Rock Archeologia

Aarons & Ackley - Aarons & Ackley (1971 Capitol Records) 

Artist: Aarons & Ackley
Album: Aarons & Ackley
Label: Capitol Records
Catalog#: ST-813
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue
Country: US
Released: 1971
Genre: Rock, Pop Rock
Duration: 00:32:05

• Chuck Aarons had worked on the road with the Beach Boys before moving to Canada to avoid the draft. He met Jim Ackley through a mutual friend in 1970, and the duo decided to record together. Their demo led to a contract with Capitol; Aarons and Ackley's self-titled debut was released in 1971. The two then worked as producers until late 1974, when GRT signed them. They released only one single, "Where Did the Music Go."

• Cleveland, Ohio-born Chuck Aarons and Portland, Oregan native Jim Ackley were both in their own groups in the 1960s, but both wound up in Canada at the height of the Viet Nam War. Aarons was excused from the draft due to an asthma condition (which his brother and father also had), while Ackley fled to Toronto while in a group called Thirteenth Story and touring with The Beach Boys. Looking to continue his music career, Ackley made ends meet as an English tutor before taking a job at Capitol Records as a clerk in the promotions department, when a mustual friend introduced him to Aarons early in 1971. Aarons was a guitarist and Ackley was predominantly a jazz piano player. They started writing some material and occasionally played around the clubs in Toronto as a folk duo, and eventually got Capitol execs to listen to their demos, who signed them to a deal. They were teamed up with producer Dennis Murphy, but wanting to shed the folk image and lean more towards a commercially palatable pop sound, execs insisted some session players be brought in. They included bassist Jim Rolleston who'd worked with Seals & Crofts and Gordon Lightfoot, and drummer Terry Clarke, whose resume included Jim Hall, Manhole, and Fifth Dimension. Their eponymous debut album was released in the spring of 1971. (canadianbands.com). 

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 • Side One:
A1. Lay Me Down 02:42
A2. Willie Boy 03:20
A3. Devil Song 02:56
A4. There Is A Lady 02:18
A5. Take Me Home 04:40
 • Side Two:
B1. Swanee Song 02:40
B2. Annalee 02:34
B3. Sleeping Gypsy 03:44
B4. Sailor Song 01:52
B5. Let It Shine 04:44

    Originally released in 1971.
    Red Capitol label with purple and black logo.
    Manufactured By – Capitol Records, Inc.
    Published By – Glenwood Music Corporation
    Executive-Producer – Paul White
    Producer – Dennis R. Murphy
    Engineer – Phil Sheridan 

Members:
Bass, Vocals – James Rolleston
Cello – Carole Marshall
Guitar, Mouth Harp Harmonica – Rolf Kempf
Guitar, Vocals – Chuck Aarons
Keyboards, Vocals – Jim Ackley
Percussion – Terry Clarke
Soprano Saxophone – John Tank
Written-By – Aarons*, Rolleston* (tracks: B2),
Ackley*, Morse* (tracks: A4, B3 to B5)

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