Daily Review
The Year In Music – 1973
January 11, 1974
The year of 1973 was a good one for the music industry and a great one for KG. We put an emphasis on the young recording artists on their way up in the rock field, while at the same time interviewing the superstars of today.
There is no doubt who the number one band of ’73 was – The Allman Brothers. With the long-awaited “Brothers and Sisters” disc, this fine six-man band from Macon, Ga., ruled the roost with a unique southern blues-rock sound.
They worked hard on U.S. concert tours last year – live and on record they were as smooth as silk. We’ve been talking to them quite a bit lately and they have some material at home that hasn’t been released that you will not believe.
The b a n d ‘s  accomplishments are all the more impressive, considering the loss of guitarist Duane Allman and bassist Barry Oakley in motorcycle accidents a year apart and in nearly the same place. There isn’t a band in the world that can come close to the Allman Brothers. On stage they’re tight and exciting – they play for hours and every song is an all-star effort. At the end of the gig it’s jam time, and no group jams better than the Allman Brothers.
They could put out a 20-album package and we still wouldn’t get tired of them.
BAND OF THE YEAR
The Allman Brothers
Last year a lot of artists came into their own as live performers and many new acts broke into the spotlight. Despite all the shortages and setbacks (like the vinyl shortage) new and good tunes kept coming our way.
The up and coming group of the year has to be Marshall Tucker. This down-south rock band went a long way in ’73Â with outstanding live performances in the Bay Area.
They had a long-lasting disc c a l l e d “Marshall Tucker” with such tunes as “Take The Highway,” “Can’t You See,” ” L o s i n g You,” “Hillbilly Band,” “See You Later, I’m Gone,” and “Ramblin.”
We just heard their second album, that will be shipped somewhere about Jan. 29, and music people are really in for a treat. Marshall Tucker really comes alive with this second effort.
Others that were in the running for this award were Jim Croce, who had three albums in the top 25 at one time; Pointer Sisters, who advanced on Bette Midler‘s 1940’s nostalgia; and Focus, the newcomer from across the seas.
UP AND COMING GROUP Of 1973
The Marshall Tucker Band
TOP NEW ACTS OP THE YEAR
1. Marshall Tucker
2. Jim Croce
3. Pointer Sisters
4. Focus
5. Kenny Rankin
6. Joe Walsh (ex-member of James Gang now solo)
7. Robin Trower (now solo, ex-member of Procol Harum)
8. Danny O’Keefe
9. Eddie Kendricks
10. Bonnie Bramlett (ex member of Delaney and Bonnie)
11. Bonnie Raitt
12. Lee Clayton
13. Steve Goodman
14. Jimmy Buffett
15. Don Nix
Again this was the year of the Allman Brothers and they took the award for the album of the year for “Brothers and Sisters.”
Elton John took second place for “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” and a fourth spot with “Don’t Shoot Me, I’m Only the Piano Player.”
TOP ALBUMS OF 1973
1. Brothers and Sisters, Allman Brothers, Capricorn
2. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Elton John, MCA
3. Laid Back, Gregg Allman, Capricorn
4. Don’t Shoot Me, I’m The Piano Player, Elton John, MCA
5. Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd, Harvest
6. Rocky Mountain High, John Denver, RCA
7. The Divine Miss M, Bette Midler, AtlanticÂ
8. Killing Me Softly, Roberta Flack, Allantic
9. Talking Book, Steve Wonder, Tamlia
10. They Only Come Out at Nighl, Edgar Winter, Epic
11. Captain and Me, Doobie Brothers, Warner Bros.
12. Angel Clare, Art Garfunkel, Columbia
13. There Goes Rhymin Simon, Paul Simon, Columbia
14. Behind Closed Doors, Epic, Charlie Rich
15. The Marshall Tucker Band, The Marshall Tucker Band, Capricorn
16. Full Sail, Loggins & Messina, Columbia
17. Diamond Girl Seals & Crofts, Warner
18. Song For Juli, Jesse Colin Young, Warner
19. Chicago VI, Chicago, Columbia
20. I Got A Name, Jim Croce, ABC
21. Innervisions, Stevie Wonder, Tamlia
22. Down The Road, Stephen Stills-Manassa, Atlantic
23: Jesus Was A Capricorn, Kris Kristofferson, Monument
24. The Pointer Sisters, The Pointer Sisters, Blue Thumb
25. Still Alive And Well, Johnny Winter, Columbia
26. Band On The Run, Paul McCartney and Wings, Apple
27. Red Rose Speedway, Paul McCartney, Apple
28. Roger. Daltrey, Roger Daltrey Track Records
29. Wake of The Flood, Grateful Dead, Grateful Dead Records
30. Bill Withers Live At Carnegie Hall, Bill Withers, Sussex
31. Bette Midler, Bette Midler, Atlantic
32. The Joker, The Steve Miller Band, Capitol
33. Maria Muldaur, Maria Muldaur, Warner Bros.
34. Leon Live, Leon Russell, Shelter Records
35. Quadrophenia, The Who, Tracks
36. Imagination, Gladys Knight & The Pips Buddah
37. Life and Times, Jim Croce, ABC
38. You Don’t Mess Around With Jim, Jim Croce, ABC
39. Living In The Material W o r l d / George Harrison, Apple
40. Houses of The Holy, Led Zeppelin. Atlantic
Again it is Allman Brothers and Elton John back-to-back in the concerts of the year awards. The Allman Brothers were excellent at the Coliseum but even better at Winterland. Elton was a little more talented and less showy in Oakland this year, and he comes in second.
The Coliseum had its share of great shows this year, and one of them was Leon Russell, Loggins and Messina, Elvin B i s h o p and Mary McCreary – outdoors no less.
Leon, of course, was the key, and by far the best gig outdoors in’73.
BEST CONCERT OF THE YEAR
1. Allman Brothers, Winterland
2. Elton ‘ John, Oakland Coliseum
3. Leon Russell, Oakland Coliseum
4. Steve Stills, Winterland
5. Jethro Tull, Oakland Coliseum
6. Crosby & Nash, Civic Aud.
7. Carole King, Civic Aud.
8. Boz Scaggs, Keystone Berkeley
9. Van Morrison, Keystone Berkeley
10. America, Berkeley Comm.
11. Seals & Crofts, Berkeley Comm
12 Loggins i Messina, Berkeley Comm.
13. Grateful Dead, Kezar
14. Johnny Winter, Orphanage
Only one male performer in 1973 had two albums in the No. 1 spot in the national chart ratings – Elton John.
Second in our rating was Greg Allman, a key member of the Aliman Brothers and who had a strong solo disc, “Laid Back.”
TOP MALE PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
1. Elton John
2. Greg Allman
3. Jim Croce
4. Steven Stills
5. Leon Russell
6. Stevie Wonder
7. Art Garfunkel
8. Paul Simon
9. Kris Kristofferson
For the female entertainers of the year it was a close battle between Bette Midler and Roberta Flack. Bette won out with her hit album of “Divine Miss M” which opened the way for a new superstar and for her great performance in Berkeley a few months back.
TOP FEMALE PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
1. Bette Midler
2. Roberta Flack
3. Diana Ross
4. Carole King
5. Maria Muldaur
COMEBACK OF THE YEAR
1. Steve Miller
2. Johnny Winter
3. Art Garfunkel
SOUNDTRACK OF THE YEAR
1. Lady Sings The Blues, Diana Ross
2. Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid-Bob Dylan
JAZZ GROUP OF THE YEAR
1. The Crusaders
GUITARIST OF THE YEAR
1. Dick Betts (Allman Brothers)
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