King Harvest
Encyclopedia
King Harvest was a 1970s American
rock
band, best known for their 1973 hit single
, "Dancing in the Moonlight
".
expatriates in Paris
in 1970, King Harvest was best known for its one US hit single
, "Dancing In The Moonlight
," which was released in 1972. Although the band had a constantly fluctuating membership, it always included its four core co-founders: Dave "Doc" Robinson (lead vocals/bass
/keyboards
), Ron Altbach (keyboards), Ed Tuleja (guitar
), and Rod Novak (saxophone
), all of whom had previously attended Cornell University
. At one time, the band consisted of three keyboardist
s, with Sherman Kelly (who wrote "Dancing in the Moonlight") joining Altbach and Robinson. Sherman Kelly's brother, drummer
Wells Kelly, who would later go on to form the band Orleans
also served a brief stint in the group both in Paris and in the US. It was Wells who introduced the group to "Dancing in the Moonlight," but he left Paris before the song was recorded. Steve Cutler, a jazz
drummer from New York
, joined King Harvest for their last six months in Paris, recording "Dancing in the Moonlight" and playing clubs and concerts in Paris and London.
French
musician Didier Alexandre also joined the band in the early 1970s. A 45 rpm
record of "Dancing in the Moonlight" was released in Paris, with "Lady, Come Home To Me" on the B-side. The single languished and the group disbanded, only to be re-formed in the USA for the re-release of "Dancing in the Moonlight" by Perception.
Australia
n drummer David Montgomery, formerly of the band Python Lee Jackson
, joined after the band's debut album and toured with them during the spring of 1973. Other members of the band at various times included another Python Lee Jackson alumnus Tony Cahill (bass guitar) and Bobby Figueroa (drums). All members had been involved previously with other bands and done session work
.
In 1972, the four original members signed with the Perception label. Their first single, leased by Perception from the French company Musicisc, was one-time band member Sherman Kelly's "Dancing in the Moonlight," a pop
song that he and Robinson had performed with their earlier band, Boffalongo. It reached number 13 in the US in early 1973 but King Harvest's future singles were unable to match its success. The original line-up recorded one album
titled after the hit single, which failed to break into the Top 100. They made other singles, including a cover of The Four Seasons
song "Hickory", but by the mid-1970s had disbanded. A new version, which included the four original members, was formed in 1974. With support from Beach Boys members Carl Wilson
and Mike Love
, they were signed to A&M Records
and made another album, but, failing to achieve any hits, they subsequently broke up. Novak, Altbach, Tuleja, and Figueroa toured with the Beach Boys. Tuleja and Novak played on Dennis Wilson's 1977 solo Pacific Ocean Blue
, while Altbach and Robinson performed with Love in his band Celebration.
King Harvest released their The Lost Tapes album in September 2007, and performed on TJ Lubinsky
's My Music DVD entitled The 70s Experience Live produced for PBS.
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, best known for their 1973 hit single
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...
, "Dancing in the Moonlight
Dancing in the Moonlight
"Dancing In The Moonlight" is the title song on the 1973 King Harvest album. The track was released as a single in 1972 and it reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100. They released other singles but these were never able to match the success of "Dancing in the Moonlight"...
".
Background
Formed by a group of four AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
expatriates in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1970, King Harvest was best known for its one US hit single
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...
, "Dancing In The Moonlight
Dancing in the Moonlight
"Dancing In The Moonlight" is the title song on the 1973 King Harvest album. The track was released as a single in 1972 and it reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100. They released other singles but these were never able to match the success of "Dancing in the Moonlight"...
," which was released in 1972. Although the band had a constantly fluctuating membership, it always included its four core co-founders: Dave "Doc" Robinson (lead vocals/bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
/keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
), Ron Altbach (keyboards), Ed Tuleja (guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
), and Rod Novak (saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
), all of whom had previously attended Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
. At one time, the band consisted of three keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
s, with Sherman Kelly (who wrote "Dancing in the Moonlight") joining Altbach and Robinson. Sherman Kelly's brother, drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Wells Kelly, who would later go on to form the band Orleans
Orleans (band)
Orleans is an American pop-rock band best known for its hits "Dance with Me" , "Still the One", from the album Waking and Dreaming and "Love Takes Time" . The group's name evolved from the music it was playing at the time of their formation, which was inspired by Louisiana artists such as Allen...
also served a brief stint in the group both in Paris and in the US. It was Wells who introduced the group to "Dancing in the Moonlight," but he left Paris before the song was recorded. Steve Cutler, a jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
drummer from New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, joined King Harvest for their last six months in Paris, recording "Dancing in the Moonlight" and playing clubs and concerts in Paris and London.
French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
musician Didier Alexandre also joined the band in the early 1970s. A 45 rpm
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...
record of "Dancing in the Moonlight" was released in Paris, with "Lady, Come Home To Me" on the B-side. The single languished and the group disbanded, only to be re-formed in the USA for the re-release of "Dancing in the Moonlight" by Perception.
Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n drummer David Montgomery, formerly of the band Python Lee Jackson
Python Lee Jackson
Python Lee Jackson was an Australian rock band active from 1965 to 1968, before a brief sojourn in the United Kingdom. The group's most famous hit was "In a Broken Dream", featuring Rod Stewart as guest vocalist.-Members in Australia:...
, joined after the band's debut album and toured with them during the spring of 1973. Other members of the band at various times included another Python Lee Jackson alumnus Tony Cahill (bass guitar) and Bobby Figueroa (drums). All members had been involved previously with other bands and done session work
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
.
In 1972, the four original members signed with the Perception label. Their first single, leased by Perception from the French company Musicisc, was one-time band member Sherman Kelly's "Dancing in the Moonlight," a pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
song that he and Robinson had performed with their earlier band, Boffalongo. It reached number 13 in the US in early 1973 but King Harvest's future singles were unable to match its success. The original line-up recorded one 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...
titled after the hit single, which failed to break into the Top 100. They made other singles, including a cover of The Four Seasons
The Four Seasons (group)
The Four Seasons are an American rock and pop band who became internationally successful in the mid-1960s. The Vocal Group Hall of Fame has stated that the group was the most popular rock band before The Beatles...
song "Hickory", but by the mid-1970s had disbanded. A new version, which included the four original members, was formed in 1974. With support from Beach Boys members Carl Wilson
Carl Wilson
Carl Dean Wilson was an American rock and roll singer and guitarist, best known as a founding member, lead guitarist and sometime lead vocalist of The Beach Boys...
and Mike Love
Mike Love
Michael Edward "Mike" Love is an American singer/songwriter and musician with The Beach Boys. He was a founding member of the band along with his cousins Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, and their friend Al Jardine, and continues to perform with the band to the present day...
, they were signed to 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:...
and made another album, but, failing to achieve any hits, they subsequently broke up. Novak, Altbach, Tuleja, and Figueroa toured with the Beach Boys. Tuleja and Novak played on Dennis Wilson's 1977 solo Pacific Ocean Blue
Pacific Ocean Blue
Pacific Ocean Blue is Dennis Wilson's only solo album, released in 1977. After several attempts, starting in 1970, to release his own project, some of which made it to the finished album, Wilson recorded the bulk of Pacific Ocean Blue in the months spanning the fall of 1976 to the following spring...
, while Altbach and Robinson performed with Love in his band Celebration.
King Harvest released their The Lost Tapes album in September 2007, and performed on TJ Lubinsky
TJ Lubinsky
Terry James "TJ" Lubinsky is primarily a Pittsburgh radio host. However, he is also executive producer/director of many PBS pledge-drive programs. His cherubic bear-cub appearance endears him to millions of viewers of all the oldies-format music programs airing periodically on the network.Lubinsky...
's My Music DVD entitled The 70s Experience Live produced for PBS.