Amazing Rhythm Aces

The Amazing Rhythm Aces
The Amazing Rhythm Aces in 1976
Background information
Origin	Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Genres	Country rock, soft rock, southern rock
Years active	1974–1981, 1994–present
Labels	Valley, ABC, Columbia, Warner Bros., Breaker
Associated acts	Sawyer Brown Jesse Winchester
Members	Billy Earheart III Russell Smith Lorne Rall Kelvin Holly Mark Horn
Past members	Barry Burton Duncan Cameron Jeff Davis James Hooker Butch McDade Danny Parks Mike Brooks

The Amazing Rhythm Aces is an American country rock group, which has characterized its music as "American music" or "roots music"—a blend of rock, country, blues, R&B, folk, reggae and Latino. The band is best known for its 1970s hit "Third Rate Romance". It has released 18 albums over 30 years (a period including a 15-year hiatus). The band's music is distinguished by its eclectic scope, literate and often quirky lyrics, and distinctive vocals by lead singer and songwriter Russell Smith.

Members of the Aces played in Fatback, a local band in Knoxville, Tennessee, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, consisting of vocalist and guitarist Russell Smith, bassist Jeff "Stick" Davis, drummer Butch McDade, and guitarist Mike Brooks (who left the group in 1971 to pursue Christian music). The band left Knoxville for greener pastures in the early 1970s.

In 1972, the Aces came together in Memphis, Tennessee, at the recommendation of Barry "Byrd" Burton, who was engineering and producing at the famous Sam Phillips Recording Studio in Memphis. Davis and McDade, who had recorded and toured with singer-songwriter Jesse Winchester as "The Rhythm Aces", recruited Smith, keyboardist Billy Earheart III, lead guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Burton and pianist James Hooker to develop a sound mixing of pop, country and blue-eyed soul.