Wally Palmar | |
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 Palmar performing in 2011 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Volodymyr Palamarchuk |
| Born | April 27, 1953 Hamtramck, Michigan, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1977–present |
| Member of | |
| Formerly of | Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band |
Volodymyr Palamarchuk [a] (born April 27, 1953), [1] [2] known professionally as Wally Palmar, is an American musician best known as a founding member and lead singer of the Detroit rock band the Romantics.
Palmar was born and raised in the Detroit enclave of Hamtramck, Michigan, [1] to Ukrainian immigrant parents. He speaks Ukrainian fluently. [2] As a youth, he was attracted to the music of the British Invasion. [3] Palmar graduated from Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic High School in 1971. [2]
Palmar and several high school friends formed the Romantics in 1977 scoring their first record deal in 1979 with Nemperor Records. [3] Their self-titled debut album for Nemperor in 1980 with British producer Pete Solley contained the band's first chart hit. "What I Like About You", which Palmar co-wrote, peaked at #49 on the Billboard Hot 100. The band's 1983 album, In Heat contained the band's biggest hit, the million-selling "Talking in Your Sleep". In early 1984, it spent several weeks at #3 on Billboard and featured Palmar on lead vocals. [3] Palmar also provided lead vocals on the minor-hit follow-up single, "One in a Million".
In 2010 and 2011, Palmar toured as a part of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band performing "What I Like About You" and "Talking in Your Sleep". [4] In 2014, Palmar was a founding member of the Empty Hearts. The group recorded on 429 Records and Palmar's bandmates included Blondie drummer Clem Burke, the Chesterfield Kings bassist Andy Babiuk, the Cars guitarist Elliot Easton, and Small Faces and Faces pianist Ian McLagan. [5] The band's self-titled first album was released 5 August 2014 and produced by Ed Stasium.
Blondie is an American rock band formed in New York City in 1974 by singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the American new wave genre and scene of the mid-1970s.
Parallel Lines is the third studio album by American rock band Blondie, released on September 8, 1978, by Chrysalis Records. An instant critical and commercial success, the album reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart in February 1979 and proved to be the band's commercial breakthrough in the United States, where it reached No. 6 on the Billboard 200 in April 1979. In Billboard magazine, Parallel Lines was listed at No. 9 in its top pop albums year-end chart of 1979. The album spawned several successful singles, notably the international hit "Heart of Glass".
Rick Derringer is an American musician, producer, and songwriter. He gained success in the 1960s with his band, the McCoys. Their debut single, "Hang on Sloopy", became a number-one hit in 1965 and is now regarded as a classic track from the garage rock era. The McCoys had seven songs chart in the top 100, including covers of "Fever" and "Come on Let's Go".
Clement Burke is an American musician who is best known as the drummer for the band Blondie from 1975, shortly after the band formed, throughout the band's entire career. He also played drums for the Ramones for a brief time in 1987, under the name Elvis Ramone.
The Romantics are an American rock band formed in 1977 in Detroit. The band is often put under the banner of power pop and new wave. They were influenced by 1950s American rock and roll, Detroit's MC5, the Stooges, early Bob Seger, Motown R&B, 1960s North American garage rock as well as the British Invasion rockers.
"What I Like About You" is a song by American rock band the Romantics, released in December 1979 as the lead single from their 1980 self-titled debut album. The song was written by band members Wally Palmar, Mike Skill and Jimmy Marinos. Marinos, the band's drummer, is the lead vocalist on the song. The band filmed a music video for the song that appeared frequently on MTV during the early 1980s.
Elliot Easton is an American musician who is best known as the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for the American new wave band the Cars. His melodic guitar solos are an integral part of the band's music. Easton has also recorded music as a solo artist, and has played in other bands. He is a left-handed guitarist. In 2018, Easton was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Cars.
"Dreaming" is a song by American new wave band Blondie. Released in 1979, the song was the opening track from their fourth album Eat to the Beat. Written by guitarist Chris Stein and singer Debbie Harry and partially inspired by ABBA's "Dancing Queen," the song also features an active drum performance by drummer Clem Burke, who did not expect the final recording to feature his busy drum track.
Ian Patrick McLagan was an English keyboardist, best known as a member of the rock bands Small Faces and Faces. He also collaborated with the Rolling Stones and led his own band from the late 1970s. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.
The Chesterfield Kings are a rock band from Rochester, New York, who began as a retro '60s inspired garage band, and evoking the sounds and styles of 1960s psychedelic rock music. The current lineup features longtime members: Andy Babiuk, Mike Boise, Jeff Okolowicz, Ted Okolowicz, and newcomer John Cammarosano. Former singer Greg Prevost left the band in 2009 to pursue a solo career. The band, named after a brand of unfiltered cigarette, was instrumental in sparking the 1980s garage band revival that launched such groups as the Unclaimed, Marshmallow Overcoat, The Fuzztones, The Pandoras, Mystic Eyes, The Cynics, the Secret Service, and the Stomachmouths.
"Talking in Your Sleep" is a song by American rock band the Romantics. Released in September 1983, It became the band's most successful single in the US, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1984, being their only US Top 10 hit. The song would have a release two months later in Australia and New Zealand, a release later that year in Japan, and in January 1984 in the UK. It failed to chart in both countries. It became a UK hit in August that year for British group Bucks Fizz. The song is in natural minor.
Ed Stasium is an American record producer and audio engineer, who has worked on albums by the Ramones, Talking Heads, Motörhead, the Smithereens and Living Colour.
Rhythm Romance is the fifth album by Detroit rock band the Romantics, released on Nemperor Records in 1985.
The Romantics is the debut album of American rock band the Romantics, released on 4 January 1980 under Nemperor Records, giving it the distinction of being the first pop record released in the 1980s. It includes the Billboard Hot 100 hit "What I Like About You", which peaked at No. 49.
Deborah Ann Harry is an American singer, songwriter and actress, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Blondie. Four of her songs with the band reached No. 1 on the US charts between 1979 and 1981.
National Breakout is the second album by the American band the Romantics, released in 1980 on Nemperor Records. It peaked at No. 176 on the Billboard 200.
Strictly Personal is the third album by the Romantics. It was released in 1981 on Nemperor Records.
In Heat is the fourth album by the American band the Romantics. It was released in 1983 on Nemperor Records. It was the Romantics' most commercially successful album, and featured the Romantics' biggest hit single: "Talking in Your Sleep", peaking at No. 3, and a second top 40 hit, "One in a Million", charted No. 37.
The Empty Hearts are an American garage rock supergroup band formed in New York City in 2013. which produced its first album and launched its first tour in 2014.
Andrew Michael Babiuk is an American musician, author, consultant, and owner of Andy Babiuk's Fab Gear in Fairport, New York. He is a founding member and bassist of the supergroup The Empty Hearts and is also a longtime member and current frontman of The Chesterfield Kings. Babiuk is the author of Beatles Gear: All the Fab Four's Instruments from Stage to Studio (2001), The Story of Paul Bigsby (2009), Rolling Stones Gear (2014) and Beatles Gear – The Ultimate Edition (2015). He is a staff consultant to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as well as to auction houses in New York, London and Los Angeles. Andy also owns and operates the guitar shop Andy Babiuk's Fab Gear which is located in Rochester New York.
Born April 27, 1953 in Hamtramck, MI.
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