forever young RUSTY YOUNG: POCO AT 50, AN INNERVIEW
by Michael Buffalo Smith Poco is now over 50 years old, and
they still sound as smooth as ever. There have been changes over the years,
but one constant has been Rusty Young, the founding band member, multi-instrumen- talist and songwriter who sang most of their big hits. The band virtually created the West
Coast Country Rock sound and gave us hits like “Crazy Love,” “A Good Feelin; to Know,” “Rose of Cimairon,” “Call it Love,” “Heart of the Night,” and “Keep On Tryin.” Today, Poco still tours, playing to
sold out audiences, and Rusty also tours solo and with friend and long time band mate Jim Messina. We spoke with Rusty about the
band’s all-star past, present and future.
How does it feel to be fronting a band that you helped to form over 50 years ago. It feels natural, because the Poco fans have been there with us for these 50 years. And like you say, the songs take them back – they take me back when I’m onstage singing them. It makes me feel really good to be still keeping Poco alive, although it’s changed. We have to keep in my that a band is made up of several people, it’s not just one guy. Take for example Richie Furay. Richie was only in the band for five years. Five years out of fifty. Still I hear “it’s not Poco without Richie.” It just seems absurd
to me. Or “It’s not the same without Paul Cotton.” Why is it not the same without Randy Meisner or Jim Messina? It’s an odd thing. But I feel like I’m keeping Poco alive. I’m keeping that music alive. If I weren’t out there playing it, it wouldn’t be played. It wouldn’t be in the market. And I think it’s important. Another thing, I’m the only one in the band that was nominated for a Grammy. The only one who’s written a number one record. The only one at 3.5 mil- lion downloads on Spotify for “Crazy Love.” I’m the only one that’s in the guitar hall of fame. All these things that I have done, I feel like I have a right to be representing Poco 50 years later.
I fully agree. If people don’t like it, don’t go to the shows. People will write me on my website and tell
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