Daryl Hall
Daryl Hall |
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Daryl Hall (born Daryl Franklin Hohl on October 11, 1946 Pottstown, Pennsylvania) is an American singer and songwriter best known as half of the music duo Hall & Oates (with music partner John Oates).
Biography
Early life and career
Starting his career as a teenager on the streets of Philadelphia, he quickly formed creative affiliations with such artists as Smokey Robinson, the Temptations and many other top soul singers of the ‘60s. He began his recording career with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, working as both an artist and session musician.
In 1967 he met John Oates and embarked on a 30-odd year creative journey. According to Daryl Hall they met when "We got in the middle of a fight at a record hop - I have no idea what the fight was about. I guess the Greek letters on one gang's jackets didn't appeal to the other gang. We both beat it out the back and met on the elevator while leaving the place rather quickly." In addition to his work with Oates, he has made music as a solo artist, first recording with Robert Fripp in the late ‘70s, producing the much-acclaimed Sacred Songs as well as working on Fripp’s critically praised Exposure.
Personal life
After almost 30 years with Sara Allen, his longtime girlfriend and musical collaborator, (made famous by the song "Sara Smile"), Daryl and Sara decided to end their on again/off again relationship for good in 2001 [citation needed].
Daryl is also a restorer and preserver of historic homes in both the United States and England. According to the Associated Press, Daryl is the new owner of a 345 year old John Bray House in Maine. Daryl also has restored a Georgian home in London, England, first built in 1740, one of only 50 houses with direct waterfront access to the River Thames.
Hall is currently restoring two homes, one built in 1771 the other in 1780, both now located on the same property in Dutchess County, New York. After he moved them together, he discovered both homes, by coincidence, were connected to the same family.
Hall and Oates
Signed to Atlantic by Ahmet Ertegun and managed by Tommy Mottola in the early 1970’s, Hall & Oates have sold more albums than any other duo in music history. Their 1973 debut album, Abandoned Luncheonette, produced by Arif Mardin, yielded the Top 10 single, “She’s Gone” which also went to #1 on the R&B charts when it was covered by Tavares. The duo recorded one more album with Atlantic, War Babies(produced by Todd Rundgren), before they were dropped and promptly signed to RCA. During their tenure at RCA the duo catapulted to international superstardom.
From the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, the duo would score six #1 singles, including "Rich Girl" (also #1 R&B), "Kiss on My List", "Private Eyes", "I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)" (also #1 R&B), "Maneater" and "Out of Touch" from their six consecutive multi-platinum albums: Bigger Than Both of Us (1976), ’80’s Voices (1980), Private Eyes (1981), H2O (1982), Rock N Soul, Part I (1983) and Big Bam Boom (1984). The era would also produce an additional five Top 10 singles, “Sara Smile,” “One on One,” “You Make My Dreams,” “Say It Isn’t So” and “Method of Modern Love.”
Solo projects
In 1985, he participated in the historic We Are the World session as well as closing the Live Aid show in Philadelphia. He also made an album with Dave Stewart that year, Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine. He has recorded such solo works as Soul Alone in 1993 and Can’t Stop Dreaming in 2003, both of which were received well internationally.
In July 2005 Hall was diagnosed with Lyme Disease causing him to cancel a majority of Hall & Oates' summer tour. Hall has reported that he is feeling better and he continues to tour with John Oates. The duo released a Christmas album in October 2006 titled Home for Christmas.
In 2007 Hall guest starred on the HBO series Flight of the Conchords.
On November 14, 2007, Hall appeared on the Howard Stern Show, discussed his hatred of deer (due to his career-threatening bout with Lyme Disease), sang acoustic versions of 'Sara Smile' and 'Rich Girl' and talked about his new monthly performance webcast called Live From Daryl's House. What started as a "light bulb" moment experienced by Daryl has turned into an online sensation, with the superstar playing music with his friends at his house and putting it up on the Internet. So far, the show has had appearances by U.K. singer-songwriter KT Tunstall and Gym Class Heroes' Travis McCoy, a longtime Hall fan, as well as a holiday special featuring songs from the Daryl Hall and John Oates release, Home for Christmas.
On March 12, 2008, Hall played a well-received set with his band at the South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, affirming his growing and surprising respect from the principally independent music fans in attendance.
Discography
- Sacred Songs (1980)
- We Are the World (1985)
- Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine (1986)
- Soul Alone (1993)
- Can't Stop Dreaming (2003) (U.S. Release date)
- Live in Philadelphia (2004)