- Jack Tempchin -- vocals, bass, harmonica

  supporting musicians:

- Barry Beckett -- keyboards

- Pete Carr -- guitar

- Roger Clark -- drums

- Randy McCormick -- keyboards

- Anthony Philips -- woodwinds

- Harvey Thompson -- sax

- Bob Wray -- bass

- The Funky Kings

Genre: rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Jack Tempchin

Company: Arista

Catalog: AB-4193

Year: 1978

Country/State: US

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: original inner sleeve

Available: 2

Catalog ID: 4682

Price: $10.00

Having heard dozens and dozens of mid-1970s singer/songwriter projects my expectations for this album were pretty low.  That said, I'm happy to tell you  I was dead wrong with regards to this one.  

Recorded after the collapse of The Funky Kings, 1978's cleverly-titled "Jack Tempchin" may be the best Eagles album the band never recorded. Produced by lead guitarist Pete Carr (who nailed Don Felder's unique guitar sound on several tracks) and recorded at Muscle Shoals' Fame Studios, Tempchin had a surprisingly attractive voice and a knack for penning catchy country-rock material.  Your life won't be changed by any of this, but if you like early-career Eagles then you'll probably enjoy tracks such as 'Stingaree', 'She Belonged To Me' and 'Fifteen Days Under the Hood'.  Other highlights included Tempchin's collaboration with Tom Waits 'Tijuana' and 'Pick Up Truck' (The Eagles should have covered this one as well).  Elsewhere the biggest disappointment is Tempchin's version of 'Peaceful Easy Feeling'.  Slowing it down to a dirge with Jennifer Warren's providing harmony vocals was simply the wrong thing to do to this country-rock classic.   

Arista also tapped the album for a  single in the form of:

- 1978's 'Peaceful Easy Feeling' b/w 'Fifteen Days Under the Hood' (Arista catalog number AS-0370).

For anyone interested, here's a live YouTube performance showing a slightly older Tempchin doing "Peaceful Easy Feeling: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mosPy1wN87I

"Jack Tempchin" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Stingaree   (Jack Tempchin) - 3:10

2.) She Belonged To Me   (Jack Tempchin) - 2:20

3.) Peaceful Easy Feeling   (Jack Tempchin) - 3:50

4.) Fifteen Days Under the Hood   (Jack Tempchin - Warren Hughey) - 2:35

5.) Lifetime Friends   (Jack Tempchin) - 3:35

(side 2)
1.) Golden Life   (Jack Tempchin - J.D. Souther) - 3:35

2.) Tijuana   (Jack Tempchin - Tom Waits) - 2:50

3.) Pick Up Truck   (Jack Tempchin) - 3:22

4.) Skateboard Johnny   (Jack Tempchin) - 3:30

5.) Walkaway   (Jack Tempchin) - 3:59

I've never seen or heard a copy of it, but Tempchin also supposedly released an independent 45:

- 1979's '95 Octane Dream' (Promo Records catalog number 95)

He's also recorded a series of at least five independent LPs:

- 1991's "Staying Home"

- 1993's "After the Rain"

- 1995's "Lonely Midnight"

- 2002's "Live On the Highway" (with Richard Stekol and Greg Leisz) (Night River catalog number )

- 2007's "Songs"

Tempchin also has a nice website at:  http://www.tempchin.com/

Meaningless trivia - I've sold at least five copies of the "Jack Tempchin" album, with four of them going to French buyers ...  beats me!