Daryl Hall (born Daryl Franklin Hohl on October 11, 1946 in Pottstown, Pennsylvania) is an American rock singer, keyboardist, guitarist, songwriter and producer, best known as half of the music duo Hall & Oates (with music partner/guitarist John Oates), who also served as lead vocalist. Guitarist Robert Fripp,[1] who collaborated with Hall in the late 1970s and early '80s, has written, "Daryl's pipes were a wonder. I have never worked with a more able singer."
Hall has written or co-written 11 Billboard Number One songs, "She's Gone" (with John Oates as covered by Tavares), "Rich Girl", "Kiss On My List" (with Janna Allen), "Private Eyes" (with Sara Allen, Janna Allen and Warren Pash), "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" (with John Oates and Sara Allen), "Say It Isn't So", "Maneater" (with John Oates and Sara Allen), "Out of Touch" (with John Oates), "Everytime You Go Away" (with John Oates - as covered by Paul Young) and "Do It For Love" (with John Oates).
Hall also sang lead vocals and has written or co-written 6 songs that were also popular such as: "Adult Education" (with John Oates and Sara Allen), "Method of Modern Love" (with Janna Allen), "You Make My Dreams" (with John Oates and Sara Allen), "Everything Your Heart Desires" (with John Oates), "One on One" and "Did It in a Minute" (with Sara Allen and Janna Allen).
Biography
Early life and career
Starting his career as a teenager on the streets of Philadelphia, Hall 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. This was during and after he attended Owen J. Roberts High School in Pottstown, where he graduated in 1964.
In 1967, he met John Oates, a college student from Temple University, 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." Hall was already a senior, while Oates was a freshman, and both had played it out temporarily, until Oates transferred schools. Daryl did not let this discourage his musical career as he worked in a short-lived rock band Gulliver.
Preserving Homes
Hall restores and preserves historic homes in both the United States and England. According to the Associated Press, he is the new owner of the 345-year-old John Bray House, in Maine.[citation needed] He also has restored a Georgian-style home in London, England, first built in 1740, one of only 50 houses with direct waterfront access to the River Thames.[citation needed] He 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.[citation needed]
Hall & Oates
Main article:
Hall & OatesSigned 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.[citation needed] Their second album, Abandoned Luncheonette, produced by Arif Mardin and released in 1973, yielded the single "She’s Gone", which went to #7 in the U.S. Top 10 on re-release in 1976 after reaching #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, Hall & Oates would score six U.S. #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 multi-platinum albums - Bigger Than Both of Us, Voices, Private Eyes, H2O, Rock 'n Soul Part 1 and Big Bam Boom - the last five of which were released consecutively. The era would also produce an additional five U.S. Top 10 singles, "Sara Smile", "One on One," "Family Man," "You Make My Dreams," "Say It Isn't So" and "Method of Modern Love".
Solo projects
In addition to his work with Oates, Hall has made music as a solo artist as well as recording with Robert Fripp in the late ‘70s, working on Fripp’s critically praised, Exposure album from 1979. 1977 Fripp produced and performed on Hall's debut solo album, the much-acclaimed Sacred Songs. This album was released 1980.
In 1985, Hall participated in the 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 1996, 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. 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, portraying an MC of a world music fest.
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. Hall has turned into an online sensation, playing music with his friends at his house and putting it up on the Internet. Among others, the show has had appearances by U.K. singer-songwriter KT Tunstall, Eric Hutchinson, 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. The show recently featured guests Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger of The Doors.
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.
Hall was slated to sing the National Anthem of the United States before Game 5 of the 2008 World Series at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA; however, due to an illness, John Oates, also from the Philadelphia area, filled in for Hall.
In 2009, Hall guest starred on the Independent Film Channel series "Z-Rock", as himself
Discography
Albums
References
- ^ Fripp, Robert. Notes for Exposure 2006 two-CD reissue.
External links
