with fans in Iowa, playing many locations in the Hawkeye State. Original band members from the A&M era included Schlitt, Roger Boyd, Mike Sommerville, Steve Huston, and Dan Birney, who passed away in 2003. Nirvana, Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen are among those who wrote songs with cities that show up in this quiz. "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay," released a month after Otis Redding died, was the first song to hit #1 in America after the artist died. Instead of making a demo and pitching it to record companies, they just made the. Mark still recalls how Greg taught him some techniques and songs in their early days that helped improve his playing dramatically: bar chords, Takin' Care of Business, Johnny B. Goode, and Dust in the Wind. around Mt. "Flat as a Pancake - Head East | Songs, Reviews, Credits", "Minimoog solo on Head East's "Never Been Any Reason", "Frequently Asked Questions- Official Web Site", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Never_Been_Any_Reason&oldid=1147466726, Articles with MusicBrainz work identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 31 March 2023, at 04:13. Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Theres so many fans Its been an interesting life.. John's is the higher voice that is occasionally mistaken by fans to be a female voice. Remaining members Boyd and Huston hired bassist Mark Boatman, guitarist Tony Gross, and former drummer and singer Dan Odum (during Huston's absence) to record their following album titled U.S. 1, released in October 1980. It was composed by the band's guitarist, Mike Somerville. They released their first album, Flat as a Pancake, in 1974 on their own record label (Pyramid Records) selling all 5,000 records and 500 eight-tracks produced. At this point in time, I dont see an end in sight.. . Vernon, Ill., was divorced in 1999 HRA-Release: 21.09.2021 Label: A&M Genre: Rock Subgenre: Hard Rock Artist: Head East Album including Album cover I`m sorry! Instead of touring year-round, many bands began touring only in the summer a schedule that aligned well with the academic calendar in higher education. She then became a faculty member at the SIUE SON, earned her doctoral degree from SIU Carbondale and accepted a position as a tenure-track faculty member at SIUE. "" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. A top New York studio musician, Ralph played guitar on many '60s hits, including "Lightnin' Strikes," "A Lover's Concerto" and "I Am A Rock.". From Head East's first concert on Aug. 6, 1969, at the Golden Gauntlet in Carbondale, Illinois, Boyd has remained loyal to the band he helped found. Check out Head East Live! Feel free to contribute! Genres: Hard Rock, AOR. During more than three decades in the music business, Schlitt has earned multiple Gold Records, Grammys and Dove Awards. About John Schlittt: "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" was the most successful digital track of 2007 in the US with 2,909,000 downloads. Flota sees as part of his life so far. Head East Format: Audio CD 184 ratings -8% $1567 List Price: $16.99 Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns See all 6 formats and editions Streaming Unlimited MP3 $9.49 Listen with our Free App Audio CD $15.67 2 Used from $13.79 12 New from $13.82 Vinyl $7.20 7 Used from $7.20 Includes FREE MP3 version of this album. This song, along with the rest of Head East's debut album, was recorded at Golden Voice Recording, a tiny studio in Mike Somerville's hometown of South Pekin, Illinois. Brian John Schlitt went on to sing for the band Petra. Great voice!! Email: podcasts@lee.net. Schlitt recently joined more than a dozen classic contemporary Christian music artists, includingPhil Keaggy,Jaci Velasquez,Rick Cua,Bruce Carroll,The Katinas, Big Tent Revival, Guardian, Wes King, Al Denson, Tammy Trent, Geoff Moore, Clay Crosse, and others who shared their music and special memories during the CCM United Music, Moments, and Memories concert event held at the historic Franklin Theatre in downtown Franklin, Tennessee. Is "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" really meaningless? The band formed in southern Illinois in 1969 but went through a number of member changes before arriving at their core lineup in 1973 . When the track "Never Been Any Reason" began to attract radio attention, A&M Records signed the band and re-released Flat as a Pancake in June 1975. It took us from being a regional band to being a national act. [3] Released on their own record label, Pyramid Records, all 5,000 records and 500 eight-tracks produced were sold. A new version of Last.fm is available, to keep everything running smoothly, please reload the site. Originally known as the TimeAtions, the band adopted the name Head East at the suggestion of Baxter Forrest Twilight, who was a technician / stage-hand for the band. The band also performed on the soundtrack to the comic anthology film J-Men Forever. What I do know is there is no better high than playing on stage Please click here to learn how. Piper and Flota on guitar were from southern Illinois and popular Roger Boyd is the only remaining original member of the band in the current lineup. Can you identify them? Dave Namanny is editor of the Mitchell County Press-News, a Lee Mark was born in Kansas, but his family relocated to North Carolina, Texas, and New York before finally settling in the Kansas City, Missouri area. To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. Music Festival announces full 2023 lineup, The Ongoing Concept shares Feel Again video, announces tour dates, Out now: Invent Animate unleashes new album, Heavener, The Devil Wears Prada announces Color Decay deluxe edition with 10 more tracks, shares Reaching video, Invent Animate shares music video for new song, Without a Whisper. On January 6, 2008 it became the first song ever to sell 3 million digital copies in the States. Boyd earned his bachelors and masters degrees in social work from SIUE in 1997 and 1998, respectively, but he didnt stop there. by Head East on Amazon Music. The song has been featured in such films asSahara,The Education of Charlie Banks, andDazed and Confused, as well as TV series such asFriday Night LightsandThat 70s Show, and is considered by many to be the Rock 'n' Roll National Anthem.In 2011, the band was inducted into the Iowa Rock 'n' Roll Music Association's Hall of Fame. The special one-night-only performance during the Iowa Rock n Roll Music Associations 2011 Hall of Fame coincided with Schlitts induction into the states Hall of Fame and marked the first time in 30 years that the musicians were on stage together. Connect your Spotify account to your Last.fm account and scrobble everything you listen to, from any Spotify app on any device or platform. From Head Easts first concert on Aug. 6, 1969, at the Golden Gauntlet in Carbondale, Illinois, Boyd has remained loyal to the band he helped found. You can cancel at any time. Head East. Head East charted higher with their next single, "Love Me Tonight," which made #54 US, but "Never Been Any Reason" is by far their most popular song, showing incredible endurance. Schlitt was the lead singer for Head East from 1972-1980, during which time the band released six albums, with their first, Flat as a Pancake (A&M Records, 1975) reaching Platinum status empowered by Never Been Any Reason, which has now become a staple of classic rock radio. guitar player for Head East. A&M Records signed the band and re-released the album, which was certified Gold by RIAA and produced the monster radio hit, "Never Been Any Reason.". Flota, originally from Mt. Midwest group boasting an effective blend of hard melodic rock with progressive rock tendencies and awesome vocal arrangements. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. "The Way We Were" was the first of five Hot 100 #1 singles recorded by Barbra Streisand. Today, he is the only remaining member of the original band, but he is the force that has kept the band a relevant part of the classic rock music scene for the past 50 years. MCPD played a big role in keeping people safe in Monday's blaze. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. The keyboardist and only remaining original member of Head East recently agreed to speak with me and it was one of the easiest conversations I've ever had with someone from the golden age of the 70s. Flota, along with the other original members of the band, were Visit our official website at https://www.head-east.com/ Head East Official The band was founded by vocalist John Schlitt, guitarist Danny Piper, keyboardist Roger Boyd, bassist Larry Boyd, and drummer Steve Huston. Flat as a Pancake would remain their most popular album spawning two charting singles, the well-known anthem "Never Been Any Reason" and "Love Me tonight", both written by guitarist Mike Somerville. Schlittand past and current members of Head East were the featured artists. Flota reunited with Head East a few times over the years, once Along with original keyboardist Roger Boyd and drummer Steve Huston, Schlitt took the stage with the bands current lineup as the standing-room-only crowd exploded to the strains of the Schlitt-penned Get Up and Enjoy Yourself. The excitement continued as the band played its Billboard Hot 100 singles Love Me Tonight, Since Youve Been Gone, and the bands signature classic, Never Been Any Reason. Schlitt received a standing ovation, initiating an encore with Jefftown Creek.. Ive lived a versatile life, said Flota. keyboards, Steve Houston on drums, Larry Boyd on bass and Danny Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Head East's Mike Somerville Dies after Illness", Heavy Harmonies page (Partial Discography), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Head_East&oldid=1151082703, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from December 2010, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. After thinking on it briefly, the band liked the unusual nature of it and has kept the name. The song was featured in the 1993 film Dazed and Confused, and later in the 2005 film Sahara. These might seem like divergent career paths, but not for Roger Boyd, PhD (97 and 98). Schlitt's reunion performance with Head East follows on the heels of a busy year, which has seen the celebrated vocalist performing at events throughout the country and across the ocean. venues. Head East went through several lineups and musical approaches before consolidating in St. Louis in the early '70s as a hard rock quintet consisting of John Schlitt (vocals), Mike Somerville (guitar), Roger Boyd (keyboards), Dan Birney (bass), and Steve Huston (drums), all alumni of the University of Illinois. We all lived within 30 miles of each other back then and I The city of Mason City will work with Kirk Apartments owner Ed Kent in the aftermath of the fire that gutted the building Monday, City Adminis. than 500,000 in record sales. Midwest group boasting an effective blend of hard melodic rock with progressive rock tendencies and awesome vocal arrangements. It is often considered Head East's signature song, [1] peaking at number 68 on the Billboard Hot 100, and continues to be played on classic rock radio stations in the US, generations after it was released. Head East is an American rock band formed in East Central Illinois. at a DARE concert in which the band performed and again at the Iowa They honed their craft playing colleges and clubs in the midwest, which is where they developed "Never Been Any Reason." [3] The album was their last to reach the charts and last recorded release on A&M.[3]. bill. part of it, Flota said. was at Arnolds Park in Okoboji, and I was there and proud to be [9] As part of the induction concert, several former and current members united onstage to perform, including Steve Huston and John Schlitt. Rita worked and then taught at the SIU School of Medicine for 15 years. It is often considered Head East's signature song,[1] peaking at number 68 on the Billboard Hot 100, and continues to be played on classic rock radio stations in the US, generations after it was released. She and Roger met in 2003 during faculty orientation at SIUE. [3] Neither album achieved the success of their debut album. ", Head East exploded onto the music scene in 1974 when its self-produced debut album,Flat as a Pancake, started generating regional airplay. The song has also been used on TV's That '70s Show and Friday Night Lights. 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Get Yourself Up (April 1976) and Gettin' Lucky (March, 1977) were less successful, but Head East (February, 1978), spurred by the minor singles chart entry "Since You Been Gone," reached the upper half of the Top 100. The band continues to tour to this day, playing 30 to 40 shows each year. [6] He would later recover, become a born-again Christian and reappear as the lead singer of the Contemporary Christian Music band Petra. Also an. According to Boyd, these two careers fulfilled two of his lifelong dreams. They are best known for their 1975 hit "Never Been Any Reason", which remains a staple of AOR stations. Enterprises newspaper. The band was founded by vocalist John Schlitt, guitarist Danny Piper, keyboardist Roger Boyd, bassist Larry Boyd, and drummer Steve Huston. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony. Even in retirement, Boyd is still working to support SIUE students. inducted into the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Sept. 4 in He fronted The Union of Sinners and Saints, featuring Billy Smiley (Whiteheart) and Jason Fowler, during the band's Storyteller tour, and joined fellow Petra alum Bob Hartman for a Scandinavian tour, among other events. He and Greg Manahan were classmates in junior high and high school, and played in several bands through those years, and eventually in London Drive. "Never Been Any Reason" is the debut single by Head East from their debut album Flat as a Pancake. Legendary rock vocalist, Grammy and Dove Award-winning GMA Hall of Famer John Schlittrecently joined the popular classic rock band, Head East, for a reunion concert event which was held at the Wildwood Springs Resort in Steeleville, Missouri. [5] The album reached gold status by 1978 and would remain their most popular album, spawning another hit in the song "Love Me Tonight", which peaked at number 54. In 1999, a live album titled Live on Stage was released. By Head East Artist Head East Type Album Released They are best known for their 1975 hit "Never Been Any Reason", which remains a staple of AOR stations. Schlitt was the lead singer for Head East from 1972-1980, during which time the band released six albums, with their first, Flat as a Pancake (A&M Records, 1975) reaching Platinum status empowered by "Never Been Any Reason," which has now become a staple of classic rock radio. Iowa Hall of Fame inductees 2011. As a solo artist, member of Petra and former lead singer for popular 70s mainstream rock band Head East, Schlitt has toured all over the world. worked in a record store, said Flota. He enjoyed playing guitar and keyboard in his elementary school years, but dedicated himself to guitar when he was 15. Okoboji. releases new EP, Superstitions, HM PREMIERE: Lift The Curse unleashes new single and music video, Tidal Wave, So What?! It was a real pleasure to meet the Head East of today, and to sing once again with the Head East of the past, said Schlitt. (January, 1979) also peaked in the Top 100, as did A Different Kind of Crazy (October, 1979), and the band performed on the soundtrack to the comic anthology film J-Men Forever! Live!, an Album by Head East. Osage man, Head East guitarist, inducted with group into Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame as the lead singer of Petra, one of the most successful Christian rock bands of all time. A concert followed at Arnolds Park with Head East headlining the They met and formed the band while John, Roger, and Larry were studying at the University of Illinois, Steve was at Eastern Illinois University 45 miles away and Danny was not in college. They met and formed the band while John, Roger, and Larry were studying at the University of Illinois, Steve was at Eastern Illinois University 45 miles away and Danny was not in college. Flotas rock n roll days were interrupted for several years, University professor and founding member of a professional classic rock band. Continue with Recommended Cookies. . Tags : John Schlitt petra head east john schlitt news. Please be patient! Head East went through several lineups and musical approaches before consolidating in St. Louis in the early '70s as a hard rock quintet consisting of John Schlitt (vocals), Mike Somerville (guitar), Roger Boyd (keyboards), Dan Birney (bass), and Steve Huston (drums), all alumni of the University of Illinois. Please subscribe to keep reading. During the next few years, the Head East line-up continued to evolve into the early 90's. Classic rock radio stations often pepper it into their playlists, as it's one of the few songs that listeners seem to love even if they've never heard it before. Hooker talks about transforming a Tony Bennett classic and why you don't have to be sad and lonely to write the blues. According to lead singer John Schlitt, they would sometimes introduce it as a song by Three Dog Night because club owners didn't want them playing original songs. The first five tracks are from a 1980 show featuring the original personnel, while the last 10 tracks are from a 1981 show featuring the latter line-up. A founding member of Head East and the only original member remaining, Roger Boyd, was a professor in the SIUE Department of Social Work from 2003 until his retirement in 2011. (DVD) entertainment, news presenter | 4.8K views, 28 likes, 13 loves, 80 comments, 2 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from GBN Grenada Broadcasting Network: GBN News 28th April 2023 Anchor: Kenroy Baptiste. Eventually both Larry and Danny dropped out of the band and were replaced by Mike Somerville (guitar) and Dan Birney (bass). which featured the song Never Been Any Reason, released by They released their first album, Flat as a Pancake, in 1974 on their own record label (Pyramid Records) selling all 5,000 records and 500 eight-tracks produced. Many unusual folks appear in Grateful Dead songs. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. 1973 and 1974, he is credited with being an original member of the The band continued with little success, releasing albums on small labels. The band was founded by vocalist John Schlitt, guitarist Danny Piper, keyboardist Roger Boyd, bassist Larry Boyd, and drummer Steve Huston. Mike Somerville (1974 - 2003) Head East was a hard rock quintet originally from south central Illinois, then Champaign, Illinois, USA. Head East with John Schlitt, Steve Huston & Roger Boyd. Lacey Sturm, Out now: The Undertaking! The song features keyboardist Roger Boyd's double-tracked Minimoog solos throughout the song. The band line-up at this time included Roger Boyd, Tony Gross, Kurt Hansen, and Donnie Dobbins.