The Great Plains

Great Plains came together in the late '80s around vocalist/guitarist Jack Sundrud, bassist Denny Dadmun-Bixby, drummer Michael Young, and pedal-steel player Russ Pahl. While touring as the backing band for Michael Johnson, the band came onto producer Brent Maher's radar, who promptly signed them to a deal with his publishing company. Great Plains' self-titled debut was issued on Columbia in 1991; it featured the hit singles "A Picture of You" and "Faster Gun." GP also got a boost with a high-profile opening slot for Garth Brooks. After Pahl and Young departed in 1993, Columbia dropped the band. However, Sundrud rallied the remaining Plainsmen and released Homeland (Magnatone) in 1996, upon which he wrote or co-wrote all 12 songs. Great Plains faded from view soon after, but Sundrud stayed active, touring as a bassist with Poco and appearing on the country-rock veterans' 2002 comeback album, Running Horse.