Hit The Ground Runnin'
Hit The Ground Runnin' | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Genres | Hard Rock, AOR |
| Years active | 1985–1991, 2007, 2022–present |
| Labels | Autograph/BMG, Smash Records, Smash Records, AORHeaven , Pride and Joy |
| Associated acts | Free Delivery |
| Website | http://www.hitthegroundrunnin.com/ |
| Members | Paul Piccari Jimmy Katone Alan Augunas Blair Rumsey Rob Knauss |
| Past members | Bob Cherry Vinnie Martello Kalah Higginbotham Steve Cocchi Craig Soma Johnny G (Died 2011) |
Hit The Ground Runnin' are an American AOR band from Philadelphia, active in the mid to late 1980s and early 1990s. The band over the last 20 years has reunited in 2007 and now with a reformed lineup in 2022.
Biography
Hit The Ground Runnin' is an AOR/Rock group founded in 1985 in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Originally under the name Free Delivery, the original lineup consisted of Paul Piccari (Bass), Alan Augunas (Guitar), Bert Marks (Drums), Blair Rumsey (Vocals), Steve Cocchi (Keyboards) and Rob Knauss (Keyboards). Jimmy Katone (Sanctuary, Escape) replaced Bert Marks in mid-1985 to round out the early lineup. The band, with their own original material "Bad Reputation", "Rock and Roll and Wrestling Connection", "Wam! Bam! Body Slam!" and "Rockin' Again", won the WQIQ "Q Music Battle Competition" for a consecutive record of 15 times from June 24th to October 28th, 1985, hosted by Sal April. Jimmy Katone replaced Bert on drums and Steve Cocchi left in late 1985, and the band would resume as a quintet. In 1986 they were discovered by and introduced to Dan McKeown, a local Philadelphia entertainment TV and music producer, and founder of Power Up records, who worked with the band on some early material that would eventually translate to a production deal with Nise Productions and regular appearances on the show Dancin' on Air and Dance Party USA from 1986-1991. The band, under a new name "Hit The Ground Runnin'", would get a release in 1989 on new BMG affiliated startup Autograph records entitled "Sudden Impact". The band also made a music video for the lead single "Over and Over". The band also performed at the 1989 Monterey Music Pop Festival with Jeff Healey, Billy Preston and War. Hit the Ground Runnin's first album Sudden Impact, produced by McKeown and Paul Piccari, holds the title as the most sought-after rock album in the world,[1] selling on eBay for an average price of $1,088. In 2001, an original copy with autographs sold for $1,950.00.[2] A second release, Control Yourself, slated for 1991 was shelved due to management issues and changing musical tastes and was eventually released in 2000 under Smash Records. A third release entitled HGR was released in 2007. Both albums were subsequently re-released, with Sudden Impact in 2022 on Aorheaven, and Control Yourself in 2023 on Pride and Joy Music.[3] In 2022 the band, for the first time, released material from their Free Delivery days entitled "Lost In Translation" on Pride and Joy Music.[4] Hit The Ground Runnin' has opened up for Blue Oyster Cult, Donny Osmond, Gorky Park, Cinderella, Aldo Nova, Blue Murder, Gorky Park, Britny Fox, Bricklin, Tangier and Heaven's Edge.[5][6]
Current members
- Paul Piccari – Bass, backing vocals
- Jimmy Katone – Drums, backing vocals
- Alan Augunas – Electric Guitars, Acoustic Guitars
- Rob Knauss – Keyboard, Piano, Guitars, Backing Vocals
- Blair Rumsey – Lead Vocals
Former members
- Steve Cocchi – Keyboards, Piano, Guitars, Backing Vocals
- Bob Cherry – Guitar
- Craig Soma - Drums
- Kalah Higginbotham - Keyboards
- Vinnie Martello - Guitars
- Johnny G (Died 2011)- Drums[7]
Timeline
<timeline> ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:18 PlotArea = left:110 bottom:100 top:10 right:20 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1985 till:01/01/2023 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:3 ScaleMajor = increment:1 start:1985
Colors =
id:Vocals value:red legend:Vocals id:lguitar value:teal legend:Guitar,_Keyboards id:Bass value:blue legend:Bass id:Piano value:purple legend:Keyboards,_piano id:Drums value:orange legend:Drums,_percussion
Define $BU1 = 01/01/1985 Define $RU1 = 01/01/2023
BarData =
bar:Rumsey text:"Blair Rumsey" bar:Piccari text:"Paul Piccari" bar:Katone text:"Jimmy Katone" bar:Knauss text:"Rob Knauss" bar:Augunas text:"Alan Augunas" Bar:Steve text:"Steve Cocchi" bar:Martello text:"Vinnie Martello" Bar:Marks text:"Bert Marks" Bar:Higginbotham text:"Kalah Higginbotham" Bar:Cherry text:"Bob Cherry" Bar:Johnny text:"Johnny G" Bar:Craig text:"Craig Soma" Bar:Adam text:"Adam Ferrioli"
PlotData=
width:13 bar:Rumsey from:start till:$BU1 color:Vocals bar:Rumsey from:01/01/1985 till:01/01/1992 color:Vocals bar:Rumsey from:01/01/2007 till:12/01/2007 color:Vocals bar:Rumsey from:01/01/2022 till:end color:Vocals bar:Piccari from:start till:$BU1 color:Bass bar:Piccari from:01/01/1985 till:end color:Bass bar:Katone from:05/01/1985 till:01/01/1991 color:Drums bar:Katone from:01/01/2022 till:end color:Drums bar:Knauss from:01/01/1985 till:01/01/1992 color:Piano bar:Knauss from: 01/01/2022 till:end color:Piano bar:Augunas from:start till:07/01/1990 color:lGuitar bar:Augunas from:01/01/1991 till:01/01/1992 color:lGuitar bar:Augunas from:01/01/2007 till:12/01/2007 color:lGuitar bar:Augunas from:01/01/2022 till:end color:lguitar bar:Martello from:01/01/2007 till:12/01/2007 color:lGuitar bar:Marks from:01/01/1985 till:05/01/1985 color:Drums bar:Higginbotham from:01/01/2007 till:12/01/2007 color:Piano bar:Cherry from:07/01/1990 till:01/01/1991 color:lGuitar bar:Johnny from:07/01/2007 till:12/01/2007 color:Drums bar:Craig from:01/01/1991 till:01/01/1992 color:Drums bar:Adam from:01/01/2007 till:07/01/2007 color:Drums bar:Steve from:01/01/1985 till:01/01/1986 color:Piano
</timeline>
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Album | US | JPN | RIAA Certification | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Sudden Impact | – | – | – | Autograph/BMG/AOR Heaven |
| 2001 | Control Yourself | – | 15 | – | Smash Records/Pride And Joy Music |
| 2007 | HGR | – | – | – | Smash Records/DGB Records |
| 2022 | Lost In Translation | – | – | – | Pride and Joy Music |
Burrn! Magazine July 2023 Import Disk Chart[8]
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RPM 100 Singles | RPM 100 Albums | |||
| 1989 | "Over and Over" | – | – | |
Demos
- Free Delivery (1985)
Other appearances
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Warmth In The Wilderness - A Tribute To Jason Becker | Lion Music/Avalon |
References
- ↑ "CWB -- ROCK RANTS!! THE 107.5 FM BLOG". Smashtvmedia.com. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ↑ "Hit The Ground Runnin' - Sudden Impact". Discogs.com. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ↑ "Control Yourself". Pride and Joy Music. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
- ↑ "Lost In Translation". Pride and Joy Music. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
- ↑ "Hit The Ground Runnin'". Discogs. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Marcus Mason, ed. (2023). The Greatest Rock And Roll Band You Never Heard Of (First ed.). Autograph Publishing. p. 87,113,132. ISBN 1989048935. Search this book on
- ↑ Wilson, Simone (August 30, 2011). "Johnny Giosa, Drummer for L.A. Metal Group Bulletboys, Dies in Car Crash". laweekly.com. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ↑ Kazuo Hirose, ed. (2023). Burrn! Magazine July 2023 (First ed.). Shinko Music Entertainment. p. 43. ASIN B0C5858K38. Search this book on
External links
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