Buckacre - Coffee Club Interviews [1978]

Dick Hally and Darrell Data, two members of the country-rock group Buckacre, talk about the band on Don Zukowski's Coffee Club radio show.  Both interviews recorded in 1978 for WLPO in the Illinois Valley area.  Members of the group were from Spring Valley, Ladd and LaSalle-Peru.  

The first interview was from the beginning of the year just prior to the group recording their second album for MCA Records.  The second interview, with Hally only, was from August of 1978 after the album's release.

Sunday - Have You Ever Been Lonely [unreleased, 1972]

Sunday from Champaign-Urbana, Illinois.  

The song "Have You Ever Been Lonely" was written by Dana Walden.  The LabSound recording presented here was never released.  In fact, no recordings of the group were ever released.  Members included Harry Washburn and Dana Walden.  Drummer Bobby Carlin may have also been a member at one time.  Photo of the group by Arnie White.  

A few years after this recording, several of the members would go on to release a version of this song as The Water Brothers Band on Sky Records.  

Steve Hunter - 1977 Interview (WSOY Decatur)

Legendary guitarist Steve Hunter was born and raised in Decatur, Illinois.  

By early 1977 Hunter was getting ready to release his first solo album, Swept Away, which he dedicated to his hometown.  At this point in his career, Hunter had already toured and recorded albums with Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, Peter Gabriel and Mitch Ryder.  As a session man, he had played on records by Aerosmith, Jack Bruce and others.

In this phone interview with Decatur radio station WSOY, Hunter talks extensively about growing up in Decatur.  He mentions some of his early influences, his beginnings on Hawaiian guitar as well as his early exposure to the blues.  He explains where the titles "Jasper St. Viaduct Gitar Rag" and "Eldorado Street" came from (both reference locations in Decatur).   He also briefly mentions fellow Decatur musician John "Polar Bear" Sauter who played with Mitch Ryder's Detroit and helped Hunter secure a spot in the group which ultimately launched his career.

Here are some highlights from Steve's early career as a session guitarist as well a few cuts from his first album.

For more info see: Steve Hunter