Artimus Pyle

On their second outing, the Artimus Pyle Band regrouped, added some new blood, and turned out a fine pop-rock album. Featuring two lead vocalists, Darryl Otis Smith and Karen Blackmon, as well as guitarists John Boerstler and new recruit Rusty Milner, the APB rock their way through a set of ten original songs with style and commercial appeal. Guest shots from Toto's Steve Porcaro and David Paich only add to the wall of sound. The title track from Nightcaller features Blackmon at her best, with a distinctive sound reminicent of Ann Wilson of Heart. "Hoping I'll Find You" and "Only Child" are prime tracks, and "Red Hot Light" rocks like a sledgehammer striking a railroad spike. A massive departure from the sound featured on their debut LP, APB, this one seemed ripe for radio airplay. Unfortunately, the band would reassemble itself a couple more times over the next two years, but they would never recapture the magic of this lineup. Artimus Pyle would briefly regroup with Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1991 before forming two other bands in Florida. Rusty Milner would join the Marshall Tucker Band as lead guitarist in 1985. ~ Michael B. Smith, Rovi