Kenny Loggins
Biography
Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Kenny Loggins has enjoyed more than three decades of success in the music business, as a songwriter and performer, mostly in a soft rock vein. He was born Kenneth Clarke Loggins in Everett, WA in early 1948, and the family later moved to Detroit, and finally to Alhambra, CA when he was in his teens. He initially turned to music as a way of compensating for his extreme shyness, and found that he was, indeed, a talented guitarist and had a voice. For a time in the late '60s he was based in Pasadena, studying at Pasadena City College. At the end of the decade, Loggins passed through the lineup of a band called Gator Creek, who were good enough to get signed to Mercury Records. The group recorded one self-titled album, which was issued in 1970 and included an early version of "Danny's Song," a track that he later recorded again as part of Loggins & Messina. He also spent time with a short-lived group called Second Helping, and was a member of the stage incarnation of the Electric Prunes during a later phase of that group's history.
Loggins was proficient on the guitar and piano, but it was his songwriting that allowed him to make his first lasting impression on the music industry. He took a job as a staff writer for Wingate Music, for $100.00 a week, and later that year four of his songs ended up on the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band album Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy. This event was particularly fortuitous, as that album was the first release by the newly reconstituted version of the group, and included what proved to be their biggest hit, "Mr. Bojangles." The presence of the latter helped make Uncle Charlie one of the group's biggest selling long-players; and the exposure generated a second hit in the form of Loggins' own "House at Pooh Corner."
The success of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's recordings brought Loggins to the attention of former Poco member Jim Messina, who was working as a staff producer at CBS. It was Messina's intention to produce Loggins' debut album, but he also ended up playing and singing on the record, and it worked out so well that the two ended up in a duo. Loggins & Messina were among the most popular folk-based soft rock acts of the first half of the '70s and enjoyed a four-year string of successful albums.
Loggins & Messina broke up in 1976, and Loggins retained a strong following in the years immediately after. He went on to solo stardom with such million-selling albums as Celebrate Me Home, Nightwatch (which included the hit "Whenever I Call You Friend"), and Keep the Fire, all in the cheerful, sensitive style he had displayed in Loggins & Messina. Loggins also became known as the king of the movie soundtrack song, scoring Top Ten hits with "I'm Alright" (from Caddyshack), "Footloose" (from Footloose), "Danger Zone" (from Top Gun), and "Nobody's Fool" (from Caddyshack II). During this period, he was also one of the participants in USA for Africa on the benefit recording "We Are the World." His own albums sold less well (and came less frequently) throughout the '80s, with later efforts like 1991's Leap of Faith, 1997's The Unimaginable Life, and 1998's December finding favor primarily in adult contemporary circles; in 1994, he also issued a children's album, Return to Pooh Corner, and released its sequel, More Songs from Pooh Corner, in early 2000. He reunited with Messina in 2005 for a successful tour, album, and concert video, and in 2007, Loggins released How About Now, his first new solo album in four years. It was followed by All Join In in 2009. ~ William Ruhlmann & Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
Selected Discography
You have to see him live to really appreciate his extraordinar y voice! Not to mention his versatility. Love him!
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Anyone who would say anything bad about someone like Kenny, obviously doesn't know what music is.
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How can anyone say the guy who wrote classics like Danger Zone for the movie Top Gun, Celebrate me home, Danny's Song and House at Pooh Corner blows? Maybe he blows away other flash in the pans with his prolific songwriting for over 40 years now and still going!!!
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One of the BEST ARTISTS EVER! HIT AFTER SUPER HIT!
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To mikenettles:
You obviously don't know good music when you hear it!!!! Kenny is one of the best singer/songw r i t e r s , ever!!!! |
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I GREW UP LISTENING TO KENNY LOGGINS AND I MUST SAY .HES,STILL THE BOMB.
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It is great to see the vocals and song writting ability has passed on to Kenny Loggins son I wish Pandora had some of Crosby Loggins stuff on here but he can me found on myspace. Maybe you could do a due tour I know it is good for a rockers son to find his own wave of sound to follow but the Harmonys could be fantastic!
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Where is Leap of Faith album ? I think it came after Vox Humana. It's a good one !!!
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May be one of the best voices in rock (David Crosby being the other)but for god sake Kenny, get back together with Jimmy Messina. The tour a couple of years ago was outstanding but I'm hungry for some new L&M material.
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Kenny has excellent range and a voice that is very easy to listen to. He is always recognizable in any project he touches. One of the world's best male vocalists ever, and I don't think I've EVER heard a Loggins song I do not like. Fortunately, his son Crosby takes after him visually and vocally, so we'll have another Loggins serenading us in the future - yay!
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WHATS NEW KENNY. LOV YA. HOW ABOUT A NEW GRAETEST HIT ALBUM I WOULD ENJOY THAT SO MUCH!
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I had the opportunity to see Kenny Loggins in concert around 2000. I had been familiar with his music, but would not consider myself a big fan, except for "This Is It", which is one of my Top 10 favorite pop songs of all time. Loggins put on one of the most amazing performances I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot of concerts in my life. He has one of the most impressive singing voices I've ever heard, and must be seen live to appreciate it fully. One incredible song after another comprised h
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I have always liked his music, and I always will. Kenny is awesome!!!!! ! ! !
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Loggins music never fails to lift my spirits and talks directly to me about things that matter most. He is definitely a legend and needs to be recognized professional l y . Thank you Kenny for sharing your gift with the world.
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When your freind is drowning in sorrow you don't throw him a life jacket, you swim one out to him. Bless you Loggins.
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its kinda wierd how i listen to the same music my parents did when they were in high school. but i dont care, i like it. KENNY LOGGINS ROX!!!
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I LOVE THIS MAN HES MY SOUL BROTHER.OUR LIVES,LOVES AND HEARTBREAKS PARALLEL EACH OTHERS OVER THE LAST TWENTY YEARS
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the guy was "mr. soundtrack" in the 80's - he can have a greatest hits cd based those songs alone!
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Kenny Loggins is one of the best singer/songw r i t e r s ever. He definitely needs to be recognized in the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame.
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