BEAVERTEETH
Albany, GA
Left To Right
Jeff Cheshire - David Adkins - Rodney Justo
Larry Hunter - Mike Turner - John Rainey Adkins
http://skynfan.blogspot.com/2007/08/beaverteeth-beaverteeth-1977-rodny.html
One of the more talent, if overlooked 1970s and 80s-era Southern rock bands, these guys had an interesting history that most folks were completely unaware of. In 1970 music engineer Rodney MIlls raised enough money to build a music studio in the Atlanta suburb of Doraville, Georgia. Known as Studio One, Mills the decided he needed a house band and quickly rounded up a collection of local talent including local players Barry Bailey and Paul Goddard, Buddy Buie and guitarist J.R. Cobb (both former members of The Classics IV), as well as ex-Candymen keyboardist Dean Daugherty, singer Rodney Justo and drummer Robert Nix.
Serving as the Studio One house band the group played on a stream of 1970-71 releases by acts like Bonnie Bramlett, Al Kooper, Joe South, B.J. Thomas, and a late inning version of Dennis Yost and the Classics IV.
Continuing their sessions work, the band somehow found time to record a follow-on LP, but not before original singer Rodney Justo decided to tender his resignation. Increasingly frustrated by the band's lack of financial reward (being told the band was going to cut some tracks for a kiddy cartoon program apparently pushed him over the edge), Justo headed off to New York and stints as B.J. Thomas' band leaders, an in-demand jingle writer/singer, a couple albums with the band Beaverteeth and a real job working for a Southern beverage distributor. Originally hired as an engineering assistant at Studio One, Ronnie Hammond was subsequently brought in as Justo's replacement.
In spite of the personnel shaek-up,1972's Buddy Buie produced "Back Up Against the Wall" proved more consistent and rock-oriented than the debut. Exemplified by tracks like 'Cold Turkey Tenn.', their cover of Joe South's 'Redneck' and the title track Hammond's likeable voice proved a nice match for the band's blend of pop, blues and Southern rock moves. While nothing here was particularly original, the performances were all professional and worth a couple of spins. Probably the most overlooked album in their catalog (okay, maybe that distinction went to the debut), this one displayed a laidback charm that they never managed to recapture. Highlights included the pretty leadoff ballad 'Wrong', 'Superman' and 'What You Gonna Do About It?'. Elsewhere Decca tapped the album for a single in the form of 'Conversation' v/w 'Cold Turkey, Tenn.' (Decca catalog number 7-40059). While the band hit the road in support of the album, absent a breakout single the LP did little commercially.
