Grand Funk Railroad

Grand Funk Railroad (also known as Grand Funk or GFR) ascended to dominance of the American rock scene in the 1970s quickly and decisively. Their debut album, On Time, released in 1969, quickly sold more than a million copies. Ditto their second, Grand Funk, released the same year. By 1970, their album sales topped every other American band. In 1971, their concert at New York City's Shea Stadium sold out within 72 hours after tickets went on sale, beating the Shea concert attendance record previously held by The Beatles.

Mark Farner, Don Brewer and Mel Schacher were born and raised in Flint, Michigan. That's where, in 1969, they pooled their musical talent (Farner - guitar, keyboard, vocals; Brewer - drums, vocals; Schacher - bass) and formed Grand Funk Railroad, a play on the Grand Trunk Western Railroad which ran through Flint.

Shortly after they played the the Atlanta Pop Festival in 1969, Capitol Records signed them to a recording deal. The time was right for "power trio" bands, and they immediately dominated the list of America's rock recording and touring artists.

Throughout the early '70s, GFR released albums as quickly as they could record them, with most of the albums hitting the Top 10 on the album charts as soon as they were released. They maintained a heavy tour schedule.

By 1976, they were ready to call it quits. They had fallen victim to the endless grind of recording and touring and hit the wall with a combination of burnout and the kind of internal conflicts that ended the runs of so many bands of the era.

After going their separate ways, Farner recorded two solo albums (1977 and 1978) while Brewer, Schacher and keyboardist Craig Frost (who had been added to the lineup in 1972) formed a band called Flint, and released one album.

Together again ... and again

GFR's first reunion came in 1981, with Farner, Brewer and Dennis Bellinger (replacing Schacher, who wasn't comfortable with the band's management.) After two years and two unsuccessful albums, the band broke up for a second time. Farner went back to his solo career, this time as a Christian music artist. Brewer joined Bob Seger's Silver Bullet Band (along with former GFR keyboardist Craig Frost.)

In 1996, the three founding members (Farner, Brewer, Schacher) reunited for what was to have been a one year reunion. Three years later, they were still at it, but as time went on it became a steadily less happy reunion. In 1999, Farner left for what would be the last time, returning once again to solo status, which he maintains today.

Rather than breaking up again, Brewer and Schacher went in search of new faces, recruiting 38 Special's Max Carl as lead vocalist and former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulic. They have toured almost continuously since 2000.

Essential Grand Funk Railroad Albums

Essential GFR Songs

Grand Funk Discography

On Time (1969)
Grand Funk (1969)
Closer to Home (1970)
Survival (1971)
E Pluribus Funk (1971)
Phoenix (1972)
We're an American Band (1973)
Shinin' On (1974)
All the Girls in the World Beware!!! (1974)
Born to Die (1976)
Good Singin', Good Playin' (1976)
Grand Funk Lives (1981)
What's Funk? (1983)

Live Albums

Live Album (1970)
Caught in the Act (1975)
Bosnia (1997)
Live: The 1971 Tour (2002)