Grand Funk Railroad Biography

Grand Funk Railroad is an American power trio band. Not usually well-received by critics, the original Grand Funk Railroad lineup were highly popular during the 1970s, having sold over 25 million records and selling out arenas world-wide. They were often cited as "the loudest rock and roll band in the world." Grand Funk Railroad currently uses the nickname "The American Band", from their hit song "We're An American Band".

The band was formed in 1969 by Mark Farner (vocals, guitar) and Don Brewer (drums), from Terry Knight & the Pack, and Mel Schacher (bass) from ? & the Mysterians in the working class, auto industry town of Flint, Michigan. Terry Knight soon became their manager and named the band after the Grand Trunk Western Railroad, a well-known rail line in Michigan.
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First acheiving recognition at the 1969 Atlanta Pop Festival, the band was signed by Capitol Records. In 1970 they had sold more albums than any other American band and had become a major concert attraction. In that same year they had a hit single "Closer To Home," a song that was closer in style to the old Terry Knight & The Pack than it was to GFR. A year later, they went on to break The Beatles' record at Shea Stadium, selling out in just 71 hours. That record still stands today.

Even with critical pans and lack of radio airplay, the group's first eight albums, released in three years, were successful. Knight launched an intense advertising campaign to promote Closer To Home, a multi-platinum, smash hit album that was slammed by virtually all music critics, reportedly paying $100,000 for a huge billboard in New York City's Time Square. In 1972, Grand Funk Railroad fired Knight, who sued for breach of contract, resulting in a protracted legal battle.

After recruiting Craig Frost (keyboards), Grand Funk Railroad released Phoenix in 1972, then shorten their name to Grand Funk. This was followed by two huge hit singles, "We're an American Band" (from We're An American Band) and "The Loco-Motion" (written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin for Little Eva). After a pop-style album, All the Girls in the World Beware!!!, and a name revert to "Grand Funk Railroad", the band's popularity decreased. After finishing Good Singin', Good Playin' (1976) with producer Frank Zappa, Grand Funk Railroad disbanded. Farner began a solo career, while the rest of the band became Flint with the addition of Billy Ellworthy.

The band reunited in 1981 with Dennis Bellinger replacing Mel Schacher on Bass, and released two albums on the Warner Brothers label Full Moon. Neither album achieved much success. After disbanding a second time, Farner launched a solo career as a Christian recording artist, while Brewer and Frost joined Bob Seger's Silver Bullet Band. Grand Funk Railroad reunited again in 1997 to play three sold out Bosnian benefit concerts, releasing a benefit album called Bosnia. In 1998 Mark Farner left the band, announcing that he was retiring from performing. Farner eventually decided he wanted to be on stage again, formed his own band, and continues to tour, performing mostly GFR tunes as well as some solo material. He no longer has any affiliation with the band, although some advertising for his concerts would lead fans to believe otherwise.

Terry Knight (Richard Terrance Knapp) was murdered in Killeen, Texas on November 1, 2004. He was 61.

As for GFR, the train kept rolling after Farner left. Don and Mel recruited lead singer Max Carl (of .38 Special fame), former KISS lead guitarist Bruce Kulick, and keyboard player Timothy Cashion in late 2000, and the band has toured steadily for the past five years, gathering an entire new audience while still thrilling fans of the original band.

The band has been writing new material as well, featuring three recently-penned tunes in their current set list, including "Sky High," a melodic and catchy song that stands up to any of their previous hits, and the 9/11 inspired ballad "Who Took Down The Stars" written by Carl and Kulick. (Kulick plans to write additional material with both Carl and Cashion for an upcoming solo project.)

The group plays around 50 concerts per year, recently breaking attendance records in Buffalo, New York and Orlando, Florida, drawing well over 20,000 fans to both concerts. The "new" Grand Funk is currently celebrating their fifth year together, and plans to book even more concerts in 2006. Celebrating nearly 40 years of classic rock and roll, the band is as vibrant, energetic, and explosive on stage now as they were at Shea Stadium all those years ago.

GRAND FUNK RAILROAD PICTURES

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GRAND FUNK RAILROAD BIOGRAPHY