L to R: Joe Puerta, Ken Stacey, Mary Harris, Christopher North, Doug Jackson, Burleigh Drummond. (Photo: Jusdafax)
Legendary 1970s band Ambrosia will be rocking New Hope Winery on Aug. 12.
Ambrosia came together in Southern California in 1970. The group enjoyed five Top 40 hit singles between 1975 and 1980, including “How Much I Feel” and “Biggest Part of Me,” but main part of their work is considered melodic-progressive in nature. Most of the original band members have remained active with the group.
Exploring the possibilities of progressive, classical and world influences, yet rooted with the soul of the blues and R&B, Joseph Puerta, Christopher North, David Pack and Burleigh Drummond created a new sound that was originally intended to be America’s answer to progressive English acts like King Crimson and Yes.
Ambrosia in the 1970s. (Photo: Jusdafax)
Their first album, “Ambrosia,” was produced by Freddie Piro, and released in February 1975. It produced the Top 20 chart single “Holdin’ On To Yesterday,” along with “Nice, Nice, Very Nice” (based on the lyrics to a poem in Kurt Vonnegut’s “Cat’s Cradle”). Alan Parsons was the engineer on the alkbun, which was nominated for a Grammy award for Best Engineered Recording.
Their biggest pop music score came in in 1978 with their first Gold single, “How Much I Feel.” In April 1980, Ambrosia released the album “One Eighty,” which spawned two of the year’s biggest hits — “Biggest Part of Me,” which reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100, and “You’re the Only Woman (You & I)” reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. All together, “One Eighty” earned the band three Grammy nominations.
Ambrosia will rock the New Hope Winery at 8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 12 (doors open at 6 p.m.). Tickets are $45; (215) 794-2331. New Hope Winery is located at 6123 Lower York Road (U.S. 202).
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