Exile
Formed in Berea, Kentucky, USA in 1963 as the Exiles, the band first reached the pop charts in the late '70s before changing musical direction and becoming one of the most successful country bands of the '80s. They toured with the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars in 1965 as back-up band for artists including Brian Hylandand Tommy Roe. In the late '60s they recorded for Date Records and Columbia Records, and in the early '70s for SSS International, Date, Curb and Wooden Nickel. In 1973 they changed their name to Exile and in 1977, recording for Atco Records, they scored their first chart single. After a switch to Warner Brothers Records, Exile had a number 1 pop hit with Kiss You All Over, in 1978. They placed two more singles on that chart before making the switch to country. After numerous personnel changes, the group's membership in 1978, when they had their first hit, was guitarist/vocalist J.P. Pennington, keyboardist Buzz Cornelison, vocalist/guitarist Les Taylor, keyboardist/vocalist Marlon Hargis, bassist/vocalist Sonny Lemaire and drummer Steve Goetzman. Exile's second, and more lucrative career, as a country group, began in 1983 (by which time Cornelison had left). The first country chart single, High Cost Of Leaving, reached number 27, but was followed by four successive number 1 country singles in 1984: Woke Up In Love, I Don't Want To Be A Memory, Give Me One More Chance and Crazy For Your Love. There were six further number 1 country singles by 1987: She's A Miracle, Hang On To Your Heart, I Could Get Used To You, It'll Be Me, She's Too Good To Be True and I Can't Get Close Enough. Hargis was replaced by Lee Carroll in 1985 and Pennington left in 1989, replaced by Paul Martin. The group signed to Arista Records in 1989 with a noticeable drop in its level of commercial success.