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Daryl Hall (born Daryl Franklin Hohl on October 11, 1946, Pottstown, Pennsylvania) is half of the music duo Hall & Oates.
His mother played songs by Frank Sinatra to him as a child, and he later became an fan of Motown and other R&B/soul music. In the 1960s he attended Temple University, where he first met John Oates. After John transferred to a different school, Daryl joined the band Gulliver, which produced one eponymous album before disbanding. Hall & Oates was formed in 1972, when John returned to Philadelphia.
In 1977, Daryl Hall teamed up with Robert Fripp to produce his first solo album, called Sacred Songs. RCA was concerned about the uncommercial nature of the album, however, and it was not released until 1980. His second solo album, Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine is notable for the song Dreamtime, which enjoyed moderate chart success.
Discography
- Sacred Songs (1980)
- Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine (1986)
- Soul Alone (1993)
- Can't Stop Dreaming (1996)
- Live in Philadelphia (2004)
Childhood
Daryl Hall was born Daryl Franklin Hohl in Pottstown, Penn. on October 11, 1949. He took piano lessons as a child, but as he grew into his teens, he was more interested in the music coming from a place called "Chicken Hill."
Early work
He attended Temple University, but did not graduate. At that time, Daryl Hohl (as he was called then) sang backup for different bands and was a part of the Temptones. He changed his name to Hall. Daryl Hall idolized the Temptations and began to perform session work. He was a member of the band Gulliver, who released one album in 1969 before being dropped from the label.
John Oates and Tommy Mottola
Daryl Hall met John Oates at a band competition in Philadelphia. When gunfire rang out, Daryl and John just happened to fall into the same elevator. Really need to expand on this - how do we get from a band competition to gunfire? RidG 09:34, 29 Dec 2004 (UTC) Because of their similar musical tastes, they quickly became acquainted.
They met Tommy Mottola, who became their manager.
First albums
Mattola got them a record deal with Atlantic Records. Atlantic recorded their debut album Whole Oates, and a subsequent Abandon Lunchenette. This latter record included She's Gone, and is considered somewhat of a classic album of the 1970s. Todd Rundgren produced the album (?) War Babies. The song She's Gone was covered by Tavares and reached #1 on the R&B chart. Despite these successes, Atlantic Records dropped Daryl Hall and John Oates from the label after three albums.
RCA
First hits
Following their departure from Atlantic Record, Tommy Mattola was able to get Hall and Oates signed with RCA. It was at this time that Hall & Oates came out with a string of successful releases, including "Sara Smile," "Rich Girl" (their first #1 record), and an Atlantic re-released "She's Gone."
"Sacred Songs"
After this small run of hits, Hall & Oates encountered something of a dry spell. RCA attempted to push Daryl Hall to the front with his first solo effort, Sacred Songs. However, after presented with Sacred Songs, RCA became unwilling to publish the record. Instead, it was produced by Robert Fripp and finally released in 1980.
1980s
"Voices"
The eighties brought about change for Hall & Oates. Beginning with the album Voices, Hall and Oates started to produce their own records. They produced several successful hits including Kiss On My List (their second #1 song), a cover of You've Lost That Loving Feeling, You Make My Dreams, and the original of what would become a #1 song in America for British star Paul Young, Everytime You Go Away.
"Private Eyes"
The Voices album was followed up by other successful albums and songs. The Private Eyes album included two #1 songs (The Title cut and the Hall and Oates anthem I Can't Go For That (No Can Do), which became a #1 hit on the R&B charts.
"H2O"
Next came the H2O album and another #1 song, Maneater. This song remained the biggest hit of their career, staying at #1 for four weeks. The H2O album also included Family Man and One On One.
Commercial success
The albums Voices, Private Eyes, and H2O, along with the next Hall and Oates album, Rock N Soul Volume 1 (Greatest Hits), make up the most powerful string of the duos commercial success together. The lead-off single for the Greatest Hits album battled with a six week #1 spot from Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson at the high-point of the Thriller hysteria. Say It Isn't So remained at #2 for an impressive four weeks.
Hall & Oates have almost always toured extensively. However, this practice came to an end with the release of Daryl Hall and John Oates Live At The Apollo with David Ruffin and Eddie Kendrick. This was RCA's second attempt at a live album, following a 1983 release. However, this disc was very short and covered less than half of the live performance.
Daryl Hall's solo album
Hall & Oates went on a break after the 1985 tour. Daryl Hall was influenced to go to England and check out Dave Stewart. The resulting solo Daryl Hall album was Three Hearts In The Happy Ending Machine. It included a #5 hit "Dreamtime" and a Top 40 hit with "Foolish Pride." It also contained perhaps a hint of Daryl's future solo projects, with a song was called "Someone Like You." RCA considered this album a commercial disappointment. It should be noted, however, that RCA did not promote this album at the level of the Hall & Oates' previous albums. This was also the last album in the RCA deal with Hall and Oates.
Arista Records
Hall and Oates had signed with Arista Records. Arista Records produced the album Oh Yeah!, which included the hits "Everything Your Heart Desires" (#3 hit), "Missed Opportunity," and "Downtown Life." This may have been the last Hall and Oates album - other than greatest hits packages - that enjoyed platinum success. Hall and Oates did one more album for Arista called Change Of Season. This album included the last big Top 40 hit for Hall and Oates called "So Close" (#11 hit). It also marked a more accessible sound adjustment for Hall and Oates.
Epic
In 1993, Daryl Hall released his third solo album on Epic, called Soul Alone. However, it is considered by some as his first real solo project. This album has a more soulful and jazzy feel to it and a much more hip feel to it musically. However, Epic failed to figure out what to do with this "Blacker" Daryl Hall. The album did not deliver any hits or many sales.
Later work
Since then, Hall and Oates have released the Marigold Sky album, which includes an adult contemporary hit "Promise Ain't Enough," and the "VH1 Behind The Music" Greatest Hits package.
Daryl Hall and John Oates have put out the Do It For Love album that includes "Do It For Love" (#1 Adult Contemporary). They have also released the Hall and Oates Live DVD from an A & E Live By Request Special.
Daryl Hall has also released a fourth solo album called Can't Stop Dreaming and fifth Live In Philadelphia compilation.
As of this writing, Hall and Oates have also put out their first CD of covers called Our Kind Of Soul that includes "I'll Be Around" "Love TKO," "I Can Dream About You," and more. Hall and Oates are also back to touring a lot more than they did in the 1990s.
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