Today we will tell you about Lou Gramm - one of the most powerful singers we know.
(Photo: Monsters Of Rock Twitter)
1. He was born on May 2, 1950, in Rochester, New York. His full name is Louis Andrew Grammatico.
2. From an early age he absorbed music at home. His mother was a singer and his father was a bandleader and trumpet player.
3. The first band he formed was called "Black Sheep". They released their first single "Stick Around" in 1974.
4. The band released two studio albums, both in 1975. The first is "Black Sheep" and the second is "Encouraging Words".
5. Gramm received credit as the band's singer under the name Lou Grammatico and co-wrote most of the songs on both albums.
6. Gramm and the band went on a tour in the US and managed to become the opening act for "Kiss" in their early days.
7. A car accident with the band's equipment truck on Christmas Eve of 1975 interrupted the tour and also eventually led to the disbandment of "Black Sheep".
8. In 1974 guitarist Mick Jones moves to New York, with his British band "Spooky Tooth". They realized they were more successful in the US than at home in the UK, so they decided to move to New York.
9. Shortly after the "Black Sheep" truck accident, Lou Grammatico meets Mick Jones in a "Spooky Tooth" performance, where Gramm gives Jones a copy of "Black Sheep's" debut album.
10. Later on, "Spooky Tooth" also falls apart. Jones was left jobless in New York and at one point he even considered returning to England and starting his dental studies. Eventually, Jones makes a decision to set up his own band that he will lead and be able to direct its musical direction.
(Photo: Michael Putland)
11. He immediately begins to recruit musicians to accompany him in his new lineup. He recalls the album he received from Lou Grammatico during the performance of "Spooky Tooth" and recruits him as the band's lead singer. At this point, Lou Grammatico changes his name to Lou Gramm.
12. At first, the band was called "Trigger", but soon after it was named "Foreigner" because half of the band is made up of "American" musicians - keyboardist Al Greenwood, bassist Ed Gagliardi and singer Lou Gramm, while the other half is "British" and it includes multi-instrumentalist Ian McDonald from "King Crimson", drummer Dennis Elliott and Mick Jones himself.
13. "Foreigner"'s first album was released in 1977 and was an immediate huge success. Hits such as "Cold as Ice", "Feels Like the First Time", "Long, Long Way from Home", "Starrider" and more were released from it, making it one of the best-selling debut albums in the US.
14. The band releases their second album "Double Vision" a year later. Also, in this case, it was a dizzying success when the album released hits like "Double Vision", "Hot Blooded" and "Blue Morning, Blue Day".
15. If we already mentioned "hits", then the first eight singles of "Foreigner" entered the top 20 on American Billboard and made them the first band since "The Beatles" to reach that status.
16. Gramm was the lead singer in all of these hits and co-wrote most of the band's songs, including the ballad "Waiting for a Girl Like You", which stayed ten weeks in second place on the "American Hot 100" and "I Want to Know What Love Is" which made it to #1 in eight countries.
17. After the band's fourth album named "4" from 1981, creative disagreements began between Lou Gramm and Mick Jones. Gramm wanted the band to stay true to its pure rock origins and preferred songs with the basic structure of a guitar, bass, and drums, while Jones adopted the 1980s style with synthesizer ballads.
18. These disagreements led to the band's next album "Agent Provocateur" coming out three years after the album "4", when by then the band was releasing an album a year.
19. The band's sixth album "Inside Information" was released in 1987 and by this time the disagreements between Gramm and Jones were so big that Gramm decided to embark on a solo career.
20. Gramm released his first solo album "Ready or Not" that same year. The album was critically acclaimed and includes the single "Midnight Blue".
(Photo: Ebet Roberts)
21. That same year Gramm contributes the song "Lost in the Shadows" to the soundtrack of the comedy horror film "The Lost Boys."
22. In 1989, Gramm released his second solo album "Long Hard Look", which included the hits "Just Between You and Me", "True Blue Love" and also "Hangin 'on My Hip" which was part of the soundtrack of the movie "Navy SEALs", from 1990.
23. In 1990 Gramm announces his departure from "Foreigner" due to disagreements with Mick Jones, and that from now on he will focus on his solo career.
24. After his departure, Gramm formed the band "Shadow King", with his friend former "Black Sheep" bassist Bruce Turgon. In 1991, they released their only album, named after the band - "Shadow King".
25. In the same year, Gramm contributes the song "One Dream" to the soundtrack to the movie "Highlander II: The Quickening".
26. In 1992 Gramm returned to "Foreigner" after being able to settle his disagreements with Mick Jones.
27. In 1994 the band released their eighth album "Mr. Moonlight". This will be Gramm's last album in the band and also "Foreigner's" last album until 2009.
28. In 1997, Gramm participated in the album "Petra Praise 2: We Need Jesus", by the band "Petra".
29. In the same year he was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor, underwent surgery and in 1998 returned to the tour with "Foreigner".
30. In 2003 Gramm leaves "Foreigner" again and in 2004 he participated in the album "Welcome to the Revolution" by the band "Liberty N 'Justice".
31. In 2009, Gramm released the album "Lou Gramm Band" under the same band name.
32. In 2013, Gramm published his book "Juke Box Hero - My Five Decades in Rock 'n' Roll", in which he tells his life story.
33. At the same year Gramm entered the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
34. In December 2018, Gramm announced that he was retiring from touring. However, he has stated that he will continue to release albums and occasionally perform live shows on a one-off basis.
35. In 2019, Gramm joined the tour of "Asia" under the name "Asia Featuring John Payne".
36. That same year Gramm participated in the song "Sometimes" from Alan Parsons' album "The Secret".
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