Poco was the band that was supposed to bring country into the rock mainstream.

Gram Parsons had introduced the Byrds to country with their “Sweethearts of the Rodeo” LP in 1968. Rick Nelson had released a “Country Fever” LP in 1967. And Bill Haley, Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley had first mixed country and rock in the '50s.

But Poco was expected to have a big breakout hit when Richie Furay and Jim Messina formed Poco after leaving Buffalo Springfield in 1969.

Instead, the Eagles had the first big country-rock hit with “Take It Easy” in 1972 featuring ex-Poco member Randy Meisner on bass.

The lack of a radio hit tormented Furay in the early '70s and inspired him to leave Poco and his subsequent “super group,” the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band. But Poco's reputation as country rock pioneers actually kept the group viable longer than many contemporaries with hit records.

Stagecoach Country Music Festival founder Paul Tollett tried to reunite Furay with Poco last year on a bill with The Eagles. But Furay couldn't perform due to a medical issue, so Tollett booked Poco for this year's festival and orchestrated an even bigger reunion by bringing Messina back and getting former Poco-turned-Eagles member Timothy B. Schmit to sit in with the band now headed by original member Rusty Young.

Furay talked about his journey in a recent telephone interview from his home in Boulder, Colo.

QUESTION: Is this your first reunion with Jim Messina and Poco since “Legacy” in 1989?

ANSWER: Actually, we all got together in Wildwood Springs, Mo., last October. I guess it was a testing of the water to see how that would go. I've played with Poco periodically over the years, just sat in with them here and there, but it was the first time I did it with Jim.

What prompted the testing of the waters?

It was actually Rusty's (Young) idea to bring Jimmy back. I was really focused on my group. We sat in for about 30 minutes of music.

Did you feel a chemistry?

There was a chemistry. It's kind of neat how those things linger.

For someone who didn't have a commercial breakthrough, Poco is certainly well-known commercially. Can you describe your frustration at not making a commercial breakthrough?

Back then, in the late '60s and early '70s, AM radio and hit records were really what sustained so many groups. FM radio was very supportive of Poco and that kept us going in those times when there was an AM and FM competition. Then we heard “Take It Easy” on the radio right out of the box. They're (the Eagles) a great group and I'm glad we could influence them a little bit. But when you've made four or five records and haven't been able to get one out of the box, and still you're really drawing well as a live artist, that became the frustration.

Did that contribute to the break-up of the group?

It certainly became the reason I left the band. After we released “Good Feeling To Know,” all the guys in Poco and the producer thought, “This is going to be the one that launches us,” and when it got ignored, it was just frustrating. It's hard to put it all into perspective. I saw (former Buffalo Springfield colleagues) Stephen (Stills) and Neil (Young) go on to big success and I'm thinking, “What about me? I'm just as talented as they are!” You go through those crazy thoughts and you can play mind games with yourself.

Gram Parsons gets a lot of credit for founding the fusion of rock and country music. But Elvis started by mixing country and rock. Were you bringing it back?

It was dying out at the time we brought it back. Gram and I talked about putting a group together ourselves. When we got out to Los Angeles, we had talked about putting a band together. Basically what happened is the Flying Burrito Brothers and Poco came out at about the same time. We both had that idea, “Let's try to bridge the gap between country music and rock music because when we were talking about the music being made, country was definitely not “hip.” We started exploring the idea so everybody could enjoy it. That's what “Picking Up the Pieces” was about. What's really neat is to see what we did in 1969 has had a big impact on country music of the last several years.

Can you see specific groups that were a direct evolution from you?From the Eagles to Pure Prairie League, from our (rock) side. Waylon Jennings was coming from the other side, but he was the same.

Who were your influences before forming Buffalo Springfield with Stills?

Ricky Nelson. I saw him on TV singing “Bebop Baby.” The rockabilly sound. I loved Buddy Holly and Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran, but I also liked the doo-wop singers. It was just a variety of music, eclectic.

Why did Buffalo Springfield only last two years?

We had so many different problems. The immigration problems Bruce (Palmer) had. Neil deciding - or not deciding - whether he wanted to be part of a band or have a solo career. It just seemed like we would take one step forward and get knocked back two steps. But that band was Stephen's. My thing was, as long as Steve was there, I was going to support him and after two years, it became too much even for him - too many people in and out. There were nine people in and out of the Springfield in two years. Management didn't know what to do with us.

Did you feel you had a chemistry with Messina in Buffalo Springfield and did that inspire you to do something else together?

Definitely. When Jimmy came in, we really struck up a friendship and a rapport. We knew as things were winding down that we were going to start another band. So we just said, “Let's do something different. Let's do this country rock sound.”

So you conceived the Poco sound while you were in Buffalo Springfield?

Yep. Without a doubt. It was just our style of music when we sat down and played together. It was our natural sound.

But Poco was more your band than Messina's, wasn't it?I would have to say that. People would say that — probably because I was the singer and the songwriter for the first couple of albums. It's well known Messina was happy in the studios and had to be coaxed out by Clive Davis to play with Kenny Loggins. Was he moving in that direction when you were playing with him in Poco? He definitely was. It was a good thing for Jimmy. It really launched a nice career for him and Kenny. Chris Hillman is another underrated guy in the evolution of country rock.You got that right.How did you hook up with him in your next band?That was David Geffen's suggestion. I had become frustrated (with) Poco and David was involved with the band as a booking agent in different levels. So, I said, ‘Look, I don't think this is going to go anywhere. Do you have any suggestions?' He said, ‘Yeah. Chris Hillman is looking for another band and I have this singer-songwriter, J.D. Souther (writer of such Eagles songs as “Best of My Love,” “Heartache Tonight” and “Victim of Love”). Why don't you guys get together and we'll put a super group together?' I thought, ‘That's all there is to it?' The band looked good on paper. We had Al Perkins playing guitar and Paul Harris on keyboards and Jim Gordon as the drummer. But, again, there were a lot of different things that were happening in our lives and it was another two-album group.What was happening in your lives that prevented that from happening?I didn't know my family was falling apart at that time. I didn't want Al Perkins in the band because he was a Christian and he led me to the Lord. But basically, I decided my family meant more to me than music did. It was so strange because I was driven for music. When it got pulled out from under me, it was like, ‘OK, I have to make some life-changing decisions right now. What's it going to be?' I chose family and my wife and I just celebrated 42 years of marriage. How did you become a minister?Al Perkins took me to a church called Calvary Chapel. I had never heard the Bible preached or taught like that ever. I grew up as a kid going to church and pretty much stopped. But, when I went and heard Chuck Smith teach the Word, it was like, this is something. And I was vulnerable. My life was in turmoil and I was looking for what was going to bring peace and satisfaction to my life. When I came home, my wife and I separated for seven months after being married for seven years. I came home with Chuck Smith tapes and that was my seminary. From there, we started a little Bible study and from there, a little church.

How do you feel about playing Stagecoach?This is my second time with the Stagecoach. My band played the first year. It was awesome. They wanted Poco to play last year. I had my second hip replacement last year and I just didn't know if I could make it. So they held it off and I'm glad they did so I could join them. Paul Tollett is known for reuniting bands. Did he encourage you guys to try it out at Wildwood?I don't think that, but when he saw there was an opportunity to get some of us old guys back together, and some that hadn't played in a while, I think he just took the initiative. It's kind of ironic that he couldn't get you guys together last year and he wound up with The Eagles.That was the whole thing. He wanted The Eagles and he wanted Poco. The whole idea was for us to play that night on that stage with them. But when I couldn't make it, he just shifted gears and said let's try Poco on another year.It's interesting that this festival has the opportunity to show the roots of contemporary country music and all of its offshoots.Yeah, I think that's really special.