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Gary Benson (born Harry Hyams [1] ) is an English singer and songwriter.
Benson spent eight weeks on the UK Singles Chart in 1975 with his own composition, "Don't Throw It All Away". The single, released on the State Records label (State Records STAT10), reached No. 20 on the chart, [2] leading to an appearance on BBC Television's Top of the Pops . The song had originally been recorded by the Shadows, and they had performed it in the 1975 A Song for Europe contest, where it finished fourth of six entries. The song was covered in the United States by the Delfonics in 1978. There are also a number of reggae versions that include a dancehall style cut by Barrington Levy. Olivia Newton-John recorded a version of the track, including it on her 1976 album Come On Over .
Benson had previously written a finalist for the 1974 UK competition, finishing last with the song "Someday", one of the six shortlisted entries performed by Olivia Newton-John. Benson had further attempts at winning the UK ticket to the Eurovision Song Contest, reaching the UK finals in 1977 with "After All This Time", performed by Wesley, Park and Smith, finishing fifth of 12; in 1981 with "All Cried Out", which he performed himself to place fourth of 8, and was later released on the WEA label; and in 1993 with "It's Just a Matter of Time" performed by Sonia, finishing last of eight entries. Benson tried again in 1998 with Alan Glass on the song "Give It Up" performed by Lisa Millet which finished eighth of the eight songs in the preliminary radio heat.
In 1970, Benson's composition "Can't Afford to Lose", recorded by Jon Lukas, made it to the top 40 charts in the UK and some other European territories. It also occupied the top place in the pop charts in Lebanon for a full month, holding back the Beatles' "The Long and Winding Road" from reaching the No. 1 spot. [3] Benson's song "Let Her In" was recorded by John Travolta which became a hit in 1976. Several other songs originally written and recorded by Benson were also recorded by Travolta, such as "Can't Let You Go" and "Whenever I'm Away from You", as well as by his brother, Joey Travolta ("Something's Up (Love Me Like the First Time)"). Another of Benson's compositions, "Close to You", was recorded by Maxi Priest. [4] In 1976, he composed and sang "You", but it did not reach the UK charts.
REO Speedwagon, or simply REO, is an American rock band from Champaign, Illinois. Formed in 1967, the band cultivated a following during the 1970s and achieved significant commercial success throughout the 1980s. Their best-selling album, Hi Infidelity (1980), contained four US Top 40 hits and sold more than 10 million copies.
The Troggs are an English beat music band formed in Andover, Hampshire in May 1964. Their most famous songs include the US chart-topper "Wild Thing", "With a Girl Like You" and "Love Is All Around", all of which sold over 1 million copies and were awarded gold discs. "Wild Thing" is ranked No. 257 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and was an influence on garage rock and punk rock.
The United Kingdom held a national pre-selection to choose the song that would go to the Eurovision Song Contest 1975.
Anthony Burrows is an English pop singer and recording artist. As a prolific session musician, Burrows was involved in several transatlantic hit singles throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, most of which were one-hit wonders, including "Love Grows " by Edison Lighthouse, "United We Stand" by Brotherhood of Man, "My Baby Loves Lovin'" by White Plains, "Gimme Dat Ding" by The Pipkins and "Beach Baby" by The First Class. During 1970, four singles by four different acts with whom he performed all charted at or near the top of the UK Singles Chart and additionally reached the top 20 in the United States.
Kincade was an English band that was formed in 1972. In that year, they had their hit single, "Dreams are Ten a Penny", but the band itself did not exist at the time. The song was written by John Carter and his wife Gill. Carter also sang all the vocals and played the guitar on the record. The song was released by the British record producer on the Penny Farthing Records label. Although the record was unsuccessful in the UK, it reached the #2 in Germany, spent six months on the charts there, and sold a million copies.
John Clifford Farrar is an Australian music producer, songwriter, arranger, singer, and guitarist. As a musician, Farrar is a former member of several rock and roll groups including The Mustangs (1963–64), The Strangers (1964–70), Marvin, Welch & Farrar (1970–73), and The Shadows (1973–76). In 1980, he released a solo eponymous album. As a songwriter and producer, he worked with Olivia Newton-John from 1971 to 1989. He wrote her U.S. number-one hit singles: "Have You Never Been Mellow" (1975), "You're the One That I Want", "Hopelessly Devoted to You" (1978), and "Magic" (1980). He also produced the majority of her recorded material during that time, including her number-one albums, If You Love Me, Let Me Know (1974), Have You Never Been Mellow (1975), and Olivia's Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (1982). He was a co-producer of the soundtrack for the film Grease (1978).
Joseph Carl Firrantello, known as Joe Farrell, was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist who primarily performed as a saxophonist and flutist. He is best known for a series of albums under his own name on the CTI record label and for playing in the initial incarnation of Chick Corea's Return to Forever.
Who Loves You is an album by The Four Seasons. It was released in 1975 on Warner/Curb Records.
Russell Glyn Ballard is an English musician.
Mac and Katie Kissoon are a pop soul duo, consisting of brother and sister Mac Kissoon and Katie Kissoon.
John Nicholas Shakespeare, known as John Carter, is an English singer, songwriter, and record producer.
Daniel Boone was an English pop musician who became a one-hit wonder in the United States with the single "Beautiful Sunday" in 1972. The song was written by Boone and Rod McQueen and sold over 2,000,000 copies worldwide. It peaked at number 15 on The Billboard Hot 100 singles chart at the end of the summer of 1972, having already reached number 21 on the UK Singles Chart earlier during that same year. In 1972, Boone was the recipient of the "Most Likeable Singer" award from Rolling Stone magazine.
"Can't Stay Away from You" is a song by Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine. The song was released in November 1987 by Epic as the third single from their multi-platinum album, Let It Loose (1987). It became the group's fifth top 10 hit in the United States, peaking at #6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart; it was their second #1 hit on the adult contemporary chart, following 1986's "Words Get in the Way". The song originally peaked at #88 on the UK Singles Chart in May 1988, however the song was re-released after the success of its follow-up, "Anything for You", peaking at #7 in March 1989.
The Four Tops are an American vocal quartet from Detroit, Michigan. They were one of the most commercially successful American pop music groups of the 1960s and helped propel the Motown label to international fame. The group's repertoire has included aspects of soul, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, doo-wop, jazz, and show tunes.
David Richard Mindel is a British songwriter, jingle writer and composer of music for film and television.
"Let Her In" is a song written and recorded by English singer-songwriter Gary Benson, and released as a single in 1973. It was covered by John Travolta in 1976, and was released as the first single from Travolta's self-titled second album. Travolta's version was a hit, spending five months on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and peaking at number 10. It also reached number 16 on the Adult Contemporary chart. On the Cash Box chart, the song peaked at number five. In Canada, "Let Her In" reached number seven on the RPM Top Singles chart.
"Beautiful Sunday" is a song written by Daniel Boone and Rod McQueen and performed by Boone. It appeared on his 1972 album Beautiful Sunday and was produced by Larry Page and arranged by Boone.
"Sandy" is a song from the 1978 film Grease, written by Louis St. Louis and Screamin' Scott Simon, and performed by John Travolta, in character as Danny Zuko. It was released as a single in several countries, giving Travolta a no. 2 hit in the UK.
Jon Lukas, known as Woodenman, was a Maltese musician from Paola, Malta. He was the first solo artist in Maltese music history to achieve successful foreign pop chart placements in a number of non-native countries and to obtain a major global record company deal.
"Don't Throw It All Away" is a song written by British musician Gary Benson and first released by the Shadows on their 1975 album Specs Appeal. Benson released his version as a single later the same year, which reached number 20 on the UK Singles Chart in the fall of 1975.