The Grass Roots

The Grass Roots were a commercially successful American pop rock band in the 1960s and early 1970s.

Related Topics:
American - Pop rock - 1960s - 1970s

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The band got its start in 1965 when Dunhill Records asked two of its songwriters, P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri, to write some material to give the label an opportunity to compete with Bob Dylan, The Byrds, The Turtles and others in the newly-popular folk-rock genre. A demo single by the thus-far non-existent "Grass Roots" (with vocals by Barri) proved to be popular on Los Angeles radio. As a result, Dunhill hired a band (fronted by Bill Fulton) to record a complete album as "The Grass Roots" and sent them on tour. Their 1966 single "Where Were You When I Needed You" reached #28 on the Billboard Hot 100, but the band was unhappy with their contract arrangements and the entire band quit before a second album could be recorded.

Related Topics:
1965 - Dunhill Records - P.F. Sloan - Steve Barri - Bob Dylan - The Byrds - The Turtles - Los Angeles - Bill Fulton - 1966 - Billboard Hot 100

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Undeterred, Dunhill hired another band to record as The Grass Roots, including bassist/singer Rob Grill (who would become the signature voice on all subsequent hits), keyboardist/guitarist Warren Entner, drummer Rick Coonce, and guitarist Creed Bratton. Their next single, "Let's Live For Today", peaked at #8 in the fall of 1967. Over the next five years The Grass Roots placed another 12 songs in the Top 40, including "Midnight Confessions" (#5), "(I'd) Wait A Million Years" (#15), "Heaven Knows" (#24), "Temptation Eyes" (#15), "Sooner Or Later" (#9), and "Two Divided By Love" (#16).

Related Topics:
Bassist - Rob Grill - Keyboardist - Guitarist - Warren Entner - Drummer - Rick Coonce - Creed Bratton - 1967

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Steve Barri continued his association with the band by producing (or co-producing) all of their hit singles. Other musicians who appeared briefly as members of The Grass Roots included Dennis Provisor, Reed Kailing, Joel Larson, and Virgil Weber.

Related Topics:
Dennis Provisor - Reed Kailing - Joel Larson - Virgil Weber

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The Grass Roots had their last Top 40 single ("The Runway") in 1972, and the band broke up in 1975. Rob Grill continued in the music industry, and he has appeared frequently with a reconstituted Grass Roots.

Related Topics:
1972 - 1975

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