Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
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Miami Vice Performer
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Members
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Bob Seger (vocals, guitar, piano)
Drew Abbott (guitar) Charlie Allen Martin (drums) Rick Manasa (keyboards) Chris Campbell (bass guitar) Alto Reed (saxophone) |
Active
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1974-1996
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Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band was an American rock band founded by Bob Seger whose songs "Come to Poppa" (from "Rites of Passage") and "Miami" (from "Cuba Libre") appeared in the show Miami Vice.
Career[]
Seger's early career[]
Bob Seger was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1945. He began his music career in a local band, The Decibels, then moved on to other local bands (The Town Criers, Doug Brown and The Omens and The Last Heard) before forming his own group, The Bob Seger System, out of the remnants of The Last Heard, in 1968. Their single "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" became Seger's first chart single reaching #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1969. But their success was short-lived, their followup album failed to sell and the group disbanded in 1971.
The Silver Bullet Band[]
After three years of solo work, Seger formed the Silver Bullet Band in 1974, and the group began to break out nationally with the 1975 album Beautiful Loser with the title song and "Katmandu" reaching the Hot 100. His next album, Live Bullet, featured the single "Turn the Page", Seger's song about life on the road, but while he sold out shows in the Detroit area, national success eluded Seger until 1977's Night Moves was released. Featuring the singles "Night Moves", "Mainstreet", "Rock and Roll Never Forgets", and "Come to Poppa", it was Seger's first Top 5 studio album. 1978's Stranger in Town featured his first ballad to chart, "We've Got Tonight" (later covered by Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton), as well as AOR staples "Hollywood Nights", "Still the Same", and "Old Time Rock and Roll" (famously lip-synched by Tom Cruise in 1983's Risky Business). Seger and Glenn Frey collaborated on writing the Eagles' hit "Heartache Tonight". In 1980 the album Against the Wind was released, featuring the title song, "Fire Lake" (featuring Frey and fellow Eagles Don Henley and Timothy B. Schmit on backing vocals), and "You'll Accom'pny Me". Against the Wind reached #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart.
1981's live album Nine Tonight featured "Tryin' to Live My Life Without You", followed by 1982's The Distance, featuring "Shame on the Moon", "Even Now", and "Roll Me Away", but it was four years before his next release, Like a Rock, featuring the title song (used in commercials for Chevy Trucks for over 10 years), "Miami", and "American Storm". Seger also had two hit singles from movies: "Understanding" from Teachers and "Shakedown" (#1) from Beverly Hills Cop III.
In 1991, the Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band album The Fire Inside was released, but by then Seger's style of music was passe on radio, having been replaced with grunge and alternative rock. None of the band's 1990s albums (except Greatest Hits from 1993) sold well, and after 1995's It's a Mystery, Seger dissolved the Silver Bullet Band and took an extended sabbatical to be with his wife and young children.
Seger's Later career[]
Seger did not tour again until 2006, when his album Face the Promise was released; the album sold well and the accompanying tour was a success too. Seger then went on the road in 2011 in support of a two-CD compilation album, and released his first album with new material since 2006, Ride Out, in 2014. In 2018, Seger announced his farewell tour, Travelin' Man Tour, ending his career after over 50 years. Seger was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.
Personal Life[]
Seger has been married three times, to Renee Andrietti from 1968 until 1969 (lasting "one day short of a year"), to actress Annette Sinclair (Weekend Pass, Listen to Me) from 1987 until 1988, and Juanita Dorricott in 1993, they have two children, Christopher Cole (born 1992) and Samantha Char (born 1995). Seger was also in a long-term relationship with Jan Dinsdale from 1972-83.