Line #12 Music/LittleFeat


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/little_feat_4.jpg]]
2	[-[[caption-width-right:350:Little Feat's classic lineup. From left to right: Bill Payne, Richie Hayward, Sam Clayton, Lowell George (seated), Paul Barrere, and Kenny Gradney.]]-]
3
4	Little Feat is an American rock band that formed in 1969 after its frontman, singer-guitarist Lowell George, was fired from [[Music/FrankZappa The Mothers of Invention]]. The band is known for its [[GenreMashup eclectic sound]] that mixes elements of SouthernRock, BluesRock, {{Funk}}, RAndB, [[{{Country Music}} Country Rock]], [[{{Jazz}} Jazz Fusion]], and good old fashioned [[{{RockAndRoll}} Rock & Roll]].
5
6	Rounding out the original lineup was fellow ex-Zappa alumni Roy Estrada on bass, former The Factory bandmate Richie Hayward on drums, and keyboardist Bill Payne, who had tried to audition for The Mothers. The band released two studio albums, their SelfTitledAlbum and ''Sailin' Shoes'' which gained attention for it's surreal Americanic sound, musicianship, and George's songwriting.
7
8	Despite critical success, the band struggled to find an audience. As a result, Estrada left to join Music/CaptainBeefheart's band. Replacing him was New Orleans native Kenny Gradney, who brought Sam Clayton [[note]]brother of vocalist Merry Clayton, the female singer on [[Music/TheRollingStonesBand Gimme Shelter]][[/note]] along on percussion, and George's high school classmate Paul Barrere was added as a second guitar. With the expanded lineup, ''Dixie Chicken'' saw the band's sound solidify into a more New Orleans oriented style.
9
10	While George was the face of the band, initial leader and primary songwriter, overtime Payne and Barrere would gradually gain prominence due in large part to George's lifestyle. This would create a large drift in the band, resulting in the band splitting up in 1979. While George desired to reform the group without Payne and Barrere, his death shortly after the split ended any chances of that.
11
12	However, the surviving members would reform in 1987 to moderate success and have continued into the present day, even through continuing lineup changes, most notably the deaths of Hayward and Barrere.
13
14	----
15	!!Principal Members (Founding members in '''bold''', current members in ''italic''):
16
17	* Paul Barrere: guitar, slide guitar, vocals (1972-79; 1987-2019; died 2019)
18	* ''Sam Clayton'': percussion, vocals (1972-79; 1987-Present)
19	* '''[[Music/FrankZappa Roy Estrada]]''': bass, backing vocals (1969-72)
20	* ''Gabe Ford'':drums (2010-Present [[note]]touring drummer from 2009-10[[/note]])
21	* Craig Fuller: vocals, guitar (1987-93)
22	* '''Lowell George''': vocals, guitar, harmonica, soprano saxophone, drum machine (1969-79; died 1979)
23	* ''Kenny Gradney'': bass (1972-79; 1987-Present)
24	* '''Richie Hayward''': drums, backing vocals (1969-79; 1987-2010; died 2010)
25	* Shaun Murphy: vocals, tambourine (1993-2009)
26	* '''''Bill Payne''''': keyboards, vocals (1969-79; 1987-Present)
27	* ''Fred Tackett'': guitar, mandolin, trumpet, vocals (1987-Present [[note]]session player and collaborator between 1973-77[[/note]])
28
29	----
30	!!Discography:
31
32	!!!Studio Albums
33	* ''[[SelfTitledAlbum Little Feat]]'' (1971)
34	* ''Sailin' Shoes'' (1972)
35	* ''[[NewSoundAlbum Dixie Chicken]]'' (1973)
36	* ''Feats Don't Fail Me Now'' (1974)
37	* ''The Last Record Album'' (1975)
38	* ''Time Loves a Hero'' (1977)
39	* ''Down on the Farm'' (1979)
40	* ''Let It Roll'' (1988)
41	* ''Representing the Mambo'' (1990)
42	* ''Shake It Up'' (1991)
43	* ''Ain't Had Enough'' (1995)
44	* ''Under the Radar'' (1998)
45	* ''Chinese Work Songs'' (2000)
46	* ''Kickin' It at the Barn'' (2003)
47	* ''[[CoverAlbum Join the Band]]'' (2008)
48	* ''Rooster Rag'' (2012)
49
50	!!!Live Albums
51	* ''Waiting for Columbus'' (1978) [[note]]reissued with six additional tracks in 2002[[/note]]
52	* ''Live from Neon Park'' (1996)
53	* ''Extended Versions'' (2000)
54	* ''Late Night Truck Stop'' (2001) [[note]]reissued as a single album called ''American Cutie'' in 2012[[/note]]
55	* ''Live at the Rams Head'' (2002)
56	* ''Down Upon the Suwannee River'' (2003)
57	* ''Highwire Act Live in St. Louis 2003'' (2004)
58	* ''Barnstormin' Live Volume One'' (2005)
59	* ''Barnstormin' Live Volume Two'' (2005)
60	* ''Rocky Mountain Jam'' (2007)
61	* ''Live at Winterland Valentine's Day 1976'' (2012)
62	* ''Hellzapoppin[='=]'' (2013)
63	* ''Live in Holland 2014'' (2014)
64	* ''On Your Way Down'' (2014)
65
66	----
67	!!If you give me weed, whites, and wine, then I'll be willin'... to be tropin'!
68	* TheAce: Lowell George.
69	* BoxedSet: ''Hotcakes & Outtakes: 30 Years of Little Feat'' (2000), a 4-CD set containing highlights from the band's entire history up to that time as well as early and solo material from George and Estrada.
70	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The first record lacked the syncronated funk rhythms and tight grooves of later records, instead being largely a roots-based affair in the vein of Leon Russell, Music/TheBand, and ''[[Music/ExileOnMainSt Exile]]''-era [[Music/TheRollingStonesBand Rolling Stones]].
71	* TheHedonist: Lowell. [[DeconstructedTrope Deconstructed]] as this loosened his grip on the band as a result.
72	* LongRunnerLineup: The Shawn Murphy lineup, which lasted from her arrival in 1993 until she left in 2009.
73	* NewSoundAlbum:
74	** ''Sailin' Shoes'', which had a harder edged rock sound courtesy of Ted Templeman.
75	** ''Dixie Chicken'', the first record with the band's classic lineup, incorporated more New Orleans funk into its sound.
76	** ''Feats Don't Fail Me Now'' saw the band move more towards boogie woogie.
77	** ''Time Loves a Hero'' incorporated jazz fusion, to Lowell's chargin.
78	* NoodleIncident: Why was Lowell fired from The Mothers of Invention? Explanations have varied from the drug references in "Willin'", Zappa encouraging him to form his own band, and even Lowell playing a solo while his amp was unplugged.
79	* RearrangeTheSong:
80	** Lowell had the band rerecord "Willin'" for ''Sailin' Shoes''.
81	** Likewise, "Cold Cold Cold" and "Tripe Face Boogie" were performed as a medley to close out ''Feats Don't Fail Me Now''.
82	* TheSmurfettePrinciple: Shaun Murphy was the only female member both during her time and in the band's entire history.
83	* SoloSideProject: Lowell George's ''Thanks I'll Eat It Here'' (1977), which features more of the "classic" Feat sound in contrast to the jazz-based material the band was by then exploring.

Context Music / LittleFeat