Blackhawk (band)
Encyclopedia
Blackhawk is an American
country music group founded in 1992 by Henry Paul
(lead vocals, mandolin
, acoustic guitar
), Van Stephenson
(background vocals, electric guitar
), and Dave Robbins (background vocals, keyboards
). Several backing musicians also performed with the trio; however, these backing musicians were not officially part of Blackhawk until 2008.
Prior to the group's formation, Robbins and Stephenson had co-written several Number One singles for the country pop band Restless Heart
, and Stephenson had also charted two pop hits in the early 1980s. Paul was previously a member of the Southern rock
band Outlaws as well.
In 1994, BlackHawk was signed to a record deal with Arista Nashville
. Their debut single, "Goodbye Says It All", was released that year, peaking at #11 on the Billboard
Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs
) charts, and their first album (1994's BlackHawk
) was certified 2× Multi-Platinum by the RIAA. Throughout the rest of the 1990s, the band continued to chart several singles, in addition to releasing three more albums and a Greatest Hits package.
Van Stephenson departed the group in 2000 due to complications from skin cancer
. He was replaced with Randy Threet (also a former member of the Outlaws), who made his first appearance on Spirit Dancer, the band's fifth studio album. After Threet's departure in 2003, Anthony Crawford took over as tenor vocalist and lead guitarist; Crawford was, in turn, succeeded by Michael Randall four years later. In early 2008, Robbins left the group to resume his songwriting career, and Threet re-joined. Since then, BlackHawk's backing band has been subsumed into the main group, which comprises Paul (lead vocals, guitar, mandolin), Randall (acoustic guitar, background vocals), Threet (bass guitar
, background vocals), Chris Anderson (lead guitar, background vocals), Jon Coleman (keyboards
, background vocals), and Monte Yoho (drums, percussion).
, vocalist/guitarist Van Stephenson
, and keyboardist/vocalist Dave Robbins. The group's name was derived from the Stutz Blackhawk
, a model of car. All three members had experience with other musicians prior to the formation; Stephenson, a former solo artist who charted two hits on the Billboard Hot 100
in the mid-1980s, had written several songs for the country pop
band Restless Heart
, frequently collaborating with Robbins. In addition, Henry Paul was formerly a member of Outlaws, a Southern rock
band.
, releasing their debut single "Goodbye Says It All" that year. The song, which peaked at #11 on the Hot Country Songs
charts in early 1994, served as the lead-off to their self-titled debut album
, which also produced four more singles: "Every Once in a While", "I Sure Can Smell the Rain", "Down in Flames", and the Jeff Black-penned "That's Just About Right". These songs all reached Top Ten on the country charts. BlackHawk was certified 2× Multi-Platinum by the RIAA for shipping two million copies in the United States.
, was released in 1995. Its lead-off single, "I'm Not Strong Enough to Say No" peaked at #2, followed by "Like There Ain't No Yesterday" at #3. Both of these singles were also Number One hits on the RPM
Top Country Tracks charts in Canada. However, none of the other three singles from the album reached Top Ten in either country with the exception of "Big Guitar" reaching #8 in Canada, and "King of the World", the final single, fell short of the Top 40. Nonetheless, Strong Enough earned the group an RIAA gold certification for selling 500,000 copies.
was the title of BlackHawk's third album, released in 1997. Only two singles were released from this album: the lead-off "Hole in My Heart" at #31 and "Postmarked Birmingham", one of Phil Vassar
's first compositions, at #37. The group's chart success was restored in late 1998, however, with the release of "There You Have It", which went on to peak at #4. This song brought BlackHawk to the Billboard Hot 100
for the first time, peaking at #41 on that chart. "There You Have It" was the first of two singles from 1998's The Sky's the Limit, which also produced the #27 "Your Own Little Corner of My Heart".
collection, composed of the greatest hits from their first four albums. One of this album's newly-recorded tracks, "I Need You All the Time", was a minor Top 40 hit on the country charts. Shortly afterward, Stephenson departed the group, due to complications from skin cancer
, from which he died in 2001.
Stephenson was replaced by Randy Threet, another former member of The Outlaws, who formerly served as the bass guitarist in BlackHawk's backing band, BackHawk. In 2002, the group left Arista for Columbia Records
, with one album (2002's Spirit Dancer
) being released on that label before the group was dropped in 2003. That same year, Threet left as well, with Anthony Crawford taking his place.
' single "Gloryland", which was originally recorded by the band themselves on Spirit Dancer. A year later, the band signed to Rust Records, releasing two singles but no album, due in part to the label's closure. Crawford also left in 2006, with Michael Randall succeeding him. Robbins left in 2008 and was replaced with John Coleman. That same year, the group's backing band — which by then comprised Chris Anderson (lead guitar, background vocals), Randy Threet (bass guitar, background vocals), and Monte Yoho (drums, percussion) — was assumed into the official lineup of BlackHawk. A live album was released in September 2008 on Airline Records.
On February 9, 2010 Blackhawk announced they were returning to the studio to work on a new album. The band hopes to have the new album completed by May 2010 and have announced several tour dates.
In July 2010, it was announced that Jon Coleman left the band to play for Trace Adkins. Founding member and keyboardist/vocalist Dave Robbins has agreed to tour with Blackhawk, although it is unknown if his schedule will allow him to join the band on a permanent basis. Taken from the official Blackhawk website and according to Henry Paul, "We are all are glad to have Dave back in the band and hope he decides to stay for the long haul."
In addition to its three core members, BlackHawk was originally accompanied by a backing band called BackHawk, which comprised Tere Bertke (bass guitar), Dale Oliver
(guitar), and Bobby Huff (drums). Oliver left in the early 2000s for a career composing theme music for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
. BlackHawk began counting its backing band as official members in 2008.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country music group founded in 1992 by Henry Paul
Henry Paul (musician)
Henry Paul is an American southern rock and country singer/songwriter who was a founding member of the Southern rock band Outlaws, the front man and founder of the Henry Paul Band and the lead singer for the country band BlackHawk.-Early life:Henry was born in Kingston, New York and lived on a...
(lead vocals, mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
), Van Stephenson
Van Stephenson
Van Wesley Stephenson was an American singer-songwriter. He scored two US Billboard Hot 100 hits in the 1980s as a solo artist, and later became tenor vocalist in the country music band BlackHawk in the 1990s. In addition, Van co-wrote several singles for other artists, such as Restless Heart...
(background vocals, electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
), and Dave Robbins (background vocals, keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
). Several backing musicians also performed with the trio; however, these backing musicians were not officially part of Blackhawk until 2008.
Prior to the group's formation, Robbins and Stephenson had co-written several Number One singles for the country pop band Restless Heart
Restless Heart
Restless Heart is an American country music band established in 1984. The band's original members were John Dittrich , Paul Gregg , Dave Innis , Greg Jennings , and Verlon Thompson...
, and Stephenson had also charted two pop hits in the early 1980s. Paul was previously a member of the Southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
band Outlaws as well.
In 1994, BlackHawk was signed to a record deal with Arista Nashville
Arista Nashville
Arista Nashville is an American record label that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment, operated under the Sony Music Nashville division. Founded in 1989, the label specializes in country music artists, including Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood...
. Their debut single, "Goodbye Says It All", was released that year, peaking at #11 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
) charts, and their first album (1994's BlackHawk
Blackhawk (album)
Blackhawk is the first studio album by the American country music group Blackhawk. Released in 1994 on Arista Nashville, it was certified 2× Multi-Platinum by the RIAA for shipping two million copies. The album produced the singles "Goodbye Says It All", "Every Once in a While", "I Sure Can...
) was certified 2× Multi-Platinum by the RIAA. Throughout the rest of the 1990s, the band continued to chart several singles, in addition to releasing three more albums and a Greatest Hits package.
Van Stephenson departed the group in 2000 due to complications from skin cancer
Skin cancer
Skin neoplasms are skin growths with differing causes and varying degrees of malignancy. The three most common malignant skin cancers are basal cell cancer, squamous cell cancer, and melanoma, each of which is named after the type of skin cell from which it arises...
. He was replaced with Randy Threet (also a former member of the Outlaws), who made his first appearance on Spirit Dancer, the band's fifth studio album. After Threet's departure in 2003, Anthony Crawford took over as tenor vocalist and lead guitarist; Crawford was, in turn, succeeded by Michael Randall four years later. In early 2008, Robbins left the group to resume his songwriting career, and Threet re-joined. Since then, BlackHawk's backing band has been subsumed into the main group, which comprises Paul (lead vocals, guitar, mandolin), Randall (acoustic guitar, background vocals), Threet (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, background vocals), Chris Anderson (lead guitar, background vocals), Jon Coleman (keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, background vocals), and Monte Yoho (drums, percussion).
History
BlackHawk was founded in 1992 by lead vocalist/guitarist Henry PaulHenry Paul (musician)
Henry Paul is an American southern rock and country singer/songwriter who was a founding member of the Southern rock band Outlaws, the front man and founder of the Henry Paul Band and the lead singer for the country band BlackHawk.-Early life:Henry was born in Kingston, New York and lived on a...
, vocalist/guitarist Van Stephenson
Van Stephenson
Van Wesley Stephenson was an American singer-songwriter. He scored two US Billboard Hot 100 hits in the 1980s as a solo artist, and later became tenor vocalist in the country music band BlackHawk in the 1990s. In addition, Van co-wrote several singles for other artists, such as Restless Heart...
, and keyboardist/vocalist Dave Robbins. The group's name was derived from the Stutz Blackhawk
Stutz Blackhawk
The Stutz Blackhawk was an American luxury car manufactured from 1971 through 1987. The Stutz Motor Company was revived in August 1968 by New York banker James O'Donnell. Virgil Exner designed the car, which was prototyped by Ghia at a cost over US$300,000. The Blackhawk debuted in January 1970...
, a model of car. All three members had experience with other musicians prior to the formation; Stephenson, a former solo artist who charted two hits on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in the mid-1980s, had written several songs for the country pop
Country pop
Country pop, with roots in both the countrypolitan sound and in soft rock, is a subgenre of country music that first emerged in the 1970s. Although the term first referred to country music songs and artists that crossed over to Top 40 radio, country pop acts are now more likely to cross over to...
band Restless Heart
Restless Heart
Restless Heart is an American country music band established in 1984. The band's original members were John Dittrich , Paul Gregg , Dave Innis , Greg Jennings , and Verlon Thompson...
, frequently collaborating with Robbins. In addition, Henry Paul was formerly a member of Outlaws, a Southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
band.
BlackHawk
In 1993, BlackHawk signed to Arista NashvilleArista Nashville
Arista Nashville is an American record label that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment, operated under the Sony Music Nashville division. Founded in 1989, the label specializes in country music artists, including Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood...
, releasing their debut single "Goodbye Says It All" that year. The song, which peaked at #11 on the Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
charts in early 1994, served as the lead-off to their self-titled debut album
Blackhawk (album)
Blackhawk is the first studio album by the American country music group Blackhawk. Released in 1994 on Arista Nashville, it was certified 2× Multi-Platinum by the RIAA for shipping two million copies. The album produced the singles "Goodbye Says It All", "Every Once in a While", "I Sure Can...
, which also produced four more singles: "Every Once in a While", "I Sure Can Smell the Rain", "Down in Flames", and the Jeff Black-penned "That's Just About Right". These songs all reached Top Ten on the country charts. BlackHawk was certified 2× Multi-Platinum by the RIAA for shipping two million copies in the United States.
Strong Enough
BlackHawk's second album, Strong EnoughStrong Enough (Blackhawk album)
Strong Enough is the second studio album by the American country music band BlackHawk, released in 1995. It features the singles "I'm Not Strong Enough to Say No", "Like There Ain't No Yesterday", "Almost a Memory Now", "Big Guitar", and "King of the World", which respectively reached #3, #11, #17...
, was released in 1995. Its lead-off single, "I'm Not Strong Enough to Say No" peaked at #2, followed by "Like There Ain't No Yesterday" at #3. Both of these singles were also Number One hits on the RPM
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
Top Country Tracks charts in Canada. However, none of the other three singles from the album reached Top Ten in either country with the exception of "Big Guitar" reaching #8 in Canada, and "King of the World", the final single, fell short of the Top 40. Nonetheless, Strong Enough earned the group an RIAA gold certification for selling 500,000 copies.
Love & Gravity and The Sky's the Limit
Love & GravityLove & Gravity
Love & Gravity is the third studio album released by the American country music group Blackhawk. It features the singles "Hole in My Heart" and "Postmarked Birmingham", which peaked at #31 and #37, respectively, on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts in 1997.All of the songs center...
was the title of BlackHawk's third album, released in 1997. Only two singles were released from this album: the lead-off "Hole in My Heart" at #31 and "Postmarked Birmingham", one of Phil Vassar
Phil Vassar
Phil Vassar is an American country music artist. Vassar made his debut on the country music scene in the late 1990s, co-writing singles for several country artists, including Tim McGraw , Jo Dee Messina , Collin Raye , and Alan Jackson Phil Vassar (born May 28, 1964 in Lynchburg, Virginia) is an...
's first compositions, at #37. The group's chart success was restored in late 1998, however, with the release of "There You Have It", which went on to peak at #4. This song brought BlackHawk to the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
for the first time, peaking at #41 on that chart. "There You Have It" was the first of two singles from 1998's The Sky's the Limit, which also produced the #27 "Your Own Little Corner of My Heart".
Greatest Hits and Spirit Dancer
In 2000, BlackHawk released their Greatest HitsGreatest Hits (BlackHawk album)
Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits package released by the country music band Blackhawk. It features hits from their first four studio albums, as well as the newly recorded "It Takes a Woman", "I Need You All the Time", and "Ships of Heaven". "I Need You All the Time" was released as a single...
collection, composed of the greatest hits from their first four albums. One of this album's newly-recorded tracks, "I Need You All the Time", was a minor Top 40 hit on the country charts. Shortly afterward, Stephenson departed the group, due to complications from skin cancer
Skin cancer
Skin neoplasms are skin growths with differing causes and varying degrees of malignancy. The three most common malignant skin cancers are basal cell cancer, squamous cell cancer, and melanoma, each of which is named after the type of skin cell from which it arises...
, from which he died in 2001.
Stephenson was replaced by Randy Threet, another former member of The Outlaws, who formerly served as the bass guitarist in BlackHawk's backing band, BackHawk. In 2002, the group left Arista for Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, with one album (2002's Spirit Dancer
Spirit Dancer
Spirit Dancer is the fifth studio album recorded by country music band BlackHawk. It was also their only album on the Columbia Records label, and the first recorded after the death of former member Van Stephenson. The tracks "Days of America" and "One Night in New Orleans" were released as singles...
) being released on that label before the group was dropped in 2003. That same year, Threet left as well, with Anthony Crawford taking his place.
2005-present
In 2005, Blackhawk sang background vocals on Keni ThomasKeni Thomas
Keni Thomas is an American country music singer and former United States Army Ranger who served in The Battle of Mogadishu, portrayed in the 2001 film Black Hawk Down...
' single "Gloryland", which was originally recorded by the band themselves on Spirit Dancer. A year later, the band signed to Rust Records, releasing two singles but no album, due in part to the label's closure. Crawford also left in 2006, with Michael Randall succeeding him. Robbins left in 2008 and was replaced with John Coleman. That same year, the group's backing band — which by then comprised Chris Anderson (lead guitar, background vocals), Randy Threet (bass guitar, background vocals), and Monte Yoho (drums, percussion) — was assumed into the official lineup of BlackHawk. A live album was released in September 2008 on Airline Records.
On February 9, 2010 Blackhawk announced they were returning to the studio to work on a new album. The band hopes to have the new album completed by May 2010 and have announced several tour dates.
In July 2010, it was announced that Jon Coleman left the band to play for Trace Adkins. Founding member and keyboardist/vocalist Dave Robbins has agreed to tour with Blackhawk, although it is unknown if his schedule will allow him to join the band on a permanent basis. Taken from the official Blackhawk website and according to Henry Paul, "We are all are glad to have Dave back in the band and hope he decides to stay for the long haul."
Band members
| 1992–2000 |
|
|---|---|
| 2000–2003 |
|
| 2003–2006 |
|
| 2006–2008 |
|
| 2008–2010 |
|
| 2010–Present |
|
In addition to its three core members, BlackHawk was originally accompanied by a backing band called BackHawk, which comprised Tere Bertke (bass guitar), Dale Oliver
Dale Oliver
Dale Byron Oliver is an American music composer who works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Formerly a guitarist in BackHawk , Oliver serves mainly as a composer of theme music used in professional wrestling.-Music composer for TNA:Since 2003, Oliver writes, records, and produces music under...
(guitar), and Bobby Huff (drums). Oliver left in the early 2000s for a career composing theme music for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
. BlackHawk began counting its backing band as official members in 2008.
Studio albums
- BlackHawkBlackhawk (album)Blackhawk is the first studio album by the American country music group Blackhawk. Released in 1994 on Arista Nashville, it was certified 2× Multi-Platinum by the RIAA for shipping two million copies. The album produced the singles "Goodbye Says It All", "Every Once in a While", "I Sure Can...
(1994) - Strong EnoughStrong Enough (Blackhawk album)Strong Enough is the second studio album by the American country music band BlackHawk, released in 1995. It features the singles "I'm Not Strong Enough to Say No", "Like There Ain't No Yesterday", "Almost a Memory Now", "Big Guitar", and "King of the World", which respectively reached #3, #11, #17...
(1995) - Love & GravityLove & GravityLove & Gravity is the third studio album released by the American country music group Blackhawk. It features the singles "Hole in My Heart" and "Postmarked Birmingham", which peaked at #31 and #37, respectively, on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts in 1997.All of the songs center...
(1997) - The Sky's the Limit (1998)
- Spirit DancerSpirit DancerSpirit Dancer is the fifth studio album recorded by country music band BlackHawk. It was also their only album on the Columbia Records label, and the first recorded after the death of former member Van Stephenson. The tracks "Days of America" and "One Night in New Orleans" were released as singles...
(2002) - Down From The Mountain (2011)
Compilation and specialty albums
- Greatest HitsGreatest Hits (BlackHawk album)Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits package released by the country music band Blackhawk. It features hits from their first four studio albums, as well as the newly recorded "It Takes a Woman", "I Need You All the Time", and "Ships of Heaven". "I Need You All the Time" was released as a single...
(2000) - Greatest Hits Live (2008)