A KOOL Day for Music

Summer of 1977, two musicians saw their careers skyrocket when they were reunited and wrote their smash hit.

Sanford-Townsend Band

Smoke From A Distant Fire

Ed Sanford and Johnny Townsend were working as musicians-for- hire in Alabama, but after gigs dried up, they split up to strike out on their own careers. They were brought back together through a chance meeting after migrating to Los Angeles and signed as a songwriting duo for music publishing company. Ed and Johnny first job was to co-write for Loggins and Messina.

The two started recording their own songs that were passed on by other artists. They released their hit that gave them their biggest success and began getting offers as the opening act for Fleetwood Mac for their ‘Rumours’ tour. Opening up for other groups like Marshall-Tucker Band, Charlie Daniels, Jimmy Buffet, Foreigner and Heart, as well as many others in the 1970’s.

Their star burned out quickly after they couldn’t replicate that same success and ‘Smoke From A Distant Fire’ and their later songs failed to chart.

Not discouraged, the two went back to writing songs for other artists.