Terry Knight and the Pack
Encyclopedia
Terry Knight and the Pack was, between 1965 and 1967, an American
rock
band from Flint, Michigan
. The band was signed to the Lucky Eleven label
throughout its short recording career.
fronted the act as singer and songwriter. Don Brewer
and Herm Jackson played drums and bass, respectively. Curt Johnson supplied fuzz guitar solos, while Bobby Caldwell provided melodic keyboards. Mark Farner
replaced Herm Jackson on bass for a few months in the spring of 1966. After his broken leg healed, Jackson returned to the band. In January 1967 Knight fired Curt Johnson, and replaced him with Mark Farner on guitar.
A quintessential garage band, TK&TP openly imitated best-selling rockers of the mid-1960s, especially the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan
. Due to the band's lack of refinement and Knight's compositional idiosyncrasies, much of their material transcends its inspiration to qualify as lost classics of the Nuggets era.
Six of their nine singles made regional Top 40s throughout Michigan, Ohio and New York, with two of them - "Mister, You're A Better Man Than I" (originally by The Yardbirds
) and I (Who Have Nothing)
(a cover of a Ben E. King
song) - reaching the national charts. I (Who Have Nothing)
went to #46 and earned the band an appearance on Dick Clark
's television program Where The Action Is
.
Tracks by the band include: "This Precious Time" (composed and produced by P.F. Sloan), a version of "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" and several Knight originals: "Numbers," "A Change On The Way" and "Love, Love, Love, Love, Love" (later covered by Detroit roots rockers Brownsville Station
). The Music Explosion
issued an almost identical version of "Love, Love, Love, Love, Love", with the same instrumental backing track but a different vocal track; it's unclear whether The Pack or the Music Explosion recorded the "original".
TK&TP were mainstays on Cleveland's TV rock & roll showcase, Upbeat
. In addition, they opened regional gigs for the Rolling Stones, Dave Clark Five and The Yardbirds.
After their second LP, Reflections, Knight left the band to pursue a frustrated solo career as producer and singer. The Pack continued without Knight with even less success, releasing a few more 45 RPM singles under the names The Pack and The Fabulous Pack. The band was largely forgotten until Farner and Brewer formed the nucleus of Capitol Records
' best-selling act of the early 1970s, Grand Funk Railroad
, initially managed and produced by Knight.
All recordings by Terry Knight and the Pack have been out of print since 1973, except for "I (Who Have Nothing)" which is included in the Cameo Parkway 1957-1967 box set.
Only one "best of" compilation was released in late 1972 by ABKCO Records as the double album
Mark, Don & Terry 1966-67
(plain blue cover) inspired by the Grand Funk Railroad doublet Mark, Don & Mel: 1969–71 (plain black cover) released earlier that year on Capitol. The ABKCO-released album was later re-packaged in 1973 as Funk-Off. Both albums are considered collectors items after being dropped from the ABKCO catalog. Another quasi-best-of compilation, Track On, was released on Lucky Eleven circa 1969-70, but the legality of this issue has been questioned.
In 2008, Terry Knight and The Pack were inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band from Flint, Michigan
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
. The band was signed to the Lucky Eleven label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
throughout its short recording career.
Career
Former DJ Terry KnightTerry Knight
Terry Knight , born Richard Terrance Knapp, was an American rock and roll music producer, promoter, singer, songwriter and radio personality, who enjoyed some success in radio, modest success as a singer, but phenomenal success as the original manager-producer for Grand Funk Railroad and the...
fronted the act as singer and songwriter. Don Brewer
Don Brewer
Don Brewer is the drummer and co-lead singer for American rock band Grand Funk Railroad.- Early life :Brewer was born in Flint, Michigan on September 3, 1948 and is a graduate of Swartz Creek High School....
and Herm Jackson played drums and bass, respectively. Curt Johnson supplied fuzz guitar solos, while Bobby Caldwell provided melodic keyboards. Mark Farner
Mark Farner
Mark Fredrick Farner is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lead guitarist for Grand Funk Railroad, and later as a Contemporary Christian Musician.-Early life and career:...
replaced Herm Jackson on bass for a few months in the spring of 1966. After his broken leg healed, Jackson returned to the band. In January 1967 Knight fired Curt Johnson, and replaced him with Mark Farner on guitar.
A quintessential garage band, TK&TP openly imitated best-selling rockers of the mid-1960s, especially the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
. Due to the band's lack of refinement and Knight's compositional idiosyncrasies, much of their material transcends its inspiration to qualify as lost classics of the Nuggets era.
Six of their nine singles made regional Top 40s throughout Michigan, Ohio and New York, with two of them - "Mister, You're A Better Man Than I" (originally by The Yardbirds
The Yardbirds
- Current :* Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar, backing vocals * Jim McCarty - drums, backing vocals * Ben King - lead guitar * David Smale - bass, backing vocals...
) and I (Who Have Nothing)
I (Who Have Nothing)
"I " is a song originally released in English by Ben E. King in 1963."I " is based on the Italian song "Uno Dei Tanti," with music by Carlo Donida and lyrics by Giulio "Mogol" Rapetti. "Uno Dei Tanti" was released by Joe Sentieri in 1961...
(a cover of a Ben E. King
Ben E. King
Benjamin Earl King , better known as Ben E. King, is an American soul singer. He is perhaps best known as the singer and co-composer of "Stand by Me", a U.S...
song) - reaching the national charts. I (Who Have Nothing)
I (Who Have Nothing)
"I " is a song originally released in English by Ben E. King in 1963."I " is based on the Italian song "Uno Dei Tanti," with music by Carlo Donida and lyrics by Giulio "Mogol" Rapetti. "Uno Dei Tanti" was released by Joe Sentieri in 1961...
went to #46 and earned the band an appearance on Dick Clark
Dick Clark (entertainer)
Richard Wagstaff "Dick" Clark is an American businessman; game-show host; and radio and television personality. He served as chairman and chief executive officer of Dick Clark Productions, which he has sold part of in recent years...
's television program Where The Action Is
Where the Action Is
Where the Action Is or ' was a music-based television variety show in the United States from 1965–67. It was carried by the ABC network and aired each weekday afternoon...
.
Tracks by the band include: "This Precious Time" (composed and produced by P.F. Sloan), a version of "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" and several Knight originals: "Numbers," "A Change On The Way" and "Love, Love, Love, Love, Love" (later covered by Detroit roots rockers Brownsville Station
Brownsville Station (band)
Brownsville Station was a rock band from Michigan that was popular in the 1970s. Original members included Cub Koda , Mike Lutz , T.J. Cronley , and Tony Driggins...
). The Music Explosion
The Music Explosion
The Music Explosion was an American garage rock band from Mansfield, Ohio, best known for their Top 10 hit, "Little Bit O'Soul", in 1967. The song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and received gold record status by the R.I.A.A....
issued an almost identical version of "Love, Love, Love, Love, Love", with the same instrumental backing track but a different vocal track; it's unclear whether The Pack or the Music Explosion recorded the "original".
TK&TP were mainstays on Cleveland's TV rock & roll showcase, Upbeat
Upbeat (TV series)
Upbeat was a syndicated musical variety show produced in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, at WEWS-TV that aired from 1964 to 1971 which spotlighted on the performers and their hit songs of the 1960s Top 40 pop music genre which was common on such AM radio stations as WIXY in Cleveland and CKLW in...
. In addition, they opened regional gigs for the Rolling Stones, Dave Clark Five and The Yardbirds.
After their second LP, Reflections, Knight left the band to pursue a frustrated solo career as producer and singer. The Pack continued without Knight with even less success, releasing a few more 45 RPM singles under the names The Pack and The Fabulous Pack. The band was largely forgotten until Farner and Brewer formed the nucleus of 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...
' best-selling act of the early 1970s, Grand Funk Railroad
Grand Funk Railroad
Grand Funk Railroad is an American rock band that was highly popular during the 1970s. Grand Funk Railroad toured constantly to packed arenas worldwide. A popular take on the band during its heyday was that, although the critics hated them, audiences loved them...
, initially managed and produced by Knight.
All recordings by Terry Knight and the Pack have been out of print since 1973, except for "I (Who Have Nothing)" which is included in the Cameo Parkway 1957-1967 box set.
Only one "best of" compilation was released in late 1972 by ABKCO Records as the double album
Double album
A double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....
Mark, Don & Terry 1966-67
Mark, Don & Terry 1966-67
Mark, Don & Terry 1966-67 is a 1972 2-LP set compilation album by Terry Knight and the Pack released by ABKCO Records to cash in on the March 1972 Capitol Records album Mark, Don & Mel: 1969–71 by Grand Funk Railroad. The album has a plain blue cover with lettering similar to that of the plain...
(plain blue cover) inspired by the Grand Funk Railroad doublet Mark, Don & Mel: 1969–71 (plain black cover) released earlier that year on Capitol. The ABKCO-released album was later re-packaged in 1973 as Funk-Off. Both albums are considered collectors items after being dropped from the ABKCO catalog. Another quasi-best-of compilation, Track On, was released on Lucky Eleven circa 1969-70, but the legality of this issue has been questioned.
In 2008, Terry Knight and The Pack were inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.
Singles
- "Harlem Shuffle" / "I've Got News For You" - Lucky Eleven 003 - 1965
- "Does It Matter To You Girl" / "Wide Trackin'" - Lucky Eleven 007 - 1965
- "I've Been Told" / "How Much More" - Lucky Eleven 225 - 1966
- "Better Man Than I" / "I Got Love" - Lucky Eleven 226 - 1966
- "Lady Jane" / "Lovin' Kind" - Lucky Eleven 228 - 1966
- "A Change On The Way" / "What's On Your Mind" - Lucky Eleven 229 - 1966
- "I (Who Have Nothing)" (Billboard #46) / "Numbers" - Lucky Eleven 230 - 1966
- "This Precious Time" / "Love Love Love Love Love" - Lucky Eleven 235 - 1967
- "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show" / "The Train" - Lucky Eleven 236 - 1967
Albums
- Terry Knight and the PackTerry Knight and the Pack (album)Terry Knight and the Pack was the debut album for the band Terry Knight and the Pack. On this record, future Grand Funk Railroad alumni such as Mark Farner, appear...
(Billboard #127) - Lucky Eleven LE-8000 (Mono)/SLE-8000 (Stereo) (1966) - Reflections (Original pressing) - Lucky Eleven LE-8001/SLE-8001 (1966)
- Reflections (2nd pressing) - Cameo C-2007 (Mono)/CS-2007 (Stereo) (1966)
- Track On! - Lucky Eleven LE-8001/SLE-8001 (1966)
-
- Issued with same catalog number as the Reflections album, although the legality of this album is in question
- Mark, Don & Terry 1966-67Mark, Don & Terry 1966-67Mark, Don & Terry 1966-67 is a 1972 2-LP set compilation album by Terry Knight and the Pack released by ABKCO Records to cash in on the March 1972 Capitol Records album Mark, Don & Mel: 1969–71 by Grand Funk Railroad. The album has a plain blue cover with lettering similar to that of the plain...
(Billboard #192) - Abkco 4217 (1972) - Terry Knight and the Pack and Reflections (Re-release two albums on one CD) - Ace CDCHD 1273 (2010) Barcode: 029667042123
- Mark, Don & Terry 1966-67
- Issued with same catalog number as the Reflections album, although the legality of this album is in question