Long before Wilco or The Jayhawks or Ryan Adams, there was one country rock band that towered over all others. Founded by former members of the brilliant Buffalo Springfield, Richie Furay and Jim Messina, along with multi-instrumentalist Rusty Young and drummer George Grantham, Poco pioneered a blend of sounds that would come to dominate singles charts and radio for years to come.

It is with great sadness that we confirm the passing of Poco co-founder, Rusty Young, at the age of 75. Young suffered a heart attack last week. A beloved member of the Blue Élan Records family, Young was best known as the heart and soul of Poco - the band widely considered to be one of the founders of the classic Southern California country rock sound. Young was an integral member of the band throughout their influential six decade career.