Bert Sommer | |
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 Sommer in 1970 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1949-02-07)February 7, 1949 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | July 23, 1990(1990-07-23) (aged 41) Troy, New York, U.S. |
| Genres |
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| Occupations | Singer, Songwriter, Actor |
| Years active | 1960s–1970s |
| Labels | |
| Website | www |
Bert Sommer (February 7, 1949 – July 23, 1990)[1] was an Americanfolk singer and songwriter. He appeared in the musicalHair and at theWoodstock Festival, and he released several albums as a singer-songwriter.
Sommer was born inNew York City[1] and grew up inQueens andHartsdale,New York. He was a self-taught musician (piano and guitar), who began writing songs in his teens.[1] He attendedWoodlands High School as well as Quintano's School for Young Professionals inManhattan.
He became friendly with other young musicians and songwriters in the area, including Peter Sabatino,Leslie West, Tom Feher, andMichael Brown, and wrote several songs for West (then known as Weinstein)'s band,the Vagrants, including their single "Beside the Sea", co-written with producerFelix Pappalardi and his wifeGail Collins.[2]
In 1967, Sommer was hired to join a "new" version of theBaroque pop bandThe Left Banke. They had been inactive shortly after the release of their song "Walk Away Renée", and their manager put together a band to tour as the band to profit off of the single. Sommer also co-wrote the Left Banke single "And Suddenly" with memberMichael Brown. He also sang lead on "Ivy Ivy", written by Tom Feher. The group (which includedMichael McKean on bass) soon fell apart, following legal threats by original Left Banke singer Steve Martin's lawyers. In the same baroque vein as the Left Banke, Sommer wrote "Brink of Death", recorded by the band Childe Harold with an arrangement byWendy Carlos.
Next, Sommer was recruited as a member of "the Tribe" for the musicalHair, and then promoted to the role of Woof. His "frizzed-out Afro" hair and eyes were featured on theLos AngelesPlaybill forHair in 1969.[1][2][3]
Sommer had been signed byCapitol Records, and in June 1969 he released his first album,The Road to Travel. It was produced byArtie Kornfeld, who also produced his next two albums. Kornfeld's involvement with theWoodstock Festival led to Sommer being invited to perform there. He was the third act to perform on the opening Friday, August 15, 1969. He sang ten songs, including "Jennifer", a song inspired by his fellowHair performerJennifer Warnes,[2] andSimon & Garfunkel's "America", after which he received the festival's first standing ovation.[4] Sommer played with Ira Stone (guitar, Hammond organ, harmonica) and Charles Bilello (bass). According to some accounts, because he was signed to a rival record label, none of his audio performance was made publicly available until 2009.[1] However, his performance singing "Jennifer" was captured inD.A. Pennebaker's documentary Woodstock Diary (1994). In 2019, the entire Bert Sommer set became part of theWoodstock 50th anniversary 38-CD set, restored byAndy Zax.
Sommer's second album,Inside Bert Sommer, was released in May 1970 on the Eleuthera label, a subsidiary ofBuddah Records, and featured the single "We're All Playing in the Same Band", which he wrote[5] at,[6] for, and about the Woodstock festival,[7] about his experience there.[8] The song reached number 48 on theHot 100 in September 1970.[9] Sommer continued to perform in and around New York, often opening the bill for major acts such asIke and Tina Turner andthe Byrds.[10] A third album,Bert Sommer, was released on Buddah in 1971, but, like Sommer's other albums, was commercially unsuccessful.[2] Sommer spent some time in arehabilitation facility in the early 1970s, then formed a trio in Brockport, New York. Sommer, Landis & Roberts, with Gary Roberts (also known as Johnny Rabb) and Rob Landis[10] played local clubs and cafes in the college town for a couple years.
While Sommer continued to write songs, he received another offer. After being encouraged to audition by music producerArtie Ripp, he appeared as "Flatbush" of Kaptain Kool and the Kongs onThe Krofft Supershow in 1976, but he did not reprise the role in the second season. In 1977, his fourth album, also titledBert Sommer, produced in Los Angeles byRon Dante, was released byCapitol Records. Again, the album was unsuccessful, and he was dropped by the label.[10] The follow-up album that never happened, to have been produced byTrevor Lawrence, contained songs such as "You", featured in the filmsThe Patriot (1986) andStella (1990).[10]
Sommer returned toAlbany in August 1983 and almost immediately began to perform in local venues with Johnny Rabb, as well as Carla and Kevin McKrell, in The Fabulous Newports. He also teamed up with Eddie Angel and Johnny Rabb in The Poor Boys. His last performance was again with Rabb, at an outdoorconcert in Troy, New York on June 11, 1990.
Sommer died inTroy, New York on July 23, 1990, of a respiratory illness.[1]
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