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Wayside (1997) - The Groobees
According to the group's bio at Blix Street Records, the Groobees (two O's, two E's) quit their day jobs in 1997, and recorded their first full-length CD release. Wayside included several songs written by Susan Gibson, one of which was an autobiographical track called "
Wide Open Spaces". According to the Blix Street bio:
'During those [recording] sessions,
the band gave their producer, Lloyd Maines, a demo of "Wide Open Spaces" which he played for his daughter, Natalie Maines, the newest Dixie Chick at the time. Natalie had recently embarked on an independent life and immediately connected with the song's sense of freedom, adventure and possibility. The rest is now country music history.'
Nobody would have suspected in 1997 that "Wide Open Spaces" -- a track that the Chicks' new label thought was not "radio friendly" enough -- would earn Gibson and the Chicks a four-week chart topping hit and a trip to the CMA awards. And the Chicks gave credit where credit was due -- see the Groobees' web site (groobees.com) for pictures of Susan's surprise appearance with the Chicks at the awards.
George's Bar