The Grass Roots

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The Grass Roots is an American rock band often mapped between 1966 and 1975. The band originally was the creation of Lou Adler and duo songs P. F. Sloan and Steve Barri. In their career, they won two gold albums, one gold singles and single chart on Billboard Hot 100 21 times. Among their charting singles, they reached the Top 10 three times, Top 20 three times and Top 40 eight times. They have sold over 20 million records worldwide.

Until his death in 2011, early members of Rob Grill and the ranks of the newer Root Roots continue to play many live performances each year. Since 2012, the band members selected by the Grill run a group heritage with a live national show.

Video The Grass Roots

The founding years

The name "Grass Roots" (originally spelled as one word "Grassroots") originated in mid-1965 as a band project name by Los Angeles songwriter and duo producer P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri. Sloan and Barri have written a few songs in an attempt by their record company, Dunhill Records (owned by Lou Adler), to monetize on the novice folk rock movement. One of these songs is "Where You Needed You," recorded by Sloan and Barri. Sloan provides lead vocals and plays guitar, Larry Knechtel plays keyboards, Joe Osborn plays bass and Bones Howe is on drums. The song was released under the name "The Grass Roots" and was sent, as a demo, to several radio stations in the San Francisco Bay area.

When moderate interest in this new band emerged, Sloan and Barri went to look for a group that could combine the Grass Roots name. They found one, The Bedouins, in the San Francisco band that won the Battle of the Bands at the Teenage Fair in San Mateo, California. The new version of "WhereWere You When I Needed You" with the band's vocalist Willie Fulton (later, early member of Tower of Power) was recorded.

In late 1965, Grass Roots got their first official broadcast on Southern California radio stations, such as KGB (AM) in San Diego and KHJ in Los Angeles, with Bob Dylan's version of "Mr. Jones (Ballad of a Thin Man)". Dylan gave Sloan a chance to cover the song after Sloan showed the award for the first time listening to Dylan's acetate demo of the song.

For several months, the group emerged as the first "original" Grass Roots. They are utilized by Dunhill to back up The Mamas & amp; Papas and Barry McGuire and became the home band at The Trip nightclub in Hollywood. Partnership with Sloan and Barri broke up when the band demanded more space for their own rock-oriented material that was more blues (which Dunhill did not want to give them). Willie Fulton (lead vocals, guitar), Denny Ellis (guitar, backing vocals), and David Stensen (bass, backing vocals) returned to San Francisco, with drummer Joel Larson being the only one who remained in Los Angeles (he then returned to group in 1971). Fulton, Ellis and Stensen continued to emerge as Grass Roots, with original drummer Bedouins Bill Shoppe, until Dunhill ordered them to stop because they decided to start all over again with another group they would design Grass Roots. Meanwhile, the second version of "Where Were You When I Needed You" peaked in the Top 40 in mid-1966, while the album of the same name sold poorly.

Still looking for a group to record their material and promote it with a live date, in 1966 Sloan and Barri offered the Wisconsin-based band, The Robbs (for whom they produced some initial material) chance to assume the identity of Grass Roots, but the group was denied.

Maps The Grass Roots

The years of success

The third group - and by far the most successful - incarnation was eventually found in a Los Angeles band called The 13th Floor (not to be confused with the 13th Floor Elevator). The band consists of Creed Bratton (vocals, guitar), Rick Coonce (drums, percussion), Warren Entner (vocals, guitar, keyboard), and Kenny Fukomoto (vocals, bass) and has formed only a year earlier. Entner, who had attended a film school at UCLA along with future Door members Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek, was floating in Europe in the summer of 1965 singing and playing in street corners when he met fellow singers and American Creed Bratton in Israel, where Israeli businessmen expressed interest in managing and promoting them. But the duo moved individually and eventually returned to LA in 1966, where they formed the 13th Floor and handed the demo tape to Dunhill Records. After Fukomoto was suddenly recruited into the army, the group underwent two replacements before finding singer/bassist Rob Grill. In 1967 the band was offered the option to go by their own name or choose to adopt a name that has already been heard nationally.

Initially, they were one of many American pop/rock guitar bands, but with the help of Barri and their other producers, they developed a unique voice that they mastered because of British beat like soul, rhythm and blues and folk rock. Many of their recordings featured a brass section, which was a novelty at that time among American rock bands, with groups like Chicago just growing.

Most of the band's material continues to be written by Dunhill Records staff (not just Sloan and Barri) and LA-studio musicians who are part of what is known as Crew that Destroy music plays on most, if not all, of those hits. Grass Roots also recorded songs written by group musicians, who appeared on their albums and B-sides of many hit singles.

As Grass Roots, they had their first Top 10 hit in the summer of 1967 with "Let's Live for Today", an English cover version of "Piangi con me", a 1966 hit for the Anglo-Italian quartet The Rokes. "Let's Live for Today" sold over a million copies and was awarded a gold disk. With Rob Grill as the lead singer, they recorded the third version of "Where Were You When I Needed You." The band continued in a similar revamping vein over the next five years (1967-1972).

Grassroots were played at the Fantasy Fantasy Music Festival and the Magic Mountain Festival on Sunday, June 11, 1967, in "Summer of Love" as "Come Alive for Today" at # 15 and climbing. This music festival takes place just days before the Monterey Pop Festival but has no film to document it (see List of electronic music festivals).

In late 1967, the band recorded the album Feelings , which featured a lot of heavier entries in songwriting and was played by the group members themselves. But his selling failure prompted Barri to take full control again as he began to move the band with more R & B, horns interrupted, direction. By this time, Sloan had ended his involvement with the band and moved to New York City to pursue a solo career.

On Sunday, October 27, 1968, Grass Roots played at the San Francisco Pop Festival as their hit "Midnight Confessions" (their first record for horn show, and with Carol Kaye playing the bass-line opening) peaked at # 5, and then played in Los Angeles Pop Festival and Miami Pop Festival in December 1968.

Creed Bratton became frustrated by Dunhill's rejection to allow the band to write his own songs and play instruments on his notes (although the members played themselves at the concert). After a disastrous appearance at Fillmore West in April 1969, the "slightly drunk" Bratton was asked to leave the band. He was replaced by Dennis Provisor on keyboards and vocals, and lead guitarist Terry Furlong (1969-1971) was also brought in to form the quintet. This is the first of many line-up changes for this band version.

Grass Roots, with their new members, played at the Newport Pop Festival 1969 at Devonshire Downs, which was a racetrack at the time but is now part of the Northern Campus for California State University, Northridge. The group played on Sunday June 22, 1969, the week before their hit "I Waited a Million Years" reached Hot 100. In Canada they played at the Vancouver Pop Festival at Paradise Valley Resort in British Columbia in August 1969 (see List of electronic music festivals ).

By 1971 Furlong had stopped touring with the group to pursue a solo career but would continue to contribute to the record for the rest of their time at Dunhill. The replacement tour was Brian Naughton, who left in 1972. Drummer Rick Coonce also left early in 1972 and new member Joe Pollard (drums, percussion) and another guitarist named Terry (last name unknown) joined. Terry was soon replaced by Reed Kailing (vocals, guitar). However, Pollard's drummer and keyboardist Dennis Provisor soon left after the duo (although the Provisor was featured on the 1972 band album Move Along) and was replaced by Rick Coonce and keyboard man who returned Virgil Weber (ex-Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds and Climax). Coonce returned just for a short time before he left again, turning the drum throne into a genuine member of Joel Larson. Singers Rob Grill and Warren Entner remain a focal point during these years.

Group songs during 1967-1972 include: "Let's Live for Today" (US # 8) and "Things I Must Say" (AS # 23) (1967); "Midnight Confessions" (U.S. # 5, their biggest hit) (1968); "Bella Linda" (a cover of an Italian hit by Lucio Battisti, "Balla Linda") (US # 28), "Lovin 'Things" (US cover 49 hit by Marmalade the year before) (US # 49), "The River Is Wide "(US # 31)," I'll Wait for a Million Years "(US # 15), and" Heaven Knows "(US # 24) (1969); "Walking Through the Country" (AS # 44), and "Baby Hold On" (AS # 35) (1970); "Temptation Eyes" (# 15), "Sooner or Later" (AS # 9), and "Two Divided by Love" (AS # 16) (1971); "Glory Bound" (US # 34) and "The Runway" (AS # 39) (1972).

In early 1974, Grass Roots had left Dunhill (now ABC Records) and Kailing, Weber and the old member Entner (later a successful manager with groups like Rage Against the Machine and Quiet Riot) moved, while former members Terry Furlong and Dennis Provisor goes back to the fold. Furlong was left permanently in mid-1974 to be replaced by Gene Barkin, then by Reggie Knighton. The group produced are Grill, Larson, Provisor and Knighton. Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, who once wrote the 1971 hit group "Two Divided By Love" and many others, invited the band to join their Haven label, where they released their eponymous album in 1975, , containing the single "Mamacita", mapped at # 71 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single follow-up failed to map.

Timeline

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The following years

1976 to 1981

Their 1976 single "Out In The Open" proved to be their swan song in Haven. Knighton left in 1976 and Alan Deane took over, followed by guitarist Glen Shulfer in 1977. ABC Records released the last greatest hit package of the group entitled ABC Collections in 1976. But by the end of 1977, Grill decided to take a break from the show and then record the album 14 Greats on Gusto Records featuring himself and the Provisor. The album consists of 1978 rerecordings of their hits.

The group, still managed and ordered by the Grill (which has a group name), went on tour with Larson, Mark Miller (lead vocals, guitar) and Brian Carlyss (bass, backing vocals), followed by Lonnie Price (lead vocals, keyboards) and Randy Ruff (organ, backing vocals) for tour dates and TV appearances until November 1978. Larson then joined new players Scott Hoyt (lead vocals, guitar), David Nagy (lead vocals, bass) and Gene Wall (keyboard). Nagy and Larson left in 1979 and were replaced by Carlyss and Reagan McKinley (drums, percussions) who returned.

During this period, the group appeared on a special television HBO, "60's Rock Scrapbook", filmed at Magic Mountain amusement park in Valencia, California in October 1979, with Grill and Dennis Provisor making a special appearance.

Grill launched his solo career in 1979 (helped on his solo album, uprooted , by Lindsey Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie from Fleetwood Mac on "Rock Sugar"). Grill toured as a solo act at the opening of 1979-1980 for Fleetwood Mac's Tusk Tour with a band led by guitarist Rick Alexander.

When interest in the 1960s bands began to rise again in 1980, Grill (along with Provisor, Shulfer, and new players Steve Berndt (bass) and Luke Meurett (drums) took back the name Grass Roots and toured the United States and Japan.The group list in 1981 included the returning Grill, Provisor, Shulfer and Coonce, and drummer Larson and guitarist Miller returned to do more dates with the group in 1981.

1982 to 1993

In 1982, Grill decided to go ahead with a brand new lineup consisting of seasoned session players. They are Terry Oubre (guitar, backing vocals), Charles Judge (keyboard, synthesizer, backing vocals) and Ralph Gilmore (drums, percussion, backing vocals). Another keyboard player, Bob Luna, came around mid-year 1982 to a sub for Judge on a date when he was unavailable. In the same year, the new band released Powers of the Night at MCA. This will be the last album of new material to be released by Grass Roots.

Then in 1982, Grass Roots performed an Independence Day concert at the National Mall in Washington, DC, drew a large crowd and set a record of attendance (over half a million people), at the time, for an outdoor concert for one musical acting. However, in April 1983, James G. Watt, Interior Secretary of President Ronald Reagan, banned the Independence Day concert at the Mall by the groups. Watt said that the "rock bands" who had performed at the Mall on Independence Day in 1981 and 1982 had encouraged drug use and alcoholism and had attracted "wrong elements", which would allow people and families to attend similar events in the future. During the ensuing clash, Grill stated that he felt "deeply humiliated" by Watt's statement, which he called "nothing but un-American".

After Powers failed to attract much attention, Grill and group went on tour in 1984. Dave Rodgers (keyboard, backing vocals) replaced Charles Judge and after Terry Oubre and Ralph Gilmore left, Grill brought in two new players named George Spellman (guitar, backing vocals) and Coy Fuller (drums, percussion) and headed for a European tour in the summer of '84. According to Grill, there is also a country singer, "St. Somewhere", which was recorded in Nashville with the same lineup. This single was never released.

By the end of 1984, Grill had returned to the US and toured with other Grass Roots groups including Dusty Hanvey (guitar, backing vocals), Larry Nelson (keyboard, synthesizer, backing vocals) and David Page (drums, percussion). The first event of this lineup in Okinawa.

From this point, the Grill and the group will concentrate on the "nostalgic 60s" circuit, starting with the Happy 85 Tour with the 1960s groups of The Turtles, The Buckinghams and Gary Lewis & the Playboys.

In 1986 another package made them appear alongside The Monkees, Gary Puckett, and Herman's Hermits. They joined in this event by bassist Mark Clarke (ex-Uriah Heep and Rainbow) and the horn section, and supported Monkees and Gary Puckett during their sets as well.

Hanvey and Nelson continued to support Monkees for their 1987 tour, while Grass Roots joins the Classic Superfest, which also features Herman's Hermits, Mark Lindsay, and Gene Clark Byrds. For this tour, Mark Tamorsky handles guitar and Michael Lewis (soon replaced by Robbie Barker) on the keyboard. Terry Lakeer was also added to the bass at the moment. But in October 1987, Hanvey and Nelson returned with Grill and Joe Dougherty replacing David Page on drums in 1989.

In 1991 Rhino Records released a double CD anthology of the group that sparked renewed interest in the band.

Mike Stec entered for Danauer on bass in 1992-1993 before the Grill took over the bass again. From here the band's lineup is stable.

1994 to 2011

On January 16, 1999, former Grass Roots members Joel Larson, Virgil Weber and Creed Bratton, along with Paul Downing on lead vocals and guitar (Herman's Hermits & The Standells), Justin Chats on vocals, keyboards and saxophone Dan Schwartz on bass and David Olson on backing vocals, is part of the 35th Anniversary Celebration at Whiskey a Go Go in Los Angeles. They shared the stage with Johnny Rivers, Nancy Sinatra, Robby Krieger Band and Drake Levin and Phil Volk from Paul Revere and Raiders.

In 2000 Grill released a live concert album Grass Roots titled Live at Last , followed in 2001 by an album with a symphony quartet titled Symphonic Hits .

During the 2000s, the group retained an available replacement (former Outsiders singer Sonny Geraci sitting at the Grill during the first half of 2002, Scott Sechman filled for Hanvey in 1998, Chris Merrell filling for Hanvey on various dates 2000-2006, while Hal Ratliff came on for Nelson when he had another commitment from 2000).

In 2008 Grill released a second live concert album titled Live Gold and brought Mark Dawson (vocals, bass) early that same year to fill out when he was absent.

During the summer of 2010 and 2011, Grass Roots has a solid touring schedule across the US, both on their own and as part of Happy Together: 25th Birthday Tour , along with Flo & amp; Eddie of The Turtles, Mark Lindsay, The Buckinghams, and members of Monkees, Micky Dolenz. Grill continues to lead the band to the millennium this time as the sole owner of Grass Roots and make appearances with the band until his death.

Rick Coonce died of heart failure on February 25, 2011 and Rob Grill died on July 11, 2011 due to complications after a stroke.

2012 to present

In 2012 the group is again part of the Happy Together Tour and Dawson, Dougherty, Hanvey and Nelson bands currently continue touring nationwide, often appearing with other classic rock groups such as John Kay and Steppenwolf, Tommy James and The Shondells, The Buckinghams, Herman's Hermits, starring Peter Noone, and April Wine.

Once again in 2015, they joined The Turtles, The Association, Mark Lindsay, The Buckinghams, and The Cowsills for the year Happy Together Tour .

Pada bulan Desember 2015, American Pop Music Hall of Fame merilis inductees 2016 mereka sebagai berikut: Barbra Streisand, Grass Roots, Barry Manilow, Neil Sedaka, Asosiasi, Dion, The Lettermen, Paul Revere & amp; the Raiders, The Temptations dan Three Dog Night.

Pada tahun 2016, Grass Roots adalah bagian dari Flower Power Cruise yang bergabung dengan Peter Asher, Blood, Sweat & amp; Tears, Felix Cavaliere, Micky Dolenz, The Guess Who, Peter Noone, Jefferson Starship, Mark Lindsay, Gary Puckett & amp; The Union Gap, The Turtles dan Christian Nesmith.

Grassroots still appear frequently in popular resorts and casinos located in the United States as the main act.

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band members

Current members

• Mark Dawson - main vocal, bass guitar (2008-present)
• Dusty Hanvey - main guitar, backing vocals (1984-present)
• Larry Nelson - keyboard, synthesizer, backing vocals (1984-present)
• Joe Dougherty - drums, percussion (1989-present)

Former member

• Steve Barri - backing vocals, instruments, songwriters, producers (1965-73)
• P.F. Sloan - lead vocalist, guitarist, songwriter, producer (1965-67; ​​died 2015)
• Joel Larson - drum (1965-66, 1972-79, 1981)
• Denny Ellis - rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1965-66)
• Willie Fulton - main guitar, vocals (1965-66)
• David Stensen - bass, backing vocals (1965-66)
• Bill Shoppe - drum (1966)
• Rob Grill - lead vocal, bass, songwriter (1967-77, 1980-2011; died 2011)
• Warren Entner - main vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboard, songwriter (1967-74)
• Rick Coonce - drums, percussions, songwriters (1967-72, 1981-82; died 2011)
• Creed Bratton - main guitar, lead vocals, songwriter (1967-69)
• Dennis Provisor - main vocal, keyboard, songwriter (1969-72, 1974-77, 1980-81)
• Terry Furlong - lead guitar (1969-71, 1974)
• Brian Naughton - lead guitar (1971-72)
• Virgil Weber - keyboard (1972-74)
• Reed Kailing - lead guitar, vocals, songwriter (1972-74)
• Joe Pollard - drums, percussion (1972)
• Terry - guitar (1972)
• Gene Barkin - guitar (1974)
• Reggie Knighton - main guitar, backing vocals (1974-76)
• Alan Deane - main guitar, backing vocals (1976-77)
• Glen Shulfer - guitar, backing vocals (1977, 1980-81)
• Brian Carlyss - bas, backing vocals (1977-78, 1979-80; died 2007)
• Mark Miller - lead guitar, lead vocal (1977-78, 1981)
• Lonnie Price - keyboard, main vocal (1977-78)
• Randy Ruff - organ, backing vocals (1977-78)
• Steve Harris - bass, backing vocals (1977-78)
• Scott Hoyt - lead vocal, main guitar (1978-80)
• Gene Wall - keyboard, backing vocals (1978-80)
• Dave Nagy - bas, main vocal (1978-79)
• Reagan McKinley - drums, percussion (1979-80)
• Steve Berendt - bass (1980-81)
• Luke Meurett - drums, percussion (1980-81)
• Terry Oubre - main guitar, backing vocals (1982-84)
• Ralph Gilmore - drums, percussion, backing vocals (1982-84)
• Charles Judge - keyboard, synthesizer, backing vocals (1982-84)
• Bob Luna - keyboard, backing vocals (fill-1982)
• Coy Fuller - drums, percussion (1984)
• George Spellman - guitar, backing vocals (1984)
• Dave Rodgers - keyboard, backing vocals (1984)
• David Page - drums, percussion (1984-90)
• Terry Lakeer - bass (1987-92)
• Richard Fanning - trumpet (sometimes, 1987-88)
• Kevin Osborne - trombone (sometimes, 1987-88)
• Robbie Barker - keyboard (1987)
• Michael Lewis - keyboard (1987)
• Mark Tamorsky - guitar, backing vocals (1987)
• Michael Stec-bass, backing vocals (1992-93)
• Scott Sechman - guitar, backing vocals (contents-1998)
• Chris Merrell - (died of cancer) main guitar, backing vocals (content - 2000-03, 2006)
• Hal Ratliff - keyboard, backing vocals (contents 2000-current)
• Sonny Geraci - main vocal (fill for Grill-2002; dying 2017)
Discussion

Singles

Golden Notes - RIAA Certification

Albums

Golden Notes - RIAA Certification



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Pop culture

• The name Grass Roots is used sporadically by Arthur Lee of Love, in the Los Angeles area. Dunhill Records secured the legitimate use of the name by releasing a recording, which Lee never did.
• The song "Let's Live for Today" has an identical Italian melody and almost the same setting used in the previous song called "Be Mine Again"; although the song includes "One, Two, Three, Four" and "Sha-La-La-La-La" as in Grassroots, the lyrics are different. Version by Dutch band The Skope released in 1966 is included in Pebbles, Volume 15 LP.
• The band was spotted in the movie Doris Day With Six You Get Eggroll . They played the song "Feelings" at a lively dance party.
• Grass Roots has appeared on more than 50 national television shows including The Today Show, Ed Sullivan, Andy Williams, Sonny & amp; Cher, Good Morning America, VH1 Hit-Makers, MTV, and a record 16 times at American Bandstand Dick Clark.
• The 1975 The Grass Roots LP is seen in the movie FM . The back cover appears in a long DJ broadcasting scene scene with characters played by Cleavon Little and Martin Mull.
• The band is named by John Candy's character in the movie Uncle Buck . He commented on the music while navigating a teenage party looking for his missing nephew.
• Creed Bratton guitarist plays a character also called Creed Bratton, a fictional version of himself, in the US version of The Office TV show. In a scene never aired from the episode "Booze Cruise", Bratton's boss, Michael, borrowed a guitar from a yacht band and played the "Smoke on the Water" version by Deep Purple. Bratton then takes the guitar from Michael and proceeds to surprise the rest of the passengers with his incredible game. The scene then cuts to recognition, where Bratton talks about his time with Grass Roots, complete with pictures of the real band and a reference to the actual tour. In another scene removed from "Product Recall" episode, Scranton Times fiction writer Bratton is a member of Grass Roots. He also sang one of his own songs titled "Spinnin 'N Reelin'" in the episode "A Benihana Christmas". At the end of the series, he is revealed in the actual episode that Creed is a member of Grass Roots. Creed performed his own song "All the Faces" to cover the episode.
• The band is often mentioned on nationally syndicated Don and Mike radio shows. Don Geronimo sat with the band several times on shows in the Washington area, D.C..
• The Grass Roots version of Bob Dylan's song "Ballad of a Thin Man" is featured in the 1987 Robin Williams film Good Morning, Vietnam.
• The Grass Roots song "Midnight Confessions" is featured in the 1997 Jackie Brown film.
• In 2006, former manager Marty Angelo published a book entitled Once Life Matters: A New Beginning, which has many stories about his life on the road with Rob Grill and Grass Roots in the early 1970s..



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See also

• List of the best music artists in the US.



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References



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External links

• Official website
• Grass Roots at AllMusic.com
• MarkDawson

Source of the article : Wikipedia