The Buffalo Club

The Buffalo Club

The Buffalo Club promotional picture. L-R: Ron Hemby, John Dittrich, Charlie Kelley
Background information
Origin Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Genres Country
Years active 1997
Labels Rising Tide
Past members John Dittrich
Ron Hemby
Charlie Kelley

The Buffalo Club was an American country music group composed of Ron Hemby (lead vocals, guitar), John Dittrich (vocals, drums), and Charlie Kelley (vocals, guitar). Before the group's foundation, Hemby was a vocalist in the Christian group The Imperials, Kelley played guitar for Doug Stone, and Dittrich was the drummer in the country pop band Restless Heart from 1984 until the mid-1990s. The Buffalo Club released a self-titled album on the Rising Tide Records label in 1997 and charted three singles on the Billboard country charts that year, including the Top Ten "If She Don't Love You". Dittrich disbanded the group at the end of the year and rejoined Restless Heart soon afterward.

History

The Buffalo Club was founded in 1997 by John Dittrich, who had left his role as drummer in the band Restless Heart a couple years earlier.[1] Dittrich met vocalist Ron Hemby, formerly of The Imperials, in the mid-1990s after suggesting that he write songs for Restless Heart. After Restless Heart disbanded, Dittrich then suggested that they form a new group, and recruited Charlie Kelley, who had previously been a backing musician for Doug Stone and Tom Wopat.[1] Working with Dan Goodman as their manager, the three musicians recorded a demo, which was sent to Ken Levitan, the president of Rising Tide Records.

Initially, the group was to be called Johnny Ringo, but was renamed The Buffalo Club as representatives of Rising Tide disliked the original name.[1] The Buffalo Club's debut single, "If She Don't Love You," reached a peak of number 9 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts. This song had been previously offered to Restless Heart, who declined it.[2] The Buffalo Club's self-titled debut album, produced by Barry Beckett, was released on March 25, 1997. Following "If She Don't Love You" were two more singles: the number 26 "Nothing Less Than Love", which was co-written by Rusty Young of Poco and originally recorded by Bryan White on his 1994 self-titled debut album.[3] Dittrich left the band in August 1997 for medical reasons, shortly before the release of the band's third single "Heart Hold On", with Hemby and Kelley briefly continuing as a duo.[4] Co-written by Blackhawk lead singer Henry Paul, "Heart Hold On" was The Buffalo Club's last chart entry, peaking at number 53.

By year's end, Hemby and Kelley disbanded.[5] Dittritch briefly rejoined Restless Heart to record new selections for a Greatest Hits album in 1998. He and the other four founding members of the band officially reunited in 2003. Kelley founded the polka duo The Boxhounds with Lynn Marie.[6] Hemby is a worship leader at River of Life in Smyrna, Tennessee.[7]

Discography

Title Details Peak chart
positions
US Country
The Buffalo Club 69

Singles

Year Single Peak chart
positions		 Album
US Country CAN Country
1997 "If She Don't Love You" 9 12 The Buffalo Club
"Nothin' Less Than Love" 26 42
"Heart Hold On" 53 77

Music videos

Year Video Director
1997 "Nothin' Less Than Love"[8] Martin Kahan
"Heart Hold On"[9] Trey Fanjoy

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Buffalo Club biography". Oldies.com. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
  2. ↑ Loy, Robert. "The Buffalo Club - The Buffalo Club". Country Standard Time. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
  3. ↑ Peacock, Bobby (13 April 2013). "Bobby's One Hit Wonders: Volume 16: The Buffalo Club - IF She Don't Love You". Roughstock. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
  4. ↑ "Nashville Scene". Billboard. 1997-09-20. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
  5. ↑ Wix, Kimmy (1997-12-29). "1997 at a country glance". CMT. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
  6. ↑ Petruziello, Francis (19 December 2008). "Nan and Charlie Kelly fight cancer hard as The Boxhounds get Grammy". The Cleveland Leader. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  7. ↑ "Smyrna River of Life". Facebook. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  8. ↑ "CMT : Videos : The Buffalo Club : Nothin' Less Than Love". Country Music Television. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
  9. ↑ "CMT : Videos : The Buffalo Club : Heart Hold On". Country Music Television. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
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