Canadian native Amanda Marshall is a powerhouse vocalist who was first noticed by fellow Canadian and blues rocker Jeff Healey, who took her on tour. By 1995 she released her self-titled debut solo album, which became a monster success up North. The record landed with a dull thud in the US, however. Only managing to spawn one minor chart hit ("Birmingham" hit #43 in 1996), Marshall failed to strike a chord with US audiences. Maybe Celine Dion was enough. Even the stellar song "Let It Rain" didn't resonate with Americans. Marshall's second release, "Tuesday's Child," arrived in 1999 and quickly became another success story in Canada. Not so much in the US, despite Marshall landing several of her songs in popular movies like Tin Cup and My Best Friend's Wedding. Marshall sings her heart out on every song she does, but nothing blows me away quite as much as "If I Didn't Have You." Hard to get to the end without getting goosebumps.
The Marmalade were an underrated Scottish band known as one-hit wonders in the US. Their only top 40 hit stateside was in 1970 when "Reflections Of My Life" reached #10. The song is a holdover from the late 60s with its sweet melody and gentle horns. The Marmalade made plenty more like this, but many don't know the other sides of this talented band. As they moved into the 70s, they forged ahead with a grittier classic rock sound (check out "Radancer"). "The Ballad Of Cherry Flavor" showcases their folky acoustic side so much that it could be mistaken for a Bob Dylan song.
Never been a big reggae fan, and rarely do such acts crossover to the Top 100 chart. But there are some artists who simply transcend their musical genre and create art that virtually everyone enjoys and appreciates. Bob Marley had this magical touch in abundance. Despite his legendary stature, Marley only had a single chart appearance in 1976 when "Roots, Rock, Reggae" managed to crawl its way to #51. He has a remarkable catalogue of songs that nearly everyone knows, but none of them landed on the charts. Which makes it really difficult to pick one to highlight. After long deliberations, I settled on "Three Little Birds." Released in 1977, it is among six songs Marley has secured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and a favorite go-to song when I need to chill.
Singer and songwriter Benny Mardones was a one-hit wonder in the 80s, but his best known song actually charted twice. "Into The Night" hit #11 in 1980 and then returned to the chart in 1989 and reached #20. His hit song came from the 1980 record, "Never Run Never Hide," which should have spawned additional hits like "Hometown Girls" and this jamming rocker one, "Hold Me Down." But the album remains an underrated gem known only to AOR collectors. Mardones would continue to flex his powerhouse vocals throughout the decade and beyond, but never got another single onto the charts. He could have been as big as Michael Bolton, but one Michael Bolton was enough.
Roger Joseph Manning, Jr., is one of the founding members of power pop favorites, Jellyfish. After completing one album with a new band in 1996 (Imperial Drag), he continued his fancy for baroque pop as a solo artist, releasing his first effort in 2006. In Japan, it was called "Solid State Warrior" and in the US it was called "The Land Of Pure Imagination" (there are some minor differences between the two releases). Fans of Jellyfish will instantly recognize the melodies and style of Manning's solo work, which comes closest to the Jellyfish sound than most other solo work from his fellow Jellyfishers. "Too Late For Us Now" is but one example of his innovative songwriting. If you're in the mood for something slower, check out the sublime "Appleby."
Aimee Mann rose to fame as the voice behind 80s one-hit wonders, 'Til Tuesday. Some may also remember her as Geddy Lee's partner in the duet "Time Stand Still" by Rush in 1987. But Mann has been quietly cranking out solo records since her debut album in 1993, "Whatever." Mann is a darling of critics, but her brand of snarky lyrics wrapped in perky pop hasn't translated into commercial success. Her only chart appearance occurred in 1995 when "That's Just What You Are" (co-written with Jon Brion) managed to climb to #93. The song was lifted from her sophomore effort, "I'm With Stupid," which boasted lots of special guests. Do you recognize the backing vocals on "That's Just What You Are"? That's Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford of Squeeze. Juliana Hatfield sang on some tracks, and her future husband, Michael Penn, played acoustic guitar on several tracks. While commercial success has been elusive, her songwriting prowess has earned her two Grammys and wide critical acclaim. "Say Anything" defies all logical explanation for not giving Mann more commercial success. From her debut solo effort, it remains one of the best, most radio-friendly tunes she's ever written.
Brooklyn native Barry Alan Pincus (aka Manilow) was a student of the prestigious Julliard School and his talents were quickly put to use. He got his start as the accompanist for the great Bette Midler and was a sought after composer of commercial jingles (he gets the praise or blame for McDonald's long-running "You deserve a break today" ad). Manilow's first chart hit arrived in 1974 when "Mandy" soared to #1 - not a bad way to start your career. He would reach the top twice more with "I Write The Songs" and "Looks Like We Made It." Manilow did so well in the 70s with his grandiose pop and syrupy ballads that he became the 23rd most successful artist of the decade. The 80s were not as kind. With changing musical trends, Manilow struggled to stay contemporary. He adapted his sound to incorporate more synths and even dabbled in jazz. His last top 40 hit was in 1983 when "Read 'Em And Weep" reached #18. "Here Comes The Night" was Manilow's 1982 album that spawned the hits "Memory" (#39) and "Some Kind Of Friend" (#26). He was running on fumes at this point, but "Heart of Steel" seemed to have all the ingredients to put some zest back in Manilow's step, but it fell through the cracks.
The history of Manic Street Preachers goes all the way back to 1986. The Welsh band has hit the big time in the UK, but never rose to more than cult status in the US despite critical acclaim. This is not a reflection on the band, but rather a reflection on the questionable taste of music among Americans. As you might expect for a band that has been together for decades, the sound of The Manics (as they're called by those in the know) has undergone significant evolution. They burst onto the scene with an ambitious hard rock and punk album in 1992 called "Generation Terrorists." Considered by many to be one of the greatest rock albums, it probably didn't gain traction in the US because it wasn't grunge. Check out "Slash 'n' Burn" and "Stay Beautiful" for highlights from this era. Today, the band still crafts lofty melodies around cerebral lyrics, and they often incorporate sweeping orchestration into their songs. Their latest album came out this year, entitled "Resistance Is Futile." It is not a tribute to Star Trek's Borg, but do check out "People Give In" and "International Blue." Compare and contrast this sound to the tracks on "Generation Terrorists" and you'll think they're from two different bands. "Send Away The Tigers" is the majestic opening to their 2007 album of the same name. Another track that should not be missed.
Manfred Lubowitz was born in South Africa and embarked on his musical career in England after taking the stage name Manfred Mann in the 60s. They scored an early #1 hit right out of the gate in 1964 with the classic, "Do Wah Diddy Diddy." The band would see the top spot of the chart one more time as Manfred Mann's Earth Band in 1976 with song "Blinded By The Light," which was written by Bruce Springsteen. Another artist Mann liked to cover was Bob Dylan. They took his song "Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo)" to #10 in 1968. "You Angel You" was also written by Dylan, but stalled at #58 in 1979. I thought it deserved better. The band's last chart hit was in 1984 when "Runner" reached #22.
Barbara Mandrell is no stranger to the country music scene. She churned out 55 appearances on the country charts in the 70s and 80s, and was inducted into the C&W Hall of Fame in 2009. Crossover success seemed eminent when she and her sisters scored a variety show for television in the early 80s; however, her only top 40 hit remained 1979's "(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want To Be Right," which got to a modest #31. I honestly don't know why she couldn't interest top 40 radio with her pop friendly songs like the ear worm "Sleeping Single In A Double Bed." This had hit written all over it, but it bubbled under in 1978.
Mitch Malloy is a singer/songwriter from North Dakota who arrived on the hairband scene just a little too late to hit the big time. And its a shame, because this guy is a soulful rock vocalist with a knack for writing big, bold choruses that make you want to sing along. His debut album arrived in 1992 and he almost cracked the top 40 with his first single, "Anything At All." The song reached #49 and was followed by the requisite power ballad, "Nobody Wins In This War," which peaked at a disappointing #66. Taking many of his melodic rock fans by surprise, Malloy went full adult contemporary for his follow up record, "Ceilings and Walls." It proved to be a sophomore jinx, which is too bad because it has some beautiful gems on it, including a soulful duet with Paul Carrack called "Ready To Go Home." Malloy has also been a part of other projects, including Fluid Sol and South of Eden. He also auditioned to be Sammy Hagar's replacement in Van Halen. Malloy continues to crank out quality rock as a solo artist and recently (July 2018) became the lead singer for Great White. "Forever" goes back to Malloy's killer debut record. If this catchy tune were released as a second single, perhaps it would have made him the household name he deserves to be.
Madonna is ranked the fourth most successful act in history, and is the #1 female vocalist of our time. After a couple false starts in groups like The Breakfast Club and Emmy, she went solo and dominated the 80s and 90s, becoming the 3rd most successful charting artist of each of those two decades. Even in the 2000s, she was able to change with the music landscape and maintain an impressive chart presence, winding up as the 49th best artist of that decade. She continues to have hits this decade as well, her last top 10 being "Give Me All Your Luvin'" from 2012. Madonna has scored a dozen #1 hits and plenty of #2 hits and top 40 hits and she is still going. "Over and Over" comes from her 1984 sophomore record, "Like A Virgin." It is a peppy dance pop song in all its 80s glory, but has a message that is the secret to Madonna's success.
Indiana native Lonnie Mack didn't sound like your typical 60s artist. Mack fused rockabilly with blue-eyed soul, an unexpected combination that few others could ever hope to pull off. Mack achieved modest chart success with hits like "Memphis" (#5, 1963) and "Wham!" (#24, 1963). He also did a lot of session work for the likes of James Brown and The Doors. You can't get more versatile than that! "The Man In Me" showcases yet another side to this underrated musician, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 74.
My introduction to Lynyrd Skynyrd was in middle school when a math teacher pointed to another student's notebook that had the band's name written on it. My teacher told him how to spell "Leonard" correctly, which brought on a bunch of laughter. The legendary Southern rock band is indeed named after a Leonard, and a teacher at that! Lynyrd Skynyrd was named after their gym teacher, Leonard Skinner. Despite the fact that just about everyone has heard of the band and many of their classic tunes, they've never had a huge chart presence. Their only top 10 hit was "Sweet Home Alabama," a snarky counter to Neil Young songs that were critical of the South. "Sweet Home Alabama" found its home at #8 in 1974. The closest the band would come again to the top 10 was with 1977's "What's Your Name," which claimed #13. Their epic ballad, "Free Bird," only flew to #19. Many of you may be surprised to learn that several well-known Lynyrd Skynyrd songs did not chart, including "That Smell," "Simple Man," and "Gimme Three Steps."
Legendary songwriter and producer Jeff Lynne has always been busy with his band projects, which include ELO, Traveling Wilburys, and The Move. Nonetheless, he has released a couple of solo songs and albums. His lone chart appearance as a solo artist came in 1984 when "Video!" - a song from the movie Electric Dreams - went to #85. Lynne's first full-length solo record arrived in 1990, called "Armchair Theatre." After a rollicking start, it settles down into a rather sedated mood. But Lynne's talents for melody and harmony continue to shine throughout. In addition to "Life Me Up," be sure to check out "Every Little Thing" and "Blown Away."
Luce is a rock band from San Francisco fronted by singer/songwriter Tom Luce. They arrived on the scene in 2001 with their self-titled debut record and started to pick up some steam with cuts like "Long Way Down" and "Good Day." The latter was featured in several films and TV shows. In 2005, the band released their sophomore record, "Never Ending," which contained one of my favorites: "Buy A Dog." Unfortunately, the band has not been able to gain enough traction for a commercial breakthrough...yet.
Nick Lowe is an English singer/songwriter who blended pop, rock, and rockabilly into his eclectic catalogue. In the US, he is largely considered a one-hit wonder thanks to his classic tune "Cruel To Be Kind" (co-written with Ian Gomm) hitting #12 in 1979. Lowe would see the charts one other time as a solo artist: in 1985, "I Knew The Bride (When She Use To Rock And Roll)" hit #77. Lowe was also a member of Rockpile.
Not many bands have a major coffee chain to thank for exposure, but Low Stars have Starbucks to thank for theirs. Starbucks dug the duo's coffeehouse acoustic rock and stunning harmony vocals, offering to release their lone self-titled LP on the Starbucks music label, Hear Music. Low Stars was a one-off project between Dave Gibbs (Gigolo Aunts) and Chris Seefried and Jeff Russo (Tonic). They've drawn comparisons to The Eagles and I can tell you why - just listen to "Need A Friend."
Low Millions released a single record, 2004's "Ex-Girlfriends." The lead single, "Eleanor," seemed to have all the ingredients to break onto the charts, but it didn't happen. Another song by the band, "Statue," was just as good, but Low Millions could not even find a low position on the charts. Shame. I would have enjoyed hearing more from this alt rock band.
It is hard to find a tune by The Lovin' Spoonful that did not sweeten the charts already. Starting in 1965, this New York-based band racked up a phenomenal string of seven consecutive top 10 hits including "Do You Believe In Magic" (#9), "Daydream" (#2), "Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind?" (#2), and "Nashville Cats" (#8). The band managed to top the chart with the classic smash, "Summer In The City," which reigned for three weeks at #1 in 1966. "She Is Still A Mystery" has the dubious distinction of being the band's last top 40 hit. After landing at #27 in 1967, the band squeaked out a a few minor hits before breaking up in 1970. Why they faded away so quickly after their impressive hot streak is still a mystery.
