Steve Allen
Many music fans know Steve Allen from his years in the Los Angeles-based pop-rock band 20/20. His versatility as a guitarist also shows up in his sideman work with artists including Steve Forbert and Amy Rigby.
About The Long Players
Classic albums, played in full.
Since 2004, The Long Players have brought Nashville musicians and guest artists together to perform landmark albums from beginning to end, followed by a second set drawn from the same artist or era.
How it started
2024 marked the 20th anniversary for The Long Players. Back in March of 2004, they played The Rolling Stones' Let It Bleed to a full house at 12th & Porter, one of Nashville's hot spots for many years.
Built on the concept of doing a tribute to an album rather than one band or singer, they have become known for celebrating the LP records that so many have loved and absorbed into their DNA. On these shows, they perform that album with a long list of guest vocalists, take a break, and come back with a second set of music from the artist whose album they are celebrating.
Twenty years later, the band has performed over eighty different albums. That does not include theme nights where they tackle genres like Motown, Stax, British Invasion, New Wave, and others. They have played many Nashville venues and have also been a band for hire at out-of-town festivals, corporate events, and weddings.
The musicians
Meet the Long Players
Bill Lloyd
Bill Lloyd is a Nashville-based songwriter, musician, recording artist, and producer, and many listeners know him as half of the late 1980s RCA country-rock duo Foster & Lloyd.
A former record-store clerk with a perpetual music-nerd streak, Bill is credited with both the name and the concept for The Long Players: a band built around the pleasure of hearing a full LP brought to life onstage.
Steve Ebe
As drummer for Columbia recording artists Human Radio, Steve Ebe moved from Memphis to Nashville in the late 1980s. He has worked as a sideman, session musician, teacher, and member of several Nashville groups.
Brad Jones
Brad Jones came to Nashville in the 1980s and moved from recording artist to producer, working with a wide range of artists from Alex the Great Studio. After original bassist Garry Tallent left Nashville, Brad was asked to join the band.
Garry Tallent
Original bassist Garry Tallent is known as the bassist for Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band. His credits also include work as a record producer, solo artist, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member, and occasional returning guest with The Long Players.
A deep Nashville bench
The Long Players have always drawn from a deep circle of Nashville musicians. Keyboard contributors have included Jen Gunderman, Ross Rice, Jon Hamby, Steve Byrom, Jody Nardone, and Seth Timbs, with percussionist Paul Snyder and multi-instrumentalist Jim Hoke among the additional contributors.
The shows also make room for guest vocalists and for musicians connected to the original records. Over the years, the band has played Rolling Stones records with Bobby Keys, Dylan albums with Al Kooper and Charlie McCoy, Byrds albums with Chris Hillman, Buffalo Springfield songs with Richie Furay, and a John Hiatt album with John Hiatt.
As long as people want to hear the music of the rock era, The Long Players plan to provide it for the Nashville community.