At the dawn of the 1970s, aspiring singer-songwriter, Jon Pousette-Dart began building his reputation on the New England coffeehouse circuit. Performing solo acoustic, he initially attracted a following with his captivating voice and his lyrical sketches of romantic adventure. Soon teaming up with John Troy, the duo became a popular fixture on the Cambridge music scene, before recruiting multi-instrumentalist songwriter, John Curtis, into the fold.
Becoming Pousette-Dart String Band, the acoustic trio gained the attention of entertainment mogul Don Law, who signed on as manager. With Law's encouragement, the group began refining their sound and developing new material while touring extensively throughout New England and building up a strong fan base.
By the middle of the decade, Jon Pousette-Dart's songwriting and the group's compelling performances had attracted enough attention to warrant a multi-album deal with Capitol Records and work began on their first Pousette-Dart Band album. Released in 1976, the self-titled debut was an impressive effort with fully fleshed out arrangements that took Pousette-Dart's songs of relationships and romantic entanglement to the next level. In support of the album, the group recruited a drummer and toured incessantly, becoming one of the busiest touring bands in the country. Meanwhile, the first album was becoming a staple of college radio.
Overflowing with tight harmonies and undeniably infectious song arrangements, the group delivered a second album, Amnesia, the following year, which was even more impressive than the debut. Unlike so many albums of the era, Amnesia was devoid of slick production and studio gimmicks. Instead, the album conveyed the solid musicianship and captivating vocal presence that the group was delivering onstage. Armed with an abundance of brilliantly written Pousette-Dart compositions, Amnesia was met with critical acclaim and received extensive FM radio play, raising the group's profile.
The future never looked brighter as the Pousette-Dart Band continued touring in support of Amnesia, playing to wildly supportive audiences, and often sharing the bill with the band Orleans, which was an early champion of the group.