Biography
The Contenders rank among the progressive country movement's most notable missed opportunities, blending several standout musicians from Uncle Walt's Band with two North Carolina guitarists and composers. Musical shortcomings never explained the quartet's failure to reach a wider audience, contrary to the familiar claim that poorer sounds draw larger crowds. Their moniker may instead have posed the real obstacle, given its overlap with a religious sect, a Kinks LP, a TV program, a movie, an eight-piece ska ensemble from Minneapolis, and various political candidates who style themselves contenders. The lineup first assembled in Nashville during the early 1970s when singer-guitarist Walter Hyatt and multi-instrumentalist Champ Hood—already two-thirds of Uncle Walt's Band, which had originated in Spartanburg, South Carolina high school days—teamed with Steve Runkle and Tommy Goldsmith. Drummer Jimbeau Walsh completed the roster, resulting in an unusual concentration of four songwriters who also handled lead vocals.
Devotees often note that the ensemble's intricate harmonies and expert instrumental work received scant attention from country-rock listeners. Acts such as the Eagles achieved the commercial traction that might have belonged to the Contenders, yet no Eagles recording matched the latter's structural depth or musical sophistication—an imbalance that helps account for the divergent outcomes. Ragtime and swing elements entered through Hyatt and Hood, whereas Goldsmith contributed a genuine old-time country-rock approach far removed from the Glenn Frey orbit. Runkle's graceful ballad "Snowing Me Under" displayed an additional facet of the group's range. Although critics lauded Light From Carolina, Vol. 1, the album arrived after the Contenders had already disbanded and therefore exerted little career impact. Hyatt and Hood later revived Uncle Walt's Band through the early 1980s, after which both pursued solo paths while Hood maintained an active schedule as a session fiddler. Hyatt perished in the 1997 ValuJet disaster over the Everglades. Runkle stayed in Nashville as a songwriter and performer, collaborating with figures including David Olney and Tom House. Goldsmith turned to journalism, and Walsh is said to reside in Hawaii. Among tracks of particular interest to collectors of American city-themed material stands Runkle's "Greensboro Blues," reportedly sparked by Olney's "Original Greensboro Blues." Additional Greensboro songs encompass Townes Van Zandt's "Greensboro Woman" and another "Greensboro Blues" by Bruce Piephoff, the sole contributor among them who actually lives in the city. Minus Goldsmith, who was recuperating from surgery, the Contenders supported Olney on brief late-1970s tours.
Devotees often note that the ensemble's intricate harmonies and expert instrumental work received scant attention from country-rock listeners. Acts such as the Eagles achieved the commercial traction that might have belonged to the Contenders, yet no Eagles recording matched the latter's structural depth or musical sophistication—an imbalance that helps account for the divergent outcomes. Ragtime and swing elements entered through Hyatt and Hood, whereas Goldsmith contributed a genuine old-time country-rock approach far removed from the Glenn Frey orbit. Runkle's graceful ballad "Snowing Me Under" displayed an additional facet of the group's range. Although critics lauded Light From Carolina, Vol. 1, the album arrived after the Contenders had already disbanded and therefore exerted little career impact. Hyatt and Hood later revived Uncle Walt's Band through the early 1980s, after which both pursued solo paths while Hood maintained an active schedule as a session fiddler. Hyatt perished in the 1997 ValuJet disaster over the Everglades. Runkle stayed in Nashville as a songwriter and performer, collaborating with figures including David Olney and Tom House. Goldsmith turned to journalism, and Walsh is said to reside in Hawaii. Among tracks of particular interest to collectors of American city-themed material stands Runkle's "Greensboro Blues," reportedly sparked by Olney's "Original Greensboro Blues." Additional Greensboro songs encompass Townes Van Zandt's "Greensboro Woman" and another "Greensboro Blues" by Bruce Piephoff, the sole contributor among them who actually lives in the city. Minus Goldsmith, who was recuperating from surgery, the Contenders supported Olney on brief late-1970s tours.
Albums
Singles