Song:The Smoke From A Distant Fire
Album:The Smoke From A Distant Fire
Here's a song that was a top ten hit in 1977. Sanford & Townsend literally came out of nowhere and then returned there afterwards. It's the definition of a fluke one hit wonder. Ed Sanford and John Townsend were previously in a group called The Heart from Montgomery, AL. Their one album stiffed and then they moved to Los Angeles. Townsend joined a group called Feather that had a chart hit with Friends. The two got back together and were contract songwriters with Chappell Music. Their songs started turning up on other folks records, most notably Peacemaker for Loggins & Messina. One of their demo tapes got the attention of legendary producer Jerry Wexler. He recommended them to Warner Bros. and after signing them, he took them to Muscle Shoals to record. Their 1975 debut album flopped but somehow Smoke From A Distant Fire became a hit in the fall of 1977 and reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Warners re-released the album with a new title and cover. That album is available on CD but Smoke From A Distant Fire is on very few various artists comps so it's hard to get otherwise. The album was produced by Muscle Shoals veteran Barry Beckett. Sanford & Townsend went on tour and released two more flop albums. Warners released them in 1979 and they went back to songwriting and session work. Ed Sanford co-wrote the 1982 Michael McDonald hit I Keep Forgettin' and he records occasionally. John Townsend currently has a band with former Allman Brothers guitarist Dan Toler called Toler/Townsend Band and they released a CD in Jan. 2009. Here's Sanford & Townsend performing Smoke From A Distant Fire on the Midnight Special 1977.
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