February 10, 2023     —–     Chart #182

Hello Music Friends,

Hey folks, welcome to another edition of Chart of the Week. Today’s selection is a little less know than some of my choices, but this one seems to fall right in my sweet spot of rock, country, blues and jazz. I hear a little of all these things in this simple song with fun guitar licks. “The End Is Not In Sight (The Cowboy Song)” is a song by the American country rock band, The Amazing Rhythm Aces. The song was released in 1977 as a single from the album, “Too Stuffed to Jump.” The song was written by band members Russell Smith, Barry Alfonso, and Jeff Chance.

Members of the Aces played in Fatback, a local band in Knoxville, Tennessee, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, consisting of vocalist and guitarist Russell Smith, bassist Jeff “Stick” Davis, drummer Butch McDade (born David Hugh McDade in Clarksdale, Missouri; February 24, 1946 – November 29, 1998), and Fatback’s first lead guitarist Mike Brooks and later Dan Kennedy. The band left Knoxville in the early 1970s.

In 1972, the Aces came together in Memphis, Tennessee, at the recommendation of Barry “Byrd” Burton (born in Greene County, Tennessee; September 7, 1946 – March 10, 2008), who was engineering and producing at the Sam Phillips Recording Studio in Memphis. Davis and McDade, who had recorded and toured with singer-songwriter Jesse Winchester as “The Rhythm Aces”, recruited Smith, keyboardist Billy Earheart III, lead guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Burton, and pianist James Hooker to develop a sound mixing of pop, country, and blue-eyed soul.

“The End Is Not In Sight (The Cowboy Song)” was a commercial success for the band, reaching #11 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song is known for its upbeat melody and catchy chorus, which features the lyrics, “The end is not in sight, the cowboy’s out of sight.”

The song’s lyrics describe a cowboy’s journey through the western frontier, and the theme of the song is one of determination and resilience. Russell Smith has described the song as a “message of hope,” and a celebration of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

The song features a strong bassline and a catchy melody, backed by a tight rhythm section and upbeat acoustic guitar strumming. The song’s musical structure is typical of the country rock genre, with a clear verse-chorus-bridge structure.

The original recording of “The End Is Not In Sight (The Cowboy Song)” features the four members of The Amazing Rhythm Aces, with Russell Smith on lead vocals and Jeff Chance playing bass and guitar. James Hooker’s keyboard playing is prominent in the mix, adding a bluesy flavor to the song’s upbeat melody.

I just love the catchy flow of this song. The guitar licks are a little Greg Allmanish to me and the cowboy rhythm really draws me in. I hope you remember this one and like it as much as I do. Enjoy playing along.

Keep Rockin my friends,

Stan Bradshaw