43: Lou Gramm

There’s not a lot we can say about Lou Gramm that you don’t
already know. As a youngster he sang and played drums for his
band Black Sheep that released a single called “Stick Around.” On
tour with KISS, an icy accident claimed their equipment truck and
the lack of ability to support its albums with live performances
caused the band to disband.


Along the way, Lou met Mick Jones and when Black Sheep disbanded,
it just so happened Jones was in search of a lead singer for a
band he was assembling. That band was Trigger which eventually
was renamed Foreigner.


The bands first eight singles cracked the Billboard Top 20 and
the band was a huge success. Gramm & Jones had a volatile
chemistry but their creativity was second to none. After
Foreigner’s “Agent Provocateur” album took three years to release
due to creative differences between Jones & Gramm, Lou felt
the winds blowing him toward Solo work.


Gramm’s first solo album, 1987’s Ready or Not was met with
critical acclaim and the song “Midnight Blue” cracked the top
five.


The 90s saw Lou doing ample solo work along with providing vocals
for Christian rock band Petra’s Petra Praise 2: We Need Jesus.”
On the eve the band was to head to Japan for a tour, Lou was
diagnosed with a type of brain tumor called a craniopharyngioma.
Even though it was benign, the treatment damaged his pituitary
gland. The recovery program caused him to gain weight, which
likewise affected his stamina and voice. By ‘98, he was back to
touring with Foreigner, playing summer festivals and small
markets.


In 2003, he again departed Foreigner to go solo.


On June 13, 2013, he and Mick Jones were reunited once again, as
inductees to the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Their body of work was
recognized by their peers, and the duo performed “I Want to Know
What Love Is”


After that, Gramm joined Mick Jones, Al Greenwood, Ian McDonald
and the current lineup of Foreigner for three songs at a
Foreigner 40th Anniversary show at Jones Beach Theatre in Long
Island, New York. They continued to do shows with original
members and current members sporadically, during their 2018 tour
dates, filming the shows for later release.


Double Vision: Then and Now, A Celebration Concert Series with
Current & Original Band Members will be released in October
of 2019 and there’s talk of some new recordings coming out with
Lou Gramm on vocals.


On Saturday, August 17, Lou Gramm will be performing as part of
the 80s in the Dells show alongside Asia on the Crystal Grand’s
Indoor Stage.


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