Bread
Bread was formed in 1969 when David Gates (b. 11 December 1940, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA), a leading Los Angeles session musician, produced an album for the Pleasure Faire, a group which included vocalist/guitarist Rob Royer. Songwriter James Griffin (b. Memphis, Tennessee, USA) contributed several compositions to the set and the three aspirants then decided to pool resources. All were assured multi-instrumentalists, and although not a commercial success, their debut album established a penchant for melodious soft-rock. Mike Botts (b. Sacramento, California, USA; drums) augmented the group for ON THE WATER, which included the million-selling Make It With You, while MANNA spawned a further gold disc with If, later successfully revived by actor/singer Telly Savalas. Royer was then replaced by keyboard veteran Larry Knechtel (b. Bell, California, USA), but Bread's smooth approach was left unruffled as they scored further international success with immaculate pop songs, Baby I'm-A Want You (1971), Everything I Own and Guitar Man (both 1972). However, increasing friction between Gates and Griffin led to the group's collapse later that year. The combatants embarked on solo careers while Botts joined the Linda Ronstadt Band, but the late period quartet re-convened in 1976 for LOST WITHOUT YOUR LOVE, the title track of which reached the US Top 10. Guitarist Dean Parks augmented the line-up when Griffin resumed his independent direction, but THE GOODBYE GIRL failed to emulate its predecessors and Bread was again disbanded.