Hall and Oates Biography
From their first hit in 1974 through their heyday in the '80s, Daryl Hall and John Oates' smooth,catchy take on Philly soul brought them enormous commercial success -- including six number one singles and six platinum albums -- yet little critical success. Hall & Oates' music was remarkably well-constructed and produced; at their best, their songs were filled with strong hooks and melodies that adhered to soul traditions without being a slave to them by incorporating elements of new wave and hard rock.
Daryl Hall began performing professionally while he was a student at Temple University. In 1966, he recorded a single with Kenny Gamble and the Romeos; the group featured Gamble, Leon Huff, and Thom Bell, who would all become the architects of Philly soul. During this time, Hall frequently appeared on sessions for Gamble and Huff. In 1967, Hall met John Oates, a fellow Temple University student. Oates was leading his own soul band at the time. The two students realized they had similar tastes and began performing together in an array of R&B and doo wop groups. By 1968, the duo had parted ways, as Oates transferred schools and Hall formed the soft rock band Gulliver; the group released one album on Elektra in the late '60s before disbanding.
After Gulliver's breakup, Hall concentrated on session work again, appearing as a backup vocalist for the Stylistics, the Delfonics, and the Intruders, among others. Oates returned to Philadelphia in 1969, and he and Hall began writing folk-oriented songs and performing together. Eventually they came to the attention of Tommy Mottola, who quickly became their manager, securing the duo a contract with Atlantic Records. On their first records -- Whole Oates (1972), Abandoned Luncheonette (1973), War Babies (1974) -- the duo were establishing their sound, working with producers like Arif Mardin and Todd Rundgren and removing much of their folk influences. At the beginning of 1974, the duo relocated from Philadelphia to New York. During this period, they only managed one hit -- the number 60 "She's Gone" in the spring of 1974.
After they moved to RCA in 1975, the duo landed on its successful mixture of soul, pop, and rock, scoring a Top Ten single with "Sara Smile." The success of "Sara Smile" prompted the re-release of "She's Gone," which rocketed into the Top Ten as well. Released in the summer of 1976, Bigger than the Both of Us was only moderately successful upon its release. The record took off in early 1977, when "Rich Girl" became the duo's first number one single.
Although they had several minor hits between 1977 and 1980, the albums Hall & Oates released at the end of the decade were not as successful as their mid-'70s records. Nevertheless, they were more adventurous, incorporating more rock elements into their blue-eyed soul. The combination would finally pay off in late 1980, when the duo released the self-produced Voices, the album that marked the beginning of Hall & Oates' greatest commercial and artistic success. The first single from Voices, a cover of the Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling," reached number 12, yet it was the second single, "Kiss on My List" that confirmed their commercial potential by becoming the duo's second number one single; its follow-up, "You Make My Dreams" hit number five. They quickly released Private Eyes in the summer of 1981; the record featured two number one hits, "Private Eyes" and "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)," as well as the Top Ten hit "Did It in a Minute." "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" also spent a week at the top of the R&B charts -- a rare accomplishment for a White act. H20 followed in 1982 and it proved more successful than their two previous albums, selling over two million copies and launching their biggest hit single, "Maneater," as well as the Top Ten hits "One on One" and "Family Man." The following year, the duo released a greatest-hits compilation, Rock 'N Soul, Pt. 1, that featured two new Top Ten hits -- the number two "Say It Isn't So" and "Adult Education."
In April of 1984, the Recording Industry Association of America announced that Hall & Oates had surpassed the Everly Brothers as the most successful duo in rock history, earning a total of 19 gold and platinum awards. Released in October of 1984, Big Bam Boom expanded their number of gold and platinum awards, selling over two million copies and launching four Top 40 singles, including the number one "Out of Touch." Following their contract-fulfilling gold album Live at the Apollo with David Ruffin & Eddie Kendrick, Hall & Oates went on hiatus. After the lukewarm reception for Daryl Hall's 1986 solo album, Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine, the duo regrouped to release 1988's Ooh Yeah!, their first record for Arista. The first single, "Everything Your Heart Desires," went to number three and helped propel the album to platinum status.
However, none of the album's other singles broke the Top 20, indicating that the era of chart dominance had ended. Change of Season, released in 1990, confirmed that fact. Although the record went gold, it only featured one Top 40 hit -- the number 11 single, "So Close." The duo mounted a comeback in 1997 with Marigold Sky, but it was only partially successful; far better was 2003's Do It for Love and the following year soul covers record Our Kind of Soul. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
John Oates Lives With Aussies - Undercover Music News
John Oates Lives With AussiesUndercover Music News, Australia - Oct 3, 2008We?ll do some of my new stuff and probably go back into the vaults and pull out some obscure old Hall & Oates stuff?. ?We are going to do ?Possession ...
Exclusive: De La Soul's 2009 project - The Virginian-Pilot
The Virginian-PilotExclusive: De La Soul's 2009 projectThe Virginian-Pilot, VA - 13 hours ago"So we're recreating 'Say No Go' with Hall & Oates. We'll probably upgrade 'Saturday' with someone like Estelle or Amy Winehouse. We'll do a live version of ...
Daryl Hall and John Oates Live at the Troubadour - Earthtimes (press release)
Daryl Hall and John Oates Live at the TroubadourEarthtimes (press release), UK - Sep 30, 200830 -- In May 2008 , Daryl Hall and John Oates took the stage at the legendary Troubadour for the first time since playing their earliest Los Angeles shows ...
Singer John Oates visits his old Penn. high school - The Associated Press
Washington PostSinger John Oates visits his old Penn. high schoolThe Associated Press - Sep 9, 2008Half the pop singing and songwriting duo Hall and Oates and a member of the Class of 1966, Oates says he is "living proof that you can go to North Penn High ...Singer Oates, of '70s Hall & Oates, visits alma mater Allentown Morning CallJohn Oates visits NPHS All Around PhillySinger Oates visits North Penn High Philadelphia InquirerAllentown Morning Callall 134 news articles
Hall & Oates' 'Live at the Troubador' Coming to Blu-ray - High-Def Digest
High-Def DigestHall & Oates' 'Live at the Troubador' Coming to Blu-rayHigh-Def Digest, CA - Sep 30, 2008Marking the high-def debut both for the indie distributor and the veteran pop-rock duo, 'Hall & Oates: Live at the Troubador' was shot entirely in ...
New Fire Chief Takes Oath - Hartford Courant
New Fire Chief Takes OathHartford Courant, United States - 46 minutes ago"After 20 years in the same place, you kind of forget what it's like to be the new guy," Oates said after the ceremony in town hall. ...
JOHN OATES CELEBRATES HOMECOMING WITH THE RELEASE OF"1000 MILES OF ... - Phoenixville News
JOHN OATES CELEBRATES HOMECOMING WITH THE RELEASE OF"1000 MILES OF ...Phoenixville News, PA - Sep 30, 2008By Rob Nagy, Phoenixvillenews Correspondent For Philadelphia area native John Oates, of Hall and Oates fame, life has been an amazing journey. ...
Daryl Hall x Chromeo online collaboration? Yes, please! - Lime Wire Music Blog
Daryl Hall x Chromeo online collaboration? Yes, please!Lime Wire Music Blog, NY - Oct 2, 2008... Great White North have recently been hanging out with a fave musician of mine that I inherited from my momma: Daryl Hall (of Hall & Oates fame, obvi)! ...
Hall & Oates kicks off Beauty of a Bonzer show - AZ Central.com
Hall & Oates kicks off Beauty of a Bonzer showAZ Central.com, AZ - Sep 7, 20087, 2008 03:18 PM Daryl Hall and John Oates didn?t waste any time getting into the radio staples that made them blue-eyed soul?s dynamic duo at their ...
Jimmy Wayne Comes Back Big With a No. 1 Single - CMT.com
CMT.comJimmy Wayne Comes Back Big With a No. 1 SingleCMT.com, TN - Sep 23, 2008I sang a song in the studio that day called 'Sara Smile,' which is an old Hall & Oates classic. "I walked out into the hallway and there comes Daryl Hall ...
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