My Favorite Albums – Kenny Loggins with Jim Messina Sittin’ In

One of my favorites was Columbia Records’ “Kenny Loggins with Jim Messina Sittin’ In”. It started as a 1971 Kenny Loggins solo album but Jim Messina was producing and ended up singing background vocals, playing guitar, and writing a lot of the songs so Loggins added him to the record title.

The album includes “Danny’s Song” written by Kenny Loggins as a gift for his brother Danny for the birth of his son, Colin. It appeared first on Gator Creek’s LP, a California-spawned band who existed primarily as a studio unit with guitarist Mike Deasy, his wife Kathie Deasy (vocals, percussion), bassist Ray Neapolitan, Nick Ceroli on drums,

Dee Barton on keyboards, Michael Omartian on keyboards, and Kenny Loggins on guitar. They recorded one self-titled album for Mercury Records, released in 1970, and broke up in or around 1970. Anne Murray would cover “Danny’s Song” in 1972, hitting the Billboard Easy Listening #1 and Hot 100 #7.

One of my favorite songs is “Vahevala” written by Kenny’s brother Dan Loggins and his friend Dann Lottermoser. This tells the story of a sailor who remembers sailing off the coast of Jamaica to a fictitious island called “Vahevala.” The name really doesn’t mean anything but evokes a sailor’s paradise.

Another great song is “House at Pooh Corner” written by Loggins. It was first performed by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on their 1970 album “Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy”. Loggins was a 17-year-old senior in high school when he wrote the song. It is about the Winnie the Pooh children’s book and serves as a symbol for the loss of innocence and fond memories of childhood.

When I would play “Listen to a Country Song”, Mother would yell down the hallway for me to “Turn it up!”. It was written by Al Garth and Jim Messina. Lynn Anderson’s 1972 cover would reach Billboard’s Hot Country Singles #4. Drummer Merel Bregante is using brushes on his drum kit, which helps to emulate the country feel of the song, Al Garth is playing violin and Michael Omartian is playing both tack piano and grand piano.

From the opening “Nobody But You” written and sang by Jim Messina to “Rock and Roll Mood” written and sang by Kenny Loggins (sounding a little like Elton John) this is a solid debut album. I love the “Trilogy”, “Back in Georgia” and the quintessential 70s political song “Same Old Wine”.

Personnel

Kenny Loggins – vocals, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, harmonica
Jim Messina – vocals, lead guitar, acoustic guitar
Jon Clarke – oboe, steel drum, flute, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone

Lester “Al” Garth – violin, recorder, tenor saxophone, viola, alto saxophone, steel drum, backing vocals
Larry Sims – bass guitar, backing vocals
Merel Bregante – drums, backing vocals
Michael Omartian – concertina, keyboards, steel drum
Milt Holland – percussion

Jim Messina is the producer with John Fiore doing the engineering. The cover artwork is by David Linderman.