KENNY LOGGINS

'Kenny Loggins' (born 'Kenneth Clark Loggins' on January 7, 1948 in Everett, Washington) is an American singer and songwriter best known for a number of soft rock and adult contemporary hit singles beginning in the 1970s. Originally a part of the duo Loggins and Messina, he has also recorded as solo artist and written hit songs for other artists.

Contents

Biography

In popular culture

Trivia

Discography

References

External links

Biography

Loggins was born in Everett, Washington and raised in Alhambra, California. The early 70s found him in the band "Gator Creek" with Mike Deasy. An early version of "Danny's Song" (later recorded by Loggins and Messina) was included on this effort on Mercury Records. Two covers are featured as well, Jackson Browne's "These Days" and "Don't Try to Lay no Boogie Woogie on the King of Rock and Roll" which was made famous by Long John Baldry.
Loggins continued his career in the 1970s. After attracting the attention of fellow singer-songwriter Jim Messina, the two began a duo career as Loggins and Messina. It lasted until 1976. In 1977, Loggins went on to produce his first solo album, ''Celebrate Me Home'', which included the hit "I Believe In Love". ''Nightwatch'', a popular album released in 1978, included the hit "Whenever I Call You Friend", a duet with Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac. He followed this in 1979 with ''Keep the Fire'', whose "This Is It" would be sampled by hip hop rapper Papoose for his 2005 track Cherrades. In 1982 he recorded the album "High Adventure" where he collaborated with Michael McDonald on "Heart to Heart" and also with Journey lead singer Steve Perry to record "Don't Fight It", both Billboard Top 20 hits that year.
Loggins also wrote the song "What a Fool Believes" with Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brothers. Furthermore, he penned "Danny's Song" and "A Love Song" for Anne Murray in the early 70's.
Over the next decade, Loggins recorded many hit songs for movie soundtracks. This began with "I'm Alright" from ''Caddyshack''. Hits followed with "Footloose" from the soundtrack of the same name, "Meet Me Halfway" from ''Over the Top'', "Danger Zone" and "Playin' With The Boys", from ''Top Gun''. He also performed as a member of USA for Africa on the famine-relief fundraising single We Are the World.
In the 1990s, Loggins continued his album career, including the popular 1994 children's album, ''Return to Pooh Corner'', which included the title single, a reworking of "House at Pooh Corner", his top 40 hit from 1969 with an added verse and backing vocals by Amy Grant. Some people criticized Loggins for changing the song, but it was well received by the public. Loggins also produced a song called "Forever", which would become an internationally recognized piece, translated into several languages. With the Sherman Brothers he also eventually wrote and then solo performed "Your Heart Will Lead You Home," a popular song for ''The Tigger Movie'' - part of the ''Winnie-the-Pooh'' series - in 2000.
In 1991, Loggins recorded and produced ''Leap of Faith'', an important album in his career featuring the hit "Conviction of the Heart." Former Vice-President Al Gore billed this song as "the unofficial anthem of the environmental movement." On Earth Day in 1995, Loggins performed at The National Mall in Washington, D.C. for a live audience of 500,000.
Loggins was married to Julia Cooper in 1992 but they were divorced in 2004. They had two children together. Previously, Loggins had been married to Eva Ein (1978-1990) with whom he had three children.
In recent years, Loggins has continued to record and produce within the Adult Contemporary genre, and scored a #1 single on Billboard's AC chart in 1997 with "For The First Time."
In 2005, Loggins reconnected with Jim Messina. The two decided to hit the road again; the result was a successful nationwide tour that resulted in the CD and DVD, "Loggins and Messina Sittin' In Again".
After a gap of nearly four years, 2007 saw Loggins join start-up label 180 Music for the release of his "How About Now" album. It also saw him inducted into Hollywood’s Sunset Boulevard RockWalk.^[1]

In popular culture

★ Beginning in 2005, an internet-based comedy series of video shorts called ''Yacht Rock'' has fictionalized the collaborative songwriting efforts of Loggins and Michael McDonald.

★ In the episode of ''The Simpsons'' entitled "How I Spent My Strummer Vacation", Homer goes to Rock and roll camp headed by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. At one point, they have a "class" conducted by Lenny Kravitz, and he gets asked by Apu about crotch stuffing. Kravitz answers, "I personaly don't do it, but Kenny Loggins does". At the same moment, you have a shot of Loggins yelling, "I trusted you!" and running away.

★ In a Penny Arcade comic strip (The Manifold Faces Of Vista), Kenny Loggins is listed as a version of Windows Vista.

★ The February 24, 2007 episode of ''Saturday Night Live'' with host Rainn Wilson featured a skit where old friends share their increasingly bizarre and disturbing stories while listening and singing along to "Danny's Song" at a bar.

★ In the Bloodhound Gang song "Boom", Jimmy Pop comments that "like a Kenny Loggins record, no one's ever gonna hear ya'."

★ In ''Still Standing'' episode "Still Believing" the Miller's young daughter, Tina, steals a statue of Jesus from neighbour Ted Halverson's house, thinking it is Kenny Loggins. She claims that she loves him and is going to marry him.

★ In the ''South Park'' episode "Roger Ebert Should Lay Off The Fatty Foods", 'Footloose' is played at the planetarium's rock show.

★ The episode of ''Family Guy'' entitled "Meet the Quagmires" features an excerpt from the song "Mr. Night" during an 18-year old Lois' entrance, mirroring a scene from ''Caddyshack''.

★ In the documentary "Making of What I've Done" for the video by Linkin Park, it is revealed that a keytar they came across on the set of the video shoot belonged to Loggins at one point.

Trivia

★ Loggins was a member of two 1960s psychedelic rock bands: Pasadena-based The Second Helping, which was signed to Viva Records after winning a radio station's Battle of the Bands competition, and The Electric Prunes (1968).

★ In 1970, four of Loggins' songs, including "House at Pooh Corner", appeared on The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's album, ''Uncle Charlie and His Dog Teddy''.

★ Loggins' 1979 hit "This Is It" became a #5 song on the Billboard R&B charts. The song also became the theme song for the 1980 University of Louisville basketball team that won the NCAA championship.

★ On the ''Futurama'' episode ''Obsoletely Fabulous'', Bender was listening to Loggins' song, "I'm Alright."

★ The track "Who's Right, Who's Wrong?" features backing vocals from Michael Jackson.

★ Cousin Dave Loggins is also a singer-songwriter, known for his 1974 top-ten hit "Please Come to Boston" and his 1984 #1 Country duet with Anne Murray, "Nobody Loves Me Like You Do."

★ The episode of Family Guy entitled "Saving Private Bryan" features an excerpt from the song "I'm Free (Heaven Helps the Man)" during a flashback in which Peter passes his college final exam.

★ In the UK new rave acts such as CSS, New Young Pony Club, Paulo Nutini, Hot Chip, The Feeling, SebastiAn,The Coral and the Simon Gregson endorsed Klaxons are rumoured to be collaborating on a unique tribute album featuring covers of Kenny's hits entitled "Let's Go Dogging and Listen To Kenny Loggins". The Title is a reference to the CSS song "Let's Make Love And Listen To Death From Above".

Discography

References

1. Kenny Loggins Inducted Into RockWalk. Associated Press. March 9, 2007.

External links

★ Kenny Loggins' official website