Legend

LEGEND
 
 
Legend  is the thirteenth album by the American country rock band Poco, released in 1978.  “Crazy Love” and “Heart of the Night”, written and sung by Rusty Young and Paul Cotton respectively, become the group’s two biggest hits to date.  The band started to stray from its distinct country rock sound, heading towards a more mainstream, commercially applauded soft rock and pop sound.  The cover art for Legend was done by Phil Hartman, who worked as a graphic designer creating album covers for America and Steely Dan, among others, while attempting to break out as a comic.  (More from Wikipedia)
 
 

Richie Furay stayed with Poco through their sixth album, Crazy Eyes (1973); the album made the Top 40, but with the lackluster sales of both albums and singles, even he was starting to get discouraged. 

 

Poco hung in there and hit something of a creative peak with Rose of Cimarron (1976); the title track, “Rose of Cimarron”, written by Rusty Young was covered by Emmylou Harris and was the de facto title track on her album Cimarron.  Though only Rusty Young remained among the founding members, their 1978 album Legend was the band’s most successful, reaching #14 on the Billboard album charts and including two Top 20 singles, “Crazy Love” and “Heart of the Night”.  

 

(April 2014)