|
|
|
Ambrosia formed in 1970, in the South Bay/San Pedro area of
Southern California.The four
Ambrosia came to national prominence in 1975 with the release of their self-titled debut album on 20th Century Fox Records. Ambrosia was produced and engineered by the legendary Alan Parsonsand featured the Top 10 hit "Holding On To Yesterday." After lengthy touring, the band returned in 1976 with Somewhere I've Never Travelled, also produced and engineered by Parsons. The album yielded two more FM classics, the title song and I Wanna Know." Both Ambrosia and Somewhere I've Never Travelled received Grammy nominations, and set the stage for the band's signing to Warner Bros. In 1978, Warner Bros. released Life Beyond L.A., which simultaneously brought their first gold CHR hit, "How Much I Feel," and the #1 rock track "Life Beyond L.A." Extensive touring with Fleetwood Mac and the Doobie Brothers and major headlining shows cemented Ambrosia's reputation as a stellar live act. In 1980, Warner Bros. released One Eighty, a smash Ip that produced two of that year's biggest records, "You're The Only Woman (You And I)" and "Biggest Part Of Me." Though a world tour and three Grammy nominations followed, one of the biggest honors bestowed upon Ambrosia was Quincy Jones' declaration that "Biggest Part Of Me" was one of his all-time favorite songs. Ambrosia released their fifth and final album, Road Island, in 1982. From the Ralph Steadman cover illustration to the James Guthrie (Pink Floyd's The Wall) production to the album's dark central themes, Road Island was a conceptual, adventurous work that brought forward Ambrosia' s exceptional talents. It also marked the end of an era for the band. David Pack notes: "It was an incredibly creative time for all of us. We took a hiatus, but it was more about fulfilling our individual interests than splitting from each other. I think that's what made it easy to start playing together again. There wasn't the baggage between us that most groups have." Since 1989, Ambrosia has been back, getting together for tours and special events. And though their schedules are demanding, there has been a concerted effort in recent years to devote more of themselves to Ambrosia. "We know there's something unique that happens when we play side by side," says Pack, "and it's a wonderful feeling that we want to enjoy more." This year alone, Ambrosia has done several short concert tours, preparing themselves for a more extensive 1998 run.
Ambrosia's long awaited greatest hits compact disc, Anthology, has just been released on Warner Bros. Records. Anthology's sixteen songs span the group's entire career, and include top Ambrosia hits such as the triple-Grammy nominated "Biggest Part of Me," "How Much I Feel," "You're The Only Woman" and "Holdin' On To Yesterday." It also includes familiar rock radio staples such as "Nice, Nice, Very Nice" (co-written with author Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.) and the #1 AOR cuts "Life Beyond L.A." and "Somewhere I've Never Travelled." In addition, Ambrosia recorded three new songs for Anthology. Warner Bros. Records has released the moving "I Just Can't Let Go" as a single, and more singles will follow given the widespread acclaim for the song. "I Just Can't Let Go" was written by David Pack specifically with pals Michael McDonald and James Ingram in mind. Both men make guest appearances on the track, lending their soaring vocals to the bittersweet tale. The new buzz surrounding Ambrosia isn't surprising given the heights the band scaled during the '70s and '80s, and the subsequent accomplishments of the individual band members. David Pack's recent credits alone qualify him as a musical hurricane. Joe Puerta spent seven years recording and touring with Bruce Hornsby and the Range (Hornsby toured with Ambrosia in the early '80s). Burleigh Drummond did session work with artists ranging from Frank Zappa to Andrae Crouch and also started the group Tin Drum with wife Mary Harris (of Jimmy Buffet's band) and released the independent cd Real World. Christopher North toured with various supergroups and raised his kids. |