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38 Special
Donnie Van Zant (vocals) formed the Jacksonville, FL-based .38 Special in 1975 with Jeff Carlisi (guitar), Don Barnes (guitar, vocals), Ken Lyons (bass), Jack Grondin (drums), and Steve Brookins (drums). Two years later, the band signed with A&M Records and released it's debut. The group began to build up a following through its constant touring. Bassist Lyons left before the recording of 1979's Rockin' Into the Night, the album that demonstrated a more melodic, driving sound. Rockin' Into the Night became a moderate hit, but 1981's Wild-Eyed Southern Boys was a genuine hit. It went platinum and generated the Top 40 "Hold On Loosely." Special Forces, that was released in 1982, was even more popular. It spawned the Top Ten single "Caught Up in You" and "If I'd Been the One." Tour de Force (1983) and Strength in Numbers (1986) were both successes, and the band continued to be a popular touring group. Barnes and Brookins left in 1987, and Barnes was replaced by Danny Chauncey. While Strength in Numbers had been popular, it didn't stay on the charts as long as its predecessors. Flashback, the 1987 greatest-hits album, was semi successful, but the band took safety measures to retain its audience by recording the polished Rock & Roll Strategy. Released in 1989, the album slowly became a hit on the strength of "Second Chance,". Rock & Roll Strategy became the band's final big hit, and Barnes returned to the band in 199. The group eventually added drummer Scott Hoffman and keyboardist Bobby Capps. Even with the extensive retooling and the support of a new label, Charisma, 1991's Bone Against Steel failed to gain much attention.
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Artist Biography - 38 Special
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 38 Special didn't release another album for six years. In the summer of 1997, they released a comeback album titled Resolution on Razor & Tie Records. Live at Sturgis followed on CMC in 1999. After releasing a couple of albums of straight-ahead Southern boogie, the band restored its sound to fall halfway between country-fried blues-rock and driving, arena-ready hard rock. The result was a string of hit albums and singles in the early '80s, highlighted by "Caught Up in You," "If I'd Been the One," "Back Where You Belong," and "Like No Other Night." .38 Special's popularity dipped in the late '80s as MTV-sponsored pop and heavy metal cut into their audience. Though the band had its biggest hit in 1989 with the ballad "Second Chance," it proved to be their last. They faded away in the early '90s, retiring to the oldies circuit.
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For more information , enjoy the official homepage of 38 Special
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