Post by Gerrald Bostock on Jun 13, 2014 0:50:40 GMT
Grand Funk Railroad
An American blues rock band that was highly popular during the 1970s. Grand Funk Railroad toured to packed arenas worldwide. David Fricke of Rolling Stone Magazine said "You cannot talk about rock in the 1970's without talking about Grand Funk Railroad!" A popular take on the band during its heyday was that, although the critics hated them, audiences loved them. The band's name is a play on words of the Grand Trunk Western Railroad, a railroad line that ran through the band's home town of Flint, Michigan.
In 1969, the band released its first album titled On Time, which sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold record in 1970
In the same year, a second album, Grand Funk (aka "The Red Album"), was awarded gold status.The hit single "I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)"was released in 1970. Also during 1970 they sold more albums than any other American band and became a major concert attraction. By 1971, Grand Funk broke The Beatles' Shea Stadium attendance record by selling out in just 72 hours.
Veteran musician Todd Rundgren was brought in as producer for their two most successful albums and two No. 1 hit singles resulted: the Don Brewer penned "We're an American Band" (from We're an American Band) and "The Loco-Motion" (from Shinin' On, written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin and originally recorded by Little Eva). The album We're an American Band topped out at No. 2 on the charts. "We're an American Band" was Grand Funk's first No. 1 hit, followed by Brewer's #19 hit "Walk Like A Man". 1974's "The Loco-Motion" was Grand Funk's second chart topping single, followed by Brewer's #11 hit "Shinin' On".
The band released the album All the Girls in the World Beware.This album contained the last two top ten hits, "Some Kind of Wonderful" and "Bad Time".
In 1996, Grand Funk Railroad's three original members once again reunited and played to 250,000 people in 14 shows during a three-month period. In 1997, the band played three sold-out Bosnian benefit concerts. These shows featured a full symphony orchestra that was conducted by Paul Shaffer (from the David Letterman Late Show). The band released a live two-disc benefit CD called Bosnia recorded in Auburn Hills, Michigan. This recording also featured Peter Frampton who joined the band on stage. In 1998, after three years of touring, Farner left the band and returned to his solo career.Following Farner's decision to leave Grand Funk, nearly two years had passed when Brewer and Schacher recruited some well-regarded players to re-establish the band. Lead vocalist Max Carl (of 38 Special), former Kiss lead guitarist Bruce Kulick, and keyboardist Tim Cashion (Bob Seger, Robert Palmer) joined the two remaining Grand Funk members. In 2005 the band drew 20,000 people to their show in Albany, NY. In 2006 a Grand Funk show in downtown Orlando, FL drew 20,000 fans. In July 2011 the band drew 25,000 people to their Molson Canal Series Concert outside Buffalo, NY.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Funk_Railroad
Grand Funk Railroad continues to tour 40 shows a year and will kick off their "45 YEARS OF GRAND FUNK" tour January 25, 2014.
AN AMERICAN BAND COMING TO YOUR TOWN.....
TOUR DATES FOR 2014 AND 2015
www.grandfunkrailroad.com/tour.htmlJune 14 Ho-Chunk Casino Wisconsin Dells Center, Baraboo, WI
June 20 Old Town Ampitheater -Rock Hill S.C.
June 21 Little River Casino Resort, Manistee, MI
June 26 Jazz Aspen Snowmass, Snowmass Village, CO
June 28 Sussex County Fairgrounds, Augusta, NJ
June 29 Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, CT
July 5 Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar, CA
July 12 Heartland Events Center, Grand Island, NE
July 18 Moods Of The Madison, Ennis, MT
July 19 Linn County Fair, Albany, OR
July 25 Harborfest. Oswego, NY
July 26 Mohegan Sun Wolf's Den, Uncasville, CT
July 31 Riverfront Park, Albany, NY
August 2 Prairie Knights Casino– Fort Yates, ND
August 22 Benton Franklin County Fair, Kennewick, WA
August 24 Rochester Down By The River, Rochester, MN
August 28 Maryland State Fair Grandstand, Timonium, MD
September 5 Thunder Valley Casino, Lincoln, CA
September 11 Southeast Missouri District Fair, Cape Girardeau. MO
September 12 Utah State Fair, Salt Lake City, UT
September 20 Oklahoma State Fair, Oklahoma City, OK
Ocotber 9 Grey Eagle Resort and Casino, Calgary. AB
October 11 Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center, bettendorf, IA
November 21 Stage 305@ Magic City Casino, Miami FL
2015
January 10,11 Orleans Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, NV
February 28 San Antonio
June 6 Shawnee Bluff Winery, Eldon, MO
Current members Don Brewer – drums, lead vocals (1969–1976, 1981-1983, 1996–present)
Mel Schacher – bass guitar (1969–1976, 1996–present)
Max Carl – lead vocals, guitars (2000–present)
Tim Cashion – keyboards (2000–present)
Bruce Kulick – guitars (2000–present)
Former members Mark Farner – guitars, lead vocals, keyboard, harmonica (1969–1976, 1981–1983, 1996–1998)
Craig Frost – keyboards, backing vocals (1972–1976)
Dennis Bellinger – bass guitar (1981–1983)
Howard Eddy, Jr. – keyboards (1996–1998)
Discography
On Time (LP - 1969)
Grand Funk (CD - 1969)
Closer to Home (CD - 1970)
E Pluribus Funk (CD - 1971)
Survival (CD - 1971)
Phoenix (CD - 1972)
We're an American Band (LP - 1973)
All the Girls in the World Beware !!! (LP - 1974)
Shinin' on (LP - 1974)
Born to Die (CD - 1976)
Good Singin', Good Playin' (CD - 1976)
Grand Funk Lives (CD - 1981)
What's Funk? (CD - 1983)
Thirty Years of Funk 1969-1999 (CD - 1999)
Greatest Hits (CD - 2006)
