STUCK IN THE VINYL AGAIN - ELTON JOHN - TUMBLEWEED CONNECTION

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Good morning faithful readers and welcome back to the Thursday edition of Stuck In The Vinyl Again. Today we celebrate the 7rd Birthday of drummer and back up vocalist, Nigel Olsson, best known for his work with Elton John. Happy Birthday Nigel ! To mark the occasion, we spotlight Elton John's third studio album, Tumbleweed Connection. The LP was released October 30, 1971 on the Uni label and produced by Gus Dudgeon. It peaked at #30 in Japan, #7 in Spain, #5 on the Billboard 200,  #4 in Australia, Canada, and the Netherlands, and #2 in the UK. It's sole single was "Country Comfort". This album was the first to feature both Dee Murray and Nigel Olsson and is a  a concept album based on country and western/Americana themes. It is said that Bernie Taupin was inspired by The Band's album, 'Music From Big Pink'. In 1971 Rolling Stone magazine said of the album, "Tumbleweed Connection needs no improvement; it is one of the best country-rock albums ever written by London cowboys."

1. "Ballad of a Well-known Gun" 4:59

2. "Come Down in Time" 3:25

3. "Country Comfort" 5:06

4. "Son of Your Father" 3:48

5. "My Father's Gun" 6:20

Side two

6. "Where to Now St. Peter?" 4:11

7. "Love Song" (Lesley Duncan) 3:41

8. "Amoreena" 5:00

9. "Talking Old Soldiers" 4:06

10. "Burn Down the Mission" 6:21

Elton John – lead vocals, acoustic piano (1, 3-6, 8-10), Hammond organ (8), backing vocals (10)

Brian Dee – Hammond organ (10, 13)
Caleb Quaye – lead guitar (1, 4, 6, 8), acoustic guitar (1, 3, 5, 6), electric guitar (5)

Les Thatcher – acoustic guitar (2, 10), 12-string acoustic guitar (3)
Gordon Huntley – steel guitar (3)
Lesley Duncan – backing vocals (1, 4, 5, 7), acoustic guitar (7)

Mike Egan – acoustic guitar (10)

Dave Glover – bass guitar (1, 4-6)
Herbie Flowers – bass guitar (2, 3, 10)

Chris Laurence – acoustic bass (2, 10)
Dee Murray – backing vocals (3, 6), bass guitar (8)
Roger Pope – drums (1, 4-6), percussion (1)

Barry Morgan – drums (2, 3, 10)

Nigel Olsson – backing vocals (3, 6), drums (8)
Robin Jones – congas (10), tambourine (10)

Karl Jenkins – oboe (2)
Skaila Kanga – harp (2)
Ian Duck – harmonica (3, 4)

Johnny Van Derek – violin (3)

Paul Buckmaster – orchestral arrangements and conductor
Madeline Bell – backing vocals (1, 4, 5)

Tony Burrows – backing vocals (1, 5)
Kay Garner – backing vocals (1, 4, 5)
Tony Hazzard – backing vocals (1, 5)

Dusty Springfield – backing vocals (1, 5)

Tammi Hunt – backing vocals (4)
Heather Wheatman – backing vocals (4)

Yvonne Wheatman – backing vocals (4)

Production

Gus Dudgeon – producer
Robin Geoffrey Cable – engineer
Gus Skinas – editing
Ricky Graham – digital transfers
Greg Penny – surround mix
Bernie Taupin – lyricist
David Larkham – art direction, design, cover design, cover artwork, photography
Barry Wentzell – photography
Ian Digby-Ovens – photography
John Tobler – liner notes