Van Stephenson was a singer and songwriter who largely wrote for country acts and was a member of the BlackHawk with Henry Paul in the 90s. But during the 80s, he released three solo albums that produced a handful of minor hits, most notably "Modern Day Delilah," which reached #22 in 1984. Stephenson's third and final album, "Suspicious Heart" from 1986, was a commercial flop without a charting single. The label tried with "We're Doing Alright," but perhaps "(We Should Be) Together Tonight" would have fared better. Sadly, Stephenson's career was cut short--he passed away from melanoma in 2001 at the age of 47.
The Henry Paul Band scored one minor hit in the early 80s with "Keeping Our Love Alive." With a sound reminiscent of the Eagles brand of country rock, the song deserved better than stalling at #50. The song also features Richard Paige (Mr. Mister) and Bill Champlin (Chicago) on backing vocals. The Henry Paul Band also had some pretty incredible guitar playing for a group that was considered soft rock. Some of their solos and riffs would have a home in shredding metal songs - seriously! Henry Paul was in a Southern rock band called The Outlaws before and after this venture, and formed the country band BlackHawk in 1991. By 1998, he was back on the charts with "There You Have It," which reached #41. "Longshot" preceded the arrival of "Keeping Our Love Alive" but it bubbled under in 1980. It was another single that should have brought this talented band some wider recognition. Fun fact: both of these songs (and many others in the band's catalogue) were co-written with Jim Peterik, a co-founder of Survivor.
