John Ford Coley
Encyclopedia
John Ford Coley is a singer, classically trained pianist, guitarist, actor
, and author most known for his partnership in the musical duo England Dan & John Ford Coley
.
. He grew up listening to the Grand Ole Opry
, early rock and roll
, singing church hymns and was trained as a classical pianist. At 16, while at W.W. Samuell High School in Dallas, John along with fellow schoolmate Dan Seals
joined the group "Theze Few" which later became "The Southwest FOB" (Freight On Board) and toured the Texas music scene where they had one hit "The Smell of Incense" that in 1969 rose to number 43 on the charts. This band played on the bill with such acts as Led Zeppelin
and others.
While in the band, Seals and Coley began their own acoustic act: Colley and Wayland. The act was renamed England Dan & John Ford Coley
, and the duo was signed by A&M Records
. In 1971, the two moved to Los Angeles where they opened for numerous bands. Their first break came in 1972 with the song "Simone". It became a number one hit in Japan and was quite popular in France. However, "Simone" did not fare as well in the United States, and the two were released from their contract with A&M after three albums.
subsidiary Big Tree Records
and released the song "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight". Overall they had four top tens and two top twenties. They were nominated for a Grammy award
, received triple-platinum and gold records and released 8 albums; additionally, others were released abroad.
The duo disbanded in 1980.
in teen films in the 1980s, acquired a small ranch in the 1990s, and wrote songs for film and TV. He returned to touring in 1996 and has an active tour schedule where Coley plays the hits and other favorite songs. Coley plays with groups including Ambrosia
, Terry Sylvester, formerly of The Hollies
and rides the bill with numerous other acts including Three Dog Night
, Lou Gramm
(of Foreigner
), Christopher Cross
, Poco
, Stephen Bishop
, Al Stewart
, Edgar Winter
and others.
In 1996, Coley made a trip south for Tin Pan South and began making trips to Nashville to be part of the music community. He moved his family and horses across country to Tennessee in 1999. While in Tennessee, Coley, once a Bahá'í
, converted to Christianity
. He lectures about Christianity, is writing a book about his faith, and continues to perform around the world.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, and author most known for his partnership in the musical duo England Dan & John Ford Coley
England Dan & John Ford Coley
England Dan & John Ford Coley was an American pop rock duo composed of Danny Wayland "England Dan" Seals and John Edward "John Ford" Coley. Native Texans, the duo released eleven albums and nine singles in their career and are best known for their 1976 single, "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight"....
.
Early life
John Ford Coley was born John Edward Colley in Dallas, TexasDallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
. He grew up listening to the Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
, early rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
, singing church hymns and was trained as a classical pianist. At 16, while at W.W. Samuell High School in Dallas, John along with fellow schoolmate Dan Seals
Dan Seals
Danny Wayland "Dan" Seals was an American musician. The younger brother of Seals & Crofts member Jim Seals, he first gained fame as the "England Dan" half of the soft rock duo England Dan and John Ford Coley, which charted nine pop and adult contemporary singles between 1976 and 1980, including...
joined the group "Theze Few" which later became "The Southwest FOB" (Freight On Board) and toured the Texas music scene where they had one hit "The Smell of Incense" that in 1969 rose to number 43 on the charts. This band played on the bill with such acts as Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
and others.
While in the band, Seals and Coley began their own acoustic act: Colley and Wayland. The act was renamed England Dan & John Ford Coley
England Dan & John Ford Coley
England Dan & John Ford Coley was an American pop rock duo composed of Danny Wayland "England Dan" Seals and John Edward "John Ford" Coley. Native Texans, the duo released eleven albums and nine singles in their career and are best known for their 1976 single, "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight"....
, and the duo was signed by A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
. In 1971, the two moved to Los Angeles where they opened for numerous bands. Their first break came in 1972 with the song "Simone". It became a number one hit in Japan and was quite popular in France. However, "Simone" did not fare as well in the United States, and the two were released from their contract with A&M after three albums.
Signing to Atlantic Records
Two years later, they acquired another record deal from Atlantic RecordsAtlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
subsidiary Big Tree Records
Big Tree Records
Big Tree Records was a record label founded by current Sony Music Entertainment chairman Doug Morris in 1970. They were best known for releases by Lobo, England Dan & John Ford Coley, Brownsville Station and British R&B group Hot Chocolate....
and released the song "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight". Overall they had four top tens and two top twenties. They were nominated for a Grammy award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
, received triple-platinum and gold records and released 8 albums; additionally, others were released abroad.
The duo disbanded in 1980.
After the 1980s
John Ford Coley went on to form another group that released an album on A&M Records, Leslie, Kelly and John Ford Coley (featuring sisters Leslie and Kelly Bulkin). Then, he went on to actActing
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....
in teen films in the 1980s, acquired a small ranch in the 1990s, and wrote songs for film and TV. He returned to touring in 1996 and has an active tour schedule where Coley plays the hits and other favorite songs. Coley plays with groups including Ambrosia
Ambrosia (band)
Ambrosia is an American rock band formed in southern California in 1970. Ambrosia had five Top Forty hit singles between 1975 and 1980.-Formation and inspiration:...
, Terry Sylvester, formerly of The Hollies
The Hollies
The Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and 1970s...
and rides the bill with numerous other acts including Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time the band charted 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America, three of which reached Number One...
, Lou Gramm
Lou Gramm
Lou Gramm is an American rock vocalist and songwriter best known for his role as the lead vocalist and co-writer of many of the songs for the rock band Foreigner. He also had a successful solo career...
(of Foreigner
Foreigner (band)
Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
), Christopher Cross
Christopher Cross
Christopher Cross is an American singer-songwriter from San Antonio, Texas. His debut album earned him five Grammys. He is perhaps best known for his Top Ten hit songs, "Sailing", "Ride Like the Wind", and "Arthur's Theme ", the last of which he performed for the film Arthur starring Dudley Moore...
, Poco
Poco
Poco is an Southern California country rock band originally formed by Richie Furay and Jim Messina following the demise of Buffalo Springfield in 1968. The title of their first album, Pickin' Up the Pieces, is a reference to the break-up of Buffalo Springfield. Highly influential and creative,...
, Stephen Bishop
Stephen Bishop (musician)
Stephen Bishop is an American singer-songwriter, actor, and guitarist.-History:Bishop was born in San Diego, California, and attended Will C. Crawford High School...
, Al Stewart
Al Stewart
Al Stewart is a Scottish singer-songwriter and folk-rock musician.Stewart came to stardom as part of the British folk revival in the 1960s and 1970s, and developed his own unique style of combining folk-rock songs with delicately woven tales of the great characters and events from history.He is...
, Edgar Winter
Edgar Winter
Edgar Holland Winter is an American musician. He is famous for being a multi-instrumentalist. He is a highly skilled keyboardist, saxophonist and percussionist. He often plays an instrument while singing. He was most successful in the 1970s with his band, The Edgar Winter Group, notably with their...
and others.
In 1996, Coley made a trip south for Tin Pan South and began making trips to Nashville to be part of the music community. He moved his family and horses across country to Tennessee in 1999. While in Tennessee, Coley, once a Bahá'í
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
, converted to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. He lectures about Christianity, is writing a book about his faith, and continues to perform around the world.
Top charting singles (Billboard's 100 Hot Singles chart)
Title, Date Debuted and Weeks on Chart, Highest Position Song- "I'd Really Love To See You Tonight" / 7 Oct 1976, woc 17, #2
- "Nights Are Forever Without You " / 30 Oct 1976, woc 12, #10
- "Love Is The Answer" / 7 April 1979, woc 10, #10
- "Westward Wind" , 11 Nov 1978 woc 11, #30
- "Come Back To Me" / 1981
- "What Can I Do With This Broken Heart"
- "Sad To Belong"/ 7 May 1977, woc 16, # 21
- "Part Of Me, Part Of You" / 1980
- "We'll Never Have To Say Goodbye Again" / 11 March 1978, #9
- "Gone Too Far" / 1 Oct 1977, #13
- "Simone" (Japan) / 1972
Albums
- "Smell of Incense" - Southwest F.O.B., 1969
- "England Dan and John Ford Coley" - England Dan and John Ford Coley, 1971
- "Fables" - England Dan and John Ford Coley, 1972
- "I Hear The Music" - England Dan and John Ford Coley, 1976
- "Nights are Forever" - England Dan and John Ford Coley, 1976
- "Dowdy Ferry Road" - England Dan and John Ford Coley, 1977
- "Some Things Don't Come Easy" - England Dan and John Ford Coley, 1978
- "Dr. Heckle and Mr. Jive" - England Dan and John Ford Coley, 1979
- "Just Tell Me You Love Me" - England Dan and John Ford Coley, 1980
- "The Best of England Dan and John Ford Coley" - England Dan and John Ford Coley, 1980
- "Live from the Philippines" - John Ford Coley, 2009
External links
- John Ford Coley - biography and official website
- "John Ford Coley is Pinoy at heart"