SATURDAY'S SINGLES : ENGLAND DAN & JOHN FORD COLEY and THE LEFT BANK

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Good morning gang and welcome to the return of Saturday's singles. Our first selection is "We'll Never Have to Say Goodbye Again" by Dallas based soft rock duo, England Dan & John Ford Coley. The song was released February 17, 1978 on the Big Tree label, written by Jeffrey Comanor, and produced by Kyle Lehning. The tune hails from the pair's 6th studio album,  Some Things Don't Come Easy and peaked at #109 on the Hot 100, #99 on the Cash Box, and #22 on the Adult Contemporary charts. It's B-side is "Calling For You Again", from the same album. England Dan is Dan Seals, the younger Brother of Jim Seals, who is part of another soft rock duo, Seals and Croft. Jim gave Dan his nickname, England Dan when they were kids becasusof the younger sibling's love for the English band, the Beatles. After Seals and Coley disbanded, Dan forged ahead with a solo career into soft rock and country. He passed away in 2009, age 61, after battling cancer. John Ford Coley continued his music career, dabbled in acting, acquired a small ranch, and continues to tour internationally. He has worked with  Ambrosia,  Terry Sylvester,  Three Dog Night, Lou Gramm , Christopher Cross, Poco, Stephen Bishop, Al Stewart, Edgar Winter, and more. He recently celebrated his 73rd Birthday (10/13/22).

Dan Seals – lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar

John Ford Coley – lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards

Johnny Christopher – acoustic guitar
Steve Gibson – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Bobby Thompson – acoustic guitar

Doyle Grisham – steel guitar

Shane Keister – keyboards
Bobby Emmons – organ

Joe Osborn – bass
Jack Williams – bass

Larrie Londin – drums
Farrell Morris – percussion

Gove Scrivenor – autoharp
Cindy Reynolds – harp

Harvey Thompson – saxophone solo
Muscle Shoals Horns – horns
Billy Puett – woodwinds
Bergen White – string arrangements
The Shelly Kurland Strings – strings

Sheri Kramer – backing vocals
Lisa Silver – backing vocals
Diane Tidwell – backing vocals
Vicki Lehning – backing vocals

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Our second single comes to us via New York based , baroque pop band , The Left Banke. They are best remembered for the songs,  "Walk Away Renée" and "Pretty Ballerina" which is also the hybrid name of their debut album. Our 45 is a double sided A side containing both tracks. "Walk Away Renée" was released July 1966 on Smash Records, written by Michael Brown, Bob Calilli , and Tony Sansone and produced by  World United Productions, Inc. It reached #5 on the Hot 100 and in New Zealand, #3 in Canada, and #2 on the Cash Box Charts. "Pretty Ballerina" was released December 1966, written by Michael Brown, and produced by Harry Lookofsky, Steve Jerome, and Bill Jerome. It peaked at #15 on the Hot 100, #13 in New Zealand, #12 on the Cash Box, and #4 in Canada. After their initial breakup in 1969, the group reformed several times in 1971, 1978, 2011, and 2015. a lot of the members have passed away. Drummer George Cameron died in 2018, pianist Michael Brown in 2015, bassist Tom Finn also in 2020, guitarist Jeff Winfield in 2009, guitarist Bert Sommer in 1990, pianist Tom Feher in 2018, and lead singer and guitarist Steve Martin Caro in 2020. He would have celebrated his 74th Birthday, last Wednesday (10/12/22). 

Steve Martin Caro — lead vocals

Michael Brown — piano, harpsichord, clavinet; lead vocals (on "What Do You Know")

Tom Finn — bass guitar, backing vocals

George Cameron — drums, percussion, backing vocals; co-lead vocals on "I Haven't Got The Nerve"

Warren David-Schierhorst — drums

Jeff Winfield — electric guitar

Rick Brand — electric guitar

Additional personnel

Hugh McCracken — guitar
Al Gorgoni — guitar
George "Fluffer" Hirsh — guitar

John Abbott — bass, guitar, string arrangements
Seymour Barab — bass, cello
Joe Mack — bass

Al Rogers — drums
Buddy Saltzman — drums

Harry Lookofsky — violin
George Marge — oboe
Jackie Kelso - flute 

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