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Forgotten Songs and Unsung Heroes

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Forgotten Songs and Unsung Heroes
Studio album by
John Kay
Released1972
GenreBlues-rock
LabelDunhill Records
ProducerRichard Podolor[1]
John Kay chronology
Forgotten Songs and Unsung Heroes
(1972) 		My Sportin' Life
(1973)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[2]

Forgotten Songs and Unsung Heroes is the first solo album by German-Canadian musician John Kay.[3][4] It was released on Dunhill Records in 1972.[5][6]

Kay was well known as the lead singer of the band Steppenwolf. His first solo album contained a mixture of rock songs and country songs, including a number of covers.

Kay toured in support of the album on the 1972 Steppenwolf European farewell tour. The John Kay band was the support band and would play a short set before Steppenwolf came on. Steppenwolf members George Biondo (bass/vocals) and Kent Henry (lead guitar) played in both The John Kay Band and Steppenwolf during the tour.

Critical reception

[edit]

AllMusic called the album "a serious attempt by Kay to break away from the hard rock persona he established with Steppenwolf ... that he pulls it off is impressive."[1] The Rolling Stone Album Guide praised Kay's "cool" cover of "I'm Moving On."[2] Billboard called the album "an affirmation of the talent that was overshadowed by [Steppenwolf's] flashy pyrotechnics."[6]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks composed by John Kay; except where indicated

  1. "Many a Mile" (Patrick Sky)
  2. "Walk Beside Me"
  3. "You Win Again" (Hank Williams)
  4. "To Be Alive"
  5. "Bold Marauder" (Richard Fariña)
  6. "Two of a Kind"
  7. "Walkin' Blues" (Robert Johnson)
  8. "Somebody"
  9. "I'm Moving On" (Hank Snow)

Charts

[edit]
Chart (1972) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 48

Personnel

[edit]

with:

  • Mars Bonfire - lead guitar on "I'm Moving On"
  • Richard Podolor - guitar, organ, mandolin, percussion
  • Alexandra Sliwin, Joan Sliwin, Marsha Temmer
Technical
  • Bill Cooper - engineer
  • Tom Gundelfinger - art direction, design, photography

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Forgotten Songs & Unsung Heroes - John Kay | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  2. ^ a b The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 388–389.
  3. ^ "John Kay | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  4. ^ Zimmerman, Lee. "John Kay of Steppenwolf fame commits to a solo career". Goldmine Magazine: Record Collector & Music Memorabilia.
  5. ^ "Steppenwolf | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca.
  6. ^ a b "Album Reviews". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. April 8, 1972 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 164. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
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