![]() ![]() Unlike most managers, Knight didn’t try to befriend rock critics. He kept Farner, Brewer and Schacher away from the press and handled the interviews himself. Knight produced their albums, helped write the songs and even designed the album covers. Once described as someone who “ fancied himself as the Colonel Tom Parker of the '70s,” Knight took a very hands-on approach with Grand Funk Railroad, whom he named after Michigan's Grand Trunk Western Railroad. This arrangement would become more significant later on. The Capitol deal, in fact, was with Knight’s production company, which Grand Funk was signed to. He did manage to score them the opening slot at the Atlanta International Pop Festival on July 4, 1969, which led to the band getting a deal with Capitol Records. Knight initially had little luck interesting record labels in Grand Funk. To round out the power trio, they brought aboard Schacher, an old friend of Farner’s. They were at such a desperate point that they agreed to sign with Knight as their “manager, producer, press spokesman and musical mentor,” even though Farner thought Knight was a chameleon and a con man. ![]() EMI/Capitol (Universal Music) released a new Grand Funk Greatest Hits package that includes a bonus DVD of rare concert footage.Grand Funk Railroad came into being when Brewer and Farner, both struggling to make it as musicians, contacted Terry Knight, the former frontman of their old band the Pack. GFR drew 25,000 people to their Molson Canal Series Concert outside Buffalo, 20,000 in Albany, New York, and 20,000 fans to downtown Orlando, Florida. The multi-talented band carries on the tradition of Grand Funk hits and creates a new chapter in the legacy of Grand Funk Railroad. The most recent gold CD award was presented to the band for their greatest hits package Grand Funk Railroad the Collectors Series. The group has now accumulated 15 gold and 10 platinum records with record sales exceeding 25 million copies sold worldwide. Over their career, Grand Funk has had 19 charted singles, 8 Top 40 hits and two Number One singles (We're An American Band and Locomotion, both selling more than one million each). The group's widespread appeal is also evident in its prestigious recording achievements. A 1971 performance at New York's Shea Stadium sold out faster than the Beatles. Internationally acclaimed Grand Funk has toured the world, selling out in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan and South America. film RADIO, and in the swashbuckler SAHARA starring Matthew McConaughey. We're An American Band was featured in the Cuba Gooding Jr. The huge hit was featured in a General Motors national TV ad campaign and in Disney's animated feature film The Country Bears. We're An American Band has received notoriety in recent years being used in movie sound tracks and in television/radio advertising. Mega-hits We're An American Band, I'm Your Captain/Closer To Home, Locomotion, and Some Kind Of Wonderful still receive continuous airplay on Classic Rock radio. The fact that Grand Funk's legacy still reigns over the Classic Rock landscape fifty years after its 1969 birth in Flint, Michigan is a testament to the group's influence and staying power. Grand Funk laid the groundwork for such bands as Foreigner, Journey, Van Halen and Bon Jovi with its signature hard driving sound, soulful vocals, muscular instrumentation and forceful pop melodies. Tim," his credits include stints with Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band and English soul man Robert Palmer. (KISS members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley were influenced early on by Grand Funk.) Keyboardist Tim Cashion has a master's degree in music from the University of Miami. Don refers to Max as "the best blue-eyed soul singer on the planet." Lead guitarist Bruce Kulick is best known for his 12 years with KISS and has credits with Michael Bolton, Meatloaf and Billy Squier. Max penned and sang 38's biggest hit "Second Chance" and was co-founder of California's legendary Jack Mack and the Heart Attack. ![]() Grand Funk Railroad includes original founding members Don Brewer (vocals and drums, writer and singer of the multi-million selling hit, We're An American Band) and bassist Mel Schacher, "The God Of Thunder." Joining Don and Mel are true "All Stars." Singer Max Carl is a rock veteran from 38 Special. Known as "The American Band," the high-energy five-piece group will play forty shows all over the USA this year. After playing to millions of fans on the band's tours Grand Funk continues to reach both new and long-time fans. Originating from Flint, Michigan in 1969, this top selling American rock group of the 70's is "COMIN' TO YOUR TOWN TO HELP YOU PARTY IT DOWN." Grand Funk Railroad is extremely excited to be touring in 2019 marking a 50 year milestone. ![]()
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