June 13, 2018 evening. He and his friends are here to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the band which produced one of Furay’s highest-charting recordings — Poco — with a live concert performance of the group’s 1971 album, DeLIVErin’!
Furay, 74, is an Ohio-born musician who started his professional music career in the NY/NJ metropolitan area as a member of the Au Go Go Singers, the house band at the Café Au Go Go, a famed ‘60s-era Greenwich Village nightspot.
In the mid-‘60s, Furay formed Buffalo Springfield with several other up-and-coming musicians including Stephen Stills and Neil Young — both of whom went on to achieve success independently and with Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. Buffalo Springfield’s biggest hit, “For What It’s Worth,” became an anthem for the 1960s, but the band’s three albums — all recorded in the span of just two years — consisted of such additional outstanding material as Furay’s original composition, “Kind Woman.” Furay’s crisp, clean vocals earned him the nod as the group’s lead singer and, as such, it is his voice which carries many of Neil Young’s early compositions.
After Buffalo Springfield disbanded, in 1968 Furay teamed with Jim Messina in an effort to fuse the sounds of rock and country in a new musical style. In the process, they worked with others including Randy Meisner in their group, Poco, creating a groundbreaking genre of music called country-rock — Messina continuing his experimentation with Loggins and Messina, and Meisner with the Eagles. It is said that at an Eagles’ concert in Denver, band leader Glenn Frey once pointed out Richie Furay in the audience and announced, “If it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t be here.”
After Poco, Furay went on to lead the Souther-Hillman-Furay band and, additionally, to work as a solo artist in the genre of contemporary Christian music, but it is Poco’s DeLIVErin’ recording that so many fans consider one of Furay’s crowning musical achievements.
We arrive at SOPAC where, out in the spacious lobby, we meet one of Richie Furay’s biggest fans — his manager, David Stone — who greets us and tells us about how tonight’s 50th anniversary performance of Poco’s DeLIVErin’ came about.
Reveals Stone, “I had this idea three years ago — before I even became Richie’s manager.”
As a promoter of Richie Furay concerts since 2009, Stone suggested to Furay that he develop “a concept show — a full album,” reasoning, “Since the first three Poco albums contain mostly your songs, you should do the group’s ‘live’ third album— DeLIVErin’ — as a live concert!”
Richie’s reply?
“No — never gonna happen.”
Citing reasons like he hadn’t played those songs in four decades — not to mention his desire to perform more recent material — once Stone became Furay’s manager, he again planted the idea that this concert would be a great way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Poco, to which Furay replied, “No — and don’t ask me again.”
According to Stone, “Although Richie was very much interested in celebrating the momentous occasion of Poco’s 50th anniversary, he was only willing to agree to perform a few Poco songs.”
And even after being booked to perform on a Moody Blues Cruise — where the Moody Blues performed an entire album live and Al Stewart performed his recording, The Year of the Cat, in its entirety — recalls Stone, “Richie still shook his head no.”
On the final performance of the Moody Blues Cruise, however, Richie was on stage conversing with the crowd when, out of the blue, exclaims Stone, “He unexpectedly announced from the stage — all while looking at me with a big smile on his face — that in 2018, he would be doing the DeLIVErin’ album live in it’s entirety!”
“That’s the first time I’d heard him say that!” reveals Stone, before adding, “So I recently told Richie that 2019 will be the 50th anniversary of Poco’s Pickin’ Up the Pieces album…”
Richie’s response?
“No — never gonna happen.”
As we wait in the lobby for the auditorium doors to open, we get a chance to chat with another Richie Furay fan — Ira from Mahwah.
Recalls Ira, “The first time I saw Richie Furay and Poco was on August 6, 1970. They were performing at New York’s Shea Stadium at the Festival for Peace. There were lots of headliners there — Janis Joplin, The Rascals, Creedence Clearwater Revival — and I was lucky enough to be sitting in the eighth row behind home plate.”
Acknowledging, “Now, I had never even heard of Richie Furay and Poco before then,” Ira discloses, “but their performance that day changed everything for me. With all those heavy hitters on the bill, it was only Richie Furay and Poco that could get the audience standing on top of our seats and clapping — no one else could do that!” before adding, “And ever since — they’ve been my band.”
In reminiscing about the significance of the DeLIVErin’ album, Ira says, “Along with The Allman Brothers’ Live at Fillmore East, Poco’s DeLIVErin’ is one of the greatest live albums ever made.” Explaining, “On DeLIVErin’, they managed to meld country and rock — on other albums it was more a mixture of folk and acoustic — but on DeLIVErin’, there’s a lot of rock and roll and it’s filled with energy!”
Concluding, “In my opinion, the best music is a confluence of influence,” Ira respectfully refers to Poco as “the greatest band which is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” while also referring to its leader, Richie Furay, as “a great human being.”
We make our way inside the SOPAC auditorium where we can palpably feel the excitement in the air anticipating Richey Furay’s concert appearance here tonight.
The lights dim and the audience cheers as Furay’s manager, David Stone, takes the stage explaining, “The first set tonight will span Richie Furay’s catalog. At intermission, there will some special merchandise available — including the DeLIVErin’ drum head from tonight’s concert, which Richie will be happy to autograph. Then, the second half of the show will be the DeLIVErin’ album live,” before repeating a line from the original recording to hearty audience laughter — “And remember: there’s no smoking out there!”
Upon Stone’s announcing, “The Richie Furay Band!” audience members stand, cheer, and whistle before the group even plays a note!
Opening with the Souther-Hillman-Furay hit, “Fallin’ In Love,” The Richie Furay band — Scott Sellen on guitar, Alan Lemke on drums, Aaron Sellen on bass, and Jack Jeckot on keyboards — rocks along with Richie, his voice sounding as clear, resonant, and strong as ever.
Following ecstatic audience cheers, Furay welcomes the crowd exclaiming, “We’re glad to be here — we’re glad you’re here!”
After twanging their way through a bouncy rendition of “Let’s Dance Tonight,” Furay says, “I wrote this next one for my bride — it’s about my 51 years of marriage, and it’s about takin’ a walk hand in hand.” Here, he and the group launch into “Hand in Hand” where Furay passionately sings, “I couldn’t love you anymore/I couldn’t tell you anymore/But every time I see you/The more I know I need you.”
A highlight of tonight’s first set is Furay’s performance of a medley of classic Buffalo Springfield songs composed by Neil Young including “Flying on the Ground is Wrong,” “Do I Have to Come Right Out and Say It,” and “Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing.” Featuring Jack Jeckot on harmonica, an electrifying Scott Sellen guitar solo, and Aaron Sellen dancing with his bass, Furay and his stagemates are clearly happy to be playing here tonight — loose and carefree — as the audience enjoys every note!
“I saw the bass player — Aaron — doing the boogie over there!” exclaims Furay, before moving on to “Just For Me and You,” the feel-good music of this country-rocker working its magic on this crowd of Richie Furay and Poco fans which stands and cheers for a job well done!
A Jack Jeckot piano intro opens “Overflow,” a beautiful rock ballad on which Furay invites the audience to sing, “For all you’ve done/For all you do/For what I have/I thank you.” Applauding for the audience’s vocal performance, Furay exclaims, “You guys are a pretty good choir!”
Furay segues into a slow number entitled, “Wind of Change,” a powerful country rock ballad featuring a twangy Scott Sellen guitar coda.
He follows that up with “We Were the Dreamers,” a song which transports the listener back to 1969 when Poco first performed on the stage of one of L.A.’s premier music destinations, The Troubadour. On this nostalgic rocker, Furay sings, “We were the dreamers/Shooting high for the stars/Making rock and roll music/Playing country guitars/ We blazed a trail for generations to come/Yeah, we were the dreamers/Just some kids having fun.”
Audience members take to their feet for this performance and are rewarded with another highlight of tonight’s show — a live performance of Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth.” This number features the addition of a sixth musician — Steve Weinmeister, formally of the band, Firefall — playing the iconic guitar part that introduces the song.
Bringing the audience members back in time through the power of music, the band members play off one another proving that these melodies and rhythms are in their blood and souls, enabling them to connect with this audience in a way that transcends time and space.
Following another cheering standing ovation, during intermission, we step out into the SOPAC lobby where we have an opportunity to chat with Richie Furay’s wife, Nancy.
When asked about being the inspiration for many of Richie’s songs, Nancy replies, “It feels pretty cool — all of his love songs are about me,” adding, “‘Kind Woman’ is an iconic song — it’s really special because it takes a leap forward — but ‘Hand in Hand’ is special, too, because it’s looking back — so taken together, you come full circle.”
With regards to the couple’s daughter, Jesse — who typically sings backup vocals with The Richie Furay Band, but who isn’t here tonight — Nancy says, “We love when our daughter is part of the band. It’s really fun and it makes it special for Richie. They blend so well because they’re family — father and daughter.”
Lastly, when we ask her to share her feelings regarding the Poco 50th anniversary performance of DeLIVErin’, Nancy says, “This concert tonight is Richie’s manager, David Stone’s, baby — this was his vision, and I think people are really going to like it when they hear DeLIVErin’ tonight!”
And in just moments, the lobby lights flash to signal that Richie Furay and the band are set to begin Act II. Once they appear on stage, Furay only has to say one word — “DeLIVErin’” — before the crowd starts to applaud! Diving right into the album’s first number, “I Guess You Made It,” Alan Lemke’s inspired drumming— which featuring complex rhythms played on the cowbell — drives the song forward. Furay and the band power through the number while audience members sing along in their seats. Furay’s voice sounding fuller, more resonant, and more mature than on the original 1970 recording, the audience reacts with loud cheering for this musical trailblazer and his recreation of his genre-defining new music.
“You’re the greatest audience!” exclaims Furay,” before performing a country-rock rendition of “C’mon” which features alternating solos among group members including Richie and Steve Weinmeister.
Afterwards, the group launches into the steel-guitar infused “Hear that Music.”
Segueing into another highlight performance of the evening, Richie and the band perform Furay’s classic, “Kind Woman,” the audience happily swaying along to the music. The camaraderie and interplay of the musicians shines through as this group of friends sings together, with Furay and Weinmeister sharing a microphone to get the perfect blend and emotion in their vocals.
Moving on to a medley of three Poco songs, Furay and Company first perform “Hard Luck,” a down-home country number on which Scott Selden plays slide guitar and keyboardist Jack Jecket switches over to acoustic guitar.
The audience claps along with the band as the musicians segue into the medley’s second number — Furay’s brilliant “A Child’s Claim to Fame” — a Buffalo Springfield number acknowledged as one of the earliest examples of country rock, which features one of the coolest guitar hooks ever created.
Completing the medley is the catchy “Pickin’ Up the Pieces” where Furay sings, “Well there’s just a little bit of magic in the country music we’re singin’/So let’s begin,” his voice telling his story, deftly accompanied by his stagemates.
Jeckot plays harmonica on Jim Messina’s rockin’ “You Better Think Twice” before Furay and the band perform “A Man Like Me.” Singing, “Oh, slow down the weather’s hazy/Baby you’re drivin’ me crazy/You know nobody ever gets home a-ridin’ free/And you’ll never find another man/A man like me,” Richie and Scott Sellen rock out on their guitars while the audience air drums along with Alan Lemke’s drum fills.
After exclaiming, “You guys have been awesome tonight!” Furay and the band perform their final number of the DeLIVErin’ album — a medley of “Just in Case it Happens, Yes Indeed,” the instrumental “Grand Junction,” and “Consequently, So Long.”
On this medley, Scott Sellen impresses as he rapidly switches off between singing and playing electric guitar, acoustic slide guitar, and pedal steel guitar!
In addition to Sellen, the entire band is DeLIVErin’ what the audience came to hear tonight as they groove to the happy country-rock sounds of Richie Furay and his friends who so joyously recreate the music of Poco!
On their feet dancing, the audience gives another standing ovation as the six musicians take a bow together.
While the crowd continues to cheer, Furay says, “That was fun — thank you for coming!” to which one audience member shouts out, “Thank you — keep it going!”
After briefly leaving the stage, Furay and the band return to conclude tonight’s concert with a joyous rendition of Furay’s “It’s a Good Feelin’ to Know” — a number on which he and the band rock and roll their way into every audience member’s heart.
Following yet another standing ovation for a job well done, the crowd begins to make its way out of the auditorium and back into the SOPAC lobby. Here, we chat with several concertgoers who share their opinions with us of tonight’s show.
Says Lori from Nutley, “This show was fantastic! I thought I’d be seeing Richie Furay by himself tonight; I was so surprised when he had his whole band with him. They’re fantastic —and he still sounds awesome!”
John from Garwood comments, “Richie Furay could sing the phone book. I’m enjoying this show as much as I always do —and I’ve seen Richie about 15 times. He’s the consummate professional.”
We also chat with a pair of friends who came to see the show together — Neil and Rick.
Says Neil, from Cherry Hill, “Rick and I have been friends for 50 years. The first concert we ever saw together was Poco with Loggins and Messina back in 1972 at Madison Square Garden, but this concert of DeLIVErin’ tonight was the best of all!”
Neil’s friend, Rick from New York City, remarks, “It’s great to hear songs that you never thought you’d hear again live — and Richie sounds as good as ever! He has so much energy — he’s my favorite!”
Bambi from Bloomfield exclaims, “Richie and the band rocked tonight! They obviously love what they do! I’ve seen them seven or eight times and they get better every time I see them,” before exclaiming, “I always enjoy Richie’s concerts, but this one is special because DeLIVErin’ is my favorite album!”
Joe from Bloomfield replies, “I’ve seen every incarnation of the band, Poco, and every time they do a new thing, I just have to go see it — but hearing the DeLIVErin’ album performed live was the best!”
Here in the SOPAC lobby, we also catch up with Rafael from Princeton who has just purchased the Richie Furay Band DeLIVErin’ drumhead from tonight’s concert and is waiting for Richie to sign it. Says Rafael, “As a drummer — and a Poco fan — since 1968, I’ve come full circle” upon getting to hear DeLIVErin’ performed live tonight, revealing, “When I was 14, I snuck onto the stage at a Poco concert and their steel guitar player, Rusty Young, let me sit under his pedal steel for the entire concert!”
Lastly, we catch up again with Furay’s manager David Stone who, after the show, subtly reminds Richie that “2019 is the 50th anniversary of Poco’s Pickin’ Up The Pieces album,” to which Furay replies with a smile, “This was a lot of fun,” before concluding, “It was a good idea!”
To learn more about Richie Furay, please go to richiefuray.com. To find out more about upcoming concerts at SOPAC in South Orange, NJ — including Mary Chapin Carpenter on July 26, Patty Griffin on July 27, Indigo Girls on September 12, and Poco on October 13 — please click on sopacnow.org.
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