Seals & Crofts

A duo consisting of Jim Seals (b. 17 October 1941, in Sidney, Texas, USA) and Dash Crofts (b. 14 August 1940 in Cisco, Texas, USA), Seals and Crofts were one of the most popular soft rock-pop acts of the '70s. The pair first worked together in 1958 as guitarist (Seals) and drummer (Crofts) for Texan singer Dean Beard, with whom they recorded a number of singles that did not chart. When Beard was asked to join the Champs, of Tequila fame, Seals and Crofts came along, relocating to Los Angeles. They stayed with the Champs until 1965, when Crofts returned to Texas. The following year, Seals joined a group called the Dawnbreakers, and Crofts returned to Los Angeles to join as well. Both Seals and Crofts converted to the Baha'i religion in 1969 (10 years later they would leave the music business to devote themselves to it full-time). Following the split of the Dawnbreakers, Seals and Crofts continued as an acoustic music duo (Seals played guitar, saxophone and violin, Crofts guitar and mandolin), recording their first album, which did not chart, for the Talent Associates label. Meanwhile, the pair performed live and built a following. In 1970 DOWN HOME, made the charts and led to a label change to Warner Brothers Records. Their second album for that company, 1972's SUMMER BREEZE, made number 7 on the US charts and the title single reached number 6. (Summer Breeze also provided the Isley Brothers with a UK Top 20 hit in 1974.) It was followed in 1973 by their best-selling DIAMOND GIRL, which also yielded a number 6 title single. They maintained their popularity throughout the mid-'70s, coming up with yet another number 6 single, Get Closer, in 1976. Following the release of the 1978 album TAKIN’ IT EASY and the same-titled single, which became their final chart entries, Seals and Crofts retired from music to devote themselves to their faith.