Ambrosia (band)
Encyclopedia
Ambrosia is an American
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 formed in southern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

 in 1970. Ambrosia had five Top Forty hit singles between 1975 and 1980.

Formation and inspiration

The members of Ambrosia decided on the moniker in 1970 to represent a vision of their music: all shades, textures, colors and styles. While Ambrosia had many radio hits in the 1970s, much of the material on their five albums is progressive
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...

 in nature.

The founding constituents of Ambrosia were reared in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...

 in the area known as The South Bay
South Bay, Los Angeles
The South Bay is a region of the southwest peninsula of Los Angeles County, California, United States. The name stems from its geographic features stretching along the southern shores of Santa Monica Bay which forms its western border.The picture at right uses the broadest definition of the...

, later adopting San Pedro as their hometown. Their initial musical influences, like many of their generation, came from The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...

 and The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

. Ambrosia fused symphonic art rock with a slick produced pop sound.

Early on, the band were infatuated with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and began to experiment with vocal harmonies. After the group attended a show at the Whisky a Go-Go to see an unknown but highly recommended new band called King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...

, their perception of music was changed.

The musicians, inspired by the music and artists of the progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...

 era, acquired a significant regional admiration. In 1971 a friend who was doing sound for the Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances...

 invited them to play there on stage to test a new sound system that had been installed. Gordon Parry
Gordon Parry
Gordon Parry may refer to:*Gordon Parry *Gordon Parry, Baron Parry, Labour peer from Neyland, Wales*Gordon Parry , Grammy award winner for Production and engineering...

, the head engineer in charge at the Bowl, was so impressed with the group that he invited them back to attend performances by the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He introduced them to conductor Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta is an Indian conductor of western classical music. He is the Music Director for Life of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.-Biography:...

, who featured Ambrosia as part of a so-called All-American Dream Concert. Despite this early career break, however, it took them four additional years to obtain a recording contract.

1970s

The group auditioned for Herb Alpert
Herb Alpert
Herbert "Herb" Alpert is an American musician most associated with the group variously known as Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, or TJB. He is also a recording industry executive — he is the "A" of A&M Records...

 and A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...

 early on but the audition did not go well. Although it is alleged by a few sources that each member of the band arrived at the audition half an hour late and heavily intoxicated, each member arrived on time and sober. In spite of their poor performance, Alpert let the band do some demos. Eventually they signed with Rubicon Management, who passed the demos around landing the group a deal with 20th Century Fox Records.

The first album, Ambrosia, produced by Freddie Piro, was released in 1975. It spawned the Top 20 chart single "Holdin' On To Yesterday" as well as the radio hit "Nice, Nice, Very Nice." The latter sets to music the lyrics to a song in Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was a 20th century American writer. His works such as Cat's Cradle , Slaughterhouse-Five and Breakfast of Champions blend satire, gallows humor and science fiction. He was known for his humanist beliefs and was honorary president of the American Humanist Association.-Early...

's Cat's Cradle
Cat's Cradle
Cat's Cradle is the fourth novel by American writer Kurt Vonnegut, first published in 1963. It explores issues of science, technology, and religion, satirizing the arms race and many other targets along the way...

. The album was nominated for a Grammy award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...

 for Best Engineered Recording (other than Classical). Alan Parsons
Alan Parsons
Alan Parsons is a British audio engineer, musician, and record producer. He was involved with the production of several significant albums, including The Beatles' Abbey Road and Let It Be, as well as Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon for which Pink Floyd credit him as an important contributor...

 was the engineer for Ambrosia's first album and the producer for their second. All four members of Ambrosia played on the first Alan Parsons Project album, Tales of Mystery and Imagination
Tales of Mystery and Imagination
Tales of Mystery and Imagination is the debut album by the progressive rock group The Alan Parsons Project, released in 1976. The album's avant-garde soundscapes kept it from being a blockbuster, but the interesting lyrical and musical themes — retellings of horror stories and poetry by...

, which was recorded soon after Ambrosia's first album. David Pack later appeared on the Alan Parsons album Try Anything Once
Try Anything Once
Try Anything Once is the first solo album created by Alan Parsons following the split of The Alan Parsons Project.This album features vocals by Ambrosia's David Pack, Duran Duran backing singer Jacqui Copland, Former Mindbender and 10cc guitarist Eric Stewart, and Manfred Mann's Earth Band frontman...

(1993), co-writing, playing and providing vocals on three songs.

After lengthy touring, the band returned in 1976 with Somewhere I've Never Travelled. The album yielded the title song and the single "Can't Let A Woman", which both became FM favorites, both featuring lush orchestration and vocal arrangements. The record sleeve folded into a large pyramid, tapping into a then popular belief in mystical pyramid power
Pyramid power
Pyramid power refers to alleged supernatural or paranormal properties of the ancient Egyptian pyramids and objects of similar shape. With this power, model pyramids are said to preserve foods, sharpen or maintain the sharpneses of razor blades, improve health , function "as a...

. Somewhere I've Never Travelled received a Grammy nomination and set the stage for the band's signing to Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...

.

In 1976, the group covered The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

 song "Magical Mystery Tour
Magical Mystery Tour (song)
"Magical Mystery Tour" is a song by The Beatles, the opening track and theme song for the album, double EP and TV film of the same name. Unlike the theme songs for their other film projects, it was not released as a single.-Composition:...

" for the transitory musical documentary All This and World War II
All This and World War II
All This and World War II is a 1976 musical documentary that juxtaposes Beatles songs, performed by a number of musicians, with World War II newsreel footage and 20th Century Fox films from the 1940s...

. The film's soundtrack consisted of different groups providing arrangements of Beatles songs. Their version of "Magical Mystery Tour" scored a Top 40 hit and has since been a staple of their live shows.

In 1978 Life Beyond L.A. was released. It marked a bit of a move away from their lush arrangements and introduced a more raw, aggressive progressive rock/jazz influence. Christopher North, who had family obligations and was not totally happy with the group's shift away from the sound of the first two albums, left the group in 1977 during the album's recording, citing creative differences (as well as certain health problems) as the reasons for his departure. The year 1978 marked their biggest pop breakthrough with their first Gold single "How Much I Feel" from the album, which was a #3 hit on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

. Despite its success, advertising of the album in Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

and Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...

downplayed the song, suggesting listeners check out the other cuts on the LP. Warner Bros pushed the title cut for radio and Life Beyond LA started to get significant airplay on AOR stations a few months after the album's release. Extensive touring with Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...

, Heart
Heart (band)
Heart is an American rock band who first found success in Canada. Throughout several lineup changes, the only two members remaining constant are sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. The group rose to fame in the 1970s with their music being influenced by hard rock as well as folk music...

 and the Doobie Brothers, in addition to major headlining shows, cemented Ambrosia's reputation as a live act. For the '78 touring band, North returned and the group added a second keyboardist, David C. Lewis
David C. Lewis
David C. Lewis is a keyboardist and composer.David played with Ambrosia from 1977–1983 and with Shadowfax from 1984–1990. He won a Grammy with Shadowfax for "Best New Age Performance" for Folksongs for a Nuclear Village in 1988. He has since returned to and tours with Ambrosia...

, as well as an additional singer Royce Jones
Royce Jones
Royce Jones is a Grammy-winning American musician best known for his work as a touring vocalist with the bands Steely Dan and Ambrosia...

.

1980s and 1990s

In 1980 Warner Bros. released One Eighty, which produced two of the year's biggest hits. The first, "Biggest Part of Me", reached number three for three weeks on the Hot 100 and crossed over to the soul chart, where it peaked at number thirty-five. The second, another blue-eyed soul hit, "You're the Only Woman (You & I)", reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100. One Eighty earned the band three Grammy nominations, including Best Pop Vocal Group. A headlining world tour followed. For the Japanese leg of the tour, the group was joined by their longtime friend guitarist Cliff Woolley (formerly of The Association
The Association
The Association is a pop music band from California in the folk rock or soft rock genre. During the 1960s, they had numerous hits at or near the top of the Billboard charts and were the lead-off band at 1967's Monterey Pop Festival...

).

The title of the album One Eighty was believed by fans to signal the group's "180-degree" change in direction. In actuality, it was so named because it was recorded in January 1980 (1/80). They dedicated one of their songs to Sandie Clark.

In 1980 the band contributed the song "Outside" to the movie Inside Moves
Inside Moves
Inside Moves is a drama film directed by Richard Donner.- Plot :After a failed suicide attempt leaves a man named Rory partially crippled, he finds himself living in a run-down house in Oakland, California...

and the following year placed another track, "Poor Rich Boy" (written by Burt Bacharach
Burt Bacharach
Burt F. Bacharach is an American pianist, composer and music producer. He is known for his popular hit songs and compositions from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, with lyrics written by Hal David. Many of their hits were produced specifically for, and performed by, Dionne Warwick...

), on the soundtrack of the movie Arthur.

In 1982 David C. Lewis
David C. Lewis
David C. Lewis is a keyboardist and composer.David played with Ambrosia from 1977–1983 and with Shadowfax from 1984–1990. He won a Grammy with Shadowfax for "Best New Age Performance" for Folksongs for a Nuclear Village in 1988. He has since returned to and tours with Ambrosia...

 briefly left the touring group to be replaced by Bruce Hornsby
Bruce Hornsby
Bruce Randall Hornsby is an American singer, pianist, accordion player, and songwriter. Known for the spontaneity and creativity of his live performances, Hornsby draws frequently from classical, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Motown, rock, blues, and jam band musical traditions with his songwriting and...

, four years before his own rise to stardom. The same year, Ambrosia released their fifth and final studio album, Road Island, their first effort without the assistance of Freddie Piro's production company. Produced by James Guthrie
James Guthrie (record producer)
James K.A. Guthrie is a British recording engineer and record producer best known for his work with the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, having served as a producer and engineer for the band since 1978...

, the album consisted of intense, driving hard rock(outside of the soft ballad "Feeling Alive Again" and the progressive rock closer "Endings"). Though it scored a minor hit with "How Can You Love Me", the album was a commercial disappointment. The band broke up afterwards, ending their run of chart success.

After Ambrosia, David Pack pursued a solo career and produced or worked with many top artists. Pack's 1985 solo album, Anywhere You Go, included the song "Prove Me Wrong," which also appeared on the soundtrack of the 1985 film White Nights. Joe Puerta became a founding member of Bruce Hornsby and the Range.

In 1989 Ambrosia reunited with all four original members and began playing live shows again, mostly on the West Coast. They expanded their touring ranks once again with Tollak Ollestad
Tollak Ollestad
Tollak Ollestad is an American harmonica player, singer, keyboardist and songwriter. He is best known for his harmonica work on several recordings since the 90's but he has also toured extensively as a keyboardist/singer with several well known acts...

 (vocals, keyboards, harmonica) and Shem Von Schroeck
Shem von Schroeck
Shem Schroeck also known as Shem Von Schroeck is an American musician, a singer, bassist, and drummer. Eldest son of musician Artie Schroeck, Shem was a member of the band Ambrosia, playing with them off and on since 1989, and then worked with Kenny Loggins in the 1990s...

 (vocals, percussion, bass, guitar).

In 1995 the band expanded their annual touring schedule. Pack had a conflict and guitarist John DeFaria filled in for him. Bernie Chiaravalle
Bernie chiaravalle
Bernie Chiaravalle is the guitarist for singer Michael McDonald and has also been a songwriting partner with McDonald since the late 1980s. Bernie's career with Michael started out by meeting singer/songwriter David Pack from the group Ambrosia who later introduced him to Michael. He and McDonald...

 likewise stepped in in the summer of 1997 and Mike Keneally
Mike Keneally
Michael Joseph Keneally is an American guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist and composer. Allmusic says: "With his wide-ranging talents and ability to be creative in almost any musical situation, Keneally is the leading progressive rock genius of the post-Zappa era."Born on Long Island, New York, he...

 did the honors in 1998 and 2000 for the concerts Pack was unable to play. Brian Stiemke subbed for an ill Burleigh Drummond for a few shows in 1997.

In 1997, Warner Bros. released Ambrosia's greatest hits CD, Anthology, which contains tracks from all five albums plus three new tracks. In addition to Anthology, the entire Ambrosia catalog was remastered and released on CD.

2000s and beyond

The band launched a 30th anniversary tour in 2000 that proved highly successful.

In 2001 when Pack's schedule grew busy, he was forced to bow out altogether and was replaced by Doug Jackson, who had filled in for him for some shows the previous year. Pack's final show with the band was on November 4, 2000 in Chandler, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...

.
Shem had scheduling conflicts himself and Ricky Cosentino filled in for him for some concerts in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2003. Shem then left in 2003 to join Kenny Loggins
Kenny Loggins
During the next decade, Loggins recorded so many successful songs for film soundtracks that he was referred to as, King of the Movie Soundtrack.He began with "I'm Alright" , "Mr. Night", and "Lead the Way" from Caddyshack...

' band. Robert Berry
Robert Berry
Robert Berry is an American guitarist, vocalist and producer, best known for his work with Hush, 3, Ambrosia, Alliance & Los Tres Gusanos.-History:...

 (vocals, guitars), formerly of 3
3 (1980s band)
3 were a short-lived progressive rock band formed by former Emerson, Lake & Palmer members Keith Emerson and Carl Palmer and American multi-instrumentalist Robert Berry in 1988....

 and GTR
GTR (band)
GTR were a rock band founded in 1985 by former Yes and Asia guitarist Steve Howe and former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett. In comparison to the two leaders' earlier work within progressive rock, GTR's work followed more of an Adult Oriented Rock format. The band was short-lived, lasting for two...

, joined temporarily in 2004-2005, and Ken Stacey
Ken Stacey
Ken Stacey is a session vocalist and backing vocalist. He has worked with Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Johnny Hallyday, Natalie Jackson, Richard Marx, and Phil Ramone, among many others...

 jumped in in 2005. Shem then returned and he & Stacey alternated with the group for awhile. Tollak Ollestad
Tollak Ollestad
Tollak Ollestad is an American harmonica player, singer, keyboardist and songwriter. He is best known for his harmonica work on several recordings since the 90's but he has also toured extensively as a keyboardist/singer with several well known acts...

 split in late 2004 to concentrate on a solo career and relocate to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

 where he has had success over there. David C. Lewis
David C. Lewis
David C. Lewis is a keyboardist and composer.David played with Ambrosia from 1977–1983 and with Shadowfax from 1984–1990. He won a Grammy with Shadowfax for "Best New Age Performance" for Folksongs for a Nuclear Village in 1988. He has since returned to and tours with Ambrosia...

 then returned, after having substituted for Tollak on some 1999 and 2003 gigs. But Tollak has remained on call to sub for various band members and returned to play their spring 2009 tour in place of David C. Lewis
David C. Lewis
David C. Lewis is a keyboardist and composer.David played with Ambrosia from 1977–1983 and with Shadowfax from 1984–1990. He won a Grammy with Shadowfax for "Best New Age Performance" for Folksongs for a Nuclear Village in 1988. He has since returned to and tours with Ambrosia...

 & Shem. After this, Rick Cowling (formerly with Kenny Loggins) came in on vocals, guitar and keyboards, though Tollak still appears with the band from time to time, most recently in 2010 when Doug Jackson was out playing guitar for Gary Wright
Gary Wright
Gary Malcolm Wright is an American musician, best known for his song, "Dream Weaver". He was the piano player on Harry Nilsson's version of "Without You".-Early life:...

 and Tollak handled keys once again while Rick moved over to lead guitar until Jackson's return later in the year.

On September 1, 2001 the band recorded a live album at the Galaxy Theater in Santa Ana, CA without David Pack. This album, Live, was released in May 2002. Also, in 2003 Collectables Records
Collectables Records
Collectables is a reissue record label founded in 1980 by Jerry Greene. Greene was previously associated with New York City's Times Square Record Shop, Philadelphia's Record Museum retail chain, and the Lost Nite and Crimson record labels....

 released another compilation album, How Much I Feel and Other Hits. Several compilation albums and another live album have been released, though none officially from the band. In 2004, the band released a DVD called Ambrosia: Real Artists Working. Though there have been no new studio albums since 1982, they have written and performed new material, and a new original album has long been in the planning stages.

David Pack
David Pack
David Robert Pack , is a Grammy Award Winning Artist, Producer & Music Director of Global Events. His career began as the front man, vocalist and guitarist with the rock group Ambrosia popular in the 1970s and 1980s.-Career:...

 released two 2005 solo projects: Unborn, a compilation of older unreleased material, and the more up-to-date The Secret of Movin' On featuring collaborations with Timothy B. Schmit
Timothy B. Schmit
Timothy Bruce Schmit is an American musician and songwriter, best known for his work as bass guitar player and singer for Poco and the Eagles. Schmit has also worked for decades as a session musician and solo artist.-Early career:Raised in Sacramento, Schmit began playing in the folk music group...

 of Eagles fame, former Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...

 vocalist Steve Perry
Steve Perry (musician)
Stephen Ray "Steve" Perry is an American singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Journey from 1977–1987 and 1995–1998. Perry had a successful solo career throughout the late 1980s and early '90s.Perry's voice has garnered acclaim from musical peers and music...

, Heart
Heart (band)
Heart is an American rock band who first found success in Canada. Throughout several lineup changes, the only two members remaining constant are sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. The group rose to fame in the 1970s with their music being influenced by hard rock as well as folk music...

 legend Ann Wilson
Ann Wilson
Ann Dustin Wilson is an American musician, best known as the lead singer, flute player, songwriter, and occasional guitar player of the rock band Heart.-Personal life:...

 and America
America (band)
America is an English-American folk rock band that originally included members Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell and Dan Peek. The three members were barely out of their teens when they became a musical sensation during 1972, scoring #1 hits and winning a Grammy for best new musical artist...

 co-founder Dewey Bunnell amongst others. Both albums follow in Pack's recent bent of smooth pop-rock.

The rest of the band continued to tour essentially as an oldies act with other similar artists from the era (including John Ford Coley
John Ford Coley
John Ford Coley is a singer, classically trained pianist, guitarist, actor, and author most known for his partnership in the musical duo England Dan & John Ford Coley.-Early life:...

, Gary Wright
Gary Wright
Gary Malcolm Wright is an American musician, best known for his song, "Dream Weaver". He was the piano player on Harry Nilsson's version of "Without You".-Early life:...

 and Stephen Bishop
Stephen Bishop (musician)
Stephen Bishop is an American singer-songwriter, actor, and guitarist.-History:Bishop was born in San Diego, California, and attended Will C. Crawford High School...

), often acting as the backing band for said other artists, and have to some degree begun embarking on other careers. Joe Puerta
Joe Puerta
Joe Puerta is the bassist/vocalist and co-founder of the American rock group Ambrosia. He is credited with co-writing one of their earlier hits, Holdin' On To Yesterday . Puerta is also credited with forming Bruce Hornsby and the Range. He currently lives in Milwaukee, WI.-External links:* * *...

 has started a studio near his suburban Milwaukee home, The Exchange, where he's produced several artists including Les Lokey, Big Nick & the Cydecos, Alaria Taylor and The Good Luck Joes
The Good Luck Joes
The Good Luck Joes is a band originally from East Grand Rapids, Michigan and is currently on the Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based Third Ward Records label. They began to practice together as a band in 2002...

.

Burleigh Drummond drummed for roots CCM supergroup Lost Dogs
Lost Dogs
Lost Dogs are an American musical supergroup formed in 1991, comprising vocalists, songwriters, and guitarists from multiple Christian alternative rock bands. Their current lineup includes Terry Scott Taylor , Michael Roe , Derri Daugherty and Steve Hindalong . The original lineup included Gene...

 for several albums and then started a group, Tin Drum, with his wife, Mary Harris, a singer/songwriter who has worked with Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...

, XTC
XTC
XTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...

, Stanley Clarke
Stanley Clarke
Stanley Clarke is an American jazz musician and composer known for his innovative and influential work on double bass and electric bass guitar as well as for his numerous film and television scores...

 and Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett
James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...

. The band has released three albums and also become a production company with such varied artists on their roster as bluesman Mo Rodgers and kids-oriented gospel act Kingdom Bound.

Peter Banks
Peter Banks
Peter Banks is an English guitarist. He was the original guitarist of the progressive rock band Yes.-Early career:When Banks was a young boy, his father bought him an acoustic guitar...

, original guitarist of Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...

, announced that his Original Yes Songs Tour, planned for March 2011, will be supported by Ambrosia. However, the tour did not happen because of Banks' health issues.

The band appeared on the May 2nd, 2011 episode of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....

as part of the host's "Yacht Rock 2k11" theme show, performing "Biggest Part of Me" (during the show) and "How Much I Feel" (after the formal taping, but put up on the Fallon website). They continue to tour throughout the country, with Mary Harris and/or Alan Tilles (sax) occasionally performing with the group.

Discography

  • 1975: Ambrosia
  • 1976: Somewhere I've Never Travelled
  • 1978: Life Beyond L.A.
  • 1980: One Eighty
  • 1982: Road Island
  • 1997: Anthology
  • 2002: Ambrosia Live

Band members

Current members
  • Joe Puerta
    Joe Puerta
    Joe Puerta is the bassist/vocalist and co-founder of the American rock group Ambrosia. He is credited with co-writing one of their earlier hits, Holdin' On To Yesterday . Puerta is also credited with forming Bruce Hornsby and the Range. He currently lives in Milwaukee, WI.-External links:* * *...

     - vocals, bass, guitar
  • Christopher North
    Christopher North (Ambrosia)
    Christopher Reed North San Francisco California, is the founding Keyboardist for the American Progressive Rock band Ambrosia....

     - keyboards, backing vocals
  • Burleigh Drummond - drums, percussion, vocals, bassoon
  • Doug Jackson - guitars, backing vocals
  • Rick Cowling - vocals, keyboards, guitar


Former members
  • David Pack
    David Pack
    David Robert Pack , is a Grammy Award Winning Artist, Producer & Music Director of Global Events. His career began as the front man, vocalist and guitarist with the rock group Ambrosia popular in the 1970s and 1980s.-Career:...

     - vocals, guitars, keyboards
  • David C. Lewis
    David C. Lewis
    David C. Lewis is a keyboardist and composer.David played with Ambrosia from 1977–1983 and with Shadowfax from 1984–1990. He won a Grammy with Shadowfax for "Best New Age Performance" for Folksongs for a Nuclear Village in 1988. He has since returned to and tours with Ambrosia...

     - keyboards
  • Royce Jones
    Royce Jones
    Royce Jones is a Grammy-winning American musician best known for his work as a touring vocalist with the bands Steely Dan and Ambrosia...

     - vocals, percussion
  • Bruce Hornsby
    Bruce Hornsby
    Bruce Randall Hornsby is an American singer, pianist, accordion player, and songwriter. Known for the spontaneity and creativity of his live performances, Hornsby draws frequently from classical, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Motown, rock, blues, and jam band musical traditions with his songwriting and...

     - keyboards, backing vocals
  • Shem Von Shroeck - vocals, percussion, guitar, bass
  • Tollak Ollestad
    Tollak Ollestad
    Tollak Ollestad is an American harmonica player, singer, keyboardist and songwriter. He is best known for his harmonica work on several recordings since the 90's but he has also toured extensively as a keyboardist/singer with several well known acts...

     - vocals, keyboards, harmonica
  • Robert Berry
    Robert Berry
    Robert Berry is an American guitarist, vocalist and producer, best known for his work with Hush, 3, Ambrosia, Alliance & Los Tres Gusanos.-History:...

    - vocals, guitar
  • Ken Stacey - vocals, percussion

External links

|accessdate =22 March 2011}}
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