Minnows
Studio album by Marc Benno
Released 1971
Recorded 1971
Genre Rock
Length 40:27
Label A&M
Producer David Anderle
Marc Benno has been giving blues, rock n roll, and pop music an unmistakable Texas flavor for years. A singer/songwriter who plays the guitar and piano, Benno is a strong force behind some of rock and blues greatest talents making them sound even better. The list of legends heÕs worked with includes The Doors, Eric Clapton, Lightnin' Hopkins, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bill Wyman, Georgie Fame, Rita Coolidge, Eddie Murphy, Leon Russell and many more!
In the 60's, after performing in Dallas with Steve Miller, Boz Scaggs, the Eagles, first known as Felicity and The Moving Sidewalks, aka ZZ Top, Benno headed to Los Angeles to further his career. That put him in the right place at the right time!
Marc Benno recorded a pair of albums with Leon Russell as a duo under the name The Asylum Choir. These recordings are considered rock classics by Billboard Magazine. Benno was then picked to play guitar on an album by the psychedelic rock greats The Doors. The sessions were for the classic L.A. Woman (1971), the groupÕs last LP before Jim MorrisonÕs death.
Benno recorded four albums for A&M Records in Hollywood in the 70Õs. Eric Clapton played guitar on two tracks from BennoÕs 1979 album Lost in Austin, recorded in London, produced by Glyn Johns who was famous for producing The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
He toured with Rita Coolidge as lead guitarist and band leader opening for The Byrds at Royal Albert Hall in London!
After two years serving as Lightnin' Hopkins bandleader and lead guitarist, Benno formed Marc Benno & The Nightcrawlers, opening shows across America for Humble Pie and The J. Geils Band. One of the Crawlers was a young guitarist named Stevie Ray Vaughan.
BennoÕs career got an unexpected boost in 1985, when his song ÒRock & Roll Me AgainÓ, recorded by The System for the movie Beverly Hills Cop, won a Grammy for Best Composition for a Motion Picture Soundtrack!
Professional Ratings:
allmusic 3/5 stars
Review by William Ashford of allmusic:
While not a major player in the retail area, Marc received serious airplay from Freeform radio during the early '70s. Enough, in fact, that A&M Records kept him for four records. David Anderle, around since the '60s Elektra days, and at the time well established, produced three of Benno's albums. Minnows was the best in many ways. While it lacked the loose quality of Ambush, it contained a handful of wonderfully introspective, well-crafted songs; "Speak Your Mind" and the stunning "Don't Let the Sun Go Down," were classics. Marc's vocals showed a certain vulnerability not heard on other releases. Personnel were picked from the A&M/Shelter/Oklahoma Mafia/Leon Russell stable, except for the interesting appearance by Clarence White.
Review on amazon:
Marc Benno is such a great guitarist. Check out his other work on Mad Dogs and Englishmen, with Rita Coolidge and with Leon Russell in the Asylum Choir. Love this album because it just makes me feel good. Benno just sets up these nice grooves and down to earth lyrics. Don't get me wrong, I love lyrics that make you think "What's that all about?", but I also appreciate the straight forward get to the point and tell the story which is more Benno's style.
LP track listing
All songs written by Marc Benno.
Side One
1. "Franny" Ð 2:56
2. "Put A Little Love In My Soul" Ð 2:55
3. "Stone Cottage" Ð 4:46
4. "Speak Your Mind" Ð 4:57
5. "Back Down Home" Ð 4:41
Side Two
6. "Good Times" Ð 2:45
7. "Baby I Love You" Ð 3:07
8. "Baby Like You" Ð 6:37
9. "Before I Go" Ð 4:48
10. "Don't Let The Sun Go Down" Ð 2:55
Personnel:
* Marc Benno - guitar, organ, piano, marxophone, vocals
* Jesse Ed Davis - guitar, slide guitar
* Gary Illingsworth - organ, piano
* Carl Radle - bass
* Jerry Scheff - bass
* Chuck Domanico - acoustic bass
* Jimmie Lee (Jim) Keltner - drums, percussion
* Nick De Caro - accordion
* Jerry McGee - guitar
* Clarence White - guitar, acoustic guitar
* Bobby Womack - guitar
* Rita Coolidge - background vocals
* Venetta Fields - background vocals
* Clydie King - background vocals