John Elefante (born March 18, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer.[1] From 1981-1984, he was lead vocalist of the rock group Kansas and is currently touring with several groups that have featured members from classic rock bands. His credits include writing and singing lead vocals on three multi-platinum albums. He produced albums that have earned numerous GMA Dove Awards, four Grammy Awards (most recently in 2000), and ten Grammy nominations. He has maintained a close working relationship with his brother, Dino, co-writer of several Kansas songs.
In late 1981, Elefante auditioned for his second band position, as the new lead singer and keyboardist for Kansas, after the departure of its co-founder Steve Walsh. The previous year, Kansas was one of the top-grossing concert acts in the world.[2] Several of the top vocalists of the time applied for the job, including Sammy Hagar, Dennis "Fergie" Fredriksen, and Jim Stafford.
Elefante did lead vocals and keyboards on two albums, and was a major songwriter along with Kerry Livgren. On 1982's Vinyl Confessions, he sang the No. 4 Billboard Mainstream Rock hit, "Play the Game Tonight". He wrote "Chasing Shadows and the Top 40 single, "Right Away". In 1983, on the following album, Drastic Measures, he wrote "Fight Fire with Fire", which remains the band's highest charting single at No. 3 (Mainstream Rock). He wrote "Everybody's My Friend", which is the second single and reached No. 34 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
While with Kansas, he became a record producer. He issued Perfect Timing (1984) for the Southern California group, Sweet Comfort Band. Though not a major commercial success, Petra's Back to the Street was a Grammy-nominated, breakthrough, commercial success for both Elefante and the band. He also contributed songwriting, keyboards, background vocals, and engineering to the effort.
In 1984, on the retrospective collection The Best of Kansas, he wrote the album's one new track, "Perfect Lover". That year, he, Kerry Livgren, and Dave Hope left the band.
1985–1994
In 1985, "Young and Innocent" appeared on the soundtrack to St. Elmo's Fire and was credited to "Elefante" – a collaborative effort by John and his brother Dino Elefante.[3]
With both John and Dino Elefante as the band's primary producers, Petra's already popular Christian pop/rock niche was given a timely boost. Their accolades include multiple gold albums, 10 consecutive CCM Magazine Reader's Choice Awards, induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Hard Rock Cafe, and becoming the only artist to ever have four albums in the SoundScan top-100 Christian chart.
In 1987, while producing a various-artists album called California Metal, the album's production team of John and Dino Elefante ended up one track short and they decided to add a song which had been written for Kansas called "Wasn't It Love" (originally titled "What About Love") as the band Mastedon. Regency later requested a full-length album which became Mastedon's debut, It's a Jungle Out There.
He produced Petra's further releases, and 30 other albums. He usually performed on them, often sharing songwriting credits. He was committed as producer, eschewing other opportunities such as an offer to replace Bobby Kimball as lead singer for Grammy winners, Toto.
Elefante focused on heavier music in the early 1990s, including the Guardian release, Fire and Love, reaching regular rotation on MTV. He continued Mastedon with his brother.[4] The band's name is a pachyderm-inspired reference to the brothers' last name. Its albums feature multiple lead singers and performances by other artists, creating an eclectic sound anchored by Elefante's songwriting. His brother Dino was songwriter and main guitarist.
Mastedon's first release is It's a Jungle Out There! (1989). In 1990, the band released Lofcaudio. This album continued the guest performance theme, though Elefante sang more of the lead vocals. Unfortunately, John and Dino's production schedule preempted any touring to commercially support the album (though the band did appear at least one Christian rock festival, Cornerstone, in 1991). The albums charted at No. 25 and No. 10, respectively.[5]
John and Dino Elefante formed their own record label, Pakaderm. Most of the music they produced in the next 10 years was released from it. With major distribution through Word Records and A&M Records, Pakaderm became an important element in the brothers' success. Their label afforded them and their artists significant creative control, while still benefiting from major label resources.
With intense recording schedules in 1993, the brothers built their own 28,000-square-foot (2,600m2) recording studio in Nashville, called Sound Kitchen. In addition to their own productions, the brothers planned to rent time in the studio to other artists and producers.
1995–1999
Elefante continued as producer, became record label chief, and began a solo career. He released two solo albums: Windows of Heaven (1995) and Corridors (1997).
Under the brothers’ management, Sound Kitchen recorded artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, and Buddy Guy. The complex was soon expanded to 80,000 square feet (7,400m2).
Elefante was hired by Pamplin Records in 1998, working with Dino to generate artist development. They produced 32 albums, most of which feature Elefante as arranger and performer. The styles include rock, gospel, pop, and metal.
In 1999, Elefante released his most popular solo effort, Defying Gravity (1999). It spawned several hit singles and mainstream music videos. He planned a 25-date solo tour but he was badly injured in an accident before the first concert and had to cancel the tour.
2000–2007
Elefante rebounded, beginning with the production of Petra's Grammy award-winning album, Double Take. He continued working at Pamplin, producing 20 more albums for them in just three years. Simultaneously, he and Dino continued managing Sound Kitchen.
In 2002, he left Pamplin after a string of successful albums, including the debut for Natalie Grant.
Elefante started a new major-distributed label with his brother in 2003, Selectric Records. Co-managing the label with his brother, he produced 10 albums over the next three years. As a singer, he recorded with artists including Pat Boone and Bono.
In late 2006, the brothers closed the label but he produced three albums in 2007.
Elefante made a new Mastedon album, 3, featuring former Kansas bandmate Kerry Livgren.[6] Its style is similar to Mastedon, his Kansas work, and his solo albums.
2010
As of 2010, Elefante had produced and or performed on more than 100 major label albums.
In 2010, Big3 Records rereleased 3 as Elefante's Revolution of Mind.[7]
His latest studio album, On My Way to the Sun, released in May 2013,[8] reunited Elefante with former Kansas bandmate Rich Williams and also featured current Kansas violinist David Ragsdale.[9][10]
In 2013, Elefante released a single, "This Time" which was accompanied by a music video, that tells the story of his adopted daughter who was nearly aborted by her birth mother.[11] The video shows a pregnant teenager entering an abortion clinic and then having a dream about a little girl she knew to be her unborn daughter.[11]
Kansas is an American rock band that formed in 1973 in Topeka, Kansas, and became popular during the decade initially on album-oriented rock charts and later with hit singles such as "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind." The band has produced nine gold albums, three multi-platinum albums, one other platinum studio album (Monolith), one platinum live double album, and a million-selling single, "Dust in the Wind." Kansas appeared on the US Billboard charts for over 200 weeks throughout the 1970s and 1980s and played to sold-out arenas and stadiums throughout North America, Europe and Japan. "Carry On Wayward Son" was the second-most-played track on US classic rock radio in 1995 and No. 1 in 1997.
Petra is an American music group regarded as a pioneer of the Christian rock and contemporary Christian music genres and was, for many years, regarded as the "world's most popular Christian rock band". Formed in 1972, the band took its name from the Greek word for "rock". Though it disbanded formally in 2006, incarnations have played reunion shows in the years since and released two albums in November 2010, and in November 2017. In 2013, it reformed with a new drummer, Cristian Borneo, and recorded a new song titled "Holy is Your Name", before going back on tour.
Vinyl Confessions is the eighth studio album by American rock band Kansas, released in 1982. It includes "Play the Game Tonight", which broke the Top 20 and is Kansas's third highest-charting single, surpassed only by "Carry on Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind". The album was reissued in remastered format on CD in 1996 on Legacy/Epic and again in 2011.
Drastic Measures is the ninth studio album by American rock band Kansas, released in 1983.
AD was a 1980s Christian rock band, featuring former Kansas members Kerry Livgren and Dave Hope (bass), former Bloodrock member Warren Ham, who had toured as a sideman with Kansas in 1982, Michael Gleason, who had replaced Ham as a touring member of Kansas in 1983, and Dennis Holt (drums).
David Robert Pack is an American singer and musician who co-founded the rock band Ambrosia in the 1970s.
Mastedon is a Christian rock band formed by brothers Dino and John Elefante in the mid-1980s. The band was formed mainly as a studio project and have released three full-length albums and two stand-alone songs on compilation albums. Mastedon signed with Italian label Frontiers Records in 2009 and release Mastedon 3.
The Best of Kansas is the first compilation by American progressive rock band Kansas. Originally released in 1984, it featured the new "Perfect Lover," written by then-lead vocalist John Elefante and his brother Dino Elefante.
Device – Voice – Drum is a live DVD by American rock band Kansas, released in 2002. The same concert was released as an enhanced double-CD live album. The CD release features the enhanced live track, "Distant Vision".
It's a Jungle Out There is the first album by Mastedon, the studio project formed by brothers John & Dino Elefante. It was released in 1989 on Regency Records, while they were setting up their own label "Pakaderm Records". Long out-of-print, it was re-issued by Deep Music Distribution in 2006 in the form of digital downloads, available from iTunes and eMusic, and in 2022, a remastered CD-only release from Girder Music.
The Ultimate Kansas is the fourth compilation from the band Kansas. It was originally released in 2002, and focuses solely on their Kirshner period from their debut album Kansas in 1974, up to and including Drastic Measures in 1983. The collection was rereleased in 2008 under the title Essential Kansas 3.0 as part of the Sony/BMG Legacy series of that name, with an additional "bonus disc" with seven additional songs, and featuring "eco-friendly" packaging.
On Fire! is the tenth studio album of the Christian rock band, Petra. It was released in 1988 by StarSong.
Back to the Street is the eighth studio album of the Christian rock band, Petra. It was released in 1986 and is the first album to be produced by John and Dino Elefante.
This Means War! is the ninth studio album of the Christian rock band, Petra. It was released in 1987.
Beyond Belief is the twelfth studio album of the Christian rock band, Petra. It was released on June 20, 1990.
Unseen Power is the thirteenth studio album of the Christian rock band, Petra. It was released in November 1991.
Double Take is the Grammy Award winning, eighteenth studio album of the Christian rock band Petra. It was released on February 29, 2000.
Petra Praise: The Rock Cries Out is the eleventh studio album of the Christian rock band, Petra and their first praise album. It was released on October 3, 1989 by DaySpring Records, marking the band's return to the Word family as the early version of Petra was signed to sister label Myrrh.
Miracle Mile is the third album of Christian rock band Guardian. It was recorded at the end of 1992 and released in 1993. The album was produced by the Elefante brothers, who were also producing albums for legendary Christian band Petra.
Michael Gleason is an American musician, singer and songwriter, best known as one of the founding members of the 1980s rock band AD.
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