In 1969 DUANE ALLMAN asked EDDIE HINTON to sing and play guitar in the new Southern Rock band he was putting together. Eddie was the first person Duane asked to join him in his new group, that became known as THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND. Eddie turned Duane down to pursue a career as a singer/songwriter. "The collection opens BRILLIANTLY", writes Ben Windham in THE TUSCALOOSA NEWS, "with Hinton singing his Otis Redding heart out on a classic Southern soul ballad, "NICE GIRL. “NICE GIRL”, is arguably the best vocal that Hinton ever recorded. Had it been released a few years earlier, in the 1960’s, it might have been a massive hit.” "Eddie Hinton was thought of as a wonderboy," said JERRY WEXLER, the producer of all Aretha Franklin's early hits & co-founder of Atlantic Records, who did so much to put Southern Soul music on the map. "We all reckoned it was only a matter of time before he became a superstar. To this day I still play his records," says Wexler. "He remains unique: a white boy who sang and played in the spirit of the great soul artists he venerated." BANDCESTORS is a mixed bag of SOUTHERN ROCK; BLUE-EYED, BACKWOODS, SOUTHERN SOUL; SOUTHERN R & B, SWAMP BLUES; and COUNTRY-FRIED ROCK ! EDDIE HINTON sings lead on 7 songs and plays guitar on 11 cuts on BANDCESTORS. This is Eddie singing and playing guitar - both before and during his prime. His vocals on this CD are electrifying! These songs are from LOST TAPES from the '60s & '70s with 15 previously unreleased recordings . . . out of the vault and straight into your heart! "GODAMIGHTY . . . this is some fantastic stuff!", says Tiger Jack Garret, DJ with WTBC Radio in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. A LITTLE TRIVIA . . . About A Few BANDCESTORS: If you're interested in the history of SOUTHERN ROCK, then BANDCESTORS is a must have CD for you. So, return with us now to those thrilling times of day before yesteryear . . . Eddie Hinton played in THE 5 MENITS from 1965 until 1967. He then played lead guitar from 1967 to 1971 in the famous Muscle Shoals Sound Rhythm Section, also known as THE SWAMPERS. Eddie played lead guitar on songs recorded by artists ranging from ELVIS PRESLEY, to THE STAPLES SINGERS and ARETHA FRANKLIN. He also wrote songs recorded by many artists including Aretha Franklin, Percy Sledge, Cher, & The Box Tops. In his book, Sweet Soul Music, Peter Guralnick, described Eddie Hinton as "the last of the great white soul singers." Music critic Mark Deming said, "like Wilson Pickett, Eddie Hinton, is able to bring a surprising musicality to a shouting style that can express the pleasures of a hard-partying Saturday night as well as the tender agony of love." Eddie died nearly ten years ago but he still has many fans all over the USA and in Europe. "OUTSTANDING!!! What a fantastic project", says Bill Aylward, film director from Portland, Oregon. BANDCESTORS features EDDIE HINTON & TIPPY ARMSTRONG, who were lead guitar players at MUSCLE SHOALS SOUND for several years. It also features PAUL HORNSBY & JOHNNY SANDLIN, who were studio musicians & producers at CAPRICORN STUDIOS in Macon, Ga., a.k.a. the OTIS REDDING MEMORIAL STUDIO. Several of The 5 Menits cuts on this CD are from tapes recorded in 1965 - played as live. Most of the other songs are from two songwriter's demo sessions recorded in Birmingham, Alabama in 1975 & 1976. That group of studio musicians was called THE TUSCALOOSA ALL-STARS. None of these songs have been previously released. PHOTO BONUS: BANDCESTORS contains a beautifully designed 12 page booklet with grrrreat photos of THE ALLMAN JOYS, THE FIVE MENITS, THE TUSCALOOSA ALL-STARS, THE BOZO BAND, & many more. PAUL HORNSBY & JOHNNY SANDLIN were also asked to become part of Duane Allman's new band in 1969. They both decided to pass on Duane's offer and to work as studio musicians and producers. Johnny & Paul both played in THE 5 MENITS. PAUL HORNSBY has produced many artists including THE MARSHALL TUCKER BAND & CHARLIE DANIELS. He is also an award winning songwriter. Paul has produced 3 Platinum & 9 Gold Albums. Paul Hornsby produced eight of the songs on BANDCESTORS and plays organ and guitar on seven cuts. JOHNNY SANDLIN produced a number of artists including THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND & DELBERT McCLINTON. He has produced 3 Platinum & 10 Gold Albums. Johnny Sandlin plays drums on seven songs on BANDCESTORS. "So many great songs! I am really enjoying it. And, to hear EDDIE HINTON in his prime is so special.", says Dr. Jim Coleman, guitarist from Nashville, Tennessee. OTHER MUSICIANS WHO PLAYED ON BANDCESTORS include BILL CONNELL, MIKE DUKE, TIPPY ARMSTRONG, JOE RUDD, & FRED STYLES: BILL CONNELL began playing drums in rock bands early . . . THE 5 MENITS from 1965 until 1966. After he graduated from Tuscaloosa High School in May 1966, Bill flew to New York City and got a cab down to Trude Heller's club in the West Village. There he joined DUANE & GREGG ALLMAN and played drums in their group, THE ALLMAN JOYS. Later Bill played drums in several bands including SAILCAT & THE BOBBY WHITLOCK BAND. Bobby Whitlock played organ & sang with Eric Clapton on Derek and The Dominoes, "LAYLA". Bill Connell plays drums on eight cuts on BANDCESTORS. MIKE DUKE was a founding member of WET WILLIE. Mike has played keyboards & sung with DELBERT McCLINTON, THE OUTLAWS, & HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS. Mike has also written songs for Wet Willie, Kitty Wells, Huey Lewis & The News, The Good Brothers, & many more. Mike Duke plays keys on 8 songs and sings lead on 1 cut on BANDCESTORS. TIPPY ARMSTRONG played lead guitar in THE NIGHTCAPS, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, THE RUBBER BAND, ALABAMA STATE TROUPERS, with LONNIE MACK & DON NIX of the MAR KEYS, UNNAMED BAND, with GREGG ALLMAN, & THE SUNSHINE COMPANY. Ben Windham writes in THE TUSCALOOSA NEWS about "Nice Girl", "Armstrong's guitar accompaniment is beautifully understated; at mid-tune he steps forward with an ACHINGLY BEAUTIFUL SOLO." Tippy played lead guitar with the MUSCLE SHOALS SOUND SWAMPERS,and played on sessions with ALBERT KING, WILSON PICKETT, TONY JOE WHITE, JOHNNIE TAYLOR, LINDA RONSTADT, JIMMY CLIFF, ROY ORBISON, & many more. Tippy Armstrong plays guitar on 5 songs on BANDCESTORS. JOE RUDD, who passed away recently, played lead guitar with RAINY DAZE, & SOUTH CAMP, with CHUCK LEAVELL, who plays keyboards with THE ROLLING STONES & has played with both ERIC CLAPTON & GEORGE HARRISON. Joe played bass for Alex Taylor, James' younger brother, and played guitar for SAILCAT on "MOTORCYCLE MAMA" & "BABY RUTH." Joe Rudd plays guitar on 3 songs on BANDCESTORS & bass on 8 songs. Joe also sings vocal harmonies on 4 tunes. FRED STYLES was a founding member of THE 5 MENITS. He wrote or co-wrote 8 songs on BANDCESTORS. Fred also sings lead on 4 cuts on this CD. In the eighties, he played in a group called THE BOZO BAND. This band was made up of friends who work in the film business in New York City. There is a BOZO BAND medley on this CD which has several snippets of songs from a live performance in a rehearsal hall in 1988. This medley is an eclectic mix of rock and country songs. As Mike Duke said, "Yes, BANDCESTORS is old and moldy . . . AND IT'S GOOD! I love that stuff we cut!" TAKE-A-LISTEN AND . . . ENJOY EVERY NOTE!!! Fred Styles