Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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TIMBUCK 3

US duo plus cassette machine. Pat McDonald (b 6 Aug. '52, Green Bay WI), wife Barbara K (for Kooyman; b 4 Oct. '57, Wausau WI; grew up in San Antonio) began in Madison WI separately (McDonald's rock band the Essentials; Barbara K and the Cat's Away); she joined the Essentials, which made an album on Mountain Railroad label, disbanded '84. They became street singers, then toured out of Austin TX with bass and drum machine programmed by McDonald. They traded guitar and lead vocals, both played harmonica; she played violin and mandolin. Became regulars at Austin's Hole in the Wall, made Cutting Edge (MTV showcase) prod. by Carl Grasso, VP of Miles Copeland's IRS label; signed with IRS, released Greetings From Timbuk 3 '86 to raves in the press: bluesy sendup of yuppie culture 'The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades' went top 20 USA; they also did Xmas single '87 'All I Want For Christmas', proceeds to War Resisters League. Second album Eden Alley '88 was the last to chart in Billboard; Edge Of Allegiance '90 was still on IRS; they carried on with their mixture of country, reggae, folk, funk and everything else: later albums were Espace Onrano on Watermelon, A Hundred Lovers and Looks Like Dark To Me on High Street, plus Best Of on IRS.