1978 Kinfolk page from a Hank Williams Jr. concert program.
Photos by Roger Darnell
The Origins of Kinfolk
After playing with Sixshooter for about a year, Larry Smith began wanting to be able to perform more of his original material. Manager, Tommy Pettus, suggested that Larry record some songs for an album.
Larry had been hanging out with Jimmy Terry, a bass player he met through his dad. Jimmy was well connected with the music scene in the Muscle Shoals Alabama area. One of Jimmy's best friends was Terry Skinner, well known songwriter, musician and producer who was one of the writers of Air Supply's big hit "Even The Nights Are Better" and producer of hit recordings by the Kendells. Larry began sending his song lyrics for review to Terry Skinner by way of Jimmy. Tagging along with Jimmy and Terry, Larry visited all the recording studios and met many area music business people.
One of the studios Larry had visited with Jimmy Terry was Woodrich Studio in Lexington Alabama, near Muscle Shoals. Larry contacted the owner, Woody Richardson, about doing the album there and played a few of his originals for him. Woody was interested in getting publishing on a few of Larry's songs and offered to donate the studio time for songs signed to Woodrich. Studio time was discounted for songs not signed. Larry and Tommy found some funding and work on the album began in 1978. Songs for the album were mostly written by Larry, with additional writers being Joe Crisler, Ed Canada, Bob Waits and Rod Wallace.
For the album, Larry selected a subset of musicians from Sixshooter and Festus Pettus. The core session band was: Larry on lead vocals and acoustic guitar; Rod Wallace on bass and vocals; Joe Crisler on classical guitar and vocals; Ed Canada on lead guitar and vocals; Bill Darnell (brother of Sixshooter drummer Jim) on Harmonica; and Lynn Smith on drums. Charlie Johnston was asked to play steel on the sessions but declined because of the recent death of his father. Added to this core group were the following supporting musicians: Bobby Oldham (cousin of songwriter and pianist Spooner Oldham) on piano; Junior Lowe on piano and bass; Steve Crunk (also the recording engineer for the project) on lead guitar; and Jimmy Terry, playing acoustic rhythm on a track.
The tracks were recorded in early 1978, with two singles being released for promotional purposes. Larry Smith and Kinfolk was chosen as the new band's name.
One of the singles A sides, a song called "The Bootleggers of Lawrence County" written by Larry, with help from Rod Wallace, got a considerable amount of local airplay and helped Larry and Kinfolk to become known regionally. However, the band did not pursue bookings at that time, and live performances were confined to private gatherings.
To get further exposure for the album and Larry's songs, leftover money from the album project was used to promote a concert featuring Hank Williams Jr. who was trying to make a comeback after nearly dying in an accident. Williams lived in nearby Cullman Alabama, and Larry and Tommy Pettus were able to meet with Hank and his manager, J. R. Smith, and secure a booking at an exceptionally low price.
Larry and Kinfolk were booked as the opening act, and an additional opening act, the local FFA String Band, was booked for the show. The FFA string band was a group of talented high school students that included the late Chris Bain, later to be a songwriting and studio partner with Larry and then go on to write popular songs recorded by Kenny Chesney and Craig Morgan; Bill Terry Jr. a well known songwriter and musician in the Muscle Shoals area; Scott Sanderson, later to become bass player for Larry and Rod's latest band, Off The Top; and Tim Martin, who became a popular area DJ before then becoming a well respected area minister.
Other talented artists and crew members were called in to assist with putting on the show including: Kenny Stokes and his wife, Nancy, to do lights and sound for Kinfolk; musicians Chris Crisler (Joe's brother) and Chuck Borden to play percussion instruments; photographer Roger Darnell to be the official photographer of Kinfolk for the show and album cover; and Charles Kennedy a successful jewelry designer from Dallas Texas and childhood friend of Larry's who would later become Kinfolk's manager, to assist with marketing and promotion.
The concert was a success, drawing a good sized crowd. However, after paying everyone, the show only profited $100.00. But the exposure was worth a lot more, and Kinfolk began getting calls for bookings from all around the region.
The second Woodrich single release, "Coal Mine Song", written by Bob Waits and Larry Smith, began to get airplay across an wider area than the first single, and Larry got inquiries and fan letters from as far away as Oklahoma and Texas.