AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Bob Seger

Artist:Bob Seger

Song:Night Moves

Album:Greatest Hits

The 1976 single Night Moves was the first big hit for Bob Seger. So he was an overnight success after almost ten years in the music business. I first heard of him in 1969 when he recorded Ramblin' Gamblin' Man. He was born May 6, 1945 in Detroit but he grew up in Ann Arbor. His father was a medical technician for Ford and he played music on the side. Seger's parents argued a lot and his father abandoned the family and moved to California in 1956. After leaving high school, Seger moved to Detroit and was in several early 60s bands including The Decibels, The Town Criers and Doug Brown & the Omens. He formed Bob Seger & the Last Heard in 1966. After a single had local success, Seger signed with Cameo-Parkway Records. They had some success. But Cameo-Parkway was on their last legs and soon closed. He signed with Capitol and they changed the band name to The Bob Seger System. He has been with Capitol for his entire career. The 1968 single Ramblin' Gamblin' Man was Seger's first national hit single as it reached #17 on the Billboard Hot 100. But Seger brought Tom Neme in to take over as lead singer and songwriter. That did not go over well. Seger even quit the music business to attend college. He got rid of Neme for the 1970 album Mongrel. The album was praised but didn't sell. Capitol dropped him. Seger joined Teagarden & Van Winkle who had success with the 1970 single God, Love, and Rock & Roll. They recorded on Seger's manager's label. The turning point was when Seger formed The Silver Bullet Band and that brought Seger back to Capitol after the single Get Out of Denver charted. Plus his cover of Nutbush City Limits from the 1976 album Live Bullet. That album was certified 5XPlatinum without a hit single. The 1976 album Night Moves was recorded mostly in Detroit and Muscle Shoals, AL. But Seger's manager really wanted a hit single. So he sent Seger to Toronto to work with The Guess Who producer Jack Richardson. After they recorded a couple of songs, most of the band left Toronto. Seger played Night Moves for Richardson on the piano. Seger didn't think the song was good enough. But Richardson liked it and wanted to record it. The problem was most of the band had left. Bassist Chris Campbell and drummer Charlie Allen Martin were still there. Richardson brought in guitarist Joe Miquelon and Dr. Music himself Doug Riley to play organ. Once Capitol heard Night Moves, it was the album title and lead single. It reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was certified 6XPlatinum. You can get it on this comp. Seger continued to have success until the late 80s. He took a sabbatical from 1997 to 2005 to spend more time with his family. Seger last released an album in 2017 and he retired in 2018. He returned last year and is currently on tour. Here's the video for Night Moves by Bob Seger. This video was produced in 1994 and features Matt Leblanc and Daphne Zuniga. The video was produced for the Greatest Hits album.