|
1943 |
Terry Knight (Richard Terrance Knapp)
Producer
Terry Knight is born on April 9, 1943 in Flint, MI. |
|
1948 |
Craig Frost
Keyboardist
Craig Frost is born on April 20, 1948 in Flint, MI.
Don Brewer
Drummer
Don Brewer is born on September 3, 1948 in Swartz Creek, MI.
Mark Farner
Guitarist
and Vocalist Mark Farner is born on September 29, 1948 in Flint,
MI. |
|
1949 |
Dennis Bellinger
Bassist
Dennis Bellinger is born on October 8, 1949. |
|
1951 |
Mel Schacher
Bassist
Mel Schacher is born on April 8, 1951 in Owasso, MI. |
|
1964 |
The Genesseians
Mark's
first band is the Genesseians
Band member's include Rod Lester: Guitar, Lead vocals; Chuck Hit:
Guitar; Diane Farner: Drums [later replaced by Jim Keener]
|
|
1965 |
Robin's Hoods (aka: The Derelicts)
Mark's
next band membership includes Les Merril: Drums; Monk McFadden:
Lead Guitar, vocals; Dave Peedy: Guitar; Mike West: Harmonica, Vocals;
Craig Frost: Keyboards |
|
1965 |
1965 to 1968
| Mark
Farner and Don Brewer spend these years playing in various
bands around the Flint, Michigan area, eventually ending up
with Terry Knight & The Pack. |
|
|
1966 |
Terry Knight & The Pack
| Mark
Farner with Terry Knight and The Pack make the national charts
with "I (Who Have Nothing)" which peaks at #46 on November
12, 1966.
More...
|
|
|
1966 |
The Bossmen
Mark
leaves the Pack and joins the Bossmen
Bandmembers include Dick Wagner: Lead guitar, Lead Vocals; Mark
Farner: Guitar, Bass and Vocals; Lanny Roenicke: Bass, Vocals; Warren
Keith: Keyboards, Vocals; Pete Woodman: Drums |
|
1967 |
Terry Knight and the Pack - pt. II
From
January 1967 to April 1967 Mark works with The Pack again.
Bandmembers include Terry Knight: Vocals, Harmonica, Maracas, Tambourine:
Mark Farner: Lead Guitar, Vocals; Herman Jackson: Bass; Bob Caldwell:
Keyboards, Vocals; Don Brewer: Drums, Vocals |
|
1967 |
The Fabulous Pack
From
April 1967 to August 1967 Mark continues to work with the Pack,
but without Terry.
Bandmembers include Mark Farner: Guitar, Lead Vocals; Don Brewer:
Drums, Vocals; Herman Jackson: Bass; Bob Caldwell: Keyboards, Vocals;
Curt Johnson: Lead Guitar, Vocals
In September, Al Shane replaces Bob Caldwell on Keyboards and Vocals
In October, Kenny Rich replaces Curt Johnson on Lead Guitar and
Vocals |
|
1968 |
The Fabulous Pack - at times "The Pack"
In
February, Craig Frost replaces Al Shane on Keyboards and Vocals.
Bandmembers include Mark Farner: Guitar, Lead Vocals; Don Brewer:
Drums, Vocals; Herman Jackson: Bass; Craig Frost: Keyboards, Vocals;
Curt Johnson: Lead Guitar, Vocals |
|
1968 |
The Coolie Group
The
summer of 1968 finds Mark doing double duty with The Pack and as
lead vocalist for The Coolie Group
Bandmembers include Mark Farner: Lead Vocals; Dennis Bellinger:
Bass, Vocals; Bob Katrinic: Drums; Bob Siebert: Guitar; Craig Marsden:
Lead Guitar |
|
1968 |
The Pack
From
May 1968 to February 1969, Rod Lester replaces Herman Jackson on
Bass and Vocals
Bandmembers include Mark Farner: Lead Guitar, Lead Vocals; Rod Lester:
Bass, Vocals; Craig Frost: Keyboards, Vocals; Don Brewer: Drums,
Vocals |
|
1969 |
From the Pack to the Power
| Mark
Farner and Don Brewer leave The Pack and recruit The Mysterians'
bass player Mel Schacher to form the "power trio" Grand Funk
Railroad. |
|
|
July, 1969 |
Atlanta International Pop Festival
| Just
prior to the success of Woodstock, other music festivals had
started to appear across the country the summer and fall of
1969.
After hearing Grand Funk Railroad, Terry Knight became their
manager and started drumming up gigs for the band, most of
which they performed for free. Knight persaded the promoters
of the Atlanta International Pop Festival to let Grand Funk
play and they were given the opening slot at the gathering.
The only unsigned act on the show, Grand Funk Railroad played
before 180,000 people in 110-degree heat and the acclaim was
instantaneous. Following their Atlanta appearance, the band
was signed by Capitol Records. |
|
|
August, 1969 |
Grand Funk Rocks The World
Over
the next seven years, Grand Funk Railroad would tour the world.
The band's concerts would set attendance records while at the same
time, music critics would rip apart their recordings. Rolling Stone
Magazine once called them the world's worst rock band, all the time
that the working class rock fan embraced them as "The American Band".
|
|
August 25th, 1969 |
On Time
 |
Grand
Funk Railroad's first album released. Features original band
member's Mark Farner, Don Brewer and Mel Schacher.
More...
|
|
|
December 29th, 1969 |
"Grand Funk" Released
 |
Grand
Funk's second album, also known as "the Red Album", is rushed
to release.
More...
|
|
|
June 15th, 1970 |
"Closer To Home" Released |
|
November 16th, 1970 |
"Live Album" Released
 |
Grand
Funk's first live album.
More...
|
|
|
1971 |
Shea Stadium
 |
Grand
Funk Railroad continues as one of the top touring bands of
their time, selling out concerts in the U.S., Canada, Europe,
Japan and South America.
They even sell out New York City's Shea Stadium faster than
the Beatles did. |
|
|
April 15th, 1971 |
"Survival" Released |
|
November 15th, 1971 |
"E. Pluribus Funk" Released |
|
April, 1972 |
"Mark, Don & Mel" Released |
|
1972 |
"Funk Off: Mark, Don & Terry" Released |
|
September, 1972 |
"Phoenix" Released
 |
The
band separates from Terry Knight, losing most everything related
to the band except part of the name. They produce their next
album "Phoenix" themselves and add keyboardist Craig Frost,
an old friend from the Fabulous Pack days.
More...
|
|
|
July 15th, 1973 |
"We're An American Band" Released |
|
1974 |
"Monumental Funk" Released |
|
March, 1974 |
"Shinin' On" Released |
|
December, 1974 |
"All The Girls In The World Beware!!!" Released |
|
August, 1975 |
"Caught In The Act" Released
 |
Grand
Funk's second release featuring Live concert performances.
More...
|
|
|
1976 |
Grand Funk Railroad disbands
After
12 gold and 10 platinum records, 19 charted singles, 8 Top 40 hits
including two at Number One both selling more than one million each,
total sales in excess of 25 million copies sold worldwide, and 7
years of touring the world as America's Band, Grand Funk Railroad
calls it quits. Mark engages in a solo career. |
|
January, 1976 |
"Born To Die" Released |
|
August, 1976 |
"Good Singin' Good Playin'" Released |
|
November, 1976 |
"Hits" Released |
|
1977 |
Mark Farner released
 |
Mark
releases his first solo album on Atlantic Records to critical
aclaim.
More...
|
|
|
1978 |
No Frills released
 |
Mark
releases his second solo album, also on Atlantic and also
to great reviews.
More...
|
|
|
1980 to 1983 |
Grand Funk Railroad Reforms
 |
Mark,
Don and Mel discuss reforming GFR. Mel goes into rehearsal
with Mark and Don but decides not to record or tour for personal
reasons.
Local Flint musician Dennis Bellinger is brought in to replace
Mel on bass.
Mark, Don and Dennis tour throughout 1981-1982 and sell out
shows in Japan and South America. |
|
|
July, 1981 |
"Grand Funk Lives" Released
 |
Mark
and Don with bassist Dennis Bellinger.
More...
|
|
|
1983 |
Grand Funk Railroad Disbands - Once Again
 |
After
two years of touring, Mark, Don and Dennis say goodbye again.
Mark resumes his solo career, eventually releasing four albums
in the Contemporary Christian music genre. |
|
|
January, 1983 |
What's Funk |
|
1987 |
"Great!" Released |
|
February 26th, 1991 |
"Capitol Collectors Series" Released |
|
1992 |
"Heavy Hitters" Released |
|
1995 |
Ringo Starr's All Stars
 |
Mark tours with the Beatles' Ringo Starr and his All Star
band.
The All Star Band includes Ringo Starr: Vocals and Drums;
Randy Bachman: Guitar and Vocals; John Entwhistle: Bass and
Vocals; Felix Cavalaire: Keyboards and Vocals; Billy Preston:
Keyboards and Vocals; Zak Starkey: Drums |
|
|
May, 1996 |
GFR Reunites
 |
Mark,
Don and Mel discuss the possiblity of a reunion. They meet
at a hunting lodge for a preliminary reheasal.
From May 1996 to July 1996 GFR reunite and perform before
260,000 people at 14 sold out shows.
The band hires Ringo Starr promoter David Fishof as their
manager. |
|
|
1997 to 1999 |
GFR Reunion Tour
 |
January
1997 - The band plans 3 shows in Detroit, New York and Los
Angeles to benefit and bring awareness to orphans in the war
torn country of Bosnia.
April - November 1997: The band plays 30+ shows in the U.S.
and Japan with added sideman Howard Eddy Jr.
April 11, 1997: GFR perform on "Good Morning America".
April 20, 1997: The sound is recorded at the Detroit (Auburn
Hills) show which will later be released as the live album
Bosnia.
May 2, 1997: GFR perform on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno.
October 1997: The double live album Bosnia is released as
a box CD set. The proceeds are to go to the Bosnia Relief
Effort.
January 1998: The band switches management teams and hires
Bobby Roberts and Jim Della Croce as co-managers.
April 29, 1998: GFR performs at Cleveland's Rock 'n' Roll
Hall of Fame museum and donate articles for a display to be
created at a future date.
The band plays a 65+ show tour throughout 1998 and is listed
as one of the top 10 grossing tours of 1998. |
|
|
October 21st, 1997 |
"Bosnia" Released |
|
1999 |
Mark Departs Grand Funk Railroad
 |
After
giving the band a year more than they originally agreed on,
Mark once again walks away from GFR to resume his solo career
and goes on a national tour.
In March, VH-1 debuts a "Behind The Music" special on Grand
Funk Railroad. It proves to be one of their most watched episodes.
|
|
|
June 29th, 1999 |
"30 Years Of Funk" Released |
|
2001 |
Living Legends Of Rock & Roll - Live From Itchycoo Park
 |
DVD release of a 1999 concert that featured some of rock &
roll's living legends, including Styx, Iron Butterfly, Christopher
Cross, Firefall, John Kay & Steppenwolf, Rare Earth and Starship.
Mark performs "I'm Your Captain/Closer To Home". |
|
|
2002 |
"Heirlooms" Released |
|
2002 |
"Red, White and Blue Forever" Released |
|
2002 |
Mark Farner's N 'r G Band
 |
The
Mark Farner Band becomes N'rG.
Band members include . . .
Lawrence Buckner: Bass and Vocals
Paul Ojibway: Keyboards, Sax and Vocals
Hubert "the H Bomb" Crawford: Drums and Vocals |
|
|
2002 |
"Trunk Of Funk" Released |
|
2002 |
"Mark takes "A Walk Down Abbey Road"
 |
Artists
blend their own tunes with those of the Beatles.
Band members include Jack Bruce, Todd Rundgren and Eric Carmen,
Mark Farner, Alan Parsons and Christopher Cross |
|
|
2002 |
"Classic Masters" Released |
|
2002 |
"Live - The 1971 Tour" Released |
|
2002 |
"The Pack Anthology" Released |
|
2003 |
"The Complete Atlantic Sessions" Released |
|
2003 |
"Live!! N'rG" Released
 |
With
Lawrence Buckner on bass and Hubert Crawford on drums.
More...
|
|
|
November, 2004 |
Mark Farner
Mark
is awarded the Cherokee Medal of Honor in Tahlequah, OK.
Terry Knight passes on.
"Rock 'n' Roll Greats - Mark Farner in Concert" - DVD is
Released
|
|
2006 |
"For
The People" is released. |
| 2006 |
"Extended
Versions" is released. |
| 2006 |
"GFR
Greatest Hits CD/DVD" is released. |
