Artist:Carl Anderson f/Gloria Loring
Song:Friends and Lovers
Album:Carl Anderson
The single Friends and Lovers was a top five hit in 1986 after it appeared on the daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives. It's like I said recently. Those soap opera fans sure love their music. It was the only big hit for Carl Anderson. Gloria Loring was a regular on Days of Our Lives at the time. Though Anderson recorded several albums in the 80s, I would say his voice is more suited for Broadway and that's where he started out. He was born Feb. 27, 1945 in Lynchburg, VA one of 12 children of James and Alberta Anderson. Anderson dropped out of high school to enlist in the US Air Force. After two years as a communications officer, Anderson was discharged. After graduating from high school, Anderson toured military bases as part of the World Wide Air Force Talent Contest. He moved to Washington, DC in 1969 to study psychology at Howard University. He also led a cover band and they appeared on a 1971 episode of The Today Show performing songs from Jesus Christ Superstar. A producer for the upcoming Broadway production of that show offered Anderson an audition. He shared the role of Judas with Ben Vereen and appeared in the film version and was nominated for two Golden Globes. While appearing in touring productions of Jesus Christ Superstar, Anderson was a background singer on Stevie Wonder's 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life. He also appeared on TV shows like The Rockford Files and Hill Street Blues. Anderson signed with Epic Records in 1982. He recorded four albums but Friends and Lovers was his only hit. It reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1986. That makes him a one hit wonder. I would describe Gloria Loring as an actress who sings. At that time she was married to talk show host Alan Thicke and she is Robin Thicke's mother. She played lounge singer Liz Chandler on the daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives from 1980-86. So she performed on the show. She performed Friends and Lovers with Anderson on the show and it became a theme for one of the couples on the show. The song was released as a single in 1986 and it appeared on Anderson's 1986 album on Epic and Gloria's 1986 album on Atlantic. The song was written by Jay Gruska and Paul Gordon. Both write music for TV shows. Anderson produced the record with French producer Yves Dessca. Most of his album was produced by Richard Rudolph who was married to Minnie Riperton and wrote and produced her 1978 hit Lovin' You. Anderson's album is available on CD. Anderson left Epic and also recorded for Polydor and GRP. In 1992, he appeared in the 20th Anniversary tour of Jesus Christ Superstar. It was supposed to run for three months and lasted for five years. Anderson continued to play that role for the next decade until he died from leukemia on Feb. 23, 2004 at age 58. Here's the video of Friends and Lovers by Carl Anderson featuring Gloria Loring.
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