Love Tractor (1980–current) is a band from Athens, Georgia, founded in spring 1980 by guitarists Mark Cline and Mike Richmond, and bassist Armistead Wellford, students at the University of Georgia. Like The B-52's, Pylon and R.E.M., Love Tractor has been lauded by critics and music historians as one of the founders of the Athens, Georgia, alternative rock scene. Love Tractor toured extensively and recorded six critically acclaimed albums, consistently topping the college and alternative charts. Love Tractor was particularly known for their instrumental rock. After a return to the public eye in the late '90s, Love Tractor released their swan song, 2001's The Sky At Night. The group went back on hiatus in 2002. In 2016 founding members Armistead Wellford and Mark Cline, along with Bill Berry and multi-instrumentalist Douglas Stanley (of The Glands, who had been a major contributor to the band's 2001 album The Sky at Night), released the instrumental single "A Trip To the Museum", heralding a return to the band's instrumental roots. On August 13, 2016, all original members of Love Tractor (Mark Cline, Mike Richmond, Armistead Wellford and Andrew Carter) reformed to perform at the Athens Popfest at the Georgia Theatre in Athens, Georgia. The band was accompanied on stage by guitarists Bryan Poole (Elf Power, Casper & the Cookies) and Jay Gonzalez (Drive-By Truckers), drummer Joe Rowe (The Glands, Casper & the Cookies, Pylon Reenactment Society), and synthesist Kevin Dunn (The Fans, Regiment of Women). This enhanced version of Love Tractor (including all three original members) continues to perform live and will be re-releasing the Love Tractor catalog on vinyl as well as previously unreleased songs and new material. History The band was formed in April 1980 by guitarists Mark Cline, Mike Richmond and bassist Armistead Wellford students at the University of Georgia. The band played their first few gigs (including their debut on July 9 on Barber Street in Athens also known as Pylon Park) with only a drum machine, but drummers Kit Swartz (formerly of The Side Effects) and Bill Berry (future R.E.M. drummer) soon took over rotating duties as drummer. In 1983 Andrew Carter would take over as full-time drummer; after Carter's departure, John Poe of Guadalcanal Diary rounded out the lineup. Producer and studio keyboard player Alfredo Villar (of The Fans) contributed to the first two albums. Love Tractor originally performed only instrumental material, but minimal vocals from Richmond were