When a group reaches their fifth decade like Firefall has, they develop deep roots with their fellow musicians, whether it’s from sharing touring bills or the shuffling of band members.

On their new album Friends & Family (arriving September 22nd, 2023 on Sunset Blvd Records), Firefall celebrates these relationships by performing songs from bands whose histories are intertwined with Firefall’s.

These 13 tracks, representing multiple Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees, country rock pioneers, Southern rock superstars, and Top 40 hit-makers, create an album that stands - in the words of Firefall’s remaining founding member, guitarist Jock Bartley - “as a tribute to the great music of the 70s.”

“The ‘concept’ of this album is unique and exciting,” Firefall co-founder Jock Bartley continues. “Many of the original FIREFALL band members – Rick Roberts, Jock Bartley, Mark Andes, Michael Clarke, Larry Burnett & David Muse – had played and would play in other famous bands (The Byrds, Flying Burrito Bros., Spirit, Dan Fogelberg, Heart, Gram Parsons). In 1976-77 FIREFALL played on tour & got to be friends with many top bands of the day; Doobie Bros., Loggins & Messina, The Band (!!), Fleetwood Mac, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marshal Tucker and others.”

“FRIENDS & FAMILY” album is FIREFALL in 2023 respectfully and lovingly re-creating those other band’s songs, honoring those bands and that amazing time in American music: the late 1960s and 1970s!! FIREFALL is honored and thankful to have played a small role in that fantastic musical era.”

1. Long Train Running (The Doobie Brothers)
2. Part of The Plan (Dan Fogelberg)
3. What About Love (Heart)
4. Can’t You See (The Marshall Tucker Band)
5. In The Heart of The Night (Poco)
6. Angry Eyes (Loggins & Messina)
7. Simple Man (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
8. I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better (The Byrds)
9. World Turning (Fleetwood Mac)
10. I Got A Line On You (Spirit)
11. Chest Fever (The Band)
12. Colorado (The Flying Burrito Bros)
13. Ooh Las Vegas (Gram Parsons)

This mighty fine new recording opens on a stupendous Long Train Running (The Doobie Brothers) and some dulcet, harmonious tones come to the fore on the delightful Part of The Plan (Dan Fogelberg) and they are followed by a powerhouse What About Love (Heart), their rendition of a song that easily resonates with the pain inside a lot of us, Can’t You See (The Marshall Tucker Band), then we get the beautiful, wholesome hipsway of In The Heart of The Night (Poco), the soul-soothing (and what just be one of greatest songs ever written) Angry Eyes (Loggins & Messina), and then we get the first single released, a dutifully impassioned Simple Man (Lynyrd Skynyrd).

Along next is their take on the timeless classic, and easily one of the best pop songs of all time, I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better (The Byrds) and then they grow into one of the most under-known, under-played, under-appreciated cuts ever written, Fleetwood Mac’s World Turning, before bringing us one of the early power-pop classics, I Got A Line On You (Spirit), the Hammond-led, growling rock of Chest Fever (The Band), the album rounding out on their beautifully atmospheric take on The Flying Burrito Bros’s Colorado, closing on the Cumberland blues groove that propels the frenetic Ooh Las Vegas.

Firefall - Simple Man [Official Music Video]

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