On This Day ……………
On May 10, 1979 Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver played their first public performance at Buddy’s Bar-B-Que in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Quicksilver’s first band consisted of Terry Baucom on banjo, Jimmy Haley on guitar, Lou Reid on bass and band leader Doyle Lawson on mandolin.
Lawson reminisces …..
“I had been contemplating forming a band for a good while. A year or so prior to my decision I produced one side of an LP for a group called Southbound.
I remembered them being good vocalists as well as pickers, especially Lou Reid and Jimmy Haley. When I decided to put it together I called Jimmy and told him of my intention. At that time they were based in Greenville, South Carolina, doing mostly club work. I asked about Lou who had moved on to something else, and Jimmy said he would call him. Terry Baucom was playing banjo with Southbound at that time, and Jimmy said he was sure Terry would be interested.
So with the one phone we agreed to get together and see how it would feel picking together. Well we know the results of that meeting. I wanted to call the band Fox Fire because of a series of books written in North Georgia about the Appalachian culture. Living on a farm in the mountains of east Tennessee certainly gave a sense of connection.
However, after a short time I discovered numerous regional bands using that name so I quickly settled on Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver. We did a few shows under Doyle Lawson & Foxfire but probably no more than month or two.
Our first four dates were in early May of 1979 and they were as follows …
Buddy’s Bar-b-Que in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Thursday, the Down Home in Johnson City, Tennessee on Friday, a festival near Greer, South Carolina on Saturday afternoon, and back to Johnson City Saturday night. A most exciting time.
From the very start I wanted musicians who were versatile, both picking and singing. I wanted a group who could be more than one type of group, that is to say, play traditional, contemporary, Gospel, whatever the occasion called for. Soon to be 35 years later and I still use that formula.
Jimmy Haley lives in Pilot Mountain, North Carolina and is an interior paint contractor. Playing some music locally. And doing an occasional original member reunion show with Lou, Terry and me.”
After 35 years Doyle Lawson continues to lead Quicksilver.
Lou Reid leads his own band, Carolina, while moonlighting as a member of the Seldom Scene.
Terry Baucom recently released the CD Never Thought of Looking Back, and has launched a new group, The Dukes of Drive.
