Rob Grill

Rob Grill
Birth name Robert Frank Grill
Born (1943-11-30)November 30, 1943
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died July 11, 2011(2011-07-11) (aged 67)
Mt Dora, Florida
Genres Rock, Folk, Pop
Instruments Bass guitar, vocals
Years active 1966–2011
Labels Dunhill, ABC, Haven, MCA, Gusto, Mercury Records, RFG, Cleopatra
Website RobGrill.com
The-GrassRoots.com

Robert Frank "Rob" Grill (November 30, 1943 – July 11, 2011)[1] was an American lead singer, songwriter and bass guitarist, best known as a member of the rock and roll group The Grass Roots.

Career

Grill was a native of Hollywood, California where he attended Hollywood High School. Soon after graduation, he began working at American Recording Studios with musician friends Cory Wells and John Kay (who later formed Three Dog Night and Steppenwolf, respectively).

Grill was asked to join The Grass Roots, which grew out of a project originating from Dunhill Records owned by Lou Adler. Writer/producers P. F. Sloan and Steve Barri (The Mamas & the Papas, Tommy Roe, Four Tops and Dusty Springfield) were asked by Dunhill to write songs that would capitalize on the growing interest in the folk-rock movement. Their song “Where Were You When I Needed You”, recorded as a demo with P.F. Sloan as lead singer was released under the name “The Grass Roots” and started to get airplay in San Francisco Bay area. Dunhill searched for a band to become The Grass Roots. After the first group they chose departed, a Los Angeles band composed of Creed Bratton, Rick Coonce, Warren Entner, and Kenny Fukomoto, was recruited to become The Grass Roots.

When Fukumoto was drafted into the army, Grill was brought in as his replacement. With Grill as lead singer, they recorded another version of "Where Were You When I Needed You" and he became the band’s longest serving member, appearing with them for more than four decades. Grill went on to produce and manage the band and became owner of The Grass Roots name.[2]

Classic rock festivals

The Grass Roots played at the Fantasy Fair and Magic Mountain Music Festival on Sunday, June 11, 1967, in the "summer of love" as their top ten hit "Let's Live For Today" was hitting the airwaves. This music festival is important because it occurred before the Monterey Pop Festival but did not have a movie to document it for the ages (see List of electronic music festivals). on Sunday, October 27, 1968, they played at the San Francisco Pop Festival and then played at the Los Angeles Pop Festival and Miami Pop Festival in December of that year as their top ten hit "Midnight Confessions" was hitting the airwaves.

The Grass Roots played at Newport Pop Festival 1969 at Devonshire Downs which was a racetrack at the time but now is part of the North Campus for California State University at Northridge. They played on Sunday June 22 which was the final day of the festival as their top twenty hit "Wait A Million Years" was hitting the airwaves. In Canada, they played at the Vancouver Pop Festival at the Paradise Valley Resort in British Columbia in August 1969 (see List of electronic music festivals).

Solo career & 60's nostalgia

Grill launched a solo career in 1979, assisted on his solo album by several members of Fleetwood Mac. Responding to 60s nostalgia, Grill then led The Grass Roots (billed "The Grass Roots Starring Rob Grill") and toured the United States until his death in 2011. While in the arms of his wife Nancy, Grill died July 11, 2011 in an Orlando, Florida hospital from complications after a stroke. [1][3]

Compositions and musical release performance

Grill composed sixteen songs for The Grass Roots and his solo album. One of these, "Come On and Say It", appeared as a single "A" side. His other fifteen compositions appeared on single "B" sides and albums. He wrote frequently with Warren Entner and they were considered a songwriting team. Grill played with The Grass Roots on sixteen albums, seven of which charted. He took part in thirty-two Grass Roots singles released, twenty-one of which charted.[4]

Discography

Singles

Release date Title Flip side Record Label Chart Positions
US Billboard US Cashbox UK
1967 Let's Live for Today Depressed Feeling Dunhill 8 5
Things I Should Have Said Tip Of My Tongue Dunhill 23 36
Wake Up, Wake Up No Exit Dunhill 68 61
1968 Melody For You Hey Friend Dunhill 123
Feelings Here's Where You Belong Dunhill
Midnight Confessions + Who Will You Be Tomorrow Dunhill 5 5
1969 Bella Linda Hot Bright Lights Dunhill 28 20
Melody For You All Good Things Come To An End Dunhill
Lovin' Things You And Love Are The Same Dunhill 49 35
River Is Wide, The (You Gotta) Live For Love Dunhill 31 16
I'd Wait A Million Years Fly Me To Havana Dunhill 15 12
Heaven Knows Don't Remind Me Dunhill 24 13
1970 Walking Through The Country Truck Drivin' Man Dunhill 44 30
Baby Hold On Get It Together Dunhill 35 25
Come On And Say It Something's Comin' Over Me Dunhill 61 39
Temptation Eyes Keepin' Me Down Dunhill 15 16
1971 Sooner Or Later I Can Turn Off The Rain Dunhill 9 12
Two Divided By Love Let It Go Dunhill 16 8
1972 Glory Bound Only One Dunhill 34 22
Runway, The Move Along Dunhill 39 29
Anyway The Wind Blows Monday Love Dunhill 107
1973 Love Is What You Make It Someone To Love Dunhill 55
Where There's Smoke There's Fire Look But Don't Touch Dunhill
We Can't Dance To Your Music Look But Don't Touch Dunhill
Stealin' Love (In The Night) We Almost Made It Together Dunhill
1975 Mamacita Last Time Around, The Haven 71
Naked Man Nothing Good Comes Easy Haven
1976 Out In The Open Optical Illusion Haven
1979 Rock Sugar Have Mercy Mercury
1982 Here Comes That Feeling Again Temptation Eye MCA
She Don't Know Me Keep On Burning MCA
Powers Of The Night Powers Of The Night MCA

+ - Gold Record - RIAA Certification

Albums

(All albums are with the Grass Roots, unless otherwise noted)

Release date Title Record Label Chart Positions
US Billboard US Cashbox UK
1967 Let's Live for Today Dunhill 75
1968 Feelings Dunhill
Golden Grass + Dunhill 25
1969 Lovin' Things Dunhill 73
Leaving It All Behind Dunhill 36
1970 More Golden Grass Dunhill 152
1971 Their 16 Greatest Hits + Dunhill 58
1972 Move Along Dunhill 86
1973 Alotta' Mileage Dunhill
1976 The ABC Collection ABC
1978 14 Greatest Gusto
1979 Uprooted (solo album) Mercury
1982 Powers Of The Night MCA
2000 Live At Last RFG
2001 Symphonic Hits Cleopatra
2008 Live Gold RFG

+ - Gold Record - RIAA Certification

References

  1. 1 2 Riedel, David (12 July 2011). "Rob Grill of the Grass Roots dead at 67". CBS News. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  2. ↑ RobGrill.com
  3. ↑ Moser, John J. (12 July 2011). "Grass Roots singer Rob Grill dies hours before SteelStacks show; group plays tribute set". The Morning Call (Lehigh Valley, PA). Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  4. ↑ "Rob Grill Songs". Retrieved 2011-04-16.

External links

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