Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina were the most successful pop/rock duo of the first half of the '70s. Loggins was a staff songwriter who had recently enjoyed success with a group of songs recorded by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band when he came to the attention of Messina, a record producer and former member of Buffalo Springfield and Poco. Messina agreed to produce Loggins' first album, but somewhere along the way it became a duo effort that was released in 1972 under the title Kenny Loggins with Jim Messina Sittin' In. The album was a gold-seller that stayed in the charts more than two years.
In the next four years, Loggins & Messina released a series of gold or platinum albums, most of which hit the Top Ten. They were all played in a buoyant country-rock style with an accomplished band. Loggins & Messina (1972) featured the retro-rock hit "Your Mama Don't Dance." Full Sail (1973), On Stage (a double live album, 1974), and Mother Lode (1974) all hit the Top Ten. So Fine was an album of '50s cover songs. The pair's last new studio album, Native Sons, came out at the start of 1976.
Loggins & Messina split for two solo careers by the end of that year, their early catalog completed by a greatest-hits album, Best of Friends, and a live record, Finale. The duo reunited in 2005 and hit the road for a summer tour while the compilation The Best: Sittin' in Again was arriving in stores. The tour itself was documented on Live: Sittin' in Again at Santa Barbara Bowl, which appeared late in the year.
1971 - Sittin' In
01. Nobody But You (Jim Messina) 03:01
02. Danny's Song (Kenny Loggins) 04:17
03. Vahevala (Kenny Loggins, Dann Lottermoser) 04:48
04. Trilogy: (Kenny Loggins, Murray MacLeod, Jim Messina) 11:18
I. Lovin' Me
II. To Make A Woman Feel Wanted
III. Peace Of Mind
05. Back To Georgia (Kenny Loggins) 03:19
06. House At Pooh Corner (Kenny Loggins) 04:26
07. Listen To A Country Song (Al Garth, Jim Messina) 02:50
08. Same Old Wine (Jim Messina) 08:18
09. Rock 'N Roll Mood (Kenny Loggins, Michael Omartian) 03:11
- Kenny Loggins - vocals, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, harmonica
- Jim Messina - vocals, lead guitar, acoustic guitar
- Loggins & Messina:
- 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
Sidemen:
- Michael Omartian - concertina, keyboards, piano, Hammond organ, Moog synthesizer, tack piano, steel drum
- Milt Holland - percussion
1972 - Loggins And Messina
01. Good Friend 04:08
02. Whiskey 02:00
03. Your Mama Don't Dance 02:52
04. Long Tail Cat 03:53
05. Golden Ribbons 06:21
06. Thinking Of You 02:21
07. Just Before The News 01:13
08. Till The Ends Meet 03:15
09. Holiday Hotel 02:05
10. Lady Of My Heart 01:47
11. Angry Eyes 07:47
- Kenny Loggins - vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica, acoustic guitar
- Jim Messina - vocals, lead guitar, electric mandolin, acoustic guitar
- Loggins & Messina band:
- Merel Bregante - backing vocals, drums
- Lester "Al" Garth - violin, recorder, alto and tenor saxophone
- Jon Clarke - flute, oboe, recorder, baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone
- Larry Sims - backing vocals, bass
Sidemen:
- Michael Omartian - Hammond organ, piano, harmonium, clavinet, tack piano, Wurlitzer electric piano
- Rusty Young - dobro on "Long Tail Cat"
- Milt Holland - percussion
- Stephen Stills - vocals
1973 - Full Sail
01. Lahaina 02:34
02. Travelin' Blues 03:46
03. My Music 03:05
04. A Love Song 03:13
05. You Need A Man / Coming To You 09:13
06. Watching The River Run 03:29
07. Pathway To Glory 08:40
08. Didn't I Know You When 02:40
09. Sailin' The Wind 06:16
- Kenny Loggins - vocals, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, harmonica
- Jim Messina - vocals, lead guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin
- Loggins & Messina band:
- Jon Clarke - oboe, baritone saxophone, bass saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, alto flute, bass flute, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone, English horn
- Al Garth - violin, bass clarinet, recorder, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
- Larry Sims - bass, backing vocals
- Merel Bregante - drums, timbales, backing vocals
Sidemen:
- Michael Omartian - piano, Wurlitzer electric piano, Hammond organ, tack piano, Lowrey organ, Moog synthesizer, Fender Rhodes electric piano
- Vince Charles - steel drums
- Milt Holland - percussion
