ABOUT
Blood, Sweat & Tears is a veteran jazz-rock fusion band that became famous beginning in the late 1960s. Their distinctive sound during their hitmaking years came from their punchy, brass-heavy arrangements as well as David Clayton-Thomas' intense, soulful lead vocals. Their best known songs include the romantic "You've Made Me So Very Happy" (1969), the psychedelic "Spinning Wheel" (1969), and the gospel-infused "And When I Die" (1969).
Formed in 1967 in New York City by former Blues Project member Al Kooper (keyboards, lead vocals), the original lineup also consisted of Randy Brecker (trumpet, flugelhorn), Bobby Colomby (drums, percussion, backing vocals), Jim Fielder (bass, guitar, backing vocals), Dick Halligan (keyboards, trombone, horns, flute, backing vocals), Steve Katz (guitar, harmonica, flute, mandolin, lead and backing vocals), Fred Lipsius (alto sax, keyboards), and Jerry Weiss (trumpet, flugelhorn, backing vocals). In 1968, Blood, Sweat & Tears signed to Columbia and released their debut album, "Child Is Father To The Man," which was followed soon after by their hugely successful, Grammy-winning eponymous second album which topped the Billboard 200 the following year. Kooper left in early 1968 and was replaced by David Clayton-Thomas who then departed the band in 1972 to pursue a solo career. In his absence, Bobby Doyle and then Jerry Fisher fronted Blood, Sweat & Tears until Clayton-Thomas' return in 1974.
Blood, Sweat & Tears debuted in 1969 with "You've Made Me So Very Happy," the first of three #2 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 that year that also included "And When I Die" and "Spinning Wheel," the latter of which topped the Adult Contemporary chart. These three smashes, which became the band's defining songs, were followed by a string of hits through 1976 that included "Hi-De-Ho" (1970), "Lucretia Mac Evil" (1970), "Go Down Gamblin'" (1971), "Lisa, Listen To Me" (1971), "So Long Dixie" (1972), "Tell Me That I'm Wrong" (1974), and their version of the Lennon-McCartney-penned "Got To Get You Into My Life" (1975). Blood, Sweat & Tears' final charting song came in late 1976 with "You're The One," which made the Adult Contemporary Top 10.
At the height of their fame, Blood, Sweat & Tears performed at such major venues as the Royal Albert Hall, the Metropolitan Opera House, the Hollywood Bowl, Madison Square Garden, and Caesar's Palace, and they were a headlining act at the Newport Jazz Festival and Woodstock. After disbanding in 1981, they reformed in 1984 and continued to perform and record actively to the present day, with numerous personnel changes over the years. By around the mid 1970s, all the original members had left Blood, Sweat & Tears to pursue other projects, and longtime lead singer David Clayton-Thomas remained with the band through 2004.
LINKS
- For more info about Blood, Sweat & Tears and the band's current projects, visit bloodsweatandtears.com.
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SONGS
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Blood, Sweat And Tears
- And When I Die 1969
- Go Down Gamblin' 1971
- Hi-De-Ho 1970
- Lucretia Mac Evil 1970
- Spinning Wheel 1969
(This song later also became a hit for James Brown (1971).) - You've Made Me So Very Happy 1969
(This song was previously a hit for Brenda Holloway (1967) and later also became a hit for Lou Rawls (1970).)
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