The Starfires (Cleveland band)

Last updated

Tom King and the Starfires
Origin Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Genres Rock and roll
Years active1958–1965
LabelsPama Records
Past members Tom King
Mert Madsen
Walter Nims
Howard Blank
Dennis Slifko
Tony Sawyer
Jim Fox
Sonny Geraci
Ronnie Harkai
Al Austin
Richard D'Amato

The Starfires is an American rock and roll band founded in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1958 by Tom King when he was 15. The band is usually identified as Tom King and the Starfires. King is best known as the original bandleader of the Outsiders; however, it was only at the insistence of Capitol Records that the band's name was changed when they created their breakout hit "Time Won't Let Me". [1]

Contents

History

The Starfires were formed by Tom King at Shaw High School in Cleveland in 1958, and remained a popular local band through the mid-1960s. Their forte was rhythm and blues instrumentals, with occasional vocals by King. Also, his uncle, Patrick Connelly owned a record company, Pama Records; and the band (along with at least one single by Tom King individually) produced several sides over this period, notably "Stronger than Dirt" (which charted locally) that was based on a well-known jingle for Ajax Laundry Detergent. King had a tonsillectomy, limiting his singing, so he added a new lead singer – Sonny Geraci – and changed the band's sound somewhat to match the musical tastes of the period. This led to the eventual creation of the Outsiders.

Post break-up

Geraci and Nims were among the founding members of Climax. Jimmy (Jim) Fox and Richard Kriss's brother, Tommy Kriss, were the founders of the James Gang. Harkai was a member of The Pilgrims a popular Cleveland rock band in the early to mid-1960s, prior to joining The Starfires.

Band members

[2]

Jazz sax player, Tony "The Big T" Lovano also played with the Starfires on numerous gigs throughout Cleveland. Tony (deceased) was the Dad of Grammy Award-winning sax player, Joe Lovano.

Discography

Retrospective CD

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Lovano</span> American jazz flautist, saxophonist, clarinettist

Joseph Salvatore Lovano is an American jazz saxophonist, alto clarinetist, flautist, and drummer. He has earned a Grammy Award and several mentions on Down Beat magazine's critics' and readers' polls. His wife, with whom he records and performs, is singer Judi Silvano. Lovano was a longtime member of drummer Paul Motian‘s trio with guitarist Bill Frisell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Grass Roots</span> American rock band

The Grass Roots is an American rock band that charted frequently between 1965 and 1975. The band was originally the creation of Lou Adler and songwriting duo P. F. Sloan and Steve Barri. In their career, they achieved two gold albums and two gold singles, and charted singles on the Billboard Hot 100 a total of 21 times. Among their charting singles, they achieved Top 10 three times, Top 20 six times and Top 40 14 times. They have sold over 20 million records worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Outsiders (American band)</span> American rock and roll band (1965–70)

The Outsiders were an American rock and roll band from Cleveland, Ohio, that was founded and led by guitarist Tom King. The band released the hit single "Time Won't Let Me" in early 1966, which peaked at No. 5 in the US in April. The band had three other Hot 100 top 40 hit singles in 1966, but none on the Hot 100 afterwards, and released a total of four albums in the mid-1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climax (band)</span> American band

Climax was an American band formed in 1970 in Los Angeles, California, most noted for their 1971-1972 hit song "Precious and Few", which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and No. 1 on Cashbox magazine's Top 100 singles chart. This disc sold over one million copies and was certified gold by the RIAA on February 21, 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Fox</span> American drummer

James Kent Fox is an American musician best known as the drummer of the James Gang, as well as the band's founder and its namesake. He is the only member of the group to appear in every incarnation of the band. He joined a mostly instrumental Cleveland rock and R&B band called Tom King and the Starfires while in high school and also remained as a member of its successor band, the Outsiders.

The Undertakers are a British beat group, contemporaries of the Beatles and a leading group in the Merseybeat music scene of the early 1960s.

The Manfreds is a British pop group, formed in 1991 as a reunion of former members of the 1960s pop group Manfred Mann, however without their eponymous founder Manfred Mann.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonny Geraci</span> American singer (1946–2017)

Emmett Peter "Sonny" Geraci was an American singer, best known as lead singer of musical groups The Outsiders and Climax.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jazz trio</span>

A jazz trio is a group of three jazz musicians, often a piano trio comprising a pianist, a double bass player and a drummer. Jazz trios are commonly named after their leader, such as the Bill Evans Trio.

<i>Roots of the Outsiders</i> 1996 compilation album by Tom King and the Starfires

Roots of the Outsiders is a retrospective album by the Starfires that has been released in CD format. This album lists the band name as Tom King and the Starfires, an alternate name for the group and also highlighting the original bandleader for the Outsiders.

<i>Time Wont Let Me</i> (album) 1966 studio album by The Outsiders

Time Won't Let Me is the first studio album by the Outsiders. It was named after the band's early 1966 break-out single, "Time Won't Let Me".

<i>Album Number 2</i> 1966 studio album by The Outsiders

Album #2 – also known as The Outsiders Album #2 or simply #2 – is the second studio album by the Outsiders.

<i>In</i> (album) 1967 studio album by The Outsiders

In is the third studio album by the Outsiders. It is the first album released by the band that did not make the Billboard charts.

<i>Happening Live!</i> 1967 live album by The Outsiders

Happening Live! is the fourth album by the Outsiders. Although represented as being a live album, in actuality crowd noises and song introductions were added to studio recordings, some of which had appeared on previous albums.

Little Caesar and the Consuls is a Canadian rock band, originally active in and around Toronto from 1961 to 1971. The earliest tangible evidence of a group by that name is on February 11, 1961, when they played for the Downsview Junior Teen Club's Valentine Party at Beverley Heights Junior High School, as reported in the February 23, 1961, issue of the Weston, Ontario, Times & Guide.

<i>The Gregg Allman Tour</i> 1974 live album by Gregg Allman

The Gregg Allman Tour is the first live album by Gregg Allman, released in 1974. It was recorded at Carnegie Hall and Capitol Theatre. It peaked at number 50 on the Billboard Pop Albums charts in 1974. It was originally released as a double LP.

Ronald Harkai, often known by the nickname Ronnie, was a musician best known as the drummer on the top-five single "Time Won't Let Me", by Cleveland-based rock band The Outsiders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Time Won't Let Me</span> 1966 single by The Outsiders

"Time Won't Let Me" is a garage rock song that was recorded by the Outsiders in September 1965. The song became a major hit in the United States in 1966, reaching No.5 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the week of April 16 of that year. It is ranked as the 42nd biggest American hit of 1966. In Canada, the song also reached No.5 in the weekly charts.

<i>52nd Street Themes</i> 2000 studio album by Joe Lovano

52nd Street Themes is a studio album by the American jazz saxophonist Joe Lovano. It was recorded in early November 1999 and released by the Blue Note label on April 25, 2000. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. It is named after the jazz standard by Thelonious Monk.

References

  1. Bruce Eder, AllMusic, and also the source of the other unreferenced material.
  2. Bruce Eder, op. cit.