Rick Springfield (born Aug. 23, 1949) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and actor with a musical career that dates back to the late 1960s. He rose to prominence in his home country as one-fourth of the beat/psych combo Zoot. In 1972, Springfield moved to the U.S. and launched a solo career with back-to-back albums on […]
Pete Townshend (born May 19, 1945) is an English musician, composer, and singer who rose to global prominence as the guitarist and songwriter for The Who, which released 10 studio albums between 1965 and 1982. His first proper solo album, Who Came First, appeared on Track Records in 1972. As the Who’s activities became more […]
Russ Ballard is an English musician and songwriter who recorded with the sixties beat groups The Roulettes and Unit 4 + 2. In 1969, he co-founded Argent with ex-Zombies keyboardist Rod Argent. He made five studio albums with the band and wrote their hits “Liar” and “God Gave Rock and Roll to You.” Concurrently, he […]
Trevor Rabin (born Jan. 13, 1954) is a South African-born/U.S.-naturalized guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and producer who first emerged in the Johannesburg art-rock/pop band Rabbitt, which he joined in 1972 at age eighteen. Rabbitt scored locally with the chart-topping symphonic-ballad “Charlie” and the album Boys Will Be Boys!, which Rabin wrote, produced, arranged, and largely performed. […]
Donnie Iris is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist from western Pennsylvania. He first reached the national charts with the Jaggerz, whose 1970 single “The Rapper” reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Iris later joined Wild Cherry and formed Donnie Iris and the Cruisers with keyboardist Mark Avsec, guitarist Marty Lee Hoenes, bassist […]
Marshall Crenshaw is an American songwriter and guitarist from Detroit. He released six studio albums between 1982 and 1991, first for Warner Bros. and later for MCA. His chart singles include “Someday, Someway,” “Whenever You’re on My Mind,” and “Better Back Off.” Background Marshall Howard Crenshaw was born November 11, 1953, in Detroit and grew […]
Martin Briley is an English musician, vocalist, and songwriter who first appeared in the pop-psych band Mandrake Paddle Steamer, which issued a single on Parlophone in 1969 and recorded more than an album’s worth of material that later appeared on assorted archival discs. Mandrake marked the start of Briley’s partnership with musician Brian Engel. Across […]
Gary Myrick is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter from Dallas who made the 1980/81 Epic albums Gary Myrick and the Figures and Living in a Movie. His best-known songs include “She Talks In Stereo,” “Living In a Movie,” and “Message is You.” After his 1985 Geffen release Stand for Love, he resurfaced in Havana […]
Walter Egan (born July 12, 1948) is an American guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and visual artist from Queens, New York, who released the 1977–80 Columbia albums Fundamental Roll, Not Shy, Hi-Fi, and The Last Stroll, followed by the 1983 Backstreet release Wild Exhibitions. He reached the Billboard Top 10 with “Magnet and Steel” and wrote “Hearts […]
Bob Welch (July 31, 1946 — June 7, 2012) was an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter from Los Angeles who cut a 1970 album with the soul-rock trio Head West, followed by a five-album run through 1974 with Fleetwood Mac. After fronting the power-trio Paris for two albums in 1976, he released four solo albums […]
Billy Squier (born May 12, 1950) is an American hard-rock singer and guitarist who fronted Piper on two 1977 albums, then went solo with the 1980 Capitol release The Tale of the Tape. Squier shot to fame with his 1981 second album Don’t Say No, which spawned the hits “In the Dark,” “My Kinda Lover,” […]
Randy California (Feb. 20, 1951 — Jan. 2, 1997) was an American psych-rock guitarist and composer from Los Angeles who co-founded the band Spirit. During a break in band activity, he made the 1972 Epic solo album Kapt. Kopter and the (Fabulous) Twirly Birds. In the 1980s, he resumed his solo career on Beggars Banquet […]
Ian Thomas is a Canadian songwriter, guitarist, and singer who released six albums on GRT between 1973 and 1979 — including three with his namesake backing band — and three further titles through 1985 on Anthem. His 1981 album The Runner features several songs covered by high-profile artists of the period, including Santana (“Hold On”), […]
