Kevin Raleigh
Encyclopedia
Kevin Raleigh is an American singer and keyboardist
best known for his tenure with the Michael Stanley Band.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio
, on February 27, 1952, Raleigh came to local prominence in 1969 with the band Paper Sun, later known as Freeport Express and Freeport. As Freeport, the band cut an album in Miami for Mainstream Records
.
In 1973, Raleigh was recruited by former Raspberries
members Jim Bonfanti
and Dave Smalley
to join them in the band Dynamite, who cut an album of Smalley-Raleigh originals which was never released.
Raleigh would also be a member of Bonfanti's subsequent band, Pictures, formed in 1977. That same year he was in a band with Paper Sun/Freeport bandmate Roger Lewis and guitarist Neil Giraldo.
Raleigh first performed with the Michael Stanley Band when they toured behind their 1978 album Cabin Fever. His first recording with the band was Greatest Hints in 1978, on which he emerged—in tandem with Stanley
—as their principal singer and songwriter.
Remaining with MSB until its 1987 dissolution, Raleigh was responsible for several of MSB's most high-profile cuts, including "Someone Like You", "When I'm Holding You Tight" and the band's most successful single, "He Can't Love You", which peaked on the Hot 100 at #33 in 1980.
Raleigh went on to record a solo album, Delusions of Grandeur, released on Atlantic Records
in the spring of 1989. The album included two tracks, "I Should've Known Better" and "The Art of War", produced by Neil Giraldo, who had gone on to become Pat Benatar
's guitarist, songwriter and husband. The track "Moonlight on Water
"—one of only two of the album's ten tracks not written by Raleigh—was produced by Peter Coleman, who had also worked extensively with Benatar.
Issued as a single, "Moonlight on Water" reached #60 on the Billboard Hot 100
, but otherwise Raleigh's bid for a solo career was largely overlooked. (A 1990 version by Laura Branigan
had a single release whose chart performance echoed that of Raleigh's original; Branigan took the song to #59.)
Raleigh subsequently moved into the field of artist management and in 2008 he was listed as an owner of the L.A.-based Associated Talent Management (ATM).
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
best known for his tenure with the Michael Stanley Band.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, on February 27, 1952, Raleigh came to local prominence in 1969 with the band Paper Sun, later known as Freeport Express and Freeport. As Freeport, the band cut an album in Miami for Mainstream Records
Mainstream Records
Mainstream Records was an American record label, which released jazz, rock music, and soundtracks during the 1970s.It was founded in 1964 by Bob Shad, and in its early history reissued material from Commodore Records and Time Records in addition to some new jazz material...
.
In 1973, Raleigh was recruited by former 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...
members 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...
and Dave Smalley
Dave Smalley
Not to be confused with Dave Smalley Dave Smalley is an American musician, best known as the punk bands DYS, Dag Nasty, All and singer/guitarist with Down By Law. He is known for his influence on pop punk music and his early contributions to the emo genre...
to join them in the band Dynamite, who cut an album of Smalley-Raleigh originals which was never released.
Raleigh would also be a member of Bonfanti's subsequent band, Pictures, formed in 1977. That same year he was in a band with Paper Sun/Freeport bandmate Roger Lewis and guitarist Neil Giraldo.
Raleigh first performed with the Michael Stanley Band when they toured behind their 1978 album Cabin Fever. His first recording with the band was Greatest Hints in 1978, on which he emerged—in tandem with Stanley
Michael Stanley
Michael Stanley is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and disc jockey. Both as a solo artist and with the Michael Stanley Band, his brand of heartland rock was popular in Cleveland and around the American Midwest in the 1970s and 1980s.-Biography:Michael Stanley Gee graduated from Rocky...
—as their principal singer and songwriter.
Remaining with MSB until its 1987 dissolution, Raleigh was responsible for several of MSB's most high-profile cuts, including "Someone Like You", "When I'm Holding You Tight" and the band's most successful single, "He Can't Love You", which peaked on the Hot 100 at #33 in 1980.
Raleigh went on to record a solo album, Delusions of Grandeur, released on Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
in the spring of 1989. The album included two tracks, "I Should've Known Better" and "The Art of War", produced by Neil Giraldo, who had gone on to become Pat Benatar
Pat Benatar
Pat Benatar is an American singer and four-time Grammy winner. She had considerable commercial success particularly in the United States...
's guitarist, songwriter and husband. The track "Moonlight on Water
Moonlight on Water
"Moonlight on Water", also known as "Moonlight on Water ", is a popular music song written by Steve Kipner, best known for writing Olivia Newton-John's "Physical", and Andy Goldmark....
"—one of only two of the album's ten tracks not written by Raleigh—was produced by Peter Coleman, who had also worked extensively with Benatar.
Issued as a single, "Moonlight on Water" reached #60 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...
, but otherwise Raleigh's bid for a solo career was largely overlooked. (A 1990 version by Laura Branigan
Laura Branigan
Laura Ann Branigan was an American singer-songwriter and actress of Italian and Irish ancestry. She is best known in the United States for her 1982 Platinum-certified hit "Gloria" and in Europe for the number-one single "Self Control"...
had a single release whose chart performance echoed that of Raleigh's original; Branigan took the song to #59.)
Raleigh subsequently moved into the field of artist management and in 2008 he was listed as an owner of the L.A.-based Associated Talent Management (ATM).