Jubal - Jubal (Reissue) (1972/2008)

When people talk about this record they inevitably mention the fact that Dennis Linde was the bass player in the band.
Linde was born in Abilene, Texas, but was raised in San Angelo, Texas, Miami and St. Louis. He learnt to play guitar young and at age 15 joined Bob Kuban and the In-Men (the group had a great pop hit in 1966 with "The Cheater", the record was before Linde I think). He then played with a St. Louis band, The Starlighters, before moving to Nashville in 1969 to become a songwriter, where he befriended Mickey Newbury, Kris Kristofferson and others. Linde almost immediately wrote some country hits for Don Cherry, Roger Miller and Roy Drusky which led to him releasing his first album in 1970. It didn't sell. It was around this time that he joined Jubal as a bass player, sometimes guitarist and occasional songwriter. This, their only album, didn't sell either. About the same time Elvis recorded Linde's "Burning Love" which went to #2 (1972) and gave Linde a renewed career as a writer and a solo performer and also gave him some cash in pocket.
But to think Linde was the focal point of the band would be wrong. All the members co-jointly or solo wrote and produced all the tracks on the album, as well as swapping instruments around. Members: Rob Galbraith (organ, guitar, piano), Dennis Linde (bass, guitar, vocals), Randy Cullers (percussion, drums, tambourine), Terry Dearmore (guitar, vocals), Alan Rush (guitar, harmonica, bass, vocals).
Clearly they were a "supergroup" of err, unknowns. Significantly, as proof of talent, they all had significant work in music before Jubal and much after. Pianist Rob Galbraith became a major Nashville producer and also released some acclaimed and eccentric solo albums. Guitarist (and occasional vocalist) Alan Rush wrote songs for Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Brenda Lee, The Hollies, Robert Palmer, Oak Ridge Boys, Kenny Rogers, John Denver, Roy Head, Delbert McClinton, Canned Heat, Don Williams, T.G.Shepherd, Tommy Overstreet, Earl Scruggs, Roy Clark, Mel McDaniel and did session work (he worked on Elvis overdub sessions). Drummer Randy Cullers went on to do a lot of session work (including Elvis overdubs) and write songs for others. Vocalist Terry Dearmore (ex Fat Sow) went on to join Nashville country rock legends, Barefoot Jerry, as one of their lead vocalists in the mid 70s. He eventually became a preacher.
Clearly they are the musical product of their times but they are also forceful personalities.
And this album reflects this.