Kenny Nolan
Encyclopedia
Kenny Nolan is a Los Angeles
, California
based singer-songwriter
.
He is best remembered for his 1977 self-penned song
"I Like Dreamin'", which achieved the #3 chart position on the Billboard Hot 100
early that year.
He also co-wrote
several hits
with Bob Crewe
, including Frankie Valli
's "My Eyes Adored You
" and Labelle
's "Lady Marmalade
" (both 1975).
to USC
for composition
, but dropped out after six months, bored with the conventional regime. Four years later, a scholarship to Chouinard went the same way, and Nolan decided to send songs in to any artist
he thought might be suitable. It brought him to the attention of both veteran songwriter
Crewe and entrepreneur
Wes Farrell
, both of whom harnessed the then youngster's talent.
As house producer
at Farrell's Chelsea label
, Nolan wrote and/or produced a string of successful singles
for the label, including Jim Gilstrap
's "Swing Your Daddy" and "Take Your Daddy for a Ride," Dee Clark
's "Ride a Wild Horse," and Linda Carr's "High Wire." With Crewe, meanwhile, he co-penned some of the era's biggest successes. These included Disco Tex & The Sex-O-Lette's "Get Dancing," LaBelle's "Lady Marmalade," and Frankie Valli's "My Eyes Adored You."
Nolan also had ambition to perform - it was he who supplied the falsetto
that dominated "Get Dancing" - and, after a short tenure with Firefly, he moved onto the studio
group The Eleventh Hour. Produced by Crewe, the band
scored two minor hits in the U.S.
with "So Good" (1974) and "Hollywood Hot," the following year; and the minor hit album
, Hollywood Hot (1976).
In 1976, Nolan decided to record
his own version of a song he had been commissioned to write by another. "I Like Dreamin'" was released by the Eleventh Hour's label, 20th Century
, and in early November, it finally entered the U.S. chart, to begin a three-month crawl to its peak at number three.
Nolan followed it the following spring with the Top 20 hit "Love's Grown Deep," taken from his self-titled album, and was named Number One New Pop Singles Artist of 1977 by Billboard magazine. "My Eyes Get Blurry" followed, plus Nolan's next album, 1978's A Song Between Us. Night Miracles followed two years later, bringing a new single, "Us and Love (We Go Together)," to the mid-reaches of the chart in early 1980, but failing to give Nolan any further, major success.
He continued to record, however, signing to MCA
and releasing Head to Toe in 1982. That album spun off two singles, "Love Song" and "Soft Rock Hard Love," but further commercial success eluded him.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, 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...
based singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
.
He is best remembered for his 1977 self-penned song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
"I Like Dreamin'", which achieved the #3 chart position 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...
early that year.
He also co-wrote
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
several hits
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
with Bob Crewe
Bob Crewe
Bob Crewe is an American songwriter, dancer, singer, manager, record producer and fine artist. He is known for producing, and co-writing with Bob Gaudio, a string of Top 10 singles for The Four Seasons...
, including Frankie Valli
Frankie Valli
Frankie Valli is an American musician, most famous as frontman of The Four Seasons. He is well-known for his unusually powerful falsetto singing voice...
's "My Eyes Adored You
My Eyes Adored You
"My Eyes Adored You" is a popular song written by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan. It was originally recorded by The Four Seasons in early 1974. After the MoWest label balked at the idea of releasing it, the recording was sold to lead singer Frankie Valli for $4000...
" and Labelle
Labelle
Labelle is an American all female singing group who were a popular vocal group of the 1960s and 1970s. The group was formed after the disbanding of two rival girl groups in the Philadelphia/Trenton areas, the Ordettes and the Del-Capris, forming as a new version of the former group, later changing...
's "Lady Marmalade
Lady Marmalade
"Lady Marmalade" was also covered by Italian pop star Sabrina. It was released in 1987 as the album's second single by Baby Records. In some countries, including France and the Netherlands, the song was known as "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi? " and was released in 1988.-Track listings:7" maxi#...
" (both 1975).
Life and career
At the age of 13 he won a scholarshipScholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
to USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
for composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
, but dropped out after six months, bored with the conventional regime. Four years later, a scholarship to Chouinard went the same way, and Nolan decided to send songs in to any artist
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
he thought might be suitable. It brought him to the attention of both veteran songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
Crewe and entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
Wes Farrell
Wes Farrell
Wes Farrell was an American musician, songwriter and record producer, who was most active in the 1960s and 1970s...
, both of whom harnessed the then youngster's talent.
As house producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
at Farrell's Chelsea label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, Nolan wrote and/or produced a string of successful singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
for the label, including Jim Gilstrap
Jim Gilstrap
Jim Gilstrap is an American singer best known for his work as a session musician and his 1975 solo hit single "Swing Your Daddy", as well as singing co-lead to the theme from the TV series Good Times.-Career:...
's "Swing Your Daddy" and "Take Your Daddy for a Ride," Dee Clark
Dee Clark
Dee Clark was an African-American soul singer best known for a string of R&B and pop hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including the ballad "Raindrops," which became a million-seller in the United States in 1961....
's "Ride a Wild Horse," and Linda Carr's "High Wire." With Crewe, meanwhile, he co-penned some of the era's biggest successes. These included Disco Tex & The Sex-O-Lette's "Get Dancing," LaBelle's "Lady Marmalade," and Frankie Valli's "My Eyes Adored You."
Nolan also had ambition to perform - it was he who supplied the falsetto
Falsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
that dominated "Get Dancing" - and, after a short tenure with Firefly, he moved onto the studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
group The Eleventh Hour. Produced by Crewe, the band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
scored two minor hits in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with "So Good" (1974) and "Hollywood Hot," the following year; and the minor hit album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Hollywood Hot (1976).
In 1976, Nolan decided to record
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
his own version of a song he had been commissioned to write by another. "I Like Dreamin'" was released by the Eleventh Hour's label, 20th Century
20th Century Records
20th Century Fox Records, also known as 20th Fox Records and 20th Century Records, was a subsidiary of film studio 20th Century Fox.-History:It began in 1958 as 20th Fox Records. In 1963, 20th Fox Records became 20th Century-Fox Records...
, and in early November, it finally entered the U.S. chart, to begin a three-month crawl to its peak at number three.
Nolan followed it the following spring with the Top 20 hit "Love's Grown Deep," taken from his self-titled album, and was named Number One New Pop Singles Artist of 1977 by Billboard magazine. "My Eyes Get Blurry" followed, plus Nolan's next album, 1978's A Song Between Us. Night Miracles followed two years later, bringing a new single, "Us and Love (We Go Together)," to the mid-reaches of the chart in early 1980, but failing to give Nolan any further, major success.
He continued to record, however, signing to MCA
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
and releasing Head to Toe in 1982. That album spun off two singles, "Love Song" and "Soft Rock Hard Love," but further commercial success eluded him.