Kenny Loggins

Kenneth Clark Loggins (born January 7, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. His early songs were recorded with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1970, which led to seven albums recorded with Jim Messina as Loggins and Messina from 1972 to 1977. His early soundtrack contributions date back to A Star Is Born in 1976, and he is known as the "King of the Movie Soundtrack". As a solo artist, Loggins experienced a string of soundtrack successes, including an Academy Award nomination for "Footloose" in 1985. Finally Home was released in 2013, shortly after Loggins formed the group Blue Sky Riders with Gary Burr and Georgia Middleman. He has won two Grammy Awards and a Daytime Emmy Award; and was nominated for an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and a Golden Globe Award.

Loggins was born in Everett, Washington, the youngest of three brothers. His father, Robert George Loggins, a salesman, was of English and Irish ancestry, while his mother, Lina (née Massie), was a homemaker of Italian descent, from Avezzano. They lived in Detroit and Seattle before settling in Alhambra, California. According to his biography, Loggins was born on the birthday of his brother, Bobby. As such, and allowing him to keep a Christmas promise his father had made his brother, Bobby got to name his new brother Clark Kent Loggins. Later, his first and middle names were flipped, and Kent was changed to Kenneth.

Loggins was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of The Second Helping, a band from Alhambra, California. They would release three singles during 1968 and 1969 on Viva Records. The group also included Lawrence Williams who would later find fame as a songwriter.

Working with producer John MacQuarrie, the group recorded "Let Me In" and "Hard Times" which was released on single, Viva V-603 in 1966. In January 1967, they released the MacQuarrie-produced single, "Floating Downstream on an Inflatable Rubber Raft" bw "On Friday" on Viva 605. The single was Top 60 Spotlight in the 14 January issue of Billboard. According to the reviewer, it was one to watch and it could establish the group. It was also a four-star pick in the 21 January issue of Record World with the reviewer making note of its teen appeal. It was also one of the Cash Box Newcomer Picks. Working again with producer MacQuarrie, the group recorded "Don't You Remember the Good Times" and "Children of the Night" which were released on Viva 613. It was given a four-star rating in the 26 August 1967 issue of Record World. The reviewer wrote that this song about bad romance would have the buyers going for it.

Greg Shaw described the efforts as "excellent punky folk-pop records" that were written by Loggins who was likely to be the bandleader and singer as well; Shaw included "Let Me In" on both Highs in the Mid-Sixties, Volume 2 and the Pebbles, Volume 9 CD.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.