McGuffey Lane – Let The Hard Times Roll

Drew Layman
Jun 7
4 min read

McGuffey Lane’s third album was a crucial period of the band’s Atco Records era. The band had mixed feelings about the direction taken on their sophomore release, 1981's Aqua Dream, and the group was eager to return to their country rock roots. Atco had struggled to market the band effectively, pushing them toward pop-rock radio, where their sound was deemed too country for mainstream rock formats. Determined to reclaim their identity, McGuffey Lane wasted no time heading to Franklin, Tennessee’s Bennett House studio in June 1982 to record their next album Let The Hard Times Roll.

McGuffey Lane

Let The Hard Times Roll

ATCO Records – 90020-1

1982

Front cover of McGuffey Lane Let The Hard Times Roll

“The second album didn’t do what we’d hoped,” manager Cliff Audretch, Jr. told the Columbus Dispatch in a May 1982 interview. “In that it didn’t get to the audience that album oriented radio gets to. Their play lists are so tight and formulaic.” McGuffey Lane was ready to give country radio a go.

Bennett House, a historic 19th-century home converted into a studio in 1980, provided the perfect setting. Jimmy Buffett had recorded several albums there, and the relaxed atmosphere was enhanced by visits from Charlie Daniels Band guitarist Tommy Crain, who lived nearby. The two bands had grown close, playing dates together that summer. Producer Paul Worley, who would later work with Dixie Chicks and Lady Antebellum, proved an excellent fit.

The album opens with the Kevin Welch-penned title track, which serves as an answer of sorts to Sam Cooke’s "Good Times." The album's first half reflects the toll of a decade on the road, particularly in Bob McNelley’s "Too Many Days," a song that vividly captures the exhaustion of touring life. Stephen "Tebes" Douglass’ harmonica wails as McNelley's lyric depicts late nights in smoke-filled bars and the longing for home.

McGuffey Lane with The Charlie Daniels Band

The ballad "Raining Inside And Out" may have surprised longtime fans with its straightforward country approach. Side one closer, the single "Making A Living’s Been Killing Me," features a distinctive “sledgehammer and railroad track” performed by Worley and some tasty dobro from fellow Ohioan Jerry Douglas. The song peaked at #44 on the Billboard Country chart on January 22, 1983—the same day McGuffey Lane performed at Charlie Daniels’ Volunteer Jam IX alongside legends like James Brown, Carl Perkins, and Dobie Gray. Three McGuffey Lane songs from this show, including the single, can be heard at Wolfgang’s Vault.

Side two lifts the mood considerably. "Doing It Right," the second single, also found some success on the country charts. "Sunshine" is a lively McNelley song featuring congas and the band’s signature harmonies. John Schwab gets some writing credits as the album rounds out, including the upbeat "If You Were Mine" co-written with McNelley. Bassist Stephen Reis takes the lead vocal on the moody closer, "Never Say Forever."

August 10 1982 Ohio State Lantern review of McGuffey Lane's state fair concert

At the time of the album’s release, CDs had yet to hit the market, and cassettes were becoming the dominant format. For me growing up, the Let The Hard Times Roll cassette was a staple in our collection, and I didn’t realize McGuffey Lane hailed from our backyard in Columbus until many years later. The band’s shift toward country radio was a conscious effort to align themselves with acts like Alabama. Still, despite their talent and strong songwriting, they never quite reached the same level of mainstream success.

The early 1980s was a period of perseverance and adaptation for McGuffey Lane. Let The Hard Times Roll remains a testament to their commitment to their country rock roots, capturing the struggles and joys of life on the road. The band dedicated the album to their friends and families throughout Ohio.