Outside of Europe, where their music found a serious following, Swampwater remains best remembered as Linda Ronstadt's late-'60s backing group, her first post-Stone Poneys band. Formed by John Beland (guitar, dobro, piano), Gib Gilbeau (fiddle, guitar), Stan Pratt (drums), and Eric White (bass) -- Clarence's brother, and an ex-member of the Kentucky Colonels -- in 1969, Swampwater specialized in a then unique Louisiana-based style of rock & roll. White left the lineup after their first national tour backing Ronstadt and was succeeded by Thad Maxwell, who had previously played with Beland in One Man's Family. Early in 1970, the group cut an album for Starday/King Records that was originally intended as a Gilbeau solo vehicle, but it evolved into a group effort with a unique sound, not as smooth as Poco or Rick Nelson's Stone Canyon Band or as spaced out as the Flying Burrito Brothers.
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