Three Dog Night was one of the hottest acts of the early 70s. Combining rock, soul, and pop, this group led by Danny Hutton was the most successful chart artists of 1971 and the 14th most successful of the decade. Hutton got his start as a solo artist in the 60s, landing a single chart hit in 1965 when "Roses And Rainbows" reached #73. It wasn't long before his new band got him back on the charts in a big way. The band's cover of "Try A Little Tenderness" got to #29 in 1969, but their remarkable string of super hits quickly followed, starting with "One" (written by Harry Nilsson) peaking at #5 later that year. The band's chart career was relatively short, ending in 1975 after "Til The World Ends" stalled at #32. But it was filled with timeless classics including three #1's: "Mama Told Me (Not To Come)," (written by Randy Newman), "Joy To The World" (six weeks at #1), and "Black & White." In addition to those already mentioned, the band's hits included songs written by John Hiatt, Dave Loggins, Leo Sayer, and Russ Ballard. "Put Out The Light" is an overlooked highlight from the band's 1974 record, "Hard Labor," which is also one of the creepiest album covers ever.
Bonnie Raitt has been a mainstay on the charts across three decades, beginning in 1977 when her cover of Del Shannon's "Runaway," which featured Michael McDonald on backing vocals, landed at #57. Another duet, 1995's "Rock Steady" with Bryan Adams, became her final chart appearance. In the intervening years, Raitt scored numerous hits, her biggest being "Something To Talk About," which went to #5 in 1991. Others include "I Can't Make You Love Me" (#18) and "Love Sneakin' Up On You" (#19). Her popular song from 1989, a cover of John Hiatt's "Thing Called Love," which Hiatt sings on, surprisingly did not crack the Top 100. Her successes led to her induction in the R&R Hall of Fame in 2000. There's plenty of other good stuff in Raitt's catalogue to enjoy. Her 1982 effort, "Green Light," kicks off with this pleasant number called "Keep This Heart In Mind."
You've got to be kidding me! John Hiatt has never had a single song chart on the hot 100? Criminal! This legendary, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter has been writing hits for years, but they only land on the charts when other artists cover them. One of the most prolific artists of our time, he currently has 22 studio albums under his belt. Hiatt's first taste of success goes back to 1974, when his song "Sure As I'm Sittin' Here" was made into a #16 hit for Three Dog Night. Some of his other famous tunes include Jeff Healey's "Angel Eyes," which peaked at #5 in 1989 and Bonnie Raitt's version of "Thing Called Love." Hiatt's 1987 album (his eighth) was his first to chart and yielded several of his classics, including the gorgeous "Have A Little Faith In Me." The song has been covered by many, from Bon Jovi to Jewel to Joe Cocker. It's never cracked the top 100.
