James Gang Thirds

With the emergence of Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience during the late '60s, the path was cleared for other hard-rockin' "trios." Arguably, the finest to emerge from the subsequent American crop was the James Gang. Despite penning a few of classic rock radio's most enduring songs, the James Gang ultimately failed to deliver on their initial promise, as constant lineup juggling ultimately derailed the group. The Gang's roots stretch back to 1966 in Cleveland, OH, where drummer Jim Fox formed the group with a few fellow Kent State University students, guitarist Glenn Schwartz and bassist Tom Kriss. But when Schwartz left to join Pacific Gas & Electric, Fox and Kriss opted to carry on with new singer/guitarist Joe Walsh. The James Gang's debut album, Yer' Album, followed in 1969, and while it didn't spawn any hits, it did set the stage perfectly for their next few releases.

Three studio albums into Joe Walsh’s work with the James Gang, the guitarist was bound for pastures new – but not before he had made one final appearance on LP with the Cleveland rock heroes. Just a month after the release of that studio farewell, Thirds, Walsh was on stage at Carnegie Hall in New York with his band mates Dale Peters and Jim Fox. That’s where they recorded the show that became Live In Concert, which made its US chart debut on September 11, 1971.