Fifty years of Little Feat
When you think of the greatest American bands, who comes to mind? The Beach Boys? Grateful Dead? Eagles? Aerosmith? How long until you think of Little Feat? Would you even consider Little Feat?
It's now fifty years since the release of the debut self-titled Little Feat album. Although it wasn't their best recording, it did set the tone for what was soon to come.
It didn't take long for the band to fulfill the potential they showed on the first album. A year later, they released "Sailing Shoes." It was followed by "Dixie Chicken", in 1973. By the time Lowell George called it quits in 1979, and died soon afterward, they had recorded seven studio albums, along with a live album, "Waiting For Columbus."
Talking about live music, there weren't too many bands that could keep up with Little Feat. I remember seeing them in the mid-1970s as the opening act for Traffic, a band that I loved and was desperate to see perform. I came away from the show gushing about Lowell George, Bill Payne and the rest of the band. They blew Steve Winwood and Traffic off the stage.
Was it any wonder that Frank Zappa told Lowell George that he needed to start his own band. Was it surprising that in 1975 legendary Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page said that Little Feat was his favorite American band.
I've always said Little Feat was among the most underrated and unappreciated bands. I've also said that if Lowell George had lived and band kept going, they would be at the top of the conversation for the greatest American band.
Little Feat did reform in the 1980s. While the members of the group have changed, they still record new music and perform live. But it's those early years that stand out and are remarkable. It all started with that first album back in 1971.
Here's to fifty years of Little Feat. Here's to as many more as they want.
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