Grand Funk Railroad

Grand Funk Railroad is an American rock and roll band formed in Flint, Michigan. They are considered as the first great American hard rock outfit and are nicknamed "The American Band", due to their hit song "We're An American Band". In spite of near-constant critical denigration, the original Grand Funk Railroad lineup managed to keep a career going for several years based on constant touring, a loud, simple take on the blues-rock power trio, and strong working class appeal and managed to reach the top of the charts on several occasions.

Related Topics:
American - Rock and roll - Flint, Michigan - Hard rock - Blues-rock - Working class

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mark Farner (vocals, guitar) and Don Brewer (drums), former members of a local band together, Terry Knight & the Pack, recruited Mel Schacher (bass) from ? & the Mysterians. Terry Knight soon became their manager and named the band after the Grand Trunk Western Railroad, a famous rail line in Michigan. After a free performance at the 1969 Atlanta Pop Festival, the band was signed by Capitol Records. In 1970 they had sold more albums than any other American band and had become a major concert attraction. In that same year they had a hit single "Closer To Home," a song that was closer in style to the old Terry Knight & The Pack than it was to GFR. A year later, they went on to break The Beatles' record at Shea Stadium, selling out in just 71 hours. That record still stands today.

Related Topics:
Mark Farner - Vocals - Guitar - Don Brewer - Drums - Mel Schacher - Bass - ? & the Mysterians - Grand Trunk Western Railroad - Michigan - 1969 - Atlanta Pop Festival - Capitol Records - The Beatles' - Shea Stadium

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Even with critical pans and lack of radio airplay (at first), the group's first eight albums, released in three years, were successful. Knight launched an intense advertising campaign to promote Closer To Home, a multi-platinum, smash hit album that was slammed by virtually all music critics, reportedly paying $100,000 for a huge billboard in New York City's Time Square. In 1972, Grand Funk Railroad fired Knight, who sued for breach of contract, resulting in a protracted legal battle.

Related Topics:
Closer To Home - New York City's - Time Square - 1972

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After recruiting Craig Frost (keyboards), Grand Funk Railroad released Phoenix in 1972, then shorted their name to Grand Funk. This was followed by two huge hit singles, "We're an American Band" (off We're An American Band) and "The Loco-Motion" (written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin for Little Eva). After a pop-style album, All the Girls in the World Beware!!!, and a revert to "Grand Funk Railroad", the band's fortunes were at an end. After finishing Good Singin', Good Playin' (1976) with producer Frank Zappa, Grand Funk Railroad disbanded. Farner began a solo career, while the rest of the band became Flint after adding Billy Ellworthy.

Related Topics:
Craig Frost - Phoenix - 1972 - We're An American Band - The Loco-Motion - Carole King - Gerry Goffin - Little Eva - All the Girls in the World Beware!!! - Good Singin', Good Playin' - 1976 - Frank Zappa - Flint - Billy Ellworthy

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The band reunited in 1981 with the addition of Dennis Bellinger and released two failed albums. After disbanding a second time, Farner launched a solo career as a Christian recording artist, while Brewer and Frost joined Bob Seger's Silver Bullet Band. Grand Funk Railroad reunited again in 1997 to record a benefit album called Bosnia. In

Related Topics:
1981 - Dennis Bellinger - Bob Seger's Silver Bullet Band - 1997 - Bosnia

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

1998 Mark Farner left the band, and has not worked with them since.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Terry Knight (Richard Terrance Knapp) was murdered in Killeen, Texas on November 1, 2004. He was 61.

Related Topics:
Terry Knight - Killeen, Texas - November 1 - 2004

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~