Difference between revisions of "Bob Seger"
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Seger started out in a three-piece band called The Decibels with two classmates from his Ann Arbor high school in 1961. They recorded "The Lonely One" which was Seger's first original song and it was aired on an Ann Arbor radio station. After the Decibels disbanded, Seger joined The Town Criers singing lead vocals. The band began covering popular songs and started to gain popularity. After the Town Criers gained popularity, Seger met a man named Doug Brown with a band called the Omens. Seger joined the band. Though Brown was the primary lead singer, Seger would take the lead on some of their cover versions of songs. This was when Seger would first appear on an officially released recording, "TGIF", backed with "First Girl". Seger met longtime manager Edward “Punch” Andrews and wrote and produced songs for acts he was managing, such as The Mushrooms. Seger produced a song called "East Side Story" for The Underdogs which proved to be a failure for them. He left the Omens, though retaining Brown as a producer, and recorded the song himself as Bob Seger and The Last Heard in 1966. He released the song on the Hideouts Record label in January 1966, and it was his first local hit song. "East Side Story" sold over 50,000 copies in the Detroit area. He recorded “Persecution Smith”, “Vagrant Winter”, and “Heavy Music” in 1967 before the label went out of business. He then signed on to Capitol Records, turning down a larger offer from Motown since Capitol was better suited toward his style of music, and was known as "The Bob Seger System" until he went solo in 1970.<ref>[http://www.last.fm/music/Bob%2BSeger%2B%2526%2BThe%2BLast%2BHeard/+wiki?ver=2 Bob Seger Last FM]</ref><ref>[http://www.allmusic.com/artist/bob-seger-p123393/biography Allthemusic Bio]</ref> As the Bob Seger System, he released ""2 + 2 = ?", which became a hit in Detroit and even [[Canada]]. His second single, "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" was a huge hit in Michigan, but also was his first national hit. His albums ''Noah'' and ''Mongrel'' failed to replicate that success, and though popular with Detroit fans, failed to do well commercially. Seger decided to become a solo act. | Seger started out in a three-piece band called The Decibels with two classmates from his Ann Arbor high school in 1961. They recorded "The Lonely One" which was Seger's first original song and it was aired on an Ann Arbor radio station. After the Decibels disbanded, Seger joined The Town Criers singing lead vocals. The band began covering popular songs and started to gain popularity. After the Town Criers gained popularity, Seger met a man named Doug Brown with a band called the Omens. Seger joined the band. Though Brown was the primary lead singer, Seger would take the lead on some of their cover versions of songs. This was when Seger would first appear on an officially released recording, "TGIF", backed with "First Girl". Seger met longtime manager Edward “Punch” Andrews and wrote and produced songs for acts he was managing, such as The Mushrooms. Seger produced a song called "East Side Story" for The Underdogs which proved to be a failure for them. He left the Omens, though retaining Brown as a producer, and recorded the song himself as Bob Seger and The Last Heard in 1966. He released the song on the Hideouts Record label in January 1966, and it was his first local hit song. "East Side Story" sold over 50,000 copies in the Detroit area. He recorded “Persecution Smith”, “Vagrant Winter”, and “Heavy Music” in 1967 before the label went out of business. He then signed on to Capitol Records, turning down a larger offer from Motown since Capitol was better suited toward his style of music, and was known as "The Bob Seger System" until he went solo in 1970.<ref>[http://www.last.fm/music/Bob%2BSeger%2B%2526%2BThe%2BLast%2BHeard/+wiki?ver=2 Bob Seger Last FM]</ref><ref>[http://www.allmusic.com/artist/bob-seger-p123393/biography Allthemusic Bio]</ref> As the Bob Seger System, he released ""2 + 2 = ?", which became a hit in Detroit and even [[Canada]]. His second single, "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" was a huge hit in Michigan, but also was his first national hit. His albums ''Noah'' and ''Mongrel'' failed to replicate that success, and though popular with Detroit fans, failed to do well commercially. Seger decided to become a solo act. | ||
==Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band== | ==Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band== | ||
| − | In 1974, Seger formed the Silver Bullet Band. Members include Drew Abbott (guitarist), Charlie Allen Martin (backup singer), Rick Mannassa (keyboard), and saxophonist Alto Reed who has performed with other famous artists. Their first single "Get Out of Denver" was a small national success. Seger went back to Capitol Records in 1975 to record the album ''Beautiful Loser''. | + | In 1974, Seger formed the Silver Bullet Band. Members include Drew Abbott (guitarist), Charlie Allen Martin (backup singer), Rick Mannassa (keyboard), and saxophonist Alto Reed who has performed with other famous artists. Their first single "Get Out of Denver" was a small national success. Seger went back to Capitol Records in 1975 to record the album ''Beautiful Loser''. The single "Katmandu" was the biggest national break-out the singer had since "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man". Seger would have even more national success with ''Live Bullet'', a live album recorded over two days at Cobo Arena in Detroit during September 1975. It contains the classic "Turn the Page" as well as his 1960s hits and the album eventually went to reach 5x Platinum status, and remains one of the top ten live albums. |
| + | |||
==Discography<ref>[http://www.bobseger.com/discography/ Bob Seger Discography]</ref>== | ==Discography<ref>[http://www.bobseger.com/discography/ Bob Seger Discography]</ref>== | ||
*''Ramblin' Gamblin' Man'' (1969) | *''Ramblin' Gamblin' Man'' (1969) | ||
Revision as of 23:12, July 31, 2011
Robert Clark "Bob" Seger (b. May 6, 1945) is a popular American rock musician, singer-songwriter, guitarist, and pianist. Seger started as a locally popular Detroit-area artist and performed and recorded under the names "Bob Seger and the Last Heard" and "The Bob Seger System" during the 1960s. Seger then relocated to Detroit and formed "The Silver Bullet Band" in 1973. He has co-written and performed many hits such as his extremely popular signature song "Old Time Rock n' Roll". He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. Seger has had a career spanning five decades and still currently performs.[1]
Early Life
Seger was born in Detroit in Henry Ford Hospital on May 6, 1945. He was raised in Dearborn, Michigan. Seger and his family moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan when Seger was six years old.[2] Seger's father was a musician and Ford plant worker. Seger's father abandoned the family and moved to California in 1955. Seger graduated from Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor in 1963. He ran track and field. Seger said his early musical influences were Little Richard, James Brown, and Elvis Presley.
Early Career
Seger started out in a three-piece band called The Decibels with two classmates from his Ann Arbor high school in 1961. They recorded "The Lonely One" which was Seger's first original song and it was aired on an Ann Arbor radio station. After the Decibels disbanded, Seger joined The Town Criers singing lead vocals. The band began covering popular songs and started to gain popularity. After the Town Criers gained popularity, Seger met a man named Doug Brown with a band called the Omens. Seger joined the band. Though Brown was the primary lead singer, Seger would take the lead on some of their cover versions of songs. This was when Seger would first appear on an officially released recording, "TGIF", backed with "First Girl". Seger met longtime manager Edward “Punch” Andrews and wrote and produced songs for acts he was managing, such as The Mushrooms. Seger produced a song called "East Side Story" for The Underdogs which proved to be a failure for them. He left the Omens, though retaining Brown as a producer, and recorded the song himself as Bob Seger and The Last Heard in 1966. He released the song on the Hideouts Record label in January 1966, and it was his first local hit song. "East Side Story" sold over 50,000 copies in the Detroit area. He recorded “Persecution Smith”, “Vagrant Winter”, and “Heavy Music” in 1967 before the label went out of business. He then signed on to Capitol Records, turning down a larger offer from Motown since Capitol was better suited toward his style of music, and was known as "The Bob Seger System" until he went solo in 1970.[3][4] As the Bob Seger System, he released ""2 + 2 = ?", which became a hit in Detroit and even Canada. His second single, "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" was a huge hit in Michigan, but also was his first national hit. His albums Noah and Mongrel failed to replicate that success, and though popular with Detroit fans, failed to do well commercially. Seger decided to become a solo act.
Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
In 1974, Seger formed the Silver Bullet Band. Members include Drew Abbott (guitarist), Charlie Allen Martin (backup singer), Rick Mannassa (keyboard), and saxophonist Alto Reed who has performed with other famous artists. Their first single "Get Out of Denver" was a small national success. Seger went back to Capitol Records in 1975 to record the album Beautiful Loser. The single "Katmandu" was the biggest national break-out the singer had since "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man". Seger would have even more national success with Live Bullet, a live album recorded over two days at Cobo Arena in Detroit during September 1975. It contains the classic "Turn the Page" as well as his 1960s hits and the album eventually went to reach 5x Platinum status, and remains one of the top ten live albums.
Discography[5]
- Ramblin' Gamblin' Man (1969)
- Noah (1969)
- Mongrel (1970)
- Brand New Morning (1971)
- Smokin' O.P.'s (1972)
- Back in '72 (1973)
- Seven (1974)
- Beautiful Loser (1975)
- Night Moves (1976)
- Live Bullet (1976)
- Stranger in Town (1978)
- Against the Wind (1980)
- Nine Tonight (1981)
- The Distance (1982)
- Like a Rock (1986)
- The Fire Inside (1991)
- Greatest Hits (1994)
- It's a Mystery (1995)
- Greatest Hits 2 (2003)
- Face the Promise (2006)
- Early Seger Vol. 1 (2009)