Biography

b. 7 January 1948, Everett, Washington, USA. Loggins, who began his career as a staff writer for Wingate Music, came to prominence as a member of Loggins And Messina from 1972-77. After separating from Jim Messina, he set out on a solo recording career, specialising in rock ballads such as "Whenever I Call You 'Friend'", a 1978 US Top 5 hit which was co-written by Melissa Manchester and had harmony vocals by Stevie Nicks. In 1979, Loggins enjoyed a Top 20 hit with "This Is It" and co-wrote the Doobie Brothers' million-selling US chart-topper "What A Fool Believes" with the band's singer, Michael McDonald. The US Top 20 hit "Don't Fight It', meanwhile, was a collaboration with Journey singer Steve Perry. During the 80s, Loggins came to prominence as a writer and performer of theme songs for the new breed of Hollywood action movies. Beginning with 1980"s Top 10 hit "I'm Alright' (from Caddyshack) and 1984"s chart-topping title song from Footloose (also a UK Top 10 hit), he reached his commercial peak with the soundtrack of Top Gun in 1986. As well as co-writing several of the songs used in the movie, Loggins recorded the US number 2 hit, "Danger Zone'. This was followed by music for 1988"s Caddyshack II, including another US Top 10 hit, "Nobody's Fool". He had a minor hit with "Conviction Of The Heart" in 1991, taken from his "divorce" album, Leap Of Faith. Six years later he concurrently released an album and book detailing his remarriage. His most successful recordings in recent years have been two children's albums named after his first ever hit song, "House At Pooh Corner", which the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band took into the US charts in 1971.
DISCOGRAPHY: Celebrate Me Home (Columbia 1977)***, Nightwatch (Columbia 1978)***, Keep The Fire (Columbia 1979)****, Alive (Columbia 1980)***, High Adventure (Columbia 1982)***, Vox Humana (Columbia 1985)**, Back To Avalon (Columbia 1988)**, Leap Of Faith (Columbia 1991)**, Outside From The Redwoods - An Acoustic Afternoon (Columbia 1993)***, Return To Pooh Corner (Sony Wonder 1994)***, The Unimaginable Life (Sony 1997)**, December (Sony 1998)***, More Songs From Pooh Corner (Sony Wonder 2000)***, Christmas Time Is Here (Sony 2001)**, It's About Time (All The Best 2003)***.
COMPILATIONS: At His Best (Hollywood 1992)***, Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow: The Greatest Hits Of Kenny Loggins (Columbia 1997)***, The Essential Kenny Loggins (Columbia/Legacy 2002)****.
VIDEOGRAPHY: Alive (CBS/Fox 1981), Outside From The Redwoods (Sony Music Video 1993), Return To Pooh Corner (Sony Wonder 1996).
BIBLIOGRAPHY: The Unimaginable Life: Lessons Learned On The Path Of Love, Kenny And Julia Loggins.

Encyclopedia of Popular Music
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