| Starland Vocal Band | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Washington, D.C., USA |
| Genres | Pop |
| Years active | 1976–1981 |
| Labels | RCA Records, Windsong Records |
| Associated acts | John Denver |
| Past members | |
| Bill Danoff Taffy Nivert Jon Carroll Margot Chapman |
|
Starland Vocal Band were an American pop band, known primarily for "Afternoon Delight", one of the biggest-selling singles in 1976.
Contents |
The group began as 'Fat City', a husband/wife duo of Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert. The band was also composed of Jon Carroll (keyboards, vocals) and Margot Chapman (vocals). Carroll and Chapman were also married after meeting as members of the group, but later divorced. Their son Ben Carroll is also a musician.
The group's debut album was the self-titled Starland Vocal Band and included “Afternoon Delight”. The song was a #1 hit and the album also charted. The group was nominated for four Grammy Awards and won two — Best arrangement (voices) and Best New Artist. The follow-up album Rear View Mirror was a failure in comparison, although it was a minor chart entry, spending 13 weeks on the Billboard 200 (reaching a peak of #104). In 2010 Billboard named "Afternoon Delight" the 20th sexiest song of all time.[1]
The band hosted a self-titled variety show that ran on CBS for six weeks in the summer of 1977. David Letterman, then still unknown, also participated in the show, as did Mark Russell, Jeff Altman, and Proctor and Bergman.
The band broke up in 1981, unable to match their previous success. Danoff and Nivert divorced shortly afterwards. Each of the band members went on to a solo career.
In 1998 the Starland Vocal Band reunited for a few concerts, often featuring the children of the four original members as vocalists. In 2007, they appeared on a 1970s special on the New Jersey Network (NJN), singing "Afternoon Delight".
Danoff and Nivert co-wrote the hit song "Take Me Home, Country Roads" with John Denver. Denver subsequently signed them to his label Windsong Records.
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| US | ||
| 1976 | Starland Vocal Band
|
20 |
| 1977 | Rear View Mirror
|
104 |
| 1978 | Late Nite Radio
|
— |
| 1980 | 4 X 4
|
— |
| 1980 | Christmas at Home
|
— |
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | CAN | CAN AC | |||
| 1976 | "Afternoon Delight" | 1 | 1 | 6 | Starland Vocal Band |
| "California Day" | 66 | — | 22 | ||
| 1977 | "Hail! Hail! Rock and Roll!" | 71 | 92 | — | |
| "Liberated Woman" | — | — | — | Rear View Mirror | |
| "The Light of My Life" | — | — | 36 | ||
| 1978 | "Mr. Wrong" | — | — | 33 | |
| "Love, I Thought I Would Never Find Love" | — | — | — | Late Nite Radio | |
| 1979 | "Loving You With My Eyes" | 71 | — | 26 | 4 X 4 |
The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Band won two award from five nominations.
| Year | Nominated work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Starland Vocal Band | Best New Artist | Won |
| "Afternoon Delight" | Record of the Year | Nominated | |
| Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals | Nominated | ||
| Best Arrangement for Voices (duo, group or chorus) | Won |
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Natalie Cole |
Grammy Award for Best New Artist 1977 |
Succeeded by Debby Boone |