"Legend" is the eleventh studio album by the American country rock band Poco, released in 1978. The album marked a significant shift in the band’s direction, both musically and in terms of its lineup. Following the cancellation of Poco’s planned 13th album, The Last Roundup, in 1977, and the decision to suspend the band as a recording and performing unit, three remaining members—Rusty Young, Paul Cotton, and George Grantham—chose to take a break from the group. By 1978, Young and Cotton, both long-time members, decided to continue as a duo, and they received approval from ABC Records to record what would become Legend, initially conceived as the debut album of a new band called the Cotton-Young Band.
For the sessions, the duo enlisted Richard Sanford Orshoff as the producer, despite having previously self-produced Poco’s albums. Orshoff was brought on to handle the recording and the interaction with ABC Records, allowing Young and Cotton to focus on their songwriting. The album was recorded in the summer of 1978 at Crystal Sound Studio in Hollywood. During these sessions, Orshoff decided to cut several of Young's bluegrass-influenced tracks, reasoning that they would be too country for the pop market, a decision that marked a further departure from the band's country rock roots.
When Legend was released in November 1978, it introduced a new lineup for Poco, with drummer Steve Chapman and bassist Charlie Harrison joining Young and Cotton. The album was the first to feature this new formation, as long-time drummer George Grantham was ousted. Soon after the release, Kim Bullard joined the band as a keyboardist. Legend initially charted in the lower half of the Billboard 200 but gained significant traction with the release of the single "Crazy Love" in January 1979. The track entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 72 and quickly rose into the Top 40, eventually peaking at number 17. The success of "Crazy Love" helped propel the album into the Top 20 of the Billboard 200, where it peaked at number 14 in April 1979. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA after selling over 500,000 copies. The popularity of Legend was partly attributed to a strong promotional push by ABC Records, which was in the process of being absorbed by MCA Records at the time.
Legend also produced a second hit single, "Heart of the Night," written and sung by Paul Cotton. The track also charted in the Top 20, making Legend one of the band's most commercially successful releases. Despite the success of "Crazy Love" and "Heart of the Night," the album's title track failed to generate significant chart action as a single.
The cover art for Legend was designed by Phil Hartman, who was better known later as a comic and actor, but at the time was a graphic designer. He worked on album covers for various clients, including Poco’s manager, John Hartmann, and his brother’s other clients such as the band America.
Critical reception of Legend was mixed. Some reviews noted the album’s shift away from Poco’s country rock origins toward a more polished pop-rock sound. The Philadelphia Inquirer described the album’s music as "extremely tasty straight-on pop-rock, nicely executed with strong vocals and pretty harmonies." However, not all critics were enthusiastic about the change. Stuart Goldman of the Los Angeles Times was critical of the album’s direction, calling it "vapid and spiritless," and felt that the absence of Young’s signature steel guitar and Cotton’s vocals made the album less appealing. Despite these mixed reviews, Legend was praised for its strong songwriting and performances, particularly “Heart of the Night,” which AllMusic’s Bruce Eder described as "one of the most finely crafted songs in the group's history."
Legend represents a key moment in Poco's evolution, marking both a commercial breakthrough and a departure from their earlier country rock style. The album's success helped solidify the band’s place in the late 1970s rock landscape, even as their sound continued to evolve away from their roots.
