A one-time star of The Drifters, who sang lead on their big hit, "There Goes My Baby," Ben E. King also struck gold after leaving the group in 1960. His chart debut as a solo artist was the #10 hit, "Spanish Harlem." While born in North Carolina, King was raised in Harlem after moving there at the age of 9. In 1961, he scored again with "Stand By Me," which went to #4 and reappeared on the chart to peak at #9 in 1986 after being featured in the film of the same name. King had some lesser known hits through the decade, including "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" (#11) and "I (Who Have Nothing)" (#29). Ben E. King also had a big comeback hit in the 70s that many people have forgotten: "Supernatural Thing (Part 1)" went to an impressive #5 in 1975. "We Got A Thing Going On" was a duet he performed with Philadelphia R&B star Dee Dee Sharp. These two powerhouse vocalists couldn't get the song to chart for some reason when it was released in 1968. I think most people hearing it now would be surprised it didn't perform better. Ben E. King passed away in 2015 at age 76.
Tom Kimmel was born in Memphis, Tennessee and scored a lone chart single with this song, "That's Freedom." In 1987, this anthem managed to reach #64 before calling it quits. Australian rocker, John Farnham, scored a much bigger hit with his version of Kimmel's song on the Aussie charts three years later. The single comes from Kimmel's album, "5 To 1." Kimmel would not see any more chart action, but his songs have been performed by several notable country artists and have appeared in a few TV shows and films.
Led by Brandon Flowers, The Killers is a modern rock band that formed in the early 2000s in Vegas. The band's unique sound pulls from styles that were pioneered by 80s new wave bands like The Cure and The Smiths; in fact, their name is taken from the bass drum featured in the song "Crystal" by New Order. The Killers found success almost right out of the gate, and their first chart appearance came in 2004 with the excellent "Somebody Told Me" (#51). Shortly thereafter they secured their only (to date) top ten hit with "Mr. Brightside." Their sound began to dominate the decade and was copied by numerous other bands. Other notable chart appearances included "When You Were Young" (#14) and "Human" (#32). "Be Still," which appears on the band's 2012 record entitled, "Battle Born," takes a break from their fast paced rock. It is a quietly moving and inspirational piece that reminds you to stay strong in the face of adversity.
Baltimore native Greg Kihn and his band made their first chart appearance in 1981 with "The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)," which went to #15. But the tune most people link to Greg Kihn is the #2 smash, "Jeopardy" from 1983. "Jeopardy" was such a monster hit that it was one of Weird Al Yankovic's first song parodies: his version, "I Lost On Jeopardy" went to #81 in 1984. It is puzzling why more from Greg Kihn didn't see any remarkable chart action. The follow-up to "Jeopardy" was a poor choice - the mundane "Love Never Fails" stalled at #59. "Someday," from that same record, "Kihnspiracy," would have made a much better choice. Some other underrated gems from his catalogue include "Any Other Woman," "Happy Man," and "Curious." Greg Kihn had a lot of fun spinning his name into album titles. Some additional examples include "Next Of Kihn," "Kihntagious," and, most recently, "Rekihndled." Even his greatest hits played on this theme, entitled "Kihnsolidation."
Even if you're not familiar with the name Tom Keifer, you're sure to recognize his distinctive growl from his days fronting the 80s band Cinderella. Keifer can still "scream his heart out" on a solid blues rocker, but he shows that he is not limited to this single dimension on his 2013 solo effort entitled, "The Way Life Goes." It's a surprisingly great record that blends his past stylings with a modernized sound and matured songwriting. "A Different Light" probably showcases this best. The deluxe edition features a new rendition of Cinderella's breakthrough hit, "Nobody's Fool," performed as a duet with powerhouse vocalist Lzzy Hale from Halestorm.
Tommy Keene was an underground power pop legend from Maryland who started culling his dedicated fan base in the 80s with his catchy and crunchy tunes. Bouncing between Cheap Trick and The Replacements, his sound has influenced many other artists in the genre. Despite never having had chart success himself, he has helped others to do so. For example, Keene played guitar on "Broadway," which was a hit for the Goo Goo Dolls in 1998. The prolific artist recorded nine studio albums before passing away unexpectedly at the age of 59 in 2017. "Back To Zero Now" surfaced on the 1993 compilation record, "The Real Underground," as a previously unreleased track.
James Keefer, who chose the stage name Keith, seemed destined for stardom. "Ain't Gonna Lie" marked his chart debut in 1966, but he is best known for his follow-up smash, "98.6," which went all the way to #7. Keith scored another top 40 hit in 1967 when "Tell Me To My Face" hit #37. One final appearance on the chart came later that year when "Daylight Saving' Time" stalled at #79. Keith's budding career was cut short when he was arrested while on tour for dodging the draft. He tried multiple times to mount a comeback after that, but never saw chart action again. Keith also spent time touring as a member of Frank Zappa's band.
Keb' Mo' (Kevin Moore) is a Grammy-winning blues guitarist from Nashville. His mix of gritty and sweet songs have yet to break through to the mainstream, but critics and fans know better. "Life Is Beautiful" is just a taste of the bevy of talent he holds within. If you're not a big fan of the blues, I'm willing to bet Keb' Mo' might help change that.
English band Keane formed in the late 90s and managed to break onto the American charts a few years after with "Somewhere Only We Know" (#50) and "Is It Any Wonder?" (#78). Strange that the delicate vocals of Tom Chaplin and the piano/keyboard wizardry of Tim Rice-Oxley did not produce more hit singles in the US. The two crafted songs that could lift your spirit into the clouds or make it feel the heat of Hell's flames. While this magical team was together, they released four full-length records and an EP. "Strangeland" from 2012 was their latest and may sadly be their last due to tensions in the band. Tom Chaplin has since embarked on a solo career, releasing "The Wave" in 2017. Most in the US only know the band's ballad side, but they have written some excellent peppy rock. "On The Road" is one of my favorite examples of the latter.
Katrina Leskanich was born in Kansas but formed her band, Katrina and the Waves, in Cambridge, England during the late 70s. The band would finally hit the big time in 1985 when their now classic hit, "Walking On Sunshine," surfed to #9. "Do You Want Crying" was their follow-up single, but for some odd reason this wonderfully upbeat pop rocker stalled at #37. The band's next single ("Que Te Quiero") fared even worse, stopping at #71. Fans were probably wondering at this point, "Is that it?", which is funny because that was the title of their next song. However, when it stalled at a dismal #70, the band seemed destined for one-hit wonder status. But technically they avoided this fate -- in 1989, they came back with a great tune that many have forgotten called "That's The Way," which put them back in the top 20 at #16. The band slowly faded away but came back to score their largest hit ever in the UK after winning the 1997 Eurovision songwriting contest with a feel good tune called "Love Shine A Light."
A lot of decent rock and roll artists fell through the cracks in the late 80s during the glam and hairband craze - Tim Karr is one of them. His 1989 album, entitled "Rubbin' Me The Right Way" (of course) features a shirtless Karr sporting the big hair on his chest as well as his head. Hitching his wagon to the cock rock of the day was the fashionable thing to do, but it might have cost him some credibility as a songwriter. You'll find a talent for melody here, and he sounds a lot like Jon Bon Jovi. Does anyone know what happened to this guy?
Mark Kano is the distinctive baritone voice that led the 90s band Athenaeum to their 15 seconds of fame with the minor hit, "What I Didn't Know." He's released a couple solo efforts that extend the band's sound, his first being 2009's "Walking On Broadway." It's a terrific EP, with "Where Were You Last Night" just one of several notable highlights. A strong and emotive vocal carries this melodious tune to lofty heights.
Named for the state where the band was formed in the early 70s, Kansas is a strange beast. Starting off as an experimental prog rock band, they had no chart success. But as their songwriting matured and shortened to radio-friendly lengths, they scored some whoppers that led to millions of albums sold. "Carry On My Wayward Son" secured the band it's first hit in 1976, just missing the top 10 as the song peaked at #11. "Point of Know Return" also performed well, coming in at #28. Then they scored the hit of their career, "Dust In The Wind" - quite possibly the most depressing song to ever hit the top 10 (it peaked at #6 in 1978). The band never saw the top 10 again and went through a variety of perplexing lineup changes through the 80s. Founding lead singer Steve Walsh left for a while to form the band Streets. He returned in 1986 and made one of the band's most rocking albums, "Power," which yielded "All I Wanted" (#19), and the title track (#84, the band's last chart appearance). "Two Cents Worth" comes from the band's 1975 record, "Masque." Just before the band hit it big, this funky rock number sounds like something out of Stevie Wonder's catalogue. A great tune whose lyrics are basically Walsh's two cents worth about the craziness in the world. In my mind, this song, plus the Boston-sounding leadoff track, "It Takes A Woman's Love (To Make A Man)," should have put the group on the charts earlier.
Karen Kamon had a couple near-misses in the 80s. The singer and actress is perhaps best known for her song "Manhunt" from the Flashdance soundtrack. She had another song, "Squeeze Play" on the D.C. Cab soundtrack. Apart from soundtracks, she released two albums, the first of which ("Heart Of You") yielded her lone top 100 single: "Loverboy." A true guilty pleasure and throwback to the 80s! Kamon married famed producer Phil Ramone in 1984.
Early 90s radio wasn't just for grunge; adult contemporary artists like Richard Marx, Celine Dion, and Michael Bolton were still very popular. Joshua Kadison, a pianist and vocalist from Los Angeles, enjoyed a few moments in this sun. His debut album, "Painted Desert Serenade," was released in 1993 and spawned three charting singles. The airy and pleasant "Jessie" went to #26. A staple of many weddings, "Beautiful In My Eyes," reached #19. The third single, "Picture Postcards From L.A.," managed to climb to #84. Despite this promising debut, his follow-up efforts have never seen chart action. Sad for such a talented artist. "Mama's Arms" is a heartfelt song about the loss of the family matriarch. The song is dedicated to Kadison's mother, Gloria Castillo, who was an actress who appeared in many sci-fi B-movies in the 50s.
July For Kings, also known as JFK to fans, is an Ohio-based hard rock outfit that should have hit the big time in the early 2000s with their fantastic album, "Swim." Led by the throaty vocals of Joe Hedges, the band has a powerful sound and memorable choruses. In addition to "Normal Life," check out "Girlfriend," "Champagne," and "Meteor Flower." "Normal Life" is a simple song about craving the simple life, but it simply works. The band has released a few other albums since; their most recent has been 2015's "Middletown."
Jughead was a short-lived side project by Ty Tabor, who is better known as a key member of the rock band King's X. Jughead included musicians from Dream Theater and David Lee Roth's band. Jughead released a single self-titled LP back in 2002 that was filled with catchy little gems like this one.
The Judybats were an alternative rock band from Tennessee that released a string of records in the early 90s. Their blend of folk rock and quirky, smart lyrics provided relief from noise the grunge bands were using to demolish the hairbands. The band nearly broke through in a big way with their wonderful 1993 album, "Pain Makes You Beautiful." "Being Simple" is a gorgeous song that received considerable airplay, but not enough to make it onto the Top 100 chart. Other highlights from the record include "All Day Afternoon," "La Dulcinea," and the title track. When the band's 1994 follow-up record "Full-Empty" tanked, they called it quits. Vocalist Jeff Heiskell has released several records since as a solo artist.
Pioneering heavy metal band Judas Priest has being going strong since their heyday in the early 80s. Rob Halford and the gang managed to score a single chart appearance in the US in 1982 when their classic anthem, "You've Got Another Thing Coming" reached #67. Surprisingly, a number of their other well-known songs like "Breaking The Law" or "Hell Bent For Leather" did not scratch the chart's surface. "United" is another terrific anthem and concert favorite, lifted from their breakthrough 1980 record "British Steel."
The legendary melodic rock band from San Francisco, Journey, began as an experimental outfit. Their first three records in the 70s contain overly long jams that sound like an entirely different band. The band didn't see chart success until the magical voice and melodic sensibilities of Steve Perry joined in 1978. With Steve Perry onboard and scoring their first chart hit, "Wheel In The Sky" (#57), Journey began their trek to superstardom. They racked up so many hits in the 80s, they became the 20th most successful artist of the decade. Despite being known all over the world, they've never had a #1 hit. "Open Arms" is the closest they've come, sitting at #2 for six weeks in 1982. Guitarist Neal Schon is the only founding member still in the band today (longtime member and keyboardist Jonathan Cain, who played in The Babys before Journey, came onboard in 1981). Schon and Cain were also involved in the side band Bad English in the late 80s. Another fun fact: American Idoljudge Randy Jackson was in the band from 1986-1987. "Stone In Love" is a well-known tune from their 1981 album, "Escape," but it never charted. "Escape" was a game changer for the band, yielding not only "Open Arms," but also "Who's Crying Now" (#4, and their first top ten hit), "Don't Stop Believin'" (#9, and saw a huge resurgence thanks to its use in the finale of The Sopranos), and "Still They Ride" (#19).
Not sure why the stars never aligned for rock singer Sass Jordon. She was born in England and raised in Montreal, Canada, where she earned a loyal following (and later served as a judge on Canadian Idol). With music very much in the style of Melissa Etheridge, Jordon seemed to have all the ingredients to make a similar splash on the US charts in the 90s. However, this never happened. Jordon managed to score one lone chart appearance in 1994 with the melancholy "Sun's Gonna Rise," which only rose to #86. I enjoy this song a lot, but if you check out more of her catalogue you'll find plenty of upbeat rockers.
