Tarkio (album)

Tarkio is the third album by Brewer & Shipley. Released in 1970, the album (also known as Tarkio Road, as that title was printed on the labels of original pressings of the LP and pre-recorded tapes) yielded the hit singles "One Toke Over the Line" and "Tarkio Road."

Tarkio
Studio album by Brewer & Shipley
Released	1970
Studio	Wally Heider (San Francisco) University of Sioux Falls (Sioux Falls)
Genre	Folk rock, country rock
Length	36:43
Label	Kama Sutra Records
Producer	Nick Gravenites
Brewer & Shipley chronology
Weeds (1969) Tarkio (1970) Shake Off The Demon (1971)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Christgau's Record Guide	B−[2]

The title came about when they left California in 1969 returning to the Midwest, this time to Kansas City, Missouri, where they played college towns in Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas. The title referred to songs that came to mind when they were driving to and from Kansas City to their gigs in Nebraska and Iowa on the 2-lane U.S. Route 59 which went through Tarkio, Missouri. In 2011 they held an outdoor concert in downtown Tarkio to celebrate the anniversary of the album. Some reports have erroneously indicated the album was inspired by a 1969 concert at the Mule Barn at Tarkio College^[3] but the group has maintained the song was based on the road.^[4]

Jerry Garcia contributed the steel guitar to the track "Oh Mommy". The album also features John Kahn and Bill Vitt on bass guitar and drums, respectively; they were regulars of The Jerry Garcia Band.^[5]

Track listing

All tracks written by Brewer & Shipley except where noted.

Side A

1. "One Toke Over the Line" – 3:16
2. "Song from Platte River" – 3:15
3. "The Light" – 3:09
4. "Ruby on the Morning" – 2:15
5. "Oh Mommy" – 3:03

Side B

1. "Don't Want to Die in Georgia" – 3:45
2. "Can't Go Home" – 2:29
3. "Tarkio Road" – 4:30
4. "Seems Like a Long Time" (Ted Anderson) – 4:12
5. "Fifty States of Freedom" – 6:49

A CD reissue in 1996 added the following tracks

• "This Seat Occupado (Fly-Fly-Fly)" (Brewer & Shipley)
• "The Mighty Quinn" (Bob Dylan)

Personnel

• Mike Brewer – vocals, guitars
• Tom Shipley – vocals, guitars
• Mark Naftalin – piano, organ
• John Kahn – bass
• Fred Burton – electric guitar
• Bill Vitt, Bob Jones – drums
• Noel Jewkes – flute
• Jerry Garcia – pedal steel guitar

Technical

• Stephen Barncard – engineer
• Nick Gravenites – producer

Chart performance

Chart (1971)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[6]	41
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[7]	35
US Albums (Billboard 200)[8]	34

References

1. Tarkio at AllMusic
2. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: B". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 22, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
3. "Tarko Feature of Rock Album". The Maryville Daily Forum. Maryville, Missouri. March 2, 1971. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
4. "Four decades later, Brewer & Shipley to return to Tarkio" (PDF). The Tarkio Avalanche. Tarkio, Missouri. May 12, 2011. Retrieved November 25, 2018 – via BrewerAndShipley.com.
5. Lundstrom, Jim. "Vinyl Liner Notes: Tarkio by Brewer & Shipley". Scene. Archived from the original on August 8, 2010. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 46. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
7. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 5387". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
8. "Billboard 200". Billboard. May 1, 1971. Retrieved October 19, 2023.