The Marshall Tucker Band Albums Ranked

The Marshall Tucker Band is an American rock band from Spartanburg, South Carolina. Noted for incorporating blues, country, and jazz into its eclectic sound, The Marshall Tucker Band helped establish the Southern rock genre in the early 1970s. While the band had reached the height of its commercial success by the end of the decade, it has recorded and performed continuously under various lineups for 45 years. Lead vocalist Doug Gray remains the only original member still active with the band.
The original lineup of the Marshall Tucker Band, formed in 1972, included lead guitarist, steel guitarist, vocalist, and primary songwriter Toy Caldwell (1947–1993), lead vocalist Doug Gray (born 1948), keyboard player, saxophone player, and flutist Jerry Eubanks (born 1950), rhythm guitarist George McCorkle (1947–2007), drummer Paul Riddle (born 1953), and bassist Tommy Caldwell (1949–1980). They signed with Capricorn Records and in 1973 released their first LP, The Marshall Tucker Band.
After Tommy Caldwell was killed in an automobile accident in 1980, he was replaced by bassist Franklin Wilkie. Most of the original band members had left by the mid-1980s to pursue other projects. The band’s current lineup consists of Gray on vocals, keyboard player, saxophonist, and flutist Marcus James Henderson, guitarists Chris Hicks and Rick Willis, bassist Tony Black and drummer B.B. Borden. Here are all of The MarshallTucker Band albums ranked.

Don’t miss out on the CLASSIC hits of The Marshall Tucker Band! Click and enjoy the songs of the band that help establish the Southern rock genre!

10. Tenth (1980)

“There’s nothing wrong with the production, the singing and playing is up there with all the other Tucker albums and several songs are as good as anything else the Tuckers ever wrote, but there is something wrong. This album sounds like the sessions for the previous album created too many good songs so the unused ones were rounded up and stuck on another album, along with couple of really quite good fillers. This means it’s still a fine album but it pales alongside their other albums. It’s not a unique country rock album by a unique country rock band but another really very good country rock album.”

9. Dedicated (1981)

“Upon hearing this album the first time, the listener (at least those of us who remember when this band was one of the greatest bands in history), the listener immediately asks, “what happened?” Toy Caldwell’s widow Abbie had stated that Toy was just going through the motions on the band’s final albums because of the double tragedies of 1980. The first album released after that terrible year was”Dedicated”. But that album is such a strong and well done album, I tend to think the band already had the material written and ready to go when Toy’s brothers passed on. But this one…Tuckerized. McCorkle wrote one song and Caldwell wrote one. That’s it! “

8. Running Like the Wind (1979)

“What a band these guys are, so many releases and neary all of great quality. This carries on that hard tradition of being successful in a slightly new sound. As somewhere in here is a Chicago,( the band), sound and it suits them. The whole album has some good songs and a few great ones, with that new sound making them very strong. I have to say I was so please to hear this the first time and it just becomes better the more hearings one gives it. The vocals are as ever top notch by Mr Gray who fits straight into the groove.”

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7. Long Hard Ride (1976)

“The Marshall Tucker Band have recorded a lot of great albums, and this one are among the best. I think that ALL the songs are very strong. The first melody is the title-song `Long Hard Ride`. Close your eyes and you`ll believe that you`re in the wild west! And then the band continues with seven more great songs, among these I will mention `Walkìn`the Streets Alone, `Windy City Blues` and `You Say You Love Me`. Well this cd means a lot to me. I remember that it was a christmas-gift to me back in 1976 or something like that, off course on lp. And now so many years after, it is still such a great album.”

6. Together Forever (1978)

“Wow, what a gem ! Up until yesterday, an unknown gem for me. I bought the vinyl version of this at a yard sale and last night, was the first time I heard the cut “Asking Too Much Of You”. I was moved. I’ve had MTB’s greatest hits for 30 years, but finding this album, having never heard it, was a treat. The whole album is great ! Bound And Determined, a live cut, has some fantastic saxophone. The jam is reminiscent of something the Allman’s might have done.”

5. A New Life (1974)

“I was looking forward to hearing this album after loving the first one and it certainly does not disappoint!!! I did take a listen for it to grow…now I love it. This band is great. I’ve got their third album on order and I plan to go through the ‘classic’ 70’s ones up to ‘Caroline Dreams’. This band is great in that their southern, yet unlike Skynyrd who was more ‘stadium southern’, these guys heavily incorporate country styles as well as jazz influences. This album contains a great selection of songs, from the title track, which kicks it all off, to ‘Fly Eagle Fly’, the album closer. The vocals are fab – very powerful and full of feeling. “

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4. Carolina Dreams (1977)

“I love this album when I received it in the mail. Reason for purchase was I love the band. Also the classic track heard it in a love song is included to album. But the real key track was written by the late tommy Caldwell brother to toy Caldwell. He disc plays great and has no scratches or skips. Booklet and case is also in terrific shape. Thanks for this purchase.”

3. The Marshall Tucker Band (1973)

“Allmans, Outlaws, Skynyrd, Ozarks – loved ’em all. However, first time round I missed out on these guys. I haven’t listened to the radio in any substantial way for over 40 years and have always relied upon word of mouth and reviews in the music press. Still doesn’t explain how I could have been so negligent! After all Tucker was around and making quality music, as I have now discovered, for quite a few years. Oh well, on the other hand, I can now enjoy this music as if it was brand new, It sure is to me!”

2. Where We All Belong (1974)

“It’s a toss-up between this album and “Searchin’ For a Rainbow” as my favorite Marshall Tucker Band album. This one might get the nod simply because it was originally a 2-record set and there’s more minutes music on it. As noted by others, this album also includes some live material, and it’s very, very good stuff too. The live songs, combined with the studio cuts give you a good overview of what this underrated band was all about. They were much more than another Southern Rock Band with guitars. Listen to that flute, and the fiddle, and the whole range of instruments. These guys could play, holding their own with anyone on stage. And on this album you get the complete uncut version of one of their very best songs: “This Ol’ Cowboy.” Sheer majesty.”

1. Searchin’ for a Rainbow (1975)

“The Marshall Tucker Band seems to have been largely forgotten today but in the mid-1970s this band was one of the best Southern rock, country-rock outfits around. Marshall Tucker had a very unique sound; they combined what was essentially a country and country-rock sound with elements of blues and jazz to create one of the most distinctive musical styles among the many successful bands that, at the time, were coming out of the South Eastern U.S.”