ORLEANS THROUGH THE YEARS

THE HISTORY

Twenty five years after the release of their hits "Still The One" and "Dance With Me", Orleans is back. John Hall, Larry Hoppen and Lance Hoppen, all original members of the Woodstock (NY) -based band, are performing again in 2002, their 30th Anniversary!

They continue a surge of activity that began in 1990 with their first live recording and carried them through numerous gigs to an appearance at Woodstock '94 and the 1995 "Can't Stop Rockin' Tour" with Fleetwood Mac, REO Speedwagon and Pat Benatar. And whether they perform electric with drums, or just with acoustic guitars, audiences are reminded of what upstate New York knows: These guys can sing.

Orleans was formed by Hall, Hoppen and drummer Wells Kelly in January 1972, rehearsing in John and Johanna Hall's basement in Saugerties, N.Y. The band's name was taken from the city of New Orleans because in 1972, when they started, they were playing a mixture of R&B with Cajun and Second Line roots and Neville/Toussaint covers.

As the group's music evolved in a more mainstream direction, they added Larry's brother Lance on bass and played hundreds of gigs at clubs in upstate NY, developing their rock/pop sound which led Rolling Stone to call them "the best unrecorded band in the country." Orleans was first signed by ABC and then by David Geffen at Asylum Records, where, under producer Chuck Plotkin's tutelage, they recorded such hits as 'Dance With Me," "Let There Be Music," "Reach" and "Still The One." In concert they shared the stage with Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Little Feat, Chicago, Melissa Manchester, Marshall Tucker and many more.

In 1977, Hall left the group to pursue a solo career. The Hoppen brothers and Wells continued recording and touring as Orleans until the early 80s, recording three more albums in the process and hitting the charts again with "Love Takes Time" and "Forever."

In 1984, when the band was inactive, Wells Kelly died while on tour with Meatloaf in England. Larry and John reunited to sing at a memorial for Kelly and decided to try collaborating again. Coincidentally, that decision came at about that time producer and MCA A&R chief Tony Brown inquired about the possibility of Orleans making a record in Nashville. The result was the 1986 album "Grownup Children," a country crossover effort produced by Brown and former Toto bassist David Hungate, featuring guest appearances by Bela Fleck, Chet Atkins and Ricky Skaggs.

Returning to their rock and roll roots, Orleans recorded a live double CD at the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock in 1990. "Orleans Live" was released in Japan by Pony Canyon, and was the first document of the boisterous, wide ranging and improvisational shows which their fans have come to expect.

In 1991 Orleans embarked on their first tour of Japan, playing to sold out houses in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. The rave reviews and lines of autograph seekers were welcome validation to a band which had struggled to create an identity other than their 70s hits. With creative juices flowing, Orleans withdrew to the studio to begin a project which was released in 1994 in Japan as "Analog Men." After two more years of writing and recording, three of those songs joined 10 new ones on the Dinosaur/ BMG CD, "Ride." However, the label was shortlived.

In 1997 the band took a break which lasted 4 years. Larry moved to Florida and John remarried and relocated to Nashville. In Fall 2001 the band once again reconvened in Woodstock, this time to play at Opus 40, a perennial favorite venue which they had played some 15 years straight. After that show, which was stellar on all counts, they quickly decided to focus on performing in 2002.

A new CD may be in the works shortly. The band has a quickly growing tour schedule for the year. A sure thing is that Orleans is alive, well and still havin' fun.

THE BAND

ORLEANS features glistening harmonies by 3 vocalists who can and do sing lead. Their voice have been featured on a number one Jazz record (Michael Frank's "Dragonfly Summer") and a #1 country record (Steve Wariner'S "You Can Dream Of Me"). While their vocals may be the signature sound that identifies them to most people, Larry, Lance and John are also accomplished writers and instrumentalists.

•   JOHN HALL (guitar, vocals) has been featured as a guitarist on records by Jackson Browne, Little Feat, Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, Carly Simon and others. He has 5 solo albums to his credit, plus 2 as the John Hall Band. John wrote and directed the music for the Broadway play, Morning, Noon And Night and the Obie-winning off-Broadway play, Honest To God Schnozzola).

  With his lyrical partner, Johanna, he has written songs recorded by artists including Janis Joplin, Linda Ronstadt, Bobby Mcferrin, Millie Jackson, Bonnie Raitt, Ricky Skaggs, James Brown, Steve Wariner, Chet Atkins, Chaka Khan, The Doobie Brothers and James Taylor.

  John also produced Bonnie Raitt's third album, Takin' My Time. With Bonnie, Jackson Browne and Graham Nash, he founded Musicians United for Safe Energy (MUSE) in 1979 and co-produced the Warner Brothers triple album No Nukes. The same activism resulted in John being elected to the Ulster County (NY) Legislature, and the Saugerties Board of Education.

•   LARRY HOPPEN (vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards) has the radio voice, the tenor heard singing lead on "Still The One", "Dance With Me" and "Love Takes Time", and "I'm On Your Side." He also wrote "Love Takes Time," "Forever," and many other songs for ORLEANS.

  In addition to his work with ORLEANS, Larry has toured and recorded with Robbie Dupree, Graham Parker, The Screaming Cheetah Wheelies, Garland Jeffreys, Lulu and others.

  Much of Larry's time has been devoted to the charity Sunshine For HIV kids, of which he is a founder. By organizing a benefit concert in 1994, and a 120 radio station auction in 1996, Larry has helped raise money which will send HIV-positive children and their families to summer camps.

•   LANCE HOPPEN (bass, vocals) is the designated harmony singer, the high falsetto whose voice needs no EQ or aural exciter. On the Ride CD, he sings 2 lead vocals, "Heaven" and "In My Dream," and is a writer of those songs and several others as well as co-producer.

  In between ORLEANS projects, Lance has been bassist and musical director for CMA Horizon Award winner Suzy Bogguss, and also worked with Garland Jeffreys, Billie Joe Royal and Ballie And The Boys. Lance is a regular on the Nashville session and showcase scene. Lance has also been active with Peace Celebration, a group of musicians who do performances and workshops at schools focusing on alternatives to violence in resolving conflicts.

COMPLETE DISCOGRAPHY