Our Classic Rock Gens Series continues with an amazing piece of music form the early 1970’s. If you’re a fan of Billy Joel, Elton John, Steely Dan, Emerson Lake & Palmer or The Beatles than there is no way you would not fall in love with Andy Pratt’s “Avenging Annie.” If there ever was a track that defined Underrated Classic Rock Gem, it would be Andy Pratt’s “Avenging Annie.” The song was first released in 1973 on the album Andy Pratt. The vinyl record album was released by Columbia Records. It was Andy Pratt’s second album. His first vinyl release was issued in 1969.
Andy Pratt 1973 album was not a commercial success. The only single released from the album was the opening track “Avenging Annie.” The song itself broke the Billboard Top 100. However the song was only able to peak at number 78 on the charts. Nonetheless, the song turned heads when fans first heard it played on FM Radio. Critics loved the album and rock fans soon became interested in the depth of the song’s vocal perfomance, melody and production.
1973 was an experimental time in the rock world. It was also a year in which rock fans were presented with albums such as Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, Billy Joel’s Piano Man, Bruce Springsteen’s debut album Greetings from Asbury Park, Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy, The Eagles Desperado, Paul McCartney’s Red Rose Speedway, Grand Funk Railroad’s We’re An American Band, The Allman Brothers Band, Brothers and Sisters, Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road The Who’s Quadrophenia and so many more. It is easy to see how the work of a little known artist such as Andy Pratt could get lost among the giant musical releases of 1973. It’s also depressing to think bout how much great music was released back then when comparing it to the music being released on record labels in 2017. Ugh!
Andy Pratt’s “Avenging Annie,” fell somewhere in between the styles of Elton John and Emerson Lake & Palmer. Pratt’s high falsetto vocals style sounded somewhat familiar to what Elton John had just begun doing around the same time. Elton never sung as high as Andy Pratt, but there were similarities in the way both singers shifted from head voice to falsetto. Elton John did it magnificently in Goodbye Yellow Brick Road in the way he hit the high A flat. However, Andy Pratt’s virtuoso piano playing also paid tribute to the talents of musicians like Keith Emerson from Emerson Lake & Palmer. There was also a great blend of Beach Boys like harmonies on display in the track “Avenging Annie.The song was a wonderful mix of artistic styles that evolved into a very original sound. Easily one of the greatest Classic Rock Gems of the 1970’s.
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