Dave & Sugar was a pop-styled American country music trio which enjoyed its peak success in the mid- to late-1970s. The trio consisted of lead singer Dave Rowland and initially on backing vocals, Vicki Hackeman and Jackie Frantz. Over time, the female members ("Sugar") of the group changed: Frantz was replaced by Sue Powell in 1977, who in turn was replaced by Jamie Kaye in 1980, while Hackeman was replaced by Melissa Dean (Etta Britt) in January 1979.[1] Overall, Dave & Sugar charted 16 times on the Billboard country charts, including three No. 1 hits: "The Door Is Always Open", "Tear Time" and "Golden Tears". Powell also had two chart singles outside the group. Dave & Sugar were sometimes called "The country ABBA" because of their slickly produced sound as well as blend of male and female voices.

Dave & Sugar
OriginNashville, Tennessee, U.S.
GenresCountry
Years active1975–1982
LabelsRCA, Elektra
Past membersLisa Alvey
Etta Britt as M. Dean
Jackie Frantz
Vicki Hackeman
Jamie Kaye
Regina Leigh
Lori Mason
Sue Powell
Dave Rowland
Cindy Smith

Background

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The trio was founded and fronted by Dave Rowland, born in Sanger, California, raised in Los Angeles, California[2] (January 26, 1944 – November 1, 2018), while two female vocalists made up the "Sugar" part. The "Sugar" line-up changed several times during the group's run of success, while the two original singers were Jackie Frantz and Vicki Hackeman.[3]

Before forming Dave & Sugar, Rowland was part of J.D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet (who was touring with Elvis Presley at the time), and later the Four Guys.[4] He also was a prominent member of country singer Charley Pride's road show.[5] By 1975, with Pride looking for a backup band, Rowland hired Frantz and Hackeman, and Dave & Sugar was formed.[3] They signed a deal with RCA Records.

The trio's first single, "Queen of the Silver Dollar" (written by Shel Silverstein, and originally recorded by Dr. Hook in 1972, and also included on Emmylou Harris' debut solo album earlier in 1975) broke into the Top 25 of Billboard's country singles chart in early 1976.[3] Their next single, "The Door Is Always Open", became their first No. 1 hit in July.[3] Their peak run garnered nearly one dozen Top 10 singles, including two more No. 1 hits - "Tear Time" (1978) and "Golden Tears" (1979).[3]

Rowland disbanded the trio briefly during the early 1980s to try a solo career,[3] releasing an album entitled (appropriately) Sugar Free and charting two singles of his own.[5] Powell also charted two singles on RCA as a soloist, and later went on to host the TV series Nashville on the Road.[6] Rowland later reformed the trio with two new sets of "Sugar" partners: Cindy Smith and Lisa Alvey, followed by Regina Leigh and Lori Mason.[4] However, these second-era trios failed to gain the popularity the original trios had in the 1970s and the group disbanded for good after only minimal success. In 1997, former Sugar member Leigh formed the short-lived country duo Regina Regina with partner Regina Nicks.[7]

On November 1, 2018, Rowland died due to complications from a stroke in his Nashville home at the age of 74.[8]

Discography

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Albums

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Year Album Chart Positions Label
US Country US CAN Country
1976 Dave & Sugar 3 RCA Victor
1977 That's the Way Love Should Be 10 157
1978 Tear Time 8 4
1979 Stay with Me / Golden Tears 20
1980 New York Wine Tennessee Shine 47
1981 Greatest Hits 35 179
Pleasure 31 Elektra

Dave Rowland solo albums

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Year Album Chart Positions Label
US Country
1982 Sugar Free 56 Elektra

Singles

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Year Single Chart Positions Album
US Country US AC AUS[9] CAN Country CAN AC
1975 "Queen of the Silver Dollar" 25 61 21 Dave & Sugar
1976 "The Door Is Always Open" 1 84 1
"I'm Gonna Love You" 3 2
1977 "Don't Throw It All Away" 5 32 5 34 That's the Way Love Should Be
"That's the Way Love Should Be" 7 45 6 33
"I'm Knee Deep in Loving You" 2 4
1978 "Gotta' Quit Lookin' at You Baby" 4 9 Tear Time
"Tear Time" 1 3
1979 "Golden Tears" 1 2 Stay with Me / Golden Tears
"Stay with Me" 6
"My World Begins and Ends with You"/"Why Did You Have to Be So Good"[a] 4 7
1980 "New York Wine and Tennessee Shine" 18 10 New York Wine Tennessee Shine
"A Love Song" 40
1981 "It's a Heartache" 32 37 Greatest Hits
"Fool By Your Side"[b] 6 Pleasure
"The Pleasure's All Mine"[b] 32

Dave Rowland solo singles

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Year Single Chart Positions Album
US Country
1982 "Natalie"/"Why Didn't I Think of That"[c] 77 Sugar Free
"Lovin' Our Lives Away" 84

Sue Powell solo singles

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Year Single Chart Positions
US Country
1981 "Midnite Flyer" 57
"(There's No Me) Without You" 49
Notes
  1. ^ "My World Begins and Ends with You"/"Why Did You Have to Be So Good" charted as a double A-side in the United States, but only "My World Begins and Ends with You" charted in Canada.
  2. ^ a b Credited to "Dave Rowland & Sugar".
  3. ^ Charted as a double A-side.

Awards

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Year Nominated work Category Result Notes
Country Music Association
1976 "The Door Is Always Open" - RCA Single of the Year Nominated Dave Rowland, Jackie Frantz, Vicki Hackeman[10]
1976 Dave & Sugar Vocal Group of the Year Nominated Dave Rowland, Jackie Frantz, Vicki Hackeman[10]
1977 Dave & Sugar Vocal Group of the Year Nominated Dave Rowland, Sue Powell, Vicki Hackeman[11]
1978 Dave & Sugar Vocal Group of the Year Nominated Dave Rowland, Sue Powell, Etta Britt (as M.Dean)[12]
1979 Dave & Sugar Vocal Group of the Year Nominated Dave Rowland, Sue Powell, Etta Britt [13]

References

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  1. ^ "Dave & Sugar Biography". MusicCityAttractions.com. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  2. ^ "Country singer Dave Rowland, leader of Dave & Sugar, dies at 74". usatoday.com. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 632/3. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
  4. ^ a b Brennan, Sandra. "Dave & Sugar biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
  5. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 115. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  6. ^ Whitburn, p. 328
  7. ^ Patterson, Jim (5 March 1997). "Regina Regina hopes pairing pays off". Lawrence Journal-World. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
  8. ^ "Dave & Sugar Singer Dave Rowland Dead at 74". Tasteofcountry.com. 2 November 2018. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  9. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 82. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  10. ^ a b "CMA AWARDS // ARCHIVE 1976". CMT. 1976. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  11. ^ "CMA AWARDS // ARCHIVE 1977". CMT. 1977. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  12. ^ "CMA AWARDS // ARCHIVE 1978". CMT. 1978. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  13. ^ "CMA AWARDS // ARCHIVE 1979". CMT. 1979. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2013.