Orleans (band)

Orleans is a 1970s soft rock band, best known today for "Dance With Me" and "Still The One". The band was founded in January 1972 in Ulster County, New York by Wells Kelly, John Hall and Larry Hoppen. The band took their name "Orleans" because they needed a name for the band at a show and didn't know what else to use. The name has nothing to do with New Orleans. Lance Hoppen, Larry's brother, joined the band later in that year.

Related Topics:
1970s - Soft rock - Founded in January 1972 - Ulster County, New York - Wells Kelly - John Hall - Larry Hoppen - Lance Hoppen

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The band signed with stanley records ABC Records in 1973. Their debut album was Orleans, recorded in Muscle Shoals. After ABC dropped the group, their self-produced second album, Let There Be Music, came out on Asylum Records in 1974. The title song peaked at #55 in May 1975. The follow-up single "Dance With Me" was a Billboard #6 hit in October 1975.

Related Topics:
ABC Records - In 1973 - Orleans - Muscle Shoals - Let There Be Music - Asylum Records - In 1974 - 1975 - Billboard

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Still The One" from their follow-up LP Waking and Dreaming was their second big hit, rising to #5 in October 1976. The song was used as a slogan by ABC television, ironically, in 1977. The follow-up single "Reach" reached #51 in March 1977.

Related Topics:
Still The One - Waking and Dreaming - 1976 - Slogan by ABC television

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1977, Hall left to begin a solo career and became active in the anti-nuclear program, cofounding Musicians United for Safe Energy.

Related Topics:
1977 - Musicians United for Safe Energy

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Orleans, meanwhile, got a #11 hit with Forever's "Love Takes Time". They continued performing, in spite of a diminishing audience, and released One of a Kind in 1982. Kelly died of a heroin overdose in 1984. Hall quit his solo career and reunited with the band in the early 1990s, releasing a few recordings on the band's own label, Major Records.

Related Topics:
Forever - One of a Kind - In 1982 - 1984 - 1990s - Major Records

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The band made the news briefly in late October 2004, when John Hall publicly commented that the Bush presidential campaign never received permission to use "Still The One" at campaign events. The campaign responded by dropping the song from their playlist.

Related Topics:
October - 2004 - Bush presidential campaign

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~