Bob Seger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bob Seger
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Seger performing in Fargo, North Dakota, in 2013
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Robert Clark Seger |
| Born | May 6, 1945 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Genres | Rock |
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Robert Clark Seger (born May 6, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is now retired. He became famous for his powerful, raspy voice and his rock songs.
In the 1960s, Bob Seger started his music journey in Detroit, Michigan. He played with bands like Bob Seger and the Last Heard and the Bob Seger System. His first big album, Ramblin' Gamblin' Man, came out in 1969. It included his first national hit song, "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man".
Later, in 1973, he formed the Silver Bullet Band with musicians from Detroit. They became very successful with their live album Live Bullet in 1976. That same year, his studio album Night Moves made him a national star. He also worked with the famous Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section on many of his popular songs.
Bob Seger is known for his roots rock and heartland rock music. His songs often talk about love and everyday life for working people. Some of his biggest hits include "Night Moves", "Turn the Page", "Still the Same", "Against the Wind", and "Like a Rock". His song "Shakedown" was a number-one hit for the movie Beverly Hills Cop II. He also helped write the Eagles' hit song "Heartache Tonight". His recording of "Old Time Rock and Roll" was even named one of the Songs of the Century!
Bob Seger has sold over 75 million records worldwide. This makes him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. He was honored in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012. He went on his final tour in 2018 and 2019.
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Bob Seger's Early Life
Bob Seger was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1945. When he was five, his family moved to Ann Arbor. His father was a medical technician who played many instruments, so Bob grew up around music.
When Bob was 10, his father moved away. This made things harder for his family financially. Bob went to Tappan Junior High School and graduated from Ann Arbor High School (now Pioneer High School) in 1963. He also spent some time at Lincoln Park High School.
Bob Seger found inspiration in early rock and roll artists. He said Little Richard and Elvis Presley were very important to him. The first record he ever bought was "Come Go with Me" by The Del-Vikings in 1957.
How Bob Seger Started His Music Career
The Decibels and The Town Criers
Bob Seger started playing music in Detroit in 1961 with a band called the Decibels. He sang and played guitar, piano, and keyboards. They recorded a demo song called "The Lonely One". This was Bob's first original song and the first to be played on the radio!
After the Decibels, Bob joined the Town Criers. They played cover songs like "Louie Louie" and started getting more fans. Bob was also influenced by James Brown and The Beatles. He and his friend Glenn Frey (who later joined the Eagles) believed that getting songs on the radio was key to success.
Doug Brown & The Omens
Bob then joined a band called Doug Brown & The Omens, which was more popular. He sang lead on some songs, especially R&B tunes. He appeared on his first official recording with this group in 1965.
While with The Omens, Bob met his longtime manager, Punch Andrews. Punch ran clubs and a small record label. Bob started writing songs for other bands Punch managed. One song he wrote, "East Side Story", didn't do well for another band.
The Last Heard
Bob decided to record "East Side Story" himself. He formed Bob Seger and the Last Heard. This song became his first big hit in Detroit in 1966, selling 50,000 copies! This led to a contract with Cameo-Parkway Records.
The Last Heard became Bob's permanent band. They released more singles, including the popular "Heavy Music" in 1967. This song sold even more copies than "East Side Story". It almost became a national hit, but Cameo-Parkway Records suddenly closed down.
The Bob Seger System
In 1968, Bob Seger and the Last Heard signed with Capitol Records. They changed the band's name to The Bob Seger System. Their first song with Capitol was "2 + 2 = ?", an anti-war song. It was a hit in Detroit and some other cities.
Their second single, "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man", was a huge hit in Michigan. It also became Bob's first national hit, reaching number 17 on the charts! The album of the same name came out in 1969 and reached number 62. Glenn Frey even sang backup on "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man".
However, their next album, Noah (1969), didn't do well. Bob briefly left music to go to college. He returned in 1970 for the System's last album, Mongrel. Even though critics liked it, it wasn't a commercial success.
The Bob Seger System was honored in the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in 2006.
Bob Seger Goes Solo and Forms New Bands
After The System broke up, Bob tried being a solo artist. In 1971, he released an acoustic album called Brand New Morning, but it didn't sell well.
He then teamed up with the duo Teegarden & Van Winkle and released Smokin' O.P.'s in 1972. This album had some covers, including a minor hit with "If I Were a Carpenter".
In 1973, Bob released Back in '72. This album included the studio version of his famous song "Turn the Page". He also started working with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, a group of talented studio musicians. During this time, he began his long friendships with saxophonist Alto Reed and singer Shaun Murphy.
The Silver Bullet Band
In 1974, Bob Seger formed the Silver Bullet Band. The original members included guitarist Drew Abbott, drummer Charlie Allen Martin, keyboardist Rick Manasa, bassist Chris Campbell, and saxophonist Alto Reed. With this new band, he released the album Seven (1974), which had the hit "Get Out of Denver".
In 1975, Bob returned to Capitol Records and released Beautiful Loser. The song "Katmandu" from this album was a big hit in Detroit and helped him gain national attention.
A major turning point was the 1976 album Live Bullet. It was recorded live in Detroit in 1975. This album featured "Turn the Page" and his earlier hits. Critics called Live Bullet one of the best live albums ever. It sold very well and helped Bob Seger become more popular across the country.
Bob Seger's Biggest Successes
Bob Seger's big breakthrough came with his October 1976 album Night Moves. The title song, "Night Moves", was a huge hit, reaching number 4 on the charts. The album also had popular songs like "Mainstreet" and "Rock and Roll Never Forgets". Night Moves was Bob's first top-ten album and became his best-selling studio album. Its success also boosted sales of his earlier albums, like Beautiful Loser and Live Bullet.
In 1978, Bob released Stranger in Town, which was also very successful. The song "Still the Same" reached number 4. "Hollywood Nights" and "We've Got Tonight" were also big hits. "Old Time Rock and Roll" from this album became super famous after it was featured in the 1983 movie Risky Business. It's now one of the most played jukebox songs ever! Bob Seger later said that not taking more credit for rewriting the lyrics to "Old Time Rock and Roll" was a mistake.
Bob also helped write the Eagles' number-one hit song "Heartache Tonight" in 1979.
In 1980, Bob Seger released Against the Wind. This album became his only number-one album on the Billboard charts. Songs like "Fire Lake" and the title track "Against the Wind" were big hits. "You'll Accompany Me" also became a popular single. Against the Wind even won two Grammy Awards.
His live album Nine Tonight (1981) captured the excitement of his concerts during this successful period. It sold 4 million copies.
In 1982, Bob released The Distance. This album had the huge hit "Shame on the Moon", which reached number 2 on the Hot 100 chart. "Roll Me Away" was another popular song from this album.
Bob Seger continued to have hits in the mid-1980s. "Understanding" was a Top 20 hit from the movie Teachers in 1984. His 1986 album Like a Rock featured the popular songs "American Storm" and "Like a Rock". "Like a Rock" became famous for being used in Chevrolet truck commercials, which Bob chose to do to support American car workers. His 1986–1987 tour was his last major tour, selling almost 1.5 million tickets.
In 1987, Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. That same year, he recorded "Shakedown" for the movie Beverly Hills Cop II. This song became his first and only number-one pop hit! It was originally meant for Glenn Frey, but Bob stepped in when Glenn lost his voice. Bob even got an Academy Award nomination for co-writing the song.
Later Years and Retirement
After the 1980s, Bob Seger released fewer albums. The Fire Inside (1991) and It's a Mystery (1995) didn't get as much radio play. However, his Greatest Hits album in 1994 was a massive success, selling nearly 10 million copies! He also had a very successful tour in 1996.
Bob Seger took a break from music for about ten years to spend time with his wife and two young children. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. Kid Rock gave the speech, and the Governor of Michigan declared March 15, 2004, "Bob Seger Day."
In 2006, Bob released his first new album in eleven years, Face the Promise. It sold over 1.2 million copies, showing his fans were still eager for his music. His concerts also sold out very quickly.
In 2009, he released Early Seger Vol. 1, which had older, unreleased songs. In 2011, he went on another successful tour and released a compilation album called Ultimate Hits: Rock and Roll Never Forgets. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder declared May 28, 2011, "Bob Seger Day" for his musical contributions.
Bob Seger was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012. He released his 17th studio album, Ride Out, in 2014, followed by another successful tour.
In 2016, he performed "Heartache Tonight" when the Eagles were honored at the Kennedy Center. In 2017, he released "Glenn Song" as a tribute to his friend Glenn Frey of the Eagles, who had passed away.
Bob Seger began his "Runaway Train" tour in 2017. He also released his new album, I Knew You When, that year. However, he had to postpone many shows due to a medical issue with his spine.
On September 18, 2018, Bob Seger announced his final tour, called the "Travelin' Man" tour. It included postponed dates and new shows. The tour ended on November 1, 2019, after which Bob Seger officially retired from touring. Sadly, Silver Bullet Band saxophonist Alto Reed passed away in 2020.
Bob Seger came out of retirement briefly on October 22, 2023. He performed at the Country Music Hall of Fame for Patty Loveless's induction.
Bob Seger's Legacy
The city of Lincoln Park declared November 17, 2017, "Bob Seger Day." The mayor called him the voice of their generation. In 2023, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Bob Seger among the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.
Bob Seger's Personal Life
Bob Seger has been married a few times. He married Juanita Dorricott in 1993, and they have two children together.
Politically, Bob Seger describes himself as "right down the middle." He supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. In his songs, he has sometimes addressed social issues like gun violence and climate change. He believes everyone is responsible for climate change and that we need to change our ways quickly.
He has said that President Barack Obama is his favorite president. He met Obama at the Kennedy Center Honors and thanked him for his "wisdom and dignity."
Discography
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See also
In Spanish: Bob Seger para niños
- List of people from Ann Arbor
