Bruce Turgon

Bruce Turgon is an American bass guitarist, guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and producer who has played in several bands throughout his career, including Foreigner, The Lou Gramm Band, Shadow King, Steve Stevens, Warrior, Black Sheep and Showcase.

Biography

Turgon was born and raised in North Chili, New York, a suburb of Rochester, and near the hometown of future bandmate, singer Lou Gramm. A multi-instrumentalist, Turgon started playing in elementary school, and, after high school, became a member of Showcase, competing in the same market as the Gramm-fronted band Poor Heart. In late 1971, he and Gramm started the band Black Sheep, which built a regional following over the next two years. In 1974, the Gramm-Turgon written EP Stick Around was released on Chrysalis, which later led the group to be signed to Capitol. The band released two albums in 1974, and was poised for major success when a vehicle accident in 1975 damaged their equipment, which led to Black Sheep losing the support act slot for Kiss that year. Turgon then left New York for Los Angeles, eventually writing, recording and touring with artists like Billy Thorpe, Nick Gilder, Prism and Warrior as well as performing around the Los Angeles area with his own bands. In 1987, Turgon co-wrote the song "My Way" along with Paul Stanley and Desmond Child for the platinum Kiss album Crazy Nights.

The Lou Gramm Band

Eventually, Turgon's long association with his friend Gramm led to the writing and recording of Gramm’s first solo album Ready or Not, yielding the hit single, "Midnight Blue". The album charted at number 27 in the United States. The single "Midnight Blue" was number one on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks. Eventually a second solo album, Long Hard Look was released, that included the top ten hit "Just Between You and Me" and "True Blue Love", and reached the Top 40. Also contributed, was a song to the soundtrack for the horror film The Lost Boys (1987), titled "Lost in the Shadows". In 2003, Gramm attempted to rejuvenate his solo career with a band that included Turgon on bass, Rocket Richotte on guitar, Kevin Neal on drums, John Purdell on keyboards (who suddenly died very early during the tour), and Gary Corbett on keyboards. Following the death of Gramm's father and mother, this initial lineup decided it best to take different paths.

Steve Stevens Atomic Playboys

In between the recording of Gramm’s second album, Long Hard Look and its subsequent tour, Turgon also toured with Steve Stevens in support of his solo album Atomic Playboys (1989). The band featured Steve Stevens on guitar, Perry McCarty on vocals (formerly in Warrior with Turgon), Gregg Gerson on drums, Phil Ashley on keyboards, and Turgon on bass guitar. The album was Steve Stevens first solo recording and featured the music video "Atomic Playboys" in which Turgon performed (playing bass).

Shadow King

In 1991, Turgon and Gramm formed the short-lived band Shadow King, along with guitarist Vivian Campbell (Dio, Whitesnake, Riverdogs and Def Leppard) and drummer Kevin Valentine (Godz, The Lou Gramm Band, Kiss, and Neverland). They released a self-titled album in 1991 and contributed one song ("One Dream") to the film Highlander II: The Quickening (starring Sean Connery and Christopher Lambert). Turgon co-wrote nine of the ten tracks on the debut album, as well as handling multiple instrument, arrangement and programming duties. The video "I Want You" received some play on MTV, and although plans were made for a tour, they performed only once, at the Astoria Theatre in London, England, on December 13, 1991. Shortly afterward, Vivian Campbell announced he was leaving Shadow King to join Def Leppard. Although replacements were considered, the band members eventually went their separate ways. Lou Gramm performed the Bad Company classic "Can't Get Enough" on stage with former bandmate Vivian Campbell and Def Leppard when their Adrenalize tour made a stop Gramm's hometown of Rochester, New York.

Foreigner era

In 1992, when Gramm rejoined Foreigner, Turgon was hired for the bass position now vacated by the departing Rick Wills. Bringing new energy to the band, three new songs were recorded for the compilation, The Very Best ... and Beyond. These songs included "Soul Doctor", "Prisoner of Love" and "With Heaven on Our Side". Foreigner then released their eighth studio album, Mr. Moonlight in 1995, with several songs co-written by Turgon, including the single "Until the End of Time". Several tours followed that reestablished Foreigner back into the classic rock spotlight, and once again proved the band to be a successful touring act.

Projects and solo efforts

Over the last ten years, Turgon has become increasingly involved in television, movie and documentary soundtrack work, contributing to shows on HBO, Showtime, PBS, and Warren Miller Films. In late 2005, Turgon finally released his first solo album entitled Outside Looking In, featuring the tracks "Living a Lie", "Any Other Time", and the title track "Outside Looking In" featuring Ronnie Montrose on lead guitar. Ex-Montrose member Denny Carmassi was the drummer for all tracks. Turgon recently worked on a collaboration album with Redding, California electronic musician Craig Padilla. The collaboration is titled Places of Power and the CD Now Is the Hour was released on January 23, 2009 on the Blistering Records label.

Discography

Black Sheep

• Stick Around EP (1974)
• Black Sheep (1974)
• Encouraging Words (1975)

Warrior

• Fighting for the Earth (1985)

Lou Gramm

• Ready or Not (1987)
• The Lost Boys (film soundtrack; contributed one song, "Lost in the Shadows") (1987)
• Long Hard Look (1989)

Steve Stevens

• Atomic Playboys (1989)

Shadow King

• Shadow King (1991)
• Highlander II: The Quickening (film soundtrack; contributed one song, "One Dream") (1991)

Foreigner

• Mr. Moonlight (1995)

Bruce Turgon

• Outside Looking In (2005)

Places of Power

• Now Is the Hour (2009)

External links

• Bruce Turgon interview with MelodicRock.com