In today’s world where CD music projects almost litter the streets and some type of band is rehearsing in every other garage or basement on the block, it’s exceptionally rare to find a group in its formative stages with a history comparable to Beyond Reach. Four lead vocalists, two of which have logged over 3 million airplays on radio. The group has over 100 years combined professional performing experience, with one million hours of recording studio time under their belts. Not hype, just facts.
Founders Larry Lee and Randle Chowning began their partnership together by being on the ground floor of the formation of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils in 1971. Chowning sang the band’s first chart success “If You Wanna Get To Heaven (you gotta raise a little hell)” in 1973. One year later Lee wrote and sang “Jackie Blue”, the group’s classic radio smash hit.
By the early 1980’s both singer/songwriters had parted company with the Daredevils and released solo projects on major labels. Larry Lee relocated to Nashville, TN where he flourished as a writer and producer and also toured with Jimmy Buffett. He co-produced CD’s with Alabama and Restless Heart among others.
A decade later Chowning also moved to Nashville and ultimately teamed up with Lee and in 2005 released Beyond Reach, a collection of pop originals backed by some of Nashville’s most versatile studio musicians.
A series of non-related events resulted in Lee and Chowning moving back home to their Springfield, Missouri haunts within a few months of each other. They ultimately joined forces with two of the areas top studio musicians to create a new acoustic version of Beyond Reach.
On board is David Wilson, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, bass, cello and more. David is a founder of the Undergrass Boys, a long running acoustic, fusion jam band and is also a founding member of Radio Flyer, who won the KFC/City of Louisville competition for the best new bluegrass band in 1985 (runner up was 14 year old Alison Krauss with her group Union Station). David has been seen for decades at folk and bluegrass festivals all over the U.S. and Canada. He also appears in the Billy Bob Thornton movie Crystal and is part of the soundtrack.
The group is currently developing material for a new CD and might best be described as a folk/pop entity with emphasis on vocal harmony.