Organizers of the benefit concert for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and the John Entwistle Foundation today confirmed that legendary Grand Funk Railroad guitarist and lead vocalist Mark Farner has been added to the September 20, 2008 concert line-up. Farner will join Blue Oyster Cult guitarist Buck Dharma and former Deep Purple/Rainbow lead vocalist Joe Lynn Turner on-stage, along with former members of the John Entwistle Band, in what has become one of the most anticipated concert events of 2008.
Farner found success at age 20 as the unmistakable voice of the original Grand Funk Railroad, a band that rose to international superstar status in the early 1970s and went on to record 12 platinum and 15 gold selling albums. On his 25th birthday Farner’s rock classic 'We’re An American Band' peaked at #1 on the Hot 100 chart. Other legendary Grand Funk Railroad hits include 'The Loco-Motion', 'Bad Time', 'Some Kind Of Wonderful', and 'I’m Your Captain (Closer to Home)'. In 1971 Grand Funk Railroad broke The Beatles' 1966 attendance record for a single show at Shea Stadium in New York -- a record that stands to this day. The original band called it quits in 1977 before reuniting for several benefit shows in 1995 that were recorded and released as a double-live CD. Those concerts ultimately led to a three-year reunion tour that Pollstar ranked as one of the best of 1998. Among his many other credits, Farner has also toured as a member of Ringo Starr's All Starr Band.
Tickets to the September 20, 2008 event at Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, North Carolina are now on sale via Ticketmaster and the Koka Booth box office.
This is all fine and well, but sadly, the way things are going, this will be as close to being inducted to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as any of these artists are ever liable to get. The way the RRHOF has treated these bands I'm surprised they're not charging them admission to play.
Grand Funk Railroad performing "Inside Looking Out" live from 1969. This clip was shot at "The Show" WITF-TV in Hershey,Pa. November 1969 :
4 comments:
Nice read. Thank you.
I agree with you when you talk about how the Rock and roll hall of fame works. It just sucks that so many GREAT artists are overlooked as unimportant to music history.
I have a site trying to get the attention of the hall for my favorite singer-songwriter Melanie. I don't know if she stands a chance in hell in being inducted but, I am hoping so.
Thanks again for the read,
Jim Baldwin
Spokane WA
LetHerIn dot org
I love what the Entwistle Foundation is all about. Providing instruments for challenged children through the Public Libraries is a brilliant cause!
However, it's an irritating thought to know that the Rock and Roll Hall of Lame-Game in Cleveland will benefit from some of those proceeds. Snubbing some of the very same artists that will perform Free for this benefit and then raking in the funds is shameful.
I do applaud the artist's themselves for rising above it all and doing it for the kids. Bravo!
Museums are supposed to be educational...Hello selection committee, education for you... Listen to the people! You've missed major talent in your political selection processes. We have suggested the greats and petitioned for the greats and now these same musicians will show up and perform for the people's cause! Pull your heads "out" from where they've been and notice the musicians that changed the world of music and lives. How can you take the money they help generate and not agree they are great rock contributors to the lives of people and the world of music?
More shame for the Hall of Shame, taking money from babies.
its so good to see a post about grand funk, i am just rediscovering all their great albums (the first seven) after a thirty year break; : Sins a Good Mans Brother", "Mr Limosine Driver', 'Footsompin Music', 'Black LIcourice'; wow, some called them the Black Sabbath of the US which is ridiculous, they did sell more than any other artists for a while, 3 gold albums in 1970 alone; they are the Grand Funk of the US; and instead we have Madonna recognised, tarbabyjim you are working hard for melanie, i think there are a few more who will in in the queue ahead of her though, Grand Funk included
Paul
rockrevivaltripleh.blogspot.com
The Rock and Roll Hall of Lame is an embarrassment and does a horrible job of honoring Hard Rock and Heavy Metal legends and I wish Mark would have nothing to do with that place because they will never even consider Grand Funk Railroad for induction and that is a travesty.
SpaceTrucker
http://rockchoice.com
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