Player (band)
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Player was a popular American rock band during the late 1970s. Their #1 hit, "Baby Come Back" was written by Peter Beckett and J.C. Crowley.
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[edit] Career
Formed in Los Angeles, California, they began as a garage band, playing in the garage at Ronn Moss's house. The original members of the band included Peter Beckett (lead vocals, guitar), John Charles "J.C." Crowley (vocals, keyboards, guitar), Ronn Moss (bass, vocals) and John Friesen (drums). After extensively playing the local club scene, Player was signed to RSO Records in 1977. Wayne Cook, a keyboardist/session player & former member of Steppenwolf, was an additional bandmember for its live performances; he's the curly-haired keyboardist in the videos from the `70's.
Player gained popularity as a live act during the heyday of the 1970s stadium rock era. They began to develop a very distinctive edgy yet very melodic rock style. Their biggest hit, "Baby Come Back", rose to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978 and was also a chart success in other countries. Their follow up single "This Time I'm In It For Love" also peaked at #10 the same year. Among several notable accolades, Player was named Billboard's Best New Singles Artist of 1978. Eric Clapton became so impressed with Player that he invited them to open for him during his 1978 North American tour. This further fueled their popularity. Eventually, the band began to headline their own events.
Player released three albums during their active touring years: Player (RSO Records), Danger Zone (RSO Records), and Room With A View (Casablanca Records).
[edit] Lineup changes
Ronn Moss left Player in 1981 to pursue a full-time acting career. He continues to play the role of Ridge Forrester on the soap opera, The Bold And The Beautiful. After Moss left, Beckett kept the band going (with several different line-ups) until 1983. The band played on Solid Gold that year with a new lineup.
Peter Beckett did a brief stint with Little River Band starting in 1989 in its latter stages as a club/festival band and played "Baby Come Back" at its performances.
J.C. Crowley became a Nashville performer & songwriter, recording his one and only solo album "Beneath The Texas Moon" in 1988. In 1989, he had country hits with "Paint the Town and Hang the Moon Tonight" (#13) and "I Know What I've Got" (#21), and was named "Best New Male Country Performer." He wrote a number of songs recorded by Nashville artists including Johnny Cash and The Oak Ridge Boys. He also fought and won a battle with cancer in the late `90's and now lives in Topanga, California.
Player officially retired as a touring band, although Moss and Beckett have partnered on occasion. The duo recorded two additional studio albums as Player: Lost In Reality (1995) and Best Of Player (1999).
[edit] Recent News
Moss (with Beckett) has also recorded two recent "solo" albums: I'm Your Man (2000) and Uncovered (2005). Both Moss and Beckett continue to play limited concert schedules as solo artists, whilst recent news suggests that getting Player back on the road for a U.S. concert tour, still being developed.
[edit] Albums
- Player (1977) #26 US
- Danger Zone (1978) #37 US
- Room With a View (1981)
- Spies of Life (1982) #152 US
- Lost In Reality (1996)
[edit] Singles
| Year | Song | US Hot 100 | US A.C. | US R&B | UK singles | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | "Baby Come Back" | 1 | 20 | 10 | 32 | Player |
| 1978 | "This Time I'm In It For Love" | 10 | 20 | - | - | Player |
| 1978 | "Prisoner of Your Love" | 27 | - | - | - | Danger Zone |
| 1979 | "Silver Lining" | 62 | - | - | - | Danger Zone |
| 1980 | "It's For You" | 46 | - | - | - | Room With a View |
| 1982 | "If Looks Could Kill" | 48 | - | - | - | Spies of Life |
