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Dave Bickler

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Dave Bickler
Born (1953-03-31) March 31, 1953 (age 71)
North Dakota, United States
OriginChicago, Illinois, United States
GenresRock
Occupation(s)Musician, Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, Keyboards, Guitar
Years active1972–present
WebsiteOfficial Survivor Web site

Dave Bickler (born 1953) is an American vocalist, best known as the lead singer for the rock band Survivor from 1977–1983. His distinctive vocal was featured on the #1 U.S. hit "Eye of the Tiger". In addition to his wide vocal range, his street-wise image included a trademark beret. Bickler would go on to provide the vocals in advertisements, including the Real Men of Genius Bud Light TV and radio commercials. Bickler has long been an advocate of variety.

Biography

Born in North Dakota.[1] In 1971, Bickler graduated from Benet Academy in Lisle, Illinois.[2] Bickler's career began as one of two lead singers of 1970s American rock group Jamestown Massacre, who recorded their debut album not later than 1972. The Jamestown Massacre single "Summer Sun" was a Billboard Top 100 and Easy Listening chart entry in the summer of 1972. Bickler met Jim Peterik while doing commercial jingles in the mid-1970s.

Bickler currently lives with his family in Chappaqua, New York, a suburb of New York City.[3]

On February 2, 2012, he appeared on The Colbert Report singing a passage from Newt Gingrich's book A Nation Like No Other to the tune of "Eye of the Tiger".[4]

In 2009, Dave Bickler posted several new songs he was writing & recording for a future solo project via his Twitter account & website. As of February 2012 the songs have yet to be released.

Survivor

Bickler is best known as an original member of Survivor from 1977 to 1983. He rejoined with Co-Founders Frankie Sullivan & Jim Peterik in 1993 staying until early 2000. He was a part of the group for their first four albums: Survivor, Premonition, Eye of The Tiger and Caught in the Game. Although primarily serving as the band's lead vocalist during this time, he is also credited with playing keyboards on Survivor's first two albums (including being the sole keyboardist on their debut album,[5] before rhythm guitarist Jim Peterik began to take over the role on Premonition, although future releases would see Peterik replaced in-studio by session musicians).

Survivor experienced their big breakthrough in 1982, when they were asked by Sylvester Stallone to provide the theme song for his movie Rocky III. The song, "Eye of the Tiger", soon turned into one of the biggest hits of the band's career. It had an enormous impact on the Billboard charts, soaring to #1 for seven weeks. The song won the band a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, was voted "Best New Song" by the People's Choice Awards and received an Academy Award nomination. Thanks to the song's success and another Top 20 single, "American Heartbeat", the album Eye of the Tiger peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart. The song remains popular today. It came in at #18 on the "Top 100 Singles" chart in Billboard's 100th Anniversary issue[6] and it is well over the 300,000 mark on the iTunes Store, where it once held #9 on their "Top Soundtrack" chart.

Bickler also can be heard on other Survivor singles including "Somewhere In America", "Rebel Girl", "Poor Man's Son", "Summer Nights", "The One That Really Matters", "American Heartbeat", "Caught In The Game" and "Ever Since the World Began" (this song has a version that was featured on Lock Up movie soundtrack with the voice of Jimi Jamison).

Bickler left the band in late 1983 after he developed polyps on his vocal cords and required surgery and voice rest, a condition that would take a year and a half to recuperate from. Bickler was also unhappy about his lack of a bigger payday he felt was owed him for the multi-platinum success the band had from their hit album Eye of The Tiger released a year earlier.[citation needed] After leaving Survivor, Bickler continued recording with other groups in the Chicago area and doing commercial jingles and ads.

Bickler rejoined Survivor in early 1993 as lead vocalist for a Greatest Hits album on Scotti Bros. featuring two new songs "You Know Who You Are" and "Hungry Years" (which he co-wrote). Bickler recorded new music with the band in hopes of a new album, but ongoing lawsuits and trademark ownership issues with former singer Jimi Jamison halted the release.[citation needed]

Bickler was fired in early 2000 after a brief string of tour dates. On April 1, 2000, it was announced that for the second time Singer Jimi Jamison was the new lead singer of Survivor.

Bickler is credited with co-writing two songs on the Survivor album Reach with Frankie Sullivan: "I Don't" and "One More Chance".

In 2013, it was announced on Survivor's official media sources that guitarist Frankie Sullivan has reunited the current Survivor line-up with Dave Bickler again, now with the band having their two legendary vocalists together for the next tour, Dave Bickler and Jimi Jamison.[7]

Bud Light "Real Men of Genius" radio ads

Since 2000, Bickler has continued his venture in recording commercials and video advertisements. His singing is featured in the successful Budweiser Light "Real American Heroes" and "Real Men of Genius" ad campaign (the decision to change the campaign from Heroes to Genius was made after 9/11) singing plaintively in counterpoint to the wry commentary of voice actor Peter Stacker. Over 100 of these commercials have been recorded and broadcast on sports radio stations and events for over ten years. A handful of CDs from the Bud Light ads have been released and sold over 100,000 copies in its first three weeks of release.

New York Rock Academy

Dave Bickler is currently a mentor at the New York Rock Academy in White Plains, New York.

Discography

With Survivor

References

  1. ^ "About Dave". DaveBickler.com.
  2. ^ Benet Academy
  3. ^ [1]
  4. ^ http://chicagoist.com/2012/02/03/survivor_frontman_sings_gingrichs_b.php
  5. ^ Survivor- self-titled debut album @Discogs.com Retrieved 10-21-2012.
  6. ^ "The Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs (30-21)". Retrieved 2009-05-04.
  7. ^ http://survivorband.com/frankie-sullivan-reunites-four-original-survivor-members-with-dave-bickler-and-jimi-jamison-499

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