Robert Hart | |
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Background information | |
Born | Bournemouth, Hampshire, England | 1 November 1958
Genres | Hard rock, blues rock, funk |
Occupation(s) | Singer, musician, songwriter |
Instrument | Vocals |
Years active | 1980s–present |
Labels | Island, Atlantic, Hollywood |
Robert Hart (born 1 November 1958, Bournemouth, Hampshire - now Dorset) is an English vocalist and songwriter. He is currently the lead singer of Manfred Mann's Earth Band and the band Diesel. He has performed as a solo artist, and with The Distance and also with former Whitesnake members in the band called Company of Snakes and with Bad Company. He also fronted The Jones Gang, a rock group formed by Hart, Rick Wills and Kenney Jones. He was the first English writer to be signed to Disney owned Hollywood Records.
Chris Blackwell signed Hart to his Island Records label in the 1980s and teamed him with Bernard Edwards. The two men produced collaborated on several projects, including the soundtrack for the Whoopi Goldberg film, The Burglar . The Distance was commercially successful in Japan. After leaving the band Hart moved to Atlantic Records as a solo artist, with Stewart Levine producing his first album, Cries and Whispers. [1] [2]
He then became the first English artist to be signed by Disney-owned Hollywood Records, and worked with Russ Ballard on Hart's self-titled album, Robert Hart, which charted in more than 18 countries. [2]
During 1992, Hart was approached by Mick Ralphs and Simon Kirke and asked if he would like to join them as the third lead vocalist for Bad Company, following Paul Rodgers and Brian Howe. [3] Hart performed with Bad Company, including in the US and Canada. In July 1994 a contract was drawn up by Alliance Artists and Legend Management and signed by the then Bad Company line up, Mick Ralphs, Simon Kirke, Hart, Dave Colwell and Rick Wills, giving Hart the right to perform, write and record songs and albums and receive royalty payments as a full Bad Company member. In 1995 a self-produced Bad Company album was released, Company of Strangers , with Hart, who bore a vocal similarity to Paul Rodgers. [3] It contained four tracks self-penned or co-written by Hart. [4] The band made a promotional tour of the US with Bon Jovi. [3] Griffin Music of America also re-issued Take This! on compact disc. In 1996 another Bad Co album, Stories Told & Untold featured Hart. [5] Stories Told & Untold, contained seven new compositions and seven acoustic versions including 'Can't Get Enough' and 'Ready For Love'. Hart was also lead vocalist on three live albums between 1994 and 2001. [6] In March 2020 he was on tour in Germany with “Rock meets classic“ featuring Alice Cooper. The tour was cut short because of the COVID-19 situation. [7]
After Bad Company, Hart became the frontman with the Jones Gang. Hart formed the trio with Kenney Jones in 2001. Hart wrote a charity song titled "It's All About The Children" for which Hart and Jones and other artists played on the record. [8] [9] They included: Paul Young, Gary Granger, Ronnie Wood, and Rick Wills. [10] The band recorded an album titled Any Day Now which Hart co-wrote all of the tracks and sole wrote most of the tracks. [11] The album was released in the U.S on 9 August 2005. The debut single "Angel" written by Hart, and Russ Ballard [12] went to number 1 on the ACQB Top 40 charts, staying there for a further 11 weeks.[ citation needed ] The album overall was commercially successful and another two songs by Hart reached the top ten of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Sales Chart . [13]
The airline company USA 3000 commissioned 14 planes to have The Jones Gang album cover art work on as drawn by Ronnie Wood from the Rolling Stones. These planes were the first sent in the rescue operation of people affected by Hurricane Wilma. [14]
On 13 March 2011, Manfred Mann announced Hart as the new singer for his formation Manfred Mann's Earth Band. Though he has not recorded any studio material with the band to date, he does guest appear on Mann's solo album Lone Arranger (2014).
Hart had played with Dave "Bucket" Colwell and Gary "Harry" James over many years with Bad Company and, in Colwell's case, also the Jones Gang. They have all worked together on various albums, co-written songs and have toured the world together, and they formed the band XBad Company. [15] They recorded a FIFA World Cup song called "We Ain't Going Home Empty Handed". [16]
Hart gave permission for his song "We Will Remember Them" to be recorded by various artists for the charity Help for Heroes. On 1 November 2009, Robin Gibb, Michael Bolton, Mica Paris, Paul Rodgers and Lee Mead, who won TV's Any Dream Will Do and others recorded it at Abbey Road Studios in London. [17]
Over the years Hart has also been involved in projects with Andy Taylor of Duran Duran, Peter Maffay, members of Chic and Go West.
Title | Release | Contribution | Other artist(s) | Soundtrack |
---|---|---|---|---|
"Bernie's Groove" | 1987 | lead vocals | Distance | Burglar |
"New Way of Living" | ||||
"News at 11" | ||||
1998 | performance as a mad drummer, "Mick" | Richie Rich's Christmas Wish | ||
"With You (Song for Kate)" | 2009 | writer | Jonah Johnson | My Sister's Keeper |
Bad Company were an English rock supergroup that was formed in London in 1973 by singer Paul Rodgers, drummer Simon Kirke, guitarist Mick Ralphs and bassist Boz Burrell. Kirke was the only member to remain throughout the band's entire run, while he and Ralphs were the only members to appear on every studio album. Peter Grant, who managed the rock band Led Zeppelin, also managed Bad Company until 1982.
Kenneth Thomas Jones is an English drummer best known for his work in the groups Small Faces, Faces and the Who. Jones was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of Small Faces/Faces.
Michael Geoffrey Ralphs is a retired English guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, who was a founding member of rock bands Mott the Hoople and Bad Company. Though not a constant member, he appeared on every studio album by the latter band alongside drummer Simon Kirke.
Paul Jones is an English singer, actor, harmonicist, radio personality and television presenter. He first came to prominence as the original lead singer and harmonicist of the rock band Manfred Mann (1962–66) with whom he had several hit records including "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" and "Pretty Flamingo".
Simon Frederick St George Kirke is an English musician who was the co-founder, drummer, and only continuous member of the rock supergroup Bad Company. Prior to forming Bad Company he was the drummer and co-founder of Free.
Company of Strangers is the eleventh studio album by the English blues rock band Bad Company, and their first with lead singer Robert Hart. The album was released in June 1995, and was their last album of original material.
What You Hear Is What You Get is a live album by hard rock band Bad Company, with Brian Howe in place of Paul Rodgers as lead vocalist. Released in 1993, the album covers the 1992 U.S tour, with much of the recording done at various California dates. The band's introduction was done by Ralphs' guitar technician, Gary Gilmore.
Stories Told & Untold is the twelfth and final studio album by the English band Bad Company. The album was released on 15 October 1996, through East West. This album features newly arranged re-recordings of Bad Company's greatest hits in a more Americana inspired style, along with new songs. Despite not recording any further albums, the band would continue to tour until 2019.
Russell Glyn Ballard is an English rock singer, guitarist, songwriter and producer. Originally rising to prominence as the lead singer and guitarist of the band Argent, Ballard became a prolific songwriter and producer by the late 1970s. His compositions "New York Groove", "You Can Do Magic", "Since You Been Gone", "I Surrender", "Liar", "Winning", "I Know There's Something Going On", "Can't Shake Loose", "So You Win Again" and "God Gave Rock and Roll to You" became hits for other artists during the 1970s and 1980s. He also scored several minor hits under his own name in the early and mid-1980s.
David Colwell is a British rock guitarist who has been a member of Bad Company, Samson, ASAP, The Eastenders, The Entire Population of Hackney, 720, The Torpedoes, Angel Street, Roger Chapman's Shortlist, The Jones Gang, FM, Frankie Miller's Fullhouse and Rock Steady. He recorded Back on Track with Humble Pie in 2001, touring with them until the band broke up in 2003. He started a supergroup called Rock Steady which, among others, includes bass guitarist Rick Wills, best known for his work with Foreigner and his associations with Small Faces, Peter Frampton and Bad Company and did a New Zealand tour with this band. In November 2018 he joined again Humble Pie for their US tour. Dave Colwell has his own band now which is called Buckets Rebel Heart. Their debut album 20 Good Summers was released in December 2018 on Pride & Joy Records and January 2019 in Japan on Marquee Records.
Brian Anthony Howe was an English rock singer, best known for replacing Paul Rodgers as the lead vocalist of Bad Company. Howe's career was jump-started in 1983 when Ted Nugent recruited him to handle lead vocals for his Penetrator album and front its subsequent world tour.
"It's Not Unusual" is a song written by Les Reed and Gordon Mills, first recorded by a then-unknown Tom Jones, after it had first been offered to Sandie Shaw. He intended it as a demo for her, but when she heard it she was so impressed with his delivery that she recommended he sing it instead.
Mick Rogers is an English rock guitarist, singer and songwriter, chiefly known for his time with Manfred Mann's Earth Band from 1971 to 1975 and again since 1984. Rogers was the original lead vocalist of the band until his departure; after his return, he became a backing and occasional lead vocalist.
Geoffrey Charles Whitehorn is a guitarist and singer-songwriter, who has played as a member of If, Crawler and Procol Harum.
Gonzalez were a British R&B and funk band. They became well known as a backing band for touring R&B, funk, and soul stars. Their eponymous album was released in 1974 and they recorded a total of six albums before disbanding in 1986. They are best known for their 1979 single success with their worldwide disco hit "Haven't Stopped Dancing Yet."
Richard William Wills is an English bass guitarist. He is best known for his work with the rock band Foreigner and his associations with the Small Faces, Roxy Music, Peter Frampton, Spooky Tooth, David Gilmour, Bad Company and The Jones Gang.
The Jones Gang are an English rock band, formed in London in 2001 by the English drummer and ex-Small Faces and The Who member Kenney Jones, plus ex-Foreigner member Rick Wills and British vocalist ex-Bad Company member Robert Hart.
Instrumental Asylum is an EP by Manfred Mann, released in 1966. The EP is a 7-inch vinyl record and released in mono with the catalogue number His Master's Voice-EMI 7EG 8949.
Lone Arranger is the second solo album by South African keyboardist Manfred Mann. Like its predecessor, 2006, it features various guest musicians, including Kris Kristofferson, Till Brönner and Mick Rogers. It also includes three songs by other artists which sampled Manfred Mann recordings, over which Mann then added new keyboards and other contributions: "One Hand in the Air" is a shortened version of Kanye West's "So Appalled", with an added chorus by Caitlyn Scarlett. "I Came For You" is the Disco Boys remix, slightly shortened and with new synth solos added. Likewise, "One Way Stand-Up" is The Prodigy's "Stand Up", which was based on Manfred Mann Chapter Three's "One Way Glass", with added keyboards.