Author: Dan Wildhirt
“Let Me Love You Tonight” has been riding high on the charts these past few months. For PPL it has proven to be a major breakthrough. We talked with Michael Reilly, the group’s bassist/singer.
Q – Pure Prairie League started out Country didn’t they? Now you’ve changed your style and approach.
A – Back in the early 70s country was big. We’re trying to expand our musical direction. More Rock ‘n’ Roll and R&B things are startin’ to come out. We don’t have a steel guitar anymore. “Let Me Love You Tonight” is our first real Top 10 record.
Q – Is it true each of you guys lives in a different part of the county?
A – Yes. I live in Miami, Michael Connor lives in Kentucky, Billy Hinds lives in Ohio, and Jeff Wilson and Vince Gill live in L.A. Billy has just bought an 1874 police station that he’s converting to a rehearsal hall and storage place for the group.
Q – How do you rehearse?
A – We’ll rehearse three weeks prior to cutting an album in Los Angeles or whatever city we happen to choose. Before we go on the road, we’ll rehearse for a week.
Q – You still have your fan club going?
A – Well, our Fan Club president just had twins. We expect it to be in full swing by January. We’re answering the letters. We hope to have our own mail machine and we’re trying to streamline the club by bringing in a new t-shirt company for merchandising.
Q – Is it hard for five different guys to get along when you’re together so much of the time?
A – Mike Connor, Billy, and me are the original members and we’ve been playing together for thirteen years, so you develop a friendship. We had a mid-west type upbringing. All the guys fit in musically as well as personality-wise.
Q – This is pretty much a no gimmick band, isn’t it?
A – No gimmicks. We’re constantly trying to get the people off on the music.
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