Ambrosia is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1970. Ambrosia had five Top 40 hit singles released between 1975 and 1980, including the Top 5 hits "How Much I Feel" and "Biggest Part of Me", and Top 20 hits "You're the Only Woman (You & I)" and "Holdin' on to Yesterday". Most of the original band members have been active with the group continuously since their 1989 reformation to the present day, with the notable exception of original guitarist and lead vocalist David Pack who left in 2000.
The group was founded as a quartet with guitarist/vocalist David Pack, bassist/vocalist Joe Puerta, keyboardist Christopher North and drummer Burleigh Drummond.[2] According to Joe Puerta,[3][4] their original name was "Ambergris Mite," but after doing some touring they discovered there was already a band using the name "Ambergris," so they turned to the dictionary and picked the name "Ambrosia" because a name meaning "nectar of the gods" seemed fitting.[5] While Ambrosia had several radio hits in the 1970s, much of the material on their five albums is progressive in nature.
The musicians, inspired by the music and artists of the progressive rock era, acquired a significant regional admiration. In 1971, a friend who was doing sound for the Hollywood Bowl, invited them to play there on stage to test a new sound system that had been installed. Gordon Parry, the head engineer in charge at the Bowl, was so impressed with the group that he invited them back to attend performances by the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He introduced them to conductor Zubin Mehta, who featured Ambrosia as part of a so-called All-American Dream Concert.[7]
Their first album, Ambrosia, produced by Freddie Piro, was released in February 1975.[7] It spawned the top 20 chart single "Holdin' On to Yesterday", as well as "Nice, Nice, Very Nice".[7] The latter sets to music the lyrics to a poem in Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle.[7] The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Engineered Recording (other than Classical). Alan Parsons was the engineer for Ambrosia's first album and the producer for their second.[6] All four members of Ambrosia played on the first Alan Parsons Project album, Tales of Mystery and Imagination, which was recorded soon after Ambrosia's first album. David Pack later appeared on the Alan Parsons album Try Anything Once (1993), co-writing, playing, and providing vocals on three songs.
Ambrosia backstage in the 1970s. L to R: David Pack, Joe Puerta, Burleigh Drummond, Christopher North
After lengthy touring, the band recorded Somewhere I've Never Travelled, produced by Alan Parsons and released in September 1976. The album yielded the title song and the single "Can't Let a Woman", which both became FM favorites, both featuring lush orchestration and vocal arrangements. The record sleeve folded into a large pyramid. Somewhere I've Never Travelled received a Grammy nomination and set the stage for the band's signing to Warner Bros. Records.
In 1976 the group recorded the Beatles song "Magical Mystery Tour", for the transitory musical documentary, All This and World War II (November 1976).[7] The film's soundtrack consisted of different artists providing arrangements of Beatles songs. Their version of "Magical Mystery Tour" scored a top 40 hit,[7] and has since been a staple of their live shows.[8]
In August 1978, Life Beyond L.A. was released. It marked a move away from their lush arrangements and introduced a more raw, aggressive jazz/R&B influence. Christopher North, who had family obligations and was not totally happy with the group's shift away from the sound of the first two albums, had left the group in 1977 during the album's recording.[7]
The year 1978 marked their biggest pop breakthrough with their first Gold single "How Much I Feel" from the album, which was a No.3 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.[7] Warner Bros advertised the title cut for radio and Life Beyond L.A. started to get significant airplay on radio stations, a few months after the album's release. Extensive touring with Fleetwood Mac, Heart, and the Doobie Brothers, in addition to major headlining shows, cemented Ambrosia's reputation as a live act.[9] For the 1978 touring band, North returned and the group added a second keyboardist, David C. Lewis, as well as an additional singer, Royce Jones, who joined in late 1978.[10]
In April 1980 Warner Bros. released One Eighty, which produced two of the year's biggest hits. The first, "Biggest Part of Me", reached number three for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100,[7] and crossed over to the soul chart, where it peaked at number thirty-five.[11] The second, another blue-eyed soul hit, "You're the Only Woman (You & I)", reached No.13 on the Billboard Hot 100. One Eighty earned the band three Grammy nominations, including Best Pop Vocal Group. A headlining world tour followed. For the Japanese leg of the tour, the group was joined by their longtime friend Cliff Woolley (formerly of The Association, who had also guested on Life Beyond L.A.) on guitar, harmonica, and backup vocals.
The title of the album One Eighty was believed by fans to signal the group's "180-degree" change in direction.[9]
Also in 1980, the band contributed the song "Outside" to the film Inside Moves, and "Feels So Good to Win" appeared in the film Coast to Coast later that same year. The following year they placed another track, "Poor Rich Boy" (written by Burt Bacharach), on the soundtrack of the film, Arthur.
In 1982, David C. Lewis briefly left the touring group to be replaced by Bruce Hornsby, four years before his own rise to stardom. The same year, Ambrosia released their fifth and final studio album, Road Island (May 1982[12]), their first effort without the assistance of Freddie Piro's production company. Produced by James Guthrie, the album consisted of intense, driving hard rock (outside of the soft ballad "Feeling Alive Again" and the progressive rock closer "Endings"). Though it received some airplay with "How Can You Love Me", the album was a commercial disappointment. The band broke up afterwards, ending their run of chart success.[9]
Later years
After Ambrosia, David Pack pursued a solo career and produced or worked with many top artists. Pack's 1985 solo album, Anywhere You Go, included the song "Prove Me Wrong", which also appeared on the soundtrack of the 1985 film White Nights. Joe Puerta became a founding member of Bruce Hornsby and the Range.
In 1989, Ambrosia reunited with all four original members and began playing live shows again, mostly on the West Coast. They expanded their touring ranks once again with Tollak Ollestad (vocals, keyboards, harmonica) and Shem von Schroeck (vocals, percussion, bass, guitar).
In 1995, the band expanded their annual touring schedule. Pack had a conflict and guitarist John DeFaria filled in for him. Bernie Chiaravalle likewise stepped-in in the summer of 1997 and Mike Keneally did the honors in 1998 and 2000 for the concerts Pack was unable to play. Brian Stiemke subbed for an ill Burleigh Drummond for a few shows in 1997.
In May 1997, Warner Bros. released Ambrosia's greatest hits CD Anthology, which contained tracks from all five albums plus three new tracks. In addition to Anthology, the entire Ambrosia catalog was remastered and released on CD.
The band launched a 30th anniversary tour in 2000. Early the following year, it was announced that Pack had permanently left the band and he was replaced by Doug Jackson, who had filled in for him for some shows the previous year. Pack's final show with the band was on November 4, 2000, in Chandler, Arizona. Jackson was in place on guitar for their 2001 shows, except for one gig at Stone Mountain Park in Georgia on August 25 where Steve Farris (from Mr. Mister) subbed for him.
Ricky Cosentino filled in for Shem for some concerts in 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2003. Shem then left in 2003 to join Kenny Loggins' band. Robert Berry (vocals, guitars), formerly of 3 and GTR, joined temporarily in 2004–2005, and singer/guitarist Ken Stacey became a member in 2005. Shem then returned and he and Stacey alternated with the group for a while.
Tollak Ollestad left in late 2004 to concentrate on a solo career and relocate to the Netherlands where he has had success. David C. Lewis then returned, after having substituted for Ollestad on some 1999 and 2003 gigs. Ollestad remained on call to sub for various band members and came back to play with Ambrosia's spring 2009 tour in place of Lewis and Shem.
Later in 2009, Rick Cowling (formerly with Kenny Loggins) came in on vocals, guitar, and keyboards, though Ollestad still appeared with the band from time to time, most recently in 2010 when Doug Jackson was out playing guitar for Gary Wright, and again while Cowling moved over to lead guitar until Jackson's return later in the year.
Current era
Ambrosia between sets at an outdoor concert in Agoura Hills, California on August 3, 2014. L to R: Joe Puerta, Ken Stacey, Mary Harris, Christopher North, Doug Jackson, Burleigh Drummond
Ambrosia appeared on the May 2, 2011 episode of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon as part of the host's "Yacht Rock 2k11" theme show, performing "Biggest Part of Me" (during the show) and "How Much I Feel" (after the formal taping, but put up on the Fallon website).
In 2012, Burleigh Drummond's wife Mary Harris, after filling in on a show or two since 2000, became a permanent band member on keyboards and vocals. Harris is also a vocal arranger and songwriter, who has co-written new material for Ambrosia performed onstage. She has previously worked in varied capacities with Pink Floyd, XTC, Stanley Clarke and for many years with Jimmy Buffett.
Ambrosia's live performances showcase both their legacy hit material and more recent songs. Ambrosia continues to feature a majority of the band's founding members, with Puerta, Drummond and North onstage, as they have been for the past thirty plus years. Kipp Lennon (from the Venice, California band Venice) joined on lead vocals to start the 2021 tour as the band began their post lockdown era, Ken Stacey having exited during their downtime in 2020.
Former keyboardist for the band, David Cutler Lewis, died of brain cancer on June 7, 2021.
Former member Shem von Schroeck returned in the fall of 2022, this time on drums, to sub for Drummond, who was recovering from back surgery.
Live and alumni albums
On September 1, 2001, the band recorded a live album at the Galaxy Theater in Santa Ana, California without David Pack. This album, Live, was released in May 2002. Also, in 2003 Collectables Records released another compilation album, How Much I Feel and Other Hits.
David Pack released two 2005 solo projects: Unborn, a compilation of older unreleased material, and the more up-to-date The Secret of Movin' On featuring collaborations with Timothy B. Schmit of Eagles fame, former Journey vocalist Steve Perry, Heart vocalist Ann Wilson and America co-founder Dewey Bunnell, amongst others. Both albums follow in Pack's later era style of smooth pop-rock.
Member solo projects
Several members have established careers outside of Ambrosia.
Joe Puerta has started a studio near his suburban Milwaukee home, The Exchange, where he's produced several artists including Les Lokey, Big Nick & the Cydecos, Alaria Taylor and The Good Luck Joes.
Burleigh Drummond drummed for roots CCM supergroup Lost Dogs for several albums. He and Mary Harris co-founded their own group, Tin Drum, which has released three albums to date. Tin Drum also become a production company with such varied artists on their roster as bluesman Mighty Mo Rodgers and kids-oriented gospel act Kingdom Bound.
Doug Jackson released his second solo album in 2016.[13]
David Pack joined childhood friend and former bandmate Fred Beato to form Beato Band.[14]
The Alan Parsons Project were a British rock band active between 1975 and 1990, whose core membership consisted of producer, audio engineer, musician and composer Alan Parsons, and singer, songwriter and pianist Eric Woolfson. They shared writing credits on almost all of their songs, with Parsons producing or co-producing all of the recordings, while being accompanied by various session musicians, some relatively consistent.
William Bradford Champlin is an American singer, keyboardist, guitarist and songwriter. He formed the band Sons of Champlin in 1965, which still performs today, and was a member of the rock band Chicago from 1981 to 2009. He performed lead vocals on three of Chicago's biggest hits of the 1980s, 1984's "Hard Habit to Break" and 1988's "Look Away" and "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love". During live shows, he sang the lower, baritone, vocal parts originally performed by founding guitarist Terry Kath, who had died in 1978. He has won multiple Grammy Awards for songwriting.
David Robert Pack is an American singer and musician best known as co-founder, lead vocalist, and guitarist of the rock band Ambrosia in the 1970s and 80s. Pack wrote and sang most of Ambrosia’s biggest hits, including “Biggest Part of Me”, “You're the Only Woman ”, and “How Much I Feel”. Pack left the band in 2000, and has since pursued a solo career.
Ken Stacey is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter.
Player is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles the late 1970s. The group scored several US Hot 100 hits, three of which went into the top 40; two of those single releases went top 10, including the No. 1 hit "Baby Come Back", written by group members Peter Beckett and J.C. Crowley.
Alan Parsons is an English audio engineer, songwriter, musician and record producer.
Joe Puerta is the bassist/vocalist and founder of the American rock group Ambrosia. He co-wrote one of the band's early hits, "Holdin' On To Yesterday" (1975).
"The Raven" is the first song by the Alan Parsons Project, recorded in April 1976 at Mama Jo's Studio, North Hollywood, Los Angeles. It is the second track on their debut album, Tales of Mystery and Imagination, which is a tribute to author and poet Edgar Allan Poe. Though the song is based on Poe's poem of the same name, and is almost a verbatim recital of the lyrics of the poem, Poe is not given song writing credit. It is credited to Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson.
Anywhere You Go is the first full-length recording from David Pack, the lead singer for the band Ambrosia. The LP was released in November 1985. Pack wrote five songs himself and co-wrote the other five.
Christopher Reed North is an American musician. He is the founding keyboardist of the American progressive rock band Ambrosia.
Burleigh Drummond is an American drummer, percussionist, producer, songwriter, and singer. He is a founding member and the only drummer/percussionist for the five-time Grammy Award nominated band Ambrosia. He performs onstage in the band with his wife and fellow band member Mary Harris, and the couple are also both active members of Bill Champlin’s Wunderground and their own band Tin Drum.
"How Much I Feel" is a 1978 song by American rock band Ambrosia. The song, written by the band's guitarist/vocalist David Pack, was released in the summer of 1978 as the lead single from their third album, Life Beyond L.A., peaking at position three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number two for three weeks on the Cash Box Top 100.
"Biggest Part of Me" is a song by American band Ambrosia, from the album One Eighty. Released as a single in 1980, the song reached number one on the Radio & Records chart and number 3 on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts. The song was written by band member David Pack. Pack re-recorded the song for his 2005 album, The Secret of Movin' On.
Ambrosia is the debut album by Ambrosia. It was released in 1975 on 20th Century Fox Records. It spawned the top 20 chart single "Holdin' on to Yesterday" as well as the minor hit "Nice, Nice, Very Nice". The latter sets to music the lyrics to a poem in Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Engineered Recording. Alan Parsons was the mixdown engineer for Ambrosia's first album and the producer for their second.
"Holdin' On to Yesterday" is the debut single by American rock band Ambrosia. It was written by David Pack and Joe Puerta.
Road Island is the fifth and final album by Ambrosia, released in 1982 on Warner Bros. Records. The album marks the band's return to their progressive rock roots and was produced by James Guthrie.
One Eighty is the fourth album by Ambrosia, released in 1980 on Warner Bros. Records. The title was believed by fans to signal the group's "180-degree" change in direction.
Life Beyond L.A. is the third album by Ambrosia, and their first album on Warner Bros. Records, released in 1978. It marked the departure of their progressive rock roots in favor of a more commercial jazz & soft rock sound. "How Much I Feel," "Life Beyond L.A." and "If Heaven Could Find Me" were released as singles.
Somewhere I've Never Travelled is the second album by Ambrosia, and their final album on 20th Century Fox Records, released in 1976. The 1st pressings of the vinyl LP were issued in a custom "pyramid" cover, having 3 fold-out panels that turned the cover into a Pyramid.
Anthology is a compilation album by Ambrosia, released in 1997 on Warner Bros. Records. The album includes three new recordings, including a re-recording of the David Pack solo "I Just Can't Let Go", which was released as a single. The two new recorded tracks are "Mama Don't Understand" and "Sky Is Falling".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
