Wadsworth Mansion (also known as Wadsworth Family Mansion) was an early-1970s American rock band from Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Its members were Steve Jablecki (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Wayne Gagnon (guitar, vocals), Russ Sevigny (a/k/a Russ Dana, original drummer) Mike Jablecki (drums) and John Poole (bass guitar). [1] The group took its name from Wadsworth Mansion at Long Hill in Connecticut.
In November 1970, Wadsworth Mansion released their first single, a non-album version of "Sweet Mary", [1] backed by another non-album track, "What's On Tonight". [2] [3] "Sweet Mary" would prove to be the band's only hit song peaking at No. 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for the week ending 27 February 1971. [1] It peaked at No. 5 on Cash Box. It also reached No. 35 on the Easy Listening chart. [4]
In April 1971, Wadsworth Mansion issued their first and only album on the heels of their first single's success, the self-titled Wadsworth Mansion. [5] In support of the album, the group released their second single in April 1971 with the tracks, "Michigan Harry Slaughter" and "Havin' Such A Good Time", but the single failed to make Billboard's Hot 100 chart. [6]
In July 1971, Wadsworth Mansion issued their third and final single with the non-album track, "Nine On The Line", backed by "Queenie Dew". [7] The release would also fail to enter Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, sealing Wadsworth Mansion's fate as a one-hit wonder.
In January 1972, Howie McDonald replaced Wayne Gagnon on guitar. The band recorded four new songs at the CBS studios in New York City. The songs recorded were: "Don't Ask Me," "Over and Over," "Dusty Angel," and "Why Does It Hurt So Bad." These were produced by James Calvert and Norman Marzano. In May 1972, Charlie Flannery replaced Mike Jablecki on drums. The band pulled out of Rhode Island on June 21, 1972, just ahead of Hurricane Agnes. After playing the night of June 23 at the Colonels Garter, the Susquehanna River flooded and the club was underwater. This was the line-up of the band until after their last tour of the south in August 1972, when the group officially disbanded. McDonald and Steve Jablecki reformed the band in Hollywood the following summer but changed the name to Slingshot at the producer's urging.
"Whole Lotta Love" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin. It is the opening track on the band's second album, Led Zeppelin II, and was released as a single in 1969 in several countries; as with other Led Zeppelin songs, no single was released in the United Kingdom. In the United States, it became their first hit and was certified gold. Parts of the song's lyrics were adapted from Willie Dixon's "You Need Love", recorded by Muddy Waters in 1962; originally uncredited to Dixon, a lawsuit in 1985 was settled with a payment to Dixon and credit on subsequent releases.
"Promised Land" is a song lyric written by Chuck Berry to the melody of "Wabash Cannonball", an American folk song. The song was first recorded in this version by Berry in 1964 for his album St. Louis to Liverpool. Released in December 1964, it was Berry's first single issued following his prison term for a Mann Act conviction. The record peaked at #41 in the Billboard charts on January 16, 1965.
"Everlasting Love" is a song written by Buzz Cason and Mac Gayden, originally a 1967 hit for Robert Knight and since remade numerous times, most successfully by Love Affair, as well as Town Criers, Carl Carlton, Sandra Cretu, and Gloria Estefan. The original version of "Everlasting Love" was recorded by Knight in Nashville, with Cason and Gayden aiming to produce it in a Motown style reminiscent of the Four Tops and the Temptations. When released as a single, the song reached No. 13 on the US chart in 1967. Subsequently, the song has reached the US Top 40 three times, most successfully as performed by Carl Carlton, peaking at No. 6 in 1974, with more moderate success by the duo Rex Smith and Rachel Sweet and Gloria Estefan.
"Help Me" is a love song written, produced, and performed by Joni Mitchell and released on her 1974 album Court and Spark. The song was recorded with jazz band Tom Scott's L.A. Express as the backing band.
"Free Ride" is a song written by Dan Hartman and performed by The Edgar Winter Group. The single, engineered by Jim Reeves, was a top 15 U.S. hit in 1973, hitting number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 10 on Cash Box. In Canada, it peaked at number eight.
"Let It Be Me" is a popular song originally published in French in 1955 as "Je t'appartiens" interpreted by Gilbert Bécaud. It became popular worldwide with an English version by the Everly Brothers and later with the duet by Betty Everett and Jerry Butler.
"No Matter What" is a song originally recorded by Badfinger for their album No Dice in 1970, written and sung by Pete Ham and produced by Mal Evans.
Dennis James Coffey is an American guitarist. He was a studio musician for many soul and R&B recordings, and is well known for his 1971 Top 10 hit single "Scorpio".
"Wedding Song " is a title of a 1971 hit single by Paul Stookey: the song—which Stookey credits to divine inspiration— has since been recorded by many singers —and remains a popular choice for performance at weddings.
"Steamroller Blues", is a blues parody written by James Taylor, that appeared on his 1970 album Sweet Baby James. It was intended to mock the inauthentic blues bands of the day. The song later appeared on two of Taylor's compilation albums and has been recorded by a variety of other artists.
"Day After Day" is a song by the British rock band Badfinger from their 1971 album Straight Up. It was written by Pete Ham and produced by George Harrison, who also plays slide guitar on the recording. The song was issued as a single and became Badfinger's biggest hit, charting at number 4 in the United States and number 10 in the UK, ultimately earning gold accreditation from the Recording Industry Association of America.
"Sweet Thing" is a song performed by American funk and R&B band Rufus with vocals by band member Chaka Khan. As a single, it peaked number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1976. Mary J. Blige recorded her version, which charted in the United States and New Zealand in 1993.
The Sweet is a compilation album released as Sweet's debut album in the US and Canada, substituting for the 1971 UK album Funny How Sweet Co-Co Can Be.
"Country Road" is a song written and performed by James Taylor. It appears on his 1970 second album, Sweet Baby James. "Country Road" is also featured on James Taylor's 1976 Greatest Hits record. The song has been played at most of his concerts since 1970. Randy Meisner, later of the Eagles played bass on the album version.
"Laléna" is the title of a composition by Donovan. Billboard described the single as a "beautiful and intriguing original ballad." Cash Box said that "sweet strings accent a hauntingly beautiful folk-flavored ballad which gets stronger with each listen."
"Sweet City Woman" is a 1971 song by Canadian rock band The Stampeders, appearing on their debut album Against the Grain. It features a banjo as a primary instrument, which is also mentioned in the lyrics: "The banjo and me, we got a feel for singing."
Meet The Searchers is the 1963 debut and most successful album by British rock band The Searchers. The album featured their first single released in June 1963, a version of the Drifters' "Sweets for My Sweet", which was a UK No.1 for the band, as well as their version of the Clovers "Love Potion No.9", which was released as a single in the U.S. the following year. "Love Potion No.9" peaked on the US charts at No. 3 on 19 December 1964. The album was also released in Canada, Germany and South Africa, often with track listing changes.
"How Sweet It Is " is a song recorded by American soul singer Marvin Gaye from his fifth studio album of the same name (1965). It was written in 1964 by the Motown songwriting team of Holland–Dozier–Holland, and produced by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier. The song title was inspired by one of the actor and comedian Jackie Gleason's signature phrases, "How Sweet It Is!"
"Sweet Mary" is a song written by Steve Jablecki and performed by Wadsworth Mansion. "Sweet Mary" was featured on their 1971 album Wadsworth Mansion and was produced by Jim Calvert and Norman Marzano.