Dan Hartman | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Daniel Earl Hartman |
| Born | (1950-12-08)December 8, 1950 West Hanover Township, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | March 22, 1994(1994-03-22) (aged 43) Westport, Connecticut, U.S.[1] |
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| Years active | 1963–1994 |
| Labels | |
| Website | danhartman |
Daniel Earl Hartman (December 8, 1950 – March 22, 1994) was an American pop rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, producer, singer, and songwriter and original frontman for several bands, including The Soploids, Mak and the Turnarounds, Our Wringer, Last Wing, and Orion. Among songs he wrote and recorded were "Free Ride" as a member of theEdgar Winter Group, and the solo hits "Relight My Fire", "Instant Replay", "I Can Dream About You", "We Are the Young" and "Second Nature". "I Can Dream About You", his most successful US hit, reached No. 6 on theBillboard Hot 100 in 1984[1] in 1985. TheJames Brown song "Living in America", which Hartman co-wrote and produced, reached No. 4 on March 1, 1986.
Hartman wrote the 1980 disco song "Love Sensation" recorded byLoleatta Holloway, which has beensampled on numerous records, including the 1989Black Box track "Ride on Time".
Hartman was born on December 8, 1950, to Carl Hartman (1921–2006) and Pauline Angeloff (1925–1999) nearPennsylvania's capital,Harrisburg, inWest Hanover Township,Dauphin County. His father served as an aerial gunner duringWorld War II before eventually working for theU.S. Postal Service.[2] His maternal side of the family originated fromYugoslavia and were likely of Russian or Bulgarian descent.[3][4] Hartman was achild prodigy and studied classical piano.[5] He attendedJohn Harris High School, where he sang for the John Harris Choir and partook in journalism and theater as extracurricular activities.[6]
Hartman joined his first band the Legends at the age of 13 in 1964[5] at the request of his older brother David (Dave) who asked him to play keyboards. Hartman was initially reluctant to join, as he gravitated towardsMotown rather thanthe Beatles-esque sound that the band members favored. The original lineup consisted of Hartman (keyboards), Dave (guitar and vocals), Denny Woolridge (bass) and Ralph Swartz (drums).[7][8] A later member was Dave Cope on bass.[9] From its inception, the Legends played at various spots throughoutCentral Pennsylvania, including local churches, dances, rock shows and outdoor concerts. The Legends initially started out as a soul group, but transitioned from apsychedelic rock tohard rock band by the early 1970s.[10]
By the early 1970s, Dave had left the Legends and Hartman became the band leader with Larry Sadler ondrums and Joe Caloiero onbass. Hartman's role further expanded in that he wrote much of the band's music (as well as playedelectric piano, organ, and guitar), but despite the release of a number of recordings, none turned out to be widespread hits.[11] Their first record release was a recording ofCat Stevens' "Baby Get Your Head Screwed on Right" on the Up label. They next released a two-sider with the Bridge Society label consisting of the songs "Keep On Running" (a song popularized bythe Spencer Davis Group) and "Cheating" (originally recorded bythe Animals). Their third release was the Hartman-penned songs "High Towers"/"Fever Games" on Railroad House Records.[12] The band also recorded "Sometimes I Can't Help It" and "Jefferson Strongbox".[10] While part of the Legends, Hartman worked as a banker for a time and wore a fake mustache in the promos so that his employers would not recognize him.[13]
Hartman began sending demo tapes of the Legends' original material to gain national attention.[10] He enlisted the help of Ronnie G. Shaeffer, a major radio personality in Central Pennsylvania who not only listened to the works and provided honest criticism to Hartman but also offered record label connections.[14] In 1971, upon listening to the 13-song demo tape,Steve Paul, President ofBlue Sky Records,[5] introduced Hartman toEdgar Winter—who had recently disbandedWhite Trash and was seeking new members for his next musical venture.[15][16] Hartman subsequently spent a period of time backing theJohnny Winter Band (Edgar Winter was Johnny Winter's younger brother) and left the Legends to join Edgar Winter's lineup. The Legends continued to record with Larry Swartzwelder on guitar and later Dean Lescallette and Gene Brenner on rhythm guitar. They released "Rock n Roll Woman" (written by Hartman) and "Problems" (written by Caloiero) on Hartman's Heart label. The Legends disbanded by the mid-1970s.[10]
By 1972, Hartman joined theEdgar Winter Group, where he played bass, wrote or co-wrote many of their songs, and sang on three of their albums:They Only Come Out at Night,Shock Treatment, andThe Edgar Winter Group with Rick Derringer.[17][18] He wrote and sang the band's second biggest pop hit, "Free Ride", in 1972. The ballad "Autumn" on Edgar's LPThey Only Come Out at Night was a regional radio hit in New England.[19] Hartman also wrote the band's charting singles "Easy Street" and "River's Risin" from theShock Treatment album.[20][21] He became known for wearing the Bass Suit, which he designed with Los Angeles couturier Bill Witten out of a rubbery fabric that allowed Hartman to insert a bass guitar in a pelvic pocket.[22][23]
Upon launching a solo career in 1976, he released a promotional album titledWho Is Dan Hartman and Why Is Everyone Saying Wonderful Things About Him? It was a compilation disc including songs from Johnny Winter and the Edgar Winter Group. His second release,Images, was his first true album and featured ex-Edgar Winter Group members Edgar Winter,Ronnie Montrose andRick Derringer and guestsClarence Clemons andRandy Brecker.[17][24]
In late 1978, partly due to being introduced by theStudio 54 sound system, Hartman reached No. 1 on theDance Charts with the disco single "Instant Replay" (the title track of his third full-length albumInstant Replay) which crossed over to No. 29 on theBillboard Hot 100 in 1979 and also reached the Top 10 on the UK charts.[25] Musicians Hartman worked with on the associated album includedVinnie Vincent andG. E. Smith.[26] This was followed by his second chart topper, 1979's "Relight My Fire" (the title track of his fourth full-length albumRelight My Fire), which featured friendLoleatta Holloway on vocals.[27] An instrumental version of the song later became the theme for theNBC talk showTomorrow.
Hartman was back on the charts again with the single "I Can Dream About You", which was featured on hisalbum of the same name, as well as theStreets of Fire soundtrack in 1984. The tune reached No. 6 on the U.S. charts, and (on re-release in 1985) No. 12 in the UK. Hartman was featured as a bartender in one of the two videos that were released for the single, which received heavy rotation onMTV. (Note that the single and album version of "I Can Dream About You" is sung by Hartman; within the filmStreets of Fire, the song is performed by a fictional vocal group called the Sorels, whose lead singer is played by Stoney Jackson; the actual vocal in the film was performed by Winston Ford). In 1985, Hartman scored a third Number 1 single on the Dance Music charts, "We Are the Young".[28] The single "Second Nature" also charted during this period. He toured withToto in 1985.[17][29][30]
In 1985 and 1986, Hartman worked on what was planned as his subsequent studio album,White Boy; he wanted the album to have a darker and more mature sound than his previous work. The album was completed in 1986, but the record label, MCA, thought it was too dissimilar to Hartman's previous work, especially "I Can Dream About You", and refused to release it.[31]White Boy has never been released, though sometest pressings of the album were made that are now held by collectors, and some of the songs from the album are available on the internet. One song from the album, "Waiting to See You", was used in the 1986 filmRuthless People and its accompanying soundtrack album and was subsequently released as a single. "First Impression", another song that was to appear on the unreleased album, was sung by Nancy Martinez on her 1989 albumUnpredictable.[32]
In 1989, he released his last studio albumNew Green Clear Blue, an instrumental new age-styled album.[33]
Hartman worked as a songwriter, producer, and collaborated with such artists asPeter Brown (Stargazer, 1979),[34] thePlasmatics (Hartman produced 1981'sMetal Priestess;[35] he also produced a demo version ofCoup d'Etat in 1982, which was released asCoup de Grace in 2000),[36][37]Nona Hendryx (she even co-wrote the song "Electricity" with Hartman, which was featured on his 1984I Can Dream About You album),[38]James Brown (Gravity; 1986),[39]Steve Winwood (Hartman provided backing vocals on "The Finer Things", which was featured on Winwood's 1986 albumBack in the High Life),[40]Jenny Burton (Souvenirs; 1986),[41]Jackie Chan (Hartman's song "Only For Your Love" was featured on the albumShangri-La; 1986),[42] Time Bandits (Can't Wait for Another World, 1987; co-produced with Midnight),[43]John Waite (the song "Sometimes", cowritten by Hartman and Midnight, was featured on the 1987 albumRover's Return),[44]Paul King (Joy; 1987),[45] D-Project (Prototype; 1988),[46]Tina Turner (Foreign Affair; 1989),[47]Joe Cocker (Unchain My Heart andOne Night of Sin; 1987 and 1989 respectively),[48]Holly Johnson (Blast; 1989),[49]Living in a Box (Gatecrashing; 1989),[50]Dusty Springfield (Reputation; 1990),[51][52]Tom Robinson (We Never Had It So Good – later re-released asBlood Brother; 1990),[53][54]Bonnie Tyler (Bitterblue; 1991),[33][55]The Fabulous Pop Tarts - a musical duo composed ofFenton Bailey andRandy Barbato (1992; Hartman produced the song "Smile"),[56] andValerie's Garten (Valerie's Garten; 1992).[57]
In an interview snipped from Portzline (2014), Hartman stated that he started producing at an early age:
I started producing before I even joined the Legends—around 1962... I produced some local R&B, rock and gospel acts at Baldwin Sound in Mechanicsburg [Pennsylvania]. People would hear what I'd done on someone else's record and call me up and ask if I'd produce them, too. I even wrote and recorded an advertising jingle for Sutliff Chevrolet out on Paxton Street when I was 16. So it's always been something that I could fall back on throughout my career—to keep my mind going, to keep me musically inspired, and to keep me moving without having to make statements of my own.[7]
Hartman served as a producer for the Legends. Around 1976, Hartman began using one of the rooms of a colonial home inWestport, Connecticut (dubbed "The Schoolhouse") to serve as a recording studio. The rest of the house's rooms were wired for recording and to allow for different sounds by the artists. He did not charge exorbitant rates, so that new acts at the time such asthe Outsets could record demos.[58] Hartman produced albums for artists such as.38 Special,Foghat,David Johansen andRick Derringer.[59] During late 1977, blues legendMuddy Waters used "The Schoolhouse" to record his albumI'm Ready. Hartman ran the recording board for the sessions and Johnny Winter served as the producer.[58] In 1971, Hartman produced the Hydraulic Peach for Arpeggio Records.[60] Hartman wrote and produced the 1980 disco hit "Love Sensation" performed by Holloway.[61]
In 1981, Hartman was among the lineup forHilly Michaels' albumsCalling All Girls andLumia.[62][63] Hartman wrote the song "It's Never Too Late", which was sung byDiana Ross and featured on her 1981 albumWhy Do Fools Fall in Love.[64] In 1982, Hartman producedAverage White Band's albumCupid's in Fashion.[65] The album was recorded atSigma Sound Studios in New York with additional recordings done at "The Schoolhouse". In a 2016 interview, Hartman's close friend Blanche Napoleon—who provided backing vocals for "Instant Replay" and his other early albums—revealed that he created music forGillette commercials around 1982 (she even provided background harmonies for one of the commercials). She worked with him on some of his other commercial work.[66][67][68] In 1983, Hartman played bass on the song "Speechless" featured onIan Hunter's albumAll of the Good Ones Are Taken.[69] Hartman co-wrote the song "Heart Skip Too Many Beats" withJanis Ian and it was featured on her 1984 albumUncle Wonderful (Hartman performed with Ian on the track).[70][71] Around 1984, Hartman also worked as a lyricist and producer forRugsted & Kreutzfeldt's albumSold Out (also referred to asR'n'K Band).[72]
Aside from focusing on his solo career in 1984, Hartman provided background vocals for John Jarrett's Tribe's self-titled album.[73] More so, in 1984, Hartman arranged and engineeredNeil Sedaka's albumCome See About Me.[17] Hartman last worked as an engineer for Sedaka on the musician's 1981 albumNeil Sedaka: Now.[58] Hartman produced the song "I Won't Steal Away" (which he co-wrote with Midnight and Alides Hidding) for the bandTime Bandits, which appeared on their 1985 albumFiction. Hartman also produced Time Bandits' B-side track "Cool World", which was unreleased on any album.[74] In 1986, Hartman was reported to be producingLou Gramm's first solo album (Gramm was then the lead singer ofForeigner), though the opportunity did not materialize.[75][76] In 1990, Hartman and Midnight wrote and produced the theme song for the television showGuys Next Door.[77]
In 1984, Hartman also performed "Heart of the Beat" under the band name 3V withCharlie Midnight for the soundtrack ofBreakin' (directed by Joel Silberg). According to Midnight, the fictional 3V was created because nobody else wanted to do the song. The song resulted in Midnight receiving a publishing deal, and he and Hartman even performed the song during a spring break festival inFort Lauderdale, Florida.[78] In 1985, Hartman's song "Talking To The Wall" was featured on the soundtrack to the filmPerfect starring Jamie Lee Curtis and John Travolta. Hartman's song "Get Outta Town" (co-written with Midnight and co-produced withRichard Landis) was featured on theFletch soundtrack."[79] He closed the year cowriting "(Krush Groove) Can't Stop the Street" with Charlie Midnight for the filmKrush Groove and the song was performed byChaka Khan.[80][81][82]
He also co-produced a version of the song "Great Gosh O Mighty" for the filmDown and Out in Beverly Hills. For his 1986 albumLifetime Friend,Little Richard (who performed the song in the aforementioned film) used a different version.[83][84][85]
Hartman produced and co-wrote "Living in America", a No. 4 hit for James Brown which appeared on the soundtrack of the feature filmRocky IV (1985). The song was the last of Brown's 44 hit recordings to appear on the Billboard top 40 charts. The track also appeared on the Hartman produced albumGravity.[86][87][39][88] In 1987, Hartman andCharlie Midnight were nominated for aGrammy Award for Best R&B Song. Brown won aGrammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.[89]
In 1988, Hartman co-wrote the song "Why Should I Worry?" withCharlie Midnight for theWalt Disney Animation Studios filmOliver & Company. The work "Behind Your Eyes" (which Hartman cowrote with Midnight) appeared on the soundtrack for 1988'sCasual Sex?[90] Also, in 1988, Hartman dueted withDenise Lopez onScrooged soundtrack song "The Love You Take".[91] In 1990, he co-wrote with longtime collaboratorCharlie Midnight9.95 (performed bySpunkadelic) forTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie. In 1991, Hartman recorded "(That's Your) Consciousness" for thesoundtrack toTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze.
In 1976,Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '77 did an arrangement of the song "Tell Me in a Whisper" (which had been co-written by Hartman and Winter) on theHomecooking album.[92] In 1984, "Relight My Fire" was covered by Costa Anadiotis' bandCafé Society.[93]Eric Martin covered Hartman's "I'm Only Foolin' Myself" (a song he featured on the unreleasedWhite Boy album) on his self-titled 1986 albumEric Martin.[94] "Love Sensation" was sampled in 1989Black Box track "Ride on Time" and 1991's "Good Vibrations" (Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch; Holloway even appeared in the music video during the chorus portion).[95][96] In January 1990, a cover version of "Instant Replay" recorded by the British duoYell! became a top 10 hit.[97] In 1991,Paul Young featured a cover version of "I'm Only Foolin' Myself" on his compilation albumFrom Time to Time – The Singles Collection.[98][99] Additionally, in 1991,Marc Anthony covered the song "Name of the Game" (featured on Hartman'sI Can Dream About You album) on his collaboration album withLittle Louie Vega entitledWhen the Night Is Over.
Hartman was never married and had no children. He died on March 22, 1994, at hisWestport, Connecticut, home from abrain tumor, at the age of 43.[1][97] Acloseted gay man,[100][101][102] he was diagnosed withHIV in the late 1980s.[103] He kept his HIV status a secret and did not seek treatment,[104] even after friend and intermittent collaboratorHolly Johnson (formerly of the bandFrankie Goes to Hollywood) announced his own HIV status in 1991.[100]
In May 1994, the "Dan Hartman: A Celebration of His Life and Music" memorial concert was performed at New York's Sound Factory Bar.Nona Hendryx,Loleatta Holloway, and producerFrankie Knuckles were among the participants.[105]
Hartman has been renowned for his musical versatility.[11][106] In his last will and testament, Hartman created the Dan Hartman Arts and Music Foundation (located in Los Angeles, California) withCharlie Midnight as his sole trustee.[107] At the time of his death, Hartman was recording a solo album for CHAOS/Columbia. The record label had no immediate plans to release Hartman's unfinished work.[108] In 1996, it was announced thatEMI Music Publishing purchased Hartman's complete catalog.[109] During the same year,Tom Robinson released the song "Connecticut" in memory of Hartman. The song appears on Robinson's albumHaving It Both Ways.[19] Years after Robinson's tribute, Kathy Hartman—as frontwoman of the band Signal 30—released "A Song for Dan" in memory of her brother. She has also released the song "Bad Movies", which she had co-written with her late brother.[110][111][112]
At the time of his death, Hartman's music was enjoying a revival of sorts: a cover version of "Relight My Fire" became a British number-one hit forTake That andLulu in 1993.[113] Sales of Hartman's solo recordings, group efforts, production, songwriting and compilation inclusions had exceeded 50 million records worldwide. In October 1994,Joni Mitchell covered "How Do You Stop" on herTurbulent Indigo album, which later won theGrammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album. Around December 1994, the albumKeep the Fire Burnin' was posthumously released – a compilation featuring remixes of earlier hits and previously unreleased material.[114] The album spawned two singles; "The Love in Your Eyes" and "Keep the Fire Burnin'", the latter featuring Holloway.[5][115][116] Hartman's version of "Free Ride" was featured inMighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie the year after his death.[117]T.M. Stevens released his albumOut of Control in 1995, which featured the song "The Gift" (written by Hartman and Midnight).[118] In 1996,Audio Adrenaline included a cover version of "Free Ride" on their albumBloom.[119] In 2003,Ricky Martin covered "Relight My Fire" with two versions: one featuringHolloway's original vocals and another withAnastacia singing Holloway's portion.[120]
In 2006, twelve years after Hartman's death, "I Can Dream About You" was featured in the video gameGrand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories; "Relight My Fire" was also featured in the video gameGrand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony.[121] In 2010, folk rockers Louis Barabbas & the Bedlam Six turned "Relight My Fire" into an ode to whiskey.[122]
In 2020, Hartman was inducted into the Central Pennsylvania Music Hall of Fame with Kathy Hartman accepting the honor on his behalf. Other inductees includedPoison,Bobby Troup, andThe Sharks.[123][124]
In honor of Pride Month 2021, Hiro Clark—in collaboration withScissor Sisters memberAna Matronic—launched the "Cowley Hartman Russell" T-shirt to honor Hartman and other legendary disco producersPatrick Cowley andArthur Russell."I Can Dream About You" was also featured in the episode "Ruminations: Big And Little Bullys" of theHBO television seriesEuphoria in 2022.[125]
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [126] | US R&B [126] | |||
| 1976 | Who Is Dan Hartman? (Promo only) | — | — | |
| Images | — | — | ||
| 1978 | Instant Replay | 189 | 67 | |
| 1979 | Relight My Fire | 80 | — | |
| 1981 | It Hurts to Be in Love | — | — | |
| 1984 | I Can Dream About You | 55 | — | |
| 1989 | New Green Clear Blue | — | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | ||||
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [127] | US R&B [128] | US Adult [129] | US Dance [130] | AUS [131] | CAN [132] | IRE [133] | NZ [134] | UK [135] | ||||
| 1976 | "High Sign" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Images | |
| 1977 | "Lighthouse" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1978 | "Instant Replay" | 29 | 44 | — | 1 | 6 | 16 | — | 5 | 8 | Instant Replay | |
| "Chocolate Box" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1979 | "Time and Space" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —[A] | ||
| "This Is It"(b/w "Countdown") | 91 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | |||
| "Hands Down" | — | — | — | 26 | — | — | — | — | —[B] | Relight My Fire | ||
| "Free Ride"[C] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Boogie All Summer" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —[D] | —[E] | ||
| 1980 | "Vertigo" / "Relight My Fire" | 105 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | —[F] | Relight My Fire | |
| 1981 | "It Hurts to Be in Love" | 72 | — | — | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | It Hurts to Be in Love | |
| "Heaven in Your Arms" | 86 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "All I Need" | 110 [142] | — | 41 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1984 | "I Can Dream About You"[G] | 6 | 60 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 4 | 47 | 12 | I Can Dream About You | |
| "We Are the Young" | 25 | 58 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Name of the Game" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1985 | "Second Nature" | 39 | — | 19 | 40 | — | — | — | — | 66 | ||
| "Get Outta Town" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 99 | Fletch(soundtrack) | ||
| 1986 | "Waiting to See You" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Ruthless People(soundtrack) | |
| 1988 | "The Love You Take" (withDenise Lopez) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Scrooged(soundtrack) | |
| 1994 | "The Love in Your Eyes" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Keep the Fire Burnin' | |
| 1995 | "Keep the Fire Burnin'" (with Loleatta Holloway) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 49 | ||
| "—" denotes the single failed to chart | ||||||||||||
