# Favorite local musical artist(that never made it big) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 20, 2019, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-local-musical-artist-that-never-made-it-big/835820 "2019-06-20T22:48:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-local-musical-artist-that-never-made-it-big/835820/21 "2019-06-21T13:38:33Z")
A bit off-topic, but does anyone remember a DC-area group in the late 60s/early 70s, who had a song called “This One’s For You, Carla?” I’ve been trying to figure this out for many years. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-local-musical-artist-that-never-made-it-big/835820/22 "2019-06-21T13:39:07Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I’ve actually heard of Black 47 (and heard more than a little of their music), though I attribute a good part of that to the fact that their singer, Larry Kirwin, has hosted a Celtic music show (Celtic Crush) on SiriusXM for many years. _Funky Ceili_ spent some time in rotation on MTV so I guess it depends on one’s definition of “Making it big”. Better than 99% of bands out there, but still not driving solid gold rocket cars to their private islands. ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-local-musical-artist-that-never-made-it-big/835820/23 "2019-06-21T14:11:55Z")
> [@snoe](#): > > Prediction: you’ll get a lot of answers along the lines of “me,” or “my friend,” or “this person I know.” > > (I have what I think are strong answers in two of those three categories… There you go : one of my uncle’s friends growing up in the early 1970s was [_Pierre Rapsat_](http://https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Rapsat). No you’ve never heard of him. Actually, unless you’re Belgian and over 30, you almost certainly have never heard of him. And yet for a couple of years in the early 1980s, he was on the verge of a major international breakthrough, in French-speaking countries at least. His albums _Lâchez Les Fauves_ (1982) and _Ligne Claire_ were unique in that they combiend the well-written lyrics typical of French chanson with the slick production and musicianship of the most up-to-date English records of the time. He kind of lost his momentum after that, although he remained a central figure of popular music in Belgium until his death in 2002. His songs are still heard on oldies station regularly here and I’m always amazed at how modern they still sound. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-local-musical-artist-that-never-made-it-big/835820/24 "2019-06-21T14:19:13Z")
Similar thread from last year: [Bands you grew up with that you loved but never made it big…](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=859454) In the 80s there was a Cincinnati-based band called [CJSS](https://www.discogs.com/artist/1198457-CJSS) formed by guitar wizard [David T. Chastain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Chastain). They had some regional success, but never really made it “big.” I thought they were really good, and deserved more. ---
**Author:** ![Helmut\_Doork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e8c25b/32.png) [@Helmut\_Doork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helmut_Doork)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-local-musical-artist-that-never-made-it-big/835820/25 "2019-06-21T14:57:03Z")
Ballin’ Jack, an amazing late 60’s brass-rock band that didn’t find success outside the Pacific NW. If you know nothing else of them, you probably will recognize the coda to “Found a Child”- heavily sampled in Young MC’s Bust a Move: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/a2sQ5AReoVg/hqdefault.jpg "Ballin' Jack - Found A Child") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2sQ5AReoVg) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-local-musical-artist-that-never-made-it-big/835820/26 "2019-06-21T15:59:29Z")
Pittsburgh’s own [Norman Nardini](https://www.post-gazette.com/ae/music/2018/09/03/Norman-Nardini-Day-interview-Pittsburgh-rock-Diamond-Reo-Tigers/stories/201809030088) is a good friend of mine. He’s been rocking for over 50 years, and has almost made it big a few times. His first band _Diamond Reo_ had some national acclaim, and his cover of _Smoke Two Joints_ rose to number two on the charts in Germany. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-local-musical-artist-that-never-made-it-big/835820/27 "2019-06-21T16:45:15Z")
[Eva Cassidy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Cassidy) succumbed to cancer at 33 before she could really hit it big. All but two of her CDs were released posthumously. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-local-musical-artist-that-never-made-it-big/835820/28 "2019-06-21T16:54:40Z")
When I lived in Chicago (1983-84) I would go see [Gerry Grossman](http://www.humanjukeboxx.com/http://) all the time. I just looked to see if he was still around. He is. So I’ll give him my vote. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-local-musical-artist-that-never-made-it-big/835820/29 "2019-06-21T18:54:28Z")
There are a ton of great Boston bands that never quite hit the bigs (but should have). My favorite from the late 80s/90s was **O Positive**. The first song of theirs that got big local airplay was _[Talk About Love](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a0S7nl-jP8)_, and I loved them ever since. They put on stellar live shows. Another one that seemed poised to go big but fizzled around the same time was **Heretix**. I saw them perform a few times when I was in college and wore out my copy of their _Adventures of Super Devil_ album. [_Taste_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehLyP-yTqek) was a favorite. ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-local-musical-artist-that-never-made-it-big/835820/30 "2019-06-21T19:30:20Z")
> [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](#): > > There you go : one of my uncle’s friends growing up in the early 1970s was [_Pierre Rapsat_](http://https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Rapsat). No you’ve never heard of him. Actually, unless you’re Belgian and over 30, you almost certainly have never heard of him. > > And yet for a couple of years in the early 1980s, he was on the verge of a major international breakthrough, in French-speaking countries at least. His albums _Lâchez Les Fauves_ (1982) and _Ligne Claire_ (1984)were unique in that they combined the well-written lyrics typical of French chanson with the slick production and musicianship of the most up-to-date English records of the time. He kind of lost his momentum after that, although he remained a central figure of popular music in Belgium until his death in 2002. > > His songs are still heard on oldies stations regularly here and I’m always amazed at how modern they still sound. I think I’ve messed up my link. This should work better : [Pierre Rapsat - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Rapsat) For the record, here’s what French pop sounded like in 1984 : [Peter et Sloane - Besoin De Rien Envie De Toi](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Fv02yIcpuQ) And here’s **Rapsat** ’s _Illusions_, from the same year: [**Pierre Rapsat** - _Illusions_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G-bLzzHf-A) Not quite the same world. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-local-musical-artist-that-never-made-it-big/835820/31 "2019-06-21T20:36:45Z")
Jerry Riopelle was not native, but was a huge local favorite due to radio mostly and his annual New Year’s shows. Not unheard of nationally, but not a charting guy. He passed very recently. > **[Jerry Riopelle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Riopelle)** > > Jerry Riopelle (May 5, 1941 – December 24, 2018) was an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer born in Detroit, and raised in Tampa, Florida, and known primarily for his hard rock performances and for his record production. He mixed rock, country and jazz with R&B and was an inductee into the Arizona Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame. > Riopelle began his music career in the 1960s in Los Angeles working as an independent record producer. He played drums for The Hollywood Argy... ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-local-musical-artist-that-never-made-it-big/835820/32 "2019-06-21T22:26:55Z")
Back years ago, I happened on a Syracuse band called “Harpy.” They were not you usual bar band, playing progressive rock originals with a theatrical stage show. People actually stopped dancing to watch them. The group broke up and reformed at “805,” and got a contract from RCA. But they were neglected and never had any success. Too bad. Harpy showed a lot of talent. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2019, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-local-musical-artist-that-never-made-it-big/835820/33 "2019-06-23T01:10:52Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Similar thread from last year: > > [Bands you grew up with that you loved but never made it big…](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=859454) Ha! I said almost the identical thing in that thread as I said here. Not sure if that is funny, or scary. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2019, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-local-musical-artist-that-never-made-it-big/835820/34 "2019-06-23T03:20:14Z")
The [Beer Dawgs](https://www.discogs.com/artist/5824964-Beer-Dawgs). My buddy Deron and I saw them at the Hogshead Brewpub practically every Thursday night for several years while we were in college. They won so many SAMMIE awards (Sacramento Music Awards) that they were eventually inducted into the “Hall of Fame” so that other bands could have a chance. ---
**Author:** ![Newtosite](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/newtosite/32/8623_2.png) [@Newtosite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newtosite)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2019, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-local-musical-artist-that-never-made-it-big/835820/35 "2019-06-23T10:33:28Z")
The San Francisco Bay area’s Joe Sharino. I saw him perform in the 70’s. [http://www.jsband.com/theband.htm](http://www.jsband.com/theband.htm) ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2019, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-local-musical-artist-that-never-made-it-big/835820/36 "2019-06-23T14:34:15Z")
Siegel Schwaal, saw them many times in Wisconsin in the 70’s ---
**Author:** ![Sassy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Sassy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sassy)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2019, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-local-musical-artist-that-never-made-it-big/835820/37 "2019-06-27T20:23:44Z")
[Tommy Castro](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9WKG9cpo68) (youtube link) Still around, still underappreciated [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-local-musical-artist-that-never-made-it-big/835820.md?page=1)