Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show
Encyclopedia
Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show was an American
pop, country and soft rock
band
, formed around Union City, New Jersey
in 1967 as The Chocolate Papers. They enjoyed considerable commercial success in the 1970s with hit single
s including "Sylvia's Mother
", "The Cover of the Rolling Stone
", "A Little Bit More
" and "When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman
". In addition to their own material, Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show performed songs written by the poet Shel Silverstein
.
Often later billed simply as Dr. Hook, they had eight years of regular chart
hits, in both the U.S.
and the UK
, and greatest success with their later gentler material.
, Ray Sawyer
and Billy Francis, who had played up and down the East Coast and into the Midwest, ending up in New Jersey. There they added future lead vocalist, Dennis Locorriere
, and when told by a club owner that they needed a name to put on a poster in the window of his establishment, Cummings made a sign: "Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show: Tonic for the Soul" (prior to this Cummings, Sawyer, and Francis had performed as "The Chocolate Papers"). The name was inspired by the traveling medicine show
s of the old West. To this day, Ray Sawyer is mistakenly considered Dr. Hook, because of the eyepatch he wears as the result of an almost fatal car crash in Oregon in 1967.
The band played for a few years in New Jersey, first with drummer Popeye Phillips (who had also been in "The Chocolate Papers"), who went on to be a session drummer
on The Flying Burrito Brothers
' first album, The Gilded Palace of Sin
. Citing musical differences, Popeye returned home to Alabama and was replaced by local drummer Joseph Olivier. When the band began recording their first album, Olivier left in order to spend more time with his family, and was replaced by session player, John "Jay" David, who was asked to join the band full time in 1968.
In 1970, their demo tapes were heard by Ron Haffkine, musical director on the planned Herb Gardner movie, Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?
. The songs for the film were written by the cartoonist, poet and songwriter Shel Silverstein
, who determined that Dr. Hook was the ideal group for the soundtrack. The group recorded two songs for the film: Locorriere sang the lead on both "The Last Morning," the movie's theme song, later re-recorded for their second album, Sloppy Seconds
, and "Bunky and Lucille," which the band can be seen performing in the film. The film, released in 1971 by National General Pictures, received mixed critical reviews and did only modestly at the box office, but it helped Dr. Hook and The Medicine Show secure their first recording contract
.
Clive Davis
, CBS Records
head, had a meeting with the group, described in Davis's autobiography. Drummer David used a wastepaper basket to keep the beat, and while Sawyer, Locorriere and Cummings played and sang a few songs, Francis hopped up and danced on the mogul's desk. This meeting secured the band their first record deal. Subsequently the band went on to international success over the next twelve years, with Haffkine as the group's manager, as well as producer of all the Dr. Hook recordings.
Their self-titled 1971 debut album featured lead vocals, guitar, bass and harmonica by Locorriere, guitarist Cummings, singer Sawyer, drummer David, singer/guitarist, and keyboard player Billy Francis. The album included their first hit, "Sylvia's Mother
."
Silverstein wrote the songs for many of Dr. Hook's early albums (including their entire second album), such as "Freakin' at the Freaker's Ball", "Sylvia's Mother", "Everybody's Makin' It Big But Me", "Penicillin Penny", "The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan", "Carry Me Carrie", "The Wonderful Soup Stone" and more, some of which were co-written with Locorriere and/or Sawyer.
The Medicine Show's lineup changed a few more times over the years. In 1972, the band added a full-time bassist, Jance Garfat, and another guitarist, Rik Elswit. When David left the group in 1973, he was replaced by John Wolters
. The next to depart was founding band member Cummings, who left in 1975 due to personal and musical differences. The band did not initially replace him. When Elswit was diagnosed with cancer
a couple of years later, the band added Bob "Willard" Henke (formerly of Goose Creek Symphony
). Elswit recovered and returned to the lineup, but they kept Henke on as well for a while. When Henke left in 1980, they added Rod Smarr.
The band's second single, "The Cover of the Rolling Stone
" from Sloppy Seconds attracted the attention of those who would appreciate their irreverent attitude and stage show. It also got the band on the cover of Rolling Stone
magazine — albeit in caricature rather than photograph. The song poked fun at the idea that a musician had "made it" if they had been pictured on the cover of Rolling Stone.
In the United Kingdom
, the BBC Radio
network refused to play "The Cover of the Rolling Stone," as it was considered advertising a trademark name, which was against the BBC's policy. The song was released as "Cover of the Radio Times" for the UK market. The BBC found no problem in playing the record, since they published the Radio Times
.
The group's next hit, "A Little Bit More", was taken from the 1976 album of the same name. It was written and originally performed by Bobby Gosh. Other hit singles from Dr. Hook included "Only Sixteen" (originally by Sam Cooke
) (U.S. number 6), "Sharing the Night Together" (number 6), "When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman" (number 6) and "Sexy Eyes" (number 5). Save for "A Little Bit More" (number 11), all the singles mentioned above were certified million-sellers. "When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman
" reached number 1 for several weeks in 1979 in the UK. They had another hit single with "Better Love Next Time" (number 12). The band toured constantly but never managed to turn their success with singles into album sales.
In 1988, Sawyer toured as "Ray Sawyer of Dr. Hook", this billing eventually being altered to "Dr. Hook featuring Ray (Eye Patch) Sawyer". In the early 2000s, Billy Francis began joining Sawyer to play some shows.
Locorriere relocated to Nashville
and wrote songs for many other artists. In 1989, Locorriere performed a one-man show at Lincoln Center, The Devil and Billy Markham, written by Silverstein. Locorriere has since released two solo studio albums (Out of the Dark in 2000 and One of the Lucky Ones in 2005), a live CD set in 2004 (Live in Liverpool), a concert DVD (Alone with Dennis Locorriere) and has toured in recent years as the Voice of Dr. Hook.
On January 21, 2007, Locorriere appeared onstage along with Pete Townshend
, Bill Wyman
, Steve Winwood
, Joe Walsh
, Paul Weller and Yusuf Islam, at the Dear Mr. Fantasy
charity concert in remembrance of Traffic's Jim Capaldi
, who had died in 2005.
In March 2007, Locorriere (and band) embarked on the Dennis Locorriere Celebrates Dr. Hook Hits and History Tour, to promote the release of the Dr. Hook Hits and History CD/DVD set. A live DVD of the tour was released in July 2007, and appeared in the UK music DVD chart at number 10.
In early 2008, having met Wyman at the Dear Mr Fantasy concert, Locorriere toured as a member of Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings
, followed by a few solo tours, which Locorriere called his 'Alone With..' shows.
On March 15, 2010, Dennis Locorriere's third solo album, Post Cool, was released on Proper Records.
. Robert Jance Garfat, who played bass with the band from 1972 to 1985, died on November 6, 2006, in a motorcycle accident. Billy Francis, who played keyboards for the band, died on May 23, 2010 at Glenwood Healthcare in Seymour, Missouri at the age of sixty-eight. Shel Silverstein, who wrote many of the band's songs, died from a heart attack in his Key West home on May 10, 1999 at the age of sixty-eight.
Notes
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pop, country and soft rock
Soft rock
Soft rock is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock music to compose a softer, more toned-down sound. Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on themes like love, everyday life and relationships. The genre tends to make heavy use of acoustic guitars, pianos, synthesizers and sometimes...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, formed around Union City, New Jersey
Union City, New Jersey
Union City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. According to the 2010 United States Census the city had a total population of 66,455. All of the city is on land, an area of...
in 1967 as The Chocolate Papers. They enjoyed considerable commercial success in the 1970s with hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
s including "Sylvia's Mother
Sylvia's Mother
"Sylvia's Mother" was a 1972 single by Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show and the group's first hit song. It was written by Shel Silverstein and was highly successful in the United States, reaching #5 on the Billboard singles chart, as well as #1 in Ireland and #2 in the United Kingdom...
", "The Cover of the Rolling Stone
The Cover of the Rolling Stone
"The Cover of the Rolling Stone" is a song by written by Shel Silverstein and first recorded by American rock group Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show. It peaked at number six on the U.S. pop chart...
", "A Little Bit More
A Little Bit More
"A Little Bit More" is a song written and first performed by Bobby Gosh. The first hit version was recorded by the band Dr. Hook and was released as a single in 1976. It made #11 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, and #2 on the UK Singles Chart...
" and "When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman
When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman
"When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman" was a popular single by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show. It was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama....
". In addition to their own material, Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show performed songs written by the poet Shel Silverstein
Shel Silverstein
Sheldon Allan "Shel" Silverstein , was an American poet, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, cartoonist, screenwriter and author of children's books. He styled himself as Uncle Shelby in his children's books...
.
Often later billed simply as Dr. Hook, they had eight years of regular chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
hits, in both the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and greatest success with their later gentler material.
History
The founding core of the band consisted of three friends George CummingsGeorge Cummings
George Cummings is a guitarist and songwriter based in Bayonne, New Jersey and, in recent years, Nashville, Tennessee.-The Chocolate Papers:...
, Ray Sawyer
Ray Sawyer
Ray "Eye Patch" Sawyer is a singer best known as a vocalist with the 1970s rock band, Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show.-Early life:...
and Billy Francis, who had played up and down the East Coast and into the Midwest, ending up in New Jersey. There they added future lead vocalist, Dennis Locorriere
Dennis Locorriere
Dennis Locorriere was the lead vocalist, guitarist of the pop group Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show, later Dr Hook...
, and when told by a club owner that they needed a name to put on a poster in the window of his establishment, Cummings made a sign: "Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show: Tonic for the Soul" (prior to this Cummings, Sawyer, and Francis had performed as "The Chocolate Papers"). The name was inspired by the traveling medicine show
Medicine show
Medicine shows were traveling horse and wagon teams which peddled "miracle cure" medications and other products between various entertainment acts. Their precise origins unknown, medicine shows were common in the 19th century United States...
s of the old West. To this day, Ray Sawyer is mistakenly considered Dr. Hook, because of the eyepatch he wears as the result of an almost fatal car crash in Oregon in 1967.
The band played for a few years in New Jersey, first with drummer Popeye Phillips (who had also been in "The Chocolate Papers"), who went on to be a session drummer
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
on The Flying Burrito Brothers
The Flying Burrito Brothers
The Flying Burrito Brothers was an early country rock band, best known for its influential debut album,The Gilded Palace of Sin . Although the group is most often mentioned in connection with country rock legends Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman, the group underwent many personnel changes.-Original...
' first album, The Gilded Palace of Sin
The Gilded Palace of Sin
The Gilded Palace of Sin is an album by the country rock group The Flying Burrito Brothers, released in 1969. It continued Gram Parsons' and Chris Hillman's pioneering work in modern country music, fusing traditional sources like folk and country with other forms of popular music like gospel, soul,...
. Citing musical differences, Popeye returned home to Alabama and was replaced by local drummer Joseph Olivier. When the band began recording their first album, Olivier left in order to spend more time with his family, and was replaced by session player, John "Jay" David, who was asked to join the band full time in 1968.
In 1970, their demo tapes were heard by Ron Haffkine, musical director on the planned Herb Gardner movie, Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?
Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?
Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? is an American comedy drama film released in 1971 directed by Ulu Grosbard and starring Dustin Hoffman. It portrays a single day in the life of Georgie Soloway, played by Hoffman...
. The songs for the film were written by the cartoonist, poet and songwriter Shel Silverstein
Shel Silverstein
Sheldon Allan "Shel" Silverstein , was an American poet, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, cartoonist, screenwriter and author of children's books. He styled himself as Uncle Shelby in his children's books...
, who determined that Dr. Hook was the ideal group for the soundtrack. The group recorded two songs for the film: Locorriere sang the lead on both "The Last Morning," the movie's theme song, later re-recorded for their second album, Sloppy Seconds
Sloppy Seconds (album)
Sloppy Seconds was the second album from the country rock band Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show. It featured some of their most popular songs, including "Freakin' at the Freakers Ball" and "The Cover of the Rolling Stone." It was noted for its "crude sense of humor."-Track list:All songs written by...
, and "Bunky and Lucille," which the band can be seen performing in the film. The film, released in 1971 by National General Pictures, received mixed critical reviews and did only modestly at the box office, but it helped Dr. Hook and The Medicine Show secure their first recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
.
Clive Davis
Clive Davis
Clive Davis is an American record producer and music industry executive. He has won five Grammy Awards and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. From 1967 to 1973 he was the President of Columbia Records. He was the founder and president of Arista Records from 1975...
, CBS Records
CBS Records
CBS Records is a record label founded by CBS Corporation in 2006 to take advantage of music from its entertainment properties owned by CBS Television Studios. The initial label roster consisted of only three artists; rock band Señor Happy and singer/songwriters Will Dailey and P.J...
head, had a meeting with the group, described in Davis's autobiography. Drummer David used a wastepaper basket to keep the beat, and while Sawyer, Locorriere and Cummings played and sang a few songs, Francis hopped up and danced on the mogul's desk. This meeting secured the band their first record deal. Subsequently the band went on to international success over the next twelve years, with Haffkine as the group's manager, as well as producer of all the Dr. Hook recordings.
Their self-titled 1971 debut album featured lead vocals, guitar, bass and harmonica by Locorriere, guitarist Cummings, singer Sawyer, drummer David, singer/guitarist, and keyboard player Billy Francis. The album included their first hit, "Sylvia's Mother
Sylvia's Mother
"Sylvia's Mother" was a 1972 single by Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show and the group's first hit song. It was written by Shel Silverstein and was highly successful in the United States, reaching #5 on the Billboard singles chart, as well as #1 in Ireland and #2 in the United Kingdom...
."
Silverstein wrote the songs for many of Dr. Hook's early albums (including their entire second album), such as "Freakin' at the Freaker's Ball", "Sylvia's Mother", "Everybody's Makin' It Big But Me", "Penicillin Penny", "The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan", "Carry Me Carrie", "The Wonderful Soup Stone" and more, some of which were co-written with Locorriere and/or Sawyer.
The Medicine Show's lineup changed a few more times over the years. In 1972, the band added a full-time bassist, Jance Garfat, and another guitarist, Rik Elswit. When David left the group in 1973, he was replaced by John Wolters
John Wolters
John Wolters was an American rock drummer.Born John Christian Wolters in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey, Wolters was part of Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show from 1973, when Jay David left the band, until 1985, when the band split up...
. The next to depart was founding band member Cummings, who left in 1975 due to personal and musical differences. The band did not initially replace him. When Elswit was diagnosed with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
a couple of years later, the band added Bob "Willard" Henke (formerly of Goose Creek Symphony
Goose Creek Symphony
The Goose Creek Symphony is an American rock band with roots in Arizona and Kentucky. They were formed in 1968 in Phoenix, Arizona as an outlet for the songs of Charlie Gearheart, aka Ritchie Hart, and were best known for their 1972 cover of Janis Joplin's song, Mercedes Benz...
). Elswit recovered and returned to the lineup, but they kept Henke on as well for a while. When Henke left in 1980, they added Rod Smarr.
The band's second single, "The Cover of the Rolling Stone
The Cover of the Rolling Stone
"The Cover of the Rolling Stone" is a song by written by Shel Silverstein and first recorded by American rock group Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show. It peaked at number six on the U.S. pop chart...
" from Sloppy Seconds attracted the attention of those who would appreciate their irreverent attitude and stage show. It also got the band on the cover of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine — albeit in caricature rather than photograph. The song poked fun at the idea that a musician had "made it" if they had been pictured on the cover of Rolling Stone.
In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
network refused to play "The Cover of the Rolling Stone," as it was considered advertising a trademark name, which was against the BBC's policy. The song was released as "Cover of the Radio Times" for the UK market. The BBC found no problem in playing the record, since they published the Radio Times
Radio Times
Radio Times is a UK weekly television and radio programme listings magazine, owned by the BBC. It has been published since 1923 by BBC Magazines, which also provides an on-line listings service under the same title...
.
The group's next hit, "A Little Bit More", was taken from the 1976 album of the same name. It was written and originally performed by Bobby Gosh. Other hit singles from Dr. Hook included "Only Sixteen" (originally by Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...
) (U.S. number 6), "Sharing the Night Together" (number 6), "When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman" (number 6) and "Sexy Eyes" (number 5). Save for "A Little Bit More" (number 11), all the singles mentioned above were certified million-sellers. "When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman
When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman
"When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman" was a popular single by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show. It was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama....
" reached number 1 for several weeks in 1979 in the UK. They had another hit single with "Better Love Next Time" (number 12). The band toured constantly but never managed to turn their success with singles into album sales.
Solo projects
Sawyer left in 1983 to pursue a solo career, while the band continued to tour successfully for another couple of years, ending with Dr. Hook's One and Only Farewell Tour, with Locorriere as the sole frontman.In 1988, Sawyer toured as "Ray Sawyer of Dr. Hook", this billing eventually being altered to "Dr. Hook featuring Ray (Eye Patch) Sawyer". In the early 2000s, Billy Francis began joining Sawyer to play some shows.
Locorriere relocated to Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
and wrote songs for many other artists. In 1989, Locorriere performed a one-man show at Lincoln Center, The Devil and Billy Markham, written by Silverstein. Locorriere has since released two solo studio albums (Out of the Dark in 2000 and One of the Lucky Ones in 2005), a live CD set in 2004 (Live in Liverpool), a concert DVD (Alone with Dennis Locorriere) and has toured in recent years as the Voice of Dr. Hook.
On January 21, 2007, Locorriere appeared onstage along with Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
, Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman is an English musician best known as the bass guitarist for the English rock and roll band the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1992. Since 1997, he has recorded and toured with his own band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings...
, Steve Winwood
Steve Winwood
Stephen Lawrence "Steve" Winwood is an English international recording artist whose career spans nearly 50 years. He is a songwriter and a musician whose genres include soul music , R&B, rock, blues-rock, pop-rock, and jazz...
, Joe Walsh
Joe Walsh
Joseph Fidler "Joe" Walsh is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has been a member of three commercially successful bands, the James Gang, Barnstorm, and the Eagles, and has experienced notable success as a solo artist and prolific session musician, especially with B.B...
, Paul Weller and Yusuf Islam, at the Dear Mr. Fantasy
Dear Mr. Fantasy
"Dear Mr. Fantasy" is a rock song by Traffic from their 1967 album, Mr. Fantasy. An extended live version of the song also appears on the 1971 Traffic album Welcome to the Canteen...
charity concert in remembrance of Traffic's Jim Capaldi
Jim Capaldi
Nicola James "Jim" Capaldi was an English musician and songwriter. His musical career lasted more than four decades. He co-founded Traffic in Birmingham with Steve Winwood, and the band's psychedelic rock was influential in Britain and the United States...
, who had died in 2005.
In March 2007, Locorriere (and band) embarked on the Dennis Locorriere Celebrates Dr. Hook Hits and History Tour, to promote the release of the Dr. Hook Hits and History CD/DVD set. A live DVD of the tour was released in July 2007, and appeared in the UK music DVD chart at number 10.
In early 2008, having met Wyman at the Dear Mr Fantasy concert, Locorriere toured as a member of Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings
Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings
Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings are a blues-rock band founded and led by former Rolling Stones bass guitarist Bill Wyman. Together with his lifelong musical partner Terry Taylor, The "Dirty Boys" duo produce, arrange and compose original material for the award winning band.The Rhythm Kings are known for...
, followed by a few solo tours, which Locorriere called his 'Alone With..' shows.
On March 15, 2010, Dennis Locorriere's third solo album, Post Cool, was released on Proper Records.
Deaths
John Christian Wolters, who played drums with the band from 1973 to 1982, died on June 16, 1997, of liver cancerLiver cancer
Liver tumors or hepatic tumors are tumors or growths on or in the liver . Several distinct types of tumors can develop in the liver because the liver is made up of various cell types. These growths can be benign or malignant...
. Robert Jance Garfat, who played bass with the band from 1972 to 1985, died on November 6, 2006, in a motorcycle accident. Billy Francis, who played keyboards for the band, died on May 23, 2010 at Glenwood Healthcare in Seymour, Missouri at the age of sixty-eight. Shel Silverstein, who wrote many of the band's songs, died from a heart attack in his Key West home on May 10, 1999 at the age of sixty-eight.
Members
- Billy Francis - keyboards (1967-1985) (deceased)
- Ray Sawyer - vocals, guitar (1967-1984)
- George Cummings - lead and steel guitars, vocals (1967-1975)
- Popeye Phillips - drums (1967-1968)
- Jimmy "Wolf Cub" Allen - bass (1967)
- Bobby Dimingus - drums (1967)
- Dennis Locorriere - vocals, guitar, bass, harmonica (1968-1985)
- Joseph Oliver - drums (1968)
- John "Jay" David - drums (1968-1973)
- Jance Garfat - bass (1972-1985) (deceased)
- Rik Elswit - lead guitar (1972-1985)
- John Wolters - drums (1973-1982) (deceased)
- Bob 'Willard' Henke - guitar (1976-1980)
- Rod Smarr - guitar (1980-1985)
- Walter Hartman - drums (1982-1985)
Studio albums
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US Country | CAN | UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
||
| 1971 | Doctor Hook and the Medicine Show | 45 | — | 38 | — |
| 1972 | Sloppy Seconds | 41 | — | 16 | — |
| 1973 | Belly Up! | 141 | — | — | — |
| 1975 | Ballad of Lucy Jordan | — | — | — | — |
| Bankrupt | 141 | — | — | — | |
| 1976 | A Little Bit More | 62 | 18 | 69 | 5 |
| 1977 | Makin' Love and Music | — | — | — | 39 |
| 1978 | Pleasure and Pain | 66 | 17 | 93 | 47 |
| 1979 | Sometimes You Win | 71 | — | 59 | 14 |
| 1980 | Rising | 175 | — | — | 44 |
| 1982 | Players in the Dark | 118 | — | — | — |
| 1983 | Let Me Drink From Your Well | — | — | — | — |
Compilation and live albums
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | CAN | UK | ||
| 1976 | Revisited (Best Of Dr. Hook) | — | — | — |
| 1980 | Dr. Hook's Greatest Hits Greatest Hits (Dr. Hook album) Greatest Hits was a compilation album of hits by Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show released in 1980. The album spent 4 weeks at the top of the Australian album charts in 1981... |
142 | 32 | 2 |
| 1981 | Live in the U.K. | — | — | 90 |
| 1984 | The Rest Of Dr. Hook | — | — | — |
| 1987 | Dr. Hook Greatest Hits (And More) | — | — | — |
| 1992 | Completely Hooked - The Best of Dr. Hook | — | — | 3 |
| 1995 | Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show - Greatest Hits | — | — | — |
| 1996 | Sharing The Night Together - The Best Of Dr. Hook | — | — | — |
| 1999 | Love Songs | — | — | 8 |
| 2007 | Hits and History | — | — | 14 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US 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... |
US Country 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... |
US AC Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
CAN | CAN Country | CAN AC | UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
|||
| 1972 | "Sylvia's Mother Sylvia's Mother "Sylvia's Mother" was a 1972 single by Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show and the group's first hit song. It was written by Shel Silverstein and was highly successful in the United States, reaching #5 on the Billboard singles chart, as well as #1 in Ireland and #2 in the United Kingdom... " |
5 | — | — | 2 | — | — | 2 | Doctor Hook and the Medicine Show |
| "Carry Me, Carrie" | 71 | — | — | 82 | — | — | — | Sloppy Seconds | |
| "The Cover of the Rolling Stone The Cover of the Rolling Stone "The Cover of the Rolling Stone" is a song by written by Shel Silverstein and first recorded by American rock group Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show. It peaked at number six on the U.S. pop chart... " |
6 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | ||
| 1973 | "Roland the Roadie and Gertrude the Groupie" | 83 | — | — | 74 | — | — | — | Belly Up! |
| "Life Ain't Easy" | 68 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1975 | "The Millionaire" | 95 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Bankrupt |
| 1976 | "Only Sixteen" | 6 | 55 | 14 | 3 | — | 9 | — | |
| "A Little Bit More A Little Bit More "A Little Bit More" is a song written and first performed by Bobby Gosh. The first hit version was recorded by the band Dr. Hook and was released as a single in 1976. It made #11 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, and #2 on the UK Singles Chart... " |
11 | — | 15 | 4 | — | 6 | 2 | A Little Bit More | |
| "A Couple More Years" | — | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "If Not You" | 55 | 26 | 21 | 56 | — | 9 | 5 | ||
| 1977 | "Walk Right In Walk Right In Walk Right In is the title of a country blues song written by musician Gus Cannon and originally recorded by Cannon's Jug Stompers in 1929, released on Victor Records, catalogue 38611. It was reissued on album in 1959 as a track on The Country Blues.... " |
46 | 92 | 39 | 77 | — | 30 | — | Makin' Love and Music |
| 1978 | "More Like the Movies" | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | A Little Bit More |
| "Sharing the Night Together" | 6 | 50 | 18 | 3 | 40 | 4 | 43 | Pleasure and Pain | |
| 1979 | "All the Time in the World" | 54 | 82 | 41 | 60 | 64 | 12 | — | |
| "When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman "When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman" was a popular single by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show. It was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.... " |
6 | 68 | 5 | 4 | 22 | 7 | 1 | ||
| "Better Love Next Time" | 12 | 91 | 3 | 39 | — | 10 | 8 | Sometimes You Win | |
| 1980 | "Sexy Eyes"A | 5 | — | 6 | 8 | — | 1 | 4 | |
| "Years From Now" | 51 | — | 17 | 63 | — | 3 | 47 | ||
| "Girls Can Get It" | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | 40 | Rising | |
| 1981 | "That Didn't Hurt Too Bad" | 69 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1982 | "Baby Makes Her Blue Jeans Talk"B | 25 | — | — | 17 | — | — | — | Players in the Dark |
| "Loveline" | 60 | — | 19 | — | — | — | — | ||
Notes
- A"Sexy Eyes" also reached number one in New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
- B"Baby Makes her Blue Jeans Talk" made number one in South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...