Dave Smalley (Cleveland)
Encyclopedia
David Bruce 'Dave' Smalley was member of 1970s Power pop
band, Raspberries
on 10, July, 1949, and moved to Cleveland in his youth.
His musical career began at age 15 with the Mods, a Cleveland band that became the Choir
, where he was the lead singer. the Choir charted a #1 regional hit, "It's Cold Outside", which also became a top 100 hit.
, famous for their hits "Go All The Way", "I Wanna Be With You" & "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)". From 1971-1973, he wrote, played, sang, and toured with them and recorded three albums with Capitol Records
. As bassist and contributing songwriter, often sharing credits with front man Eric Carmen
, Smalley also provided background vocals while Carmen and lead guitarist Wally Bryson shared the spotlight.
On the Raspberries début album "Raspberries
" Dave Smalley wrote; "Rock & Roll Mama" & "Get It Moving", on the Raspberries second album "Fresh Raspberries
" he wrote; "Every Way I Can" and with Eric Carmen
co-wrote; "Goin' Nowhere Tonight", "Nobody Knows", "It Seemed So Easy" "Drivin' Around", and on the Raspberries third album "Side 3" he wrote; "Making It Easy", "Hard To Get Over A Heartbreak" & "Should I Wait".
In 1973, after having been ejected from Raspberries after their third album Side 3, Smalley formed a band called Dynamite with Jim Bonfanti
of Raspberries and Kevin Raleigh, later keyboardist with the Ohio-based Michael Stanley Band.
. In 1988, Smalley, Bryson and Bonfanti reunited with The Choir in Cleveland for a Father's Day
concert sponsored by WMMS
.
Some 30 years after the Raspberries' breakup, Smalley released his first solo album, Internal Monologue. According to Smalley, the songs are "a collection of personal favorites".
In November 2004, the four original Raspberries (Smalley, along with Carmen, Bryson, and Bonfanti) played together for the first time in 30 years, at the House of Blues in Cleveland. It escalated into a reunion tour that lasted nearly a year. A live album is in the works.
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
band, Raspberries
Raspberries (band)
Raspberries is an American power pop/pop rock band from Cleveland, Ohio. They had a run of success in the early 1970s music scene with their crisp pop sound, which Allmusic later described as featuring "exquisitely crafted melodies and achingly gorgeous harmonies." The members were known for their...
Early years
Smalley was born in Oil City, PennsylvaniaOil City, Pennsylvania
Oil City is a city in Venango County, Pennsylvania that is known in the initial exploration and development of the petroleum industry. After the first oil wells were drilled nearby in the 1850s, Oil City became central in the petroleum industry while hosting headquarters for the Pennzoil, Quaker...
on 10, July, 1949, and moved to Cleveland in his youth.
His musical career began at age 15 with the Mods, a Cleveland band that became the Choir
The Choir (garage rock)
The Choir was a garage rock band largely active in the greater Cleveland area from the mid 1960s into the early 1970s. Originally called The Mods, their largest commercial success came with the release of their first single "It's Cold Outside" in December 1966...
, where he was the lead singer. the Choir charted a #1 regional hit, "It's Cold Outside", which also became a top 100 hit.
1970s
Upon returning from duty in Vietnam in 1971, he joined some former band mates in RaspberriesRaspberries (band)
Raspberries is an American power pop/pop rock band from Cleveland, Ohio. They had a run of success in the early 1970s music scene with their crisp pop sound, which Allmusic later described as featuring "exquisitely crafted melodies and achingly gorgeous harmonies." The members were known for their...
, famous for their hits "Go All The Way", "I Wanna Be With You" & "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)". From 1971-1973, he wrote, played, sang, and toured with them and recorded three albums with Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
. As bassist and contributing songwriter, often sharing credits with front man Eric Carmen
Eric Carmen
Eric Howard Carmen is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist.He scored numerous hit songs across the 1970s and 1980s, first as a member of the Raspberries , and then with his solo career, including hits such as "All By Myself", "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again", "She Did It",...
, Smalley also provided background vocals while Carmen and lead guitarist Wally Bryson shared the spotlight.
On the Raspberries début album "Raspberries
Raspberries (album)
Raspberries is the debut album from the Raspberries, released in 1972 .The American version of this LP carried a scratch'n'sniff sticker scented with a soft fruit perfume....
" Dave Smalley wrote; "Rock & Roll Mama" & "Get It Moving", on the Raspberries second album "Fresh Raspberries
Fresh Raspberries (album)
Fresh is the second album from Raspberries, released in 1972 .This album was re-released on CD as part of the Power Pop Vol...
" he wrote; "Every Way I Can" and with Eric Carmen
Eric Carmen
Eric Howard Carmen is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist.He scored numerous hit songs across the 1970s and 1980s, first as a member of the Raspberries , and then with his solo career, including hits such as "All By Myself", "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again", "She Did It",...
co-wrote; "Goin' Nowhere Tonight", "Nobody Knows", "It Seemed So Easy" "Drivin' Around", and on the Raspberries third album "Side 3" he wrote; "Making It Easy", "Hard To Get Over A Heartbreak" & "Should I Wait".
In 1973, after having been ejected from Raspberries after their third album Side 3, Smalley formed a band called Dynamite with Jim Bonfanti
Jim Bonfanti
James Alexander Bonfanti is a rock drummer, best known as a member of the band Raspberries.Bonfanti's music career began in 1965 when he saw The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. That experience eventually led him to join the band The Mods...
of Raspberries and Kevin Raleigh, later keyboardist with the Ohio-based Michael Stanley Band.
1980s
In 1980, he formed The Secret, a classic Rock and Roll band that performed locally in the Cleveland area. After The Secret split up, Smalley moved to ArizonaArizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. In 1988, Smalley, Bryson and Bonfanti reunited with The Choir in Cleveland for a Father's Day
Father's Day
Father's Day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. Many countries celebrate it on the third Sunday of June but it is also celebrated widely on other days...
concert sponsored by WMMS
WMMS
WMMS — branded 100.7 WMMS: The Buzzard — is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, widely recognized as one of the most influential rock stations in America throughout much of the history of FM broadcasting...
.
1990s
In 1998, Smalley joined Scott McCarl (Smalley's replacement in Raspberries), Bryson and Bonfanti for McCarl's solo show in Cleveland which included segments with a Choir reunion and with the four performing tunes from the Raspberries days.Millennium and after
In March 2000, reuniting as Raspberries with former members Bryson and Scott McCarl (who replaced Smalley in 1974), and with the aid of some session musicians, the band recorded new material and released it as a six song EP, Refreshed.Some 30 years after the Raspberries' breakup, Smalley released his first solo album, Internal Monologue. According to Smalley, the songs are "a collection of personal favorites".
In November 2004, the four original Raspberries (Smalley, along with Carmen, Bryson, and Bonfanti) played together for the first time in 30 years, at the House of Blues in Cleveland. It escalated into a reunion tour that lasted nearly a year. A live album is in the works.