The Amazing Rhythm Aces
More than 25 years ago, six young musicians joined in a Memphis studio to create music that didn’t fit easily into any single category. It was country-style storytelling with a soulful groove, world-wise poetry with a down-home delivery. To the Amazing Rhythm Aces, though, it was simply “American music.”
After creating scores of influential hits, including “Third Rate Romance” and the Grammy-winning “The End Is Not in Sight,” the Aces disbanded in 1981. But their songs lived on as radio staples, and in 1995 the original group members teamed up to record Tilted Ride Again, a collection of their best-known material. The album enjoyed an overwhelmingly positive response with old and new fans alike, sparking a full-fledged comeback.
Invigorated after their nearly 15-year hiatus, the Amazing Rhythm Aces—original members Jeff “Stick” Davis, James Hooker, Billy Earheart, and Russell Smith, as well as some new players—have released several new CDs. Chock Full of Country Goodness (1998) spotlights Smith’s uniquely rich songwriting and the kind of soul-stirring playing that has kept Aces fans loyal for more than two decades, while Live in Switzerland (1999) and Absolutely Live (2000) capture the energy of the band’s hard-driving performances.
This artist appears in Jubilee #102: The Amazing Rhythm Aces.