Area Code 615 (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | late 1960s |
| Headquarters | Nashville , United States |
| Products | Music albums |
Area Code 615 was a progressive country rock ensemble originating from Nashville, Tennessee, active during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The group took its name from the telephone area code covering Central and Eastern Tennessee at that time. Comprised of seasoned session players, they produced two albums before members resumed their session careers. Several participants had previously contributed to Bob Dylan's albums Blonde on Blonde and Nashville Skyline, as well as projects with artists such as Billy Swan, The Monkees, and Linda Ronstadt's Silk Purse.
Their signature composition, "Stone Fox Chase," gained recognition as the theme tune for the BBC's music series The Old Grey Whistle Test. This track was also later sampled by the cyber-funk act Mantronix in “Listen to the Bass of ‘Get Stupid fresh’ Pt. II.”
Following their time with Area Code 615, members Wayne Moss, Mac Gayden, and Kenny Buttrey joined the Nashville-based band Barefoot Jerry, while David Briggs went on to collaborate with notable figures including Elvis Presley and Joan Baez. Their 1969 rendition of "Classical Gas" was featured prominently in television advertisements for Guinness in Ireland and the UK.
Musicians
- Mac Gayden – Lead guitar, vocals (deceased 2025)
- Charlie McCoy – Harmonica, vocals
- Bobby Thompson – Banjo, guitar (deceased 2005)
- Wayne Moss – Guitar, bass
- Buddy Spicher – Fiddle, viola, cello
- David Briggs – Keyboards (deceased 2025)
- Ken Lauber – Keyboards
- Norbert Putnam – Bass, cello
- Kenny Buttrey – Drums (deceased 2004)
- Weldon Myrick – Pedal steel guitar (deceased 2014)
- Elliot Mazer – Co-producer (deceased 2021)
Discography
- Area Code 615, 1969 (reached No. 191 on the Billboard Top LPs chart over a four-week period)
- Linda Ronstadt, Silk Purse, 1970
- Trip in the Country, 1970