Their second album, вЂњGrand FunkвЂќ further developed the groupвЂ™s blues-based style. The band also charted with the single вЂњHeartbreakerвЂќ that was taken from their debut. Grand Funk RailroadвЂ™s constant touring schedule and their bluesy first single, вЂњTime MachineвЂќ, helped the album become a hit. The group released their first album, вЂњOn TimeвЂќ, in the fall of 1969. Grand FunkвЂ™s powerful performance at the festival and their demo led to a recording contract with Capitol Records. Knight had the band record a demo and arranged for them to open the Atlanta Pop Festival in front of 180,000 people on July 4, 1969. The name came from the Grand Trunk Railroad, a rail line that ran through Michigan. It was Knight who suggested their new group be called Grand Funk Railroad. The three new band mates then recruited Terry Knight to be their manager because of his contacts in the record business. The Saginaw-area band had a # 1 hit in 1966 with вЂњ96 TearsвЂќ, but they had not had a chart hit since 1967. They found the third member for their group, Mel Schacher, playing bass in a later version of ? (Question Mark) & The Mysterians.

They then changed their name slightly to the Fabulous Pack and recorded two more singles, вЂњWide TrackinвЂ™вЂќ and a cover of Jimi HendrixвЂ™s вЂњFireвЂќ (renamed вЂњNext To Your FireвЂќ), before breaking up in 1969.ДЇarner and Brewer were interested in putting together a new power trio similar to Cream or the Jimi Hendrix Experience. The rest of the band continued on as the Pack and had a local hit with a cover version of вЂњHarlem ShuffleвЂќ. Knight left the group in 1967 to pursue a solo career but had only limited success.

Terry Knight and The Pack charted their only national hit, вЂњI (Who Have Nothing)вЂќ early in 1967. The group had statewide hits with вЂњA Change On The WayвЂќ, вЂњThis Precious TimeвЂќ, and a cover version of the YardbirdsвЂ™ вЂњBetter Man Than IвЂќ. Terry Knight and The Pack were very popular locally and opened for both the Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds when those bands toured in Michigan. Mark Farner soon joined the group on bass and later switched to guitar. The original five-man band included drummer Don Brewer. Knight renamed the group вЂThe PackвЂ™, a name inspired by the motorcycle gang in the Shangri-LasвЂ™ вЂњLeader Of The PackвЂќ. When Knight decided that he wanted to front a band, he persuaded a Swartz Creek group called the JazzMasters to join him. Knight was a popular deejay on several powerfulВ AM radio stations including WTAC in Flint and CKLW in Windsor, Ontario. The tale of Grand Funk is a rags to riches story involving hard work, incredible success, questionable management, lawsuits, tax problems, and numerous break-ups and reunions among band members.ДЄlthough all of the members of Grand Funk Railroad played in a variety of local bands, the first real step toward stardom can be traced back to the Flint band, Terry Knight and The Pack. The group sold out a two-day stand in just seventy-two hours and grossed over $300,000 for their efforts. But in 1971 Grand Funk Railroad did just that. ItвЂ™s hard to imagine that a band composed of three musicians from Flint, Michigan could possibly break the BeatlesвЂ™ ticket sales record at New YorkвЂ™s Shea Stadium. Created: Thursday, 29 September 2011 16:24

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