Sunday, March 8, 2009

Bassist turns 63

Randy Meisner turns 63 today. Who's Meisner, you ask?

Meisner is the voice behind the soaring vocal at the end of "Take It to the Limit," one of The Eagles many radio hits of the 1970's. But, his story is one of two bands very intertwined with one another.

Poco was a rock band formed in 1968 and was credited with pioneering a sound called "country rock." The band's founder was Richie Furay who, with help from Jim Messina and Rusty Young, formed the nucleus of the group. Both Furay and Messina had been members of Buffalo Springfield, a group that also boasted Stephen Stills and Neil Young who would later re-unite as part of Crosby Stills Nash & Young.

In the original lineup of Poco was Meisner as bassist. Meisner played with the group for two years before leaving to join The Eagles, where he was a founding member along with Glenn Frey, Don Henley and Bernie Leadon.

Meisner's replacement in Poco was Timothy B. Schmit. That is the same Timothy B. Schmit who later replaced Meisner in The Eagles in 1977 and who wrote and sang hits like "I Can't Tell You Why" and "Love Will Keep Us Alive."

Happy Birthday, Randy!

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