Warren Ham
Encyclopedia
Warren Ham is a vocalist, saxophonist, flutist from Fort Worth, Texas
. During the early 70s, Warren and his brother Bill formed The Ham
Brothers Band and included Ira Wilkes on bass, Red Young on piano and organ and Dahrell Norris on drums. The group recorded for Texas producer Huey P. Meaux
. It is widely assumed that the relationship with Meaux did more to hurt The Ham Brothers Band than help and despite critical acclaim for the work, the album never made it in the marketplace. It was soon taken out of print.
In 1978, The Ham Brothers band had replaced Wilkes and Young with Bob Parr and Ken Rarrick, both from the acclaimed jazz education program at the University of North Texas
. Then in 1979, David Gates
, of Bread
fame, hired the entire Ham Brothers band to tour. The act was billed as David Gates and Bread. A year later pop diva Cher
secured the services of the same band. When Cher recorded the project album Black Rose, Warren joined the band for the recording and the subsequent supporting tour.
In his early years, Ham was a vocalist and played the reeds for the Fort Worth, Texas based Bloodrock
(1972–74). Ham appeared on the last two Bloodrock albums: Passage and Whirlwind Tongues.
Warren Ham has also toured with Kansas
in the John Elefante
era (1982–83) (played additional keyboards, flute, alto and soprano saxophones, harmonica and backing vocals), Toto
, Donna Summer
and Frankie Avalon
. He has recently toured with Olivia Newton-John
as an instrumentalist and vocalist performing John Travolta
's part with Newton-John on her No. 1 Grease hit, "You're The One That I Want", as well as backing vocals.
When Kerry Livgren
left Kansas to form his own Christian rock
band AD
, Ham went with him as the new band's lead singer. Ham appeared on the first, second and fourth of AD's four albums: 1) Timeline 2) Art of the State and 3) Prime Mover.
Since the demise of AD, he has released solo recordings in the contemporary Christian music
genre and is the author of Beginning Blues/Rock Harmonica (ISBN 0-8256-1154-7)
In 2004, Ham recorded with Darren Dowler, the high voice in the group THE LETTERMEN. Dowler later became lead vocalist of the iconic PAUL REVERE AND THE RAIDERS, and the Righteous Brothers after the passing of Bobby Hatfield. Dowler also starred in the film ROCK AND ROLL THE MOVIE and wrote a novel entitled, THE WAR OF ANGELS.
The original Ham Brothers drummer and lifelong friend, Dahrell Norris, who also toured with Sonny and Cher, died from liver disease on December 15, 2007, in Albuquerque, NM. His whole career, from early teens until his late 50's, was dedicated to music and percussion.
Warren Ham is currently appearing as an integral member of Donna Summer's live band on her 2008 tour supporting her latest release Crayons.
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
. During the early 70s, Warren and his brother Bill formed The Ham
Brothers Band and included Ira Wilkes on bass, Red Young on piano and organ and Dahrell Norris on drums. The group recorded for Texas producer Huey P. Meaux
Huey P Meaux
Huey Purvis Meaux was an American record producer and recording studio owner .Meaux was born in Wright, Louisiana...
. It is widely assumed that the relationship with Meaux did more to hurt The Ham Brothers Band than help and despite critical acclaim for the work, the album never made it in the marketplace. It was soon taken out of print.
In 1978, The Ham Brothers band had replaced Wilkes and Young with Bob Parr and Ken Rarrick, both from the acclaimed jazz education program at the University of North Texas
University of North Texas
The University of North Texas is a public institution of higher education and research in Denton. Founded in 1890, UNT is part of the University of North Texas System. As of the fall of 2010, the University of North Texas, Denton campus, had a certified enrollment of 36,067...
. Then in 1979, David Gates
David Gates
David Gates is an American singer-songwriter, best known as the lead singer of the group Bread, which reached the tops of the musical charts in Europe and North America on several occasions in the 1970s. The band was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame...
, of Bread
Bread (band)
Bread was a rock band from Los Angeles, California. They placed 13 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart between 1970 and 1977 and were a prime example of what later was labeled soft rock....
fame, hired the entire Ham Brothers band to tour. The act was billed as David Gates and Bread. A year later pop diva Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
secured the services of the same band. When Cher recorded the project album Black Rose, Warren joined the band for the recording and the subsequent supporting tour.
In his early years, Ham was a vocalist and played the reeds for the Fort Worth, Texas based Bloodrock
Bloodrock
Bloodrock was an American hard rock band, based in Fort Worth, Texas, that had considerable success in the 1970s, and was one of the earliest of a number of significant bands to emerge from the Fort Worth club and music scene during the early to mid 1970s and on into the new century.-Early...
(1972–74). Ham appeared on the last two Bloodrock albums: Passage and Whirlwind Tongues.
Warren Ham has also toured with Kansas
Kansas (band)
Kansas is an American rock band that became popular in the 1970s initially on Album-Oriented Rock charts, and later with hit singles such as "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind"...
in the John Elefante
John Elefante
John Elefante is an American singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, and producer.-Early years:Born in Levittown, New York, his family soon moved to Long Beach, California. Growing up, he sang and performed drums for his family band, the Brotherhood...
era (1982–83) (played additional keyboards, flute, alto and soprano saxophones, harmonica and backing vocals), Toto
Toto (band)
Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The group currently consists of Joseph Williams , David Paich , Steve Porcaro , Steve Lukather , Mike Porcaro , and Simon Phillips . Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard...
, Donna Summer
Donna Summer
LaDonna Adrian Gaines , known by her stage name, Donna Summer, is an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Summer is a five-time Grammy winner and was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach...
and Frankie Avalon
Frankie Avalon
Frankie Avalon is an American actor, singer, playwright, and former teen idol.-Career:By the time he was 12, Avalon was on U.S. television playing his trumpet. As a teenager he played with Bobby Rydell in Rocco and the Saints...
. He has recently toured with Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
as an instrumentalist and vocalist performing John Travolta
John Travolta
John Joseph Travolta is an American actor, dancer and singer. Travolta first became known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever and Grease...
's part with Newton-John on her No. 1 Grease hit, "You're The One That I Want", as well as backing vocals.
When Kerry Livgren
Kerry Livgren
Kerry Allen Livgren is an American musician and songwriter, best known as one of the founding members and primary songwriters for the 1970s progressive rock band, Kansas.-Biography:...
left Kansas to form his own Christian rock
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
band AD
AD (band)
AD was a 1980s Christian rock band, featuring former Kansas members Kerry Livgren and Dave Hope, and former Bloodrock member Warren Ham sharing the lead vocal duties along with Michael Gleason.-Background:...
, Ham went with him as the new band's lead singer. Ham appeared on the first, second and fourth of AD's four albums: 1) Timeline 2) Art of the State and 3) Prime Mover.
Since the demise of AD, he has released solo recordings in the contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
genre and is the author of Beginning Blues/Rock Harmonica (ISBN 0-8256-1154-7)
In 2004, Ham recorded with Darren Dowler, the high voice in the group THE LETTERMEN. Dowler later became lead vocalist of the iconic PAUL REVERE AND THE RAIDERS, and the Righteous Brothers after the passing of Bobby Hatfield. Dowler also starred in the film ROCK AND ROLL THE MOVIE and wrote a novel entitled, THE WAR OF ANGELS.
The original Ham Brothers drummer and lifelong friend, Dahrell Norris, who also toured with Sonny and Cher, died from liver disease on December 15, 2007, in Albuquerque, NM. His whole career, from early teens until his late 50's, was dedicated to music and percussion.
Warren Ham is currently appearing as an integral member of Donna Summer's live band on her 2008 tour supporting her latest release Crayons.