Marshall Tucker Band Headlines Greer Family Fest

It’s not often that hometown fans get to hear The Marshall Tucker Band so close to home.

The legendary group will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. as the headliners for the 29^th Annual Village Hospital Greer Family Fest.  Sitting in with them will be another Spartanburg musician, Shane Pruitt.

“Spartanburg was blessed with something in the water,” said Doug Gray, a founding member of Marshall Tucker.

Gray said sitting in Dorman High School years ago, there was no way to plan for the life that he’s been given.

He said he has to keep a list of the songs that have been featured in movies, commercials or that have been performed by Poison, Kid Rock and the Zac Brown Band.

But Gray’s successes haven’t come without failures, without loss and without hard work.

Gray, 65, is left with a lot of memories, both good and bad.

In 1981, the Spartanburg-based band was enjoying eight successful years on the road. That same year, the band’s fate was uncertain.

Bassist Tommy Caldwell was killed in a car wreck, and no one in the hugely successful group knew quite what to do next. Gray said a short time later, Tommy’s brother, Toy Caldwell, decided to leave the band. Gray was apprehensive, but ultimately decided to tour without the Caldwell brothers. Toy died in 1993.

“I miss Toy,” Gray said. “I was there sometimes when he’d come to me as he was working through something and he’d say write this down. He was more than just a guitar player and a regular guy. He had a gift.”

 It’s those memories and the fans that keep Gray out on the road at least 140 days out of the year.

“Yeah, me and that guy who invented dirt, we are still around,” Gray laughed. “We are still out there because of the fans. They come to see us to recreate a memory, good or bad. For an hour and a half, we make people forget about their bills, their job, the marriage that isn’t working.”

Gray said he’s been there, too. And if he had it to do over, he said he would have stayed away from drugs and not cheated on his first wife.

“I’m not perfect, I have many flaws,” Gray said. “Cocaine was my drug of choice and in 1989 I decided I was done with that. I lost a lot of friends. I lost, Ruth, and she had supported me all the way. I’ll always regret that.”

Gray said life has it share of ups and downs. The band just played the Grand Ole Opry for the third time in March.

“Tommy and Toy would have been the ones who would have really loved that,” Gray says. “We got a standing ovation. But, I feel like those guys are still with me.”

Gray said he’s fortunate to still be playing the music he loves.  When asked if he’d ever come off the road for good, Gray just laughs.

“I’m extremely proud of this band,” Gray said. “These people are my life. I have a family, I love my family, but these guys are family. We’ve watched each others kids graduate from college and high school. Welcome children and grandchildren.”