38 Special, May 26

Thursday, May 26, 8 p.m.

Rhythm City Casino Resort Event Center, 7077 Elmore Avenue, Davenport IA

Armed with iconic hits such as “Hold On Loosely,” “Rockin' into the Night,” “Caught Up in You,” "Fantasy Girl," and "Back Where You Belong," the touring musicians of 38 Special bring their singular brand of exhilarating Southern rock to Davenport's Rhythm City Casino Resort Event Center on May 26, continuing the legacy of the band's long history in the company of 38 Special vocalist/guitarist Don Barnes, who began with the group in 1975.

Vocalist Donnie Van Zant formed the Jacksonville, Florida-based 38 Special alongside Barnes, guitarist Jeff Carlisi, bass player Ken Lyons, and percussionists Jack Grondin and Steve Brookins. In 1977, the band signed with A&M Records and released its self-titled debut, eventually building up a significant following through its consistent tour dates. With Lyons replaced by Larry Junstrom for the release of 1979's Rockin' into the Night, the album became a moderate hit, with a major one landing in 1981's Wild-Eyed Southern Boys, a platinum-seller whose “Hold On Loosely” made it to number three on Billboard's mainstream rock chart. Released in 1982, Special Forces was an even bigger smash with its “Caught Up in You” serving as 38 Special's first official chart-topper, and another came the following year with “If I'd Been the One,” from the band's critically acclaimed album Tour de Force.

Since then, 38 Special has released another 14 albums including the triple-platinum-selling live album Wild Eyed & Live! and the platinum-selling compilation album Flashback: The Best of 38 Special. Eight additional singles have landed in the Top 10 of Billboard's charts, among them 1986's “Somebody Like You,” 1991's “The Sound of Your Voice,” and 1989's “Second Chance” from the album Rock & Roll Strategy, a rock ballad that was Billboard magazine's “Adult Contemporary Song of the Year” for 1989. With the exception of his brief hiatus from the group from 1987 to 1992, Don Barnes has been with the band for all 47 years of its touring and recording history, and as he states on 38 Special's Web-site biography: “We're a band that's tried to stay honest with what has driven us over the years. We started out with nothing but bold determination to make our own history and to endure. Looking back now, it has been our greatest pride to have persevered and attained that level of success and longevity. For us, it's the ultimate validation.”

Joining Barnes on 38 Special's latest tour are bassist Barry Dunaway, drummer Gary Moffatt, and keyboardist/vocalist Bobby Capps, with the most recent addition to the band virtuoso guitarist and vocalist Jerry Riggs. "We never wanted to be one of those bands that had maybe gotten a little soft or complacent over the years," says Barnes. "We're a team, and it's always been kind of an unspoken rule that we don't slack up, we stack up. We go out there every night to win."

38 Special plays the Rhythm City Casino Resort Event Center on May 26, admission to the 8 p.m. show is $35-55, and more information and tickets are available by calling (563)328-8000 and visiting RhythmCityCasino.com.