Robert Clark Seger ( ; born May 6, 1945) is a retired American singer, songwriter, and musician. As a locally successful
Detroit
Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
-area artist, he performed and recorded with the groups Bob Seger and the Last Heard and the Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s, breaking through with his first album, ''
Ramblin' Gamblin' Man'' (which contained his first national hit of the same name) in 1969. By the early 1970s, he had dropped the 'System' from his recordings and continued to strive for broader success with various other bands. In 1973, he put together
the Silver Bullet Band, with a group of Detroit-area musicians, with whom he became most successful on the national level with the album ''
Live Bullet'' (1976), recorded live in 1975 at
Cobo Hall. In 1976, he achieved a national breakout with the studio album ''
Night Moves''. On his studio albums, he also worked extensively with the
Alabama
Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
-based
Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section is a group of American session musicians based in the northern Alabama town of Muscle Shoals. One of the most prominent American studio house bands from the 1960s to the 1980s, these musicians, individually or a ...
, which appeared on several of Seger's best-selling singles and albums.
A
roots rock musician known for his raspy, powerful voice, Seger is one of the best-known artists of the
heartland rock genre, with his songs often concerning love, women, and
blue-collar
A blue-collar worker is a person who performs manual labor or skilled trades. Blue-collar work may involve skilled or unskilled labor. The type of work may involve manufacturing, retail, warehousing, mining, carpentry, electrical work, custodia ...
themes. Among his many hits are "
Night Moves", "
Turn the Page", "
Mainstreet
"Mainstreet" is a song written and recorded by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band. It was released in April 1977 as the second single from the album '' Night Moves''. The song peaked at number 24 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and has become a sta ...
", "
Still the Same", "
Hollywood Nights", "
Against the Wind", "
You'll Accomp'ny Me
"You'll Accomp'ny Me" is a song written and recorded by American rock music, rock singer Bob Seger. It appears on his album ''Against the Wind (album), Against the Wind''.
Content
The song is in the key of E major with a main chord pattern of A� ...
", "
Shame on the Moon
"Shame on the Moon" is a song written and recorded by Rodney Crowell on his 1981 self-titled album. It was covered by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band as the lead single from their 1982 album '' The Distance''.
Glenn Frey joined Seger on ba ...
", "
Roll Me Away
"Roll Me Away" is a song written by American rock artist Bob Seger on the album '' The Distance'' by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band. The song was used as Seger's opening song on his Face the Promise tour in 2006–2007, his first tour in a ...
", "
Like a Rock", and "
Shakedown", the last of which was written for the 1987 film ''
Beverly Hills Cop II
''Beverly Hills Cop II'' is a 1987 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Tony Scott, written by Larry Ferguson and Warren Skaaren, and starring Eddie Murphy. It is the sequel to the 1984 film '' Beverly Hills Cop'' and the second ...
'' and topped the
'' Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. His recording of "
Old Time Rock and Roll
"Old Time Rock and Roll" is a song written by George Jackson and Thomas E. Jones III, with uncredited lyrics by Bob Seger. It was recorded by Seger for his tenth studio album '' Stranger in Town.'' It was also released as a single in 1979. It ...
" was named one of the
Songs of the Century
The "Songs of the Century" list is part of an education project by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the National Endowment for the Arts, and Scholastic Inc. that aims to "promote a better understanding of America's musical an ...
in 2001, and he co-wrote the
Eagles
Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...
' number-one hit "
Heartache Tonight".
With a career spanning six decades, Seger has sold over 75 million records worldwide, making him one of the
world's best-selling artists of all time. Seger was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...
in 2004 and the
Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) is an American institution founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music publisher/songwriter Abe Olman, and publisher/executive Howie Richmond to honor those whose work represent and maintain the heri ...
in 2012.
Seger was named ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' 2015 Legend of Live honoree at the 12th annual
''Billboard'' Touring Conference & Awards, held November 18–19 at the
Roosevelt Hotel in New York. His farewell tour took place in 2018 and 2019.
Early years
Seger was born at
Henry Ford Hospital
Henry Ford Hospital (HFH) is an 877-bed tertiary care hospital, education and research complex at the western edge of the New Center, Detroit, New Center area in Detroit, Michigan. The flagship facility for the Henry Ford Health System, it wa ...
in
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
, the son of Charlotte and Stewart Seger. At age five, he moved with his family to
Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851, making it the List of municipalities in Michigan, fifth-most populous cit ...
. He had an older brother, George.
[
Seger's father, a medical technician for ]Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational corporation, multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. T ...
, played several instruments and Seger was exposed to music from an early age.[ Seger was also exposed to frequent arguments between his parents that disturbed the neighborhood at night.][ In 1956, when Seger was 10 years old, his father abandoned the family and moved to ]California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
.[ The remaining family soon lost their comfortable ]middle-class
The middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. Commo ...
status and struggled financially.[
Seger attended Tappan Junior High School (now Tappan Middle School) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and graduated in 1963 from Ann Arbor High School, now known as Pioneer High School. He ran track and field in high school. Seger also went to Lincoln Park High School for a time.]
Regarding his early musical inspirations, Seger has stated, "Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American singer, pianist, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the "Ar ...
– he was the first one that really got to me. Little Richard and, of course, Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...
." " Come Go with Me" by The Del-Vikings, a hit in 1957, was the first record he bought.
Regional favorite and first national hit: 1961–1976
The Decibels and The Town Criers
Bob Seger arrived on the Detroit music scene in 1961 fronting a three-piece band called the Decibels. The band included Seger on guitar, piano, keyboards, and vocals, Pete Stanger on guitar, and R.B. Hunter on drums. All of the members attended Ann Arbor High. The Decibels recorded an acetate
An acetate is a salt formed by the combination of acetic acid with a base (e.g. alkaline, earthy, metallic, nonmetallic, or radical base). "Acetate" also describes the conjugate base or ion (specifically, the negatively charged ion called ...
demo of a song called "The Lonely One", at Del Shannon
Charles Weedon Westover (December 30, 1934 – February 8, 1990), better known by his stage name Del Shannon, was an American musician, singer and songwriter, best known for his 1961 number-one ''Billboard'' hit " Runaway", which was covered la ...
's studio in 1961. As well as being Seger's first original song, "The Lonely One" was Seger's first song to be played on the radio, airing once on an Ann Arbor radio station. In 2021, a recording of "The Lonely One" resurfaced, and was broadcast (with permission from Seger) twice on WCSX-FM in Detroit.
After the Decibels disbanded, Seger joined the Town Criers, a four-piece band with Seger on lead vocals, John Flis on bass, Pep Perrine on drums, and Larry Mason on lead guitar. The Town Criers, covering songs like " Louie Louie", grew a steady following. Meanwhile, Seger was listening to James Brown
James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by Honorific nick ...
and said that, for him and his friends, '' Live at the Apollo'' was their favorite record following its release in 1963. Seger was also influenced by the music of The Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
, once they hit American shores in 1964. In general, he and local musician friends such as Glenn Frey (later a member of the Eagles
Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...
) bought into the premises of 1960s pop and rock radio, with its hook-driven hits; he later recalled himself and Frey thinking at the time, "You're nobody if you can't get on the radio."
Doug Brown & The Omens
As the Town Criers landed more gigs, Seger met Doug Brown, who fronted The Omens. Seger joined the band, as they were more established than the Town Criers. While Brown was the primary lead vocalist, Seger took the lead on some R&B numbers[ and made his first appearance on an officially released recording, the 1965 single "TGIF" (backed with "First Girl"), credited to Doug Brown and The Omens. Seger later appeared on Doug Brown and The Omens' parody of Barry Sadler's song " Ballad of the Green Berets", re-titled "Ballad of the Yellow Beret", which mocked draft evaders. Soon after its release, Sadler and his label threatened Brown and his band with a lawsuit, and the recording was withdrawn.][Rolling Stone Editors. ''The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll: Revised and Updated for the 21st Century''. New York: Fireside, 2001.]
While with The Omens, Seger met his future manager Edward "Punch" Andrews, who at the time was partnered with Dave Leone running the Hideout franchise, consisting of four clubs ranging from Clawson to Rochester Hills, where local acts could play, and a small-scale record label. Seger started writing and producing other acts that Punch managed, such as the Mama Cats and the Mushrooms (with Glenn Frey). Seger and Brown were then approached by Punch and Leone to write a song for the Underdogs, a local band who recently had a hit with "Man in the Glass". Seger contributed a song called " East Side Story", which was unsuccessful.
The Last Heard
Seger decided to record "East Side Story" and officially left the Omens (though he retained Brown as a producer). As Bob Seger and the Last Heard, Seger released his version of the song on Hideout Records in 1966, and it became his first big Detroit hit. The single (backed with "East Side Sound", an instrumental version of the single's A Side) sold 50,000 copies locally and led to a contract with Cameo-Parkway Records. Though the name "The Last Heard" originally referred to the collection of Omens and Town Criers who recorded "East Side Story" with Seger, it soon became the name of Seger's band, made up of former Town Crier Pep Perrine on drums, Carl Lagassa on guitar, and Dan Honaker on bass. Following "East Side Story", the group released four more singles: the James Brown
James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by Honorific nick ...
-inspired holiday single "Sock It to Me Santa", the Dylan-esque "Persecution Smith", "Vagrant Winter", and perhaps the most notable, " Heavy Music", in 1967. "Heavy Music", which outsold "East Side Story", had the potential to break out nationally when Cameo-Parkway went out of business. It was a top 100 hit in Canada, where it topped out on the national RPM charts at ; in the US, it just missed the Hot 100, peaking on the "bubbling under" chart at . The song would stay in Seger's live act for many years to come.
The Bob Seger System
After Cameo-Parkway folded, Seger and Punch searched for a new label. In the spring of 1968, Bob Seger & the Last Heard signed with major label Capitol Records
Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007), and simply known as Capitol, is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-base ...
, turning down Motown Records
Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...
, who offered more money than Capitol. Seger felt that Capitol was more appropriate for his genre than Motown.[
Capitol changed the name of the band to The Bob Seger System. In the transition between labels, guitarist Carl Lagassa left, and keyboard player Bob Schultz joined. The System's first single was the anti-war message song " 2 + 2 = ?", reflecting a marked change in Seger's political attitude from "The Ballad of the Yellow Beret". The single was a hit in Detroit and reached number 1 in ]Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...
and Orlando, Florida
Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...
, but went unnoticed almost everywhere else and failed to chart nationally in the US. The single did, however, make the Canadian national charts, peaking at .
The second single was " Ramblin' Gamblin' Man". It was a major hit in Michigan
Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
, and became Seger's first nationwide hit, peaking at . Its success led to the release of an album in 1969. '' Ramblin' Gamblin' Man'' went to on the ''Billboard'' pop albums chart. Glenn Frey got his first studio gig singing back-up and playing guitar on "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man".
Seger was unable to follow up this success. For the next album, singer-songwriter Tom Neme joined The System, ultimately writing and singing the majority of the tunes featured, for which the group was heavily criticized. ''Noah
Noah (; , also Noach) appears as the last of the Antediluvian Patriarchs (Bible), patriarchs in the traditions of Abrahamic religions. His story appears in the Hebrew Bible (Book of Genesis, chapters 5–9), the Quran and Baháʼí literature, ...
'' (1969) failed to chart, leading Seger to briefly quit the music industry to attend college. He returned the following year and put out the System's final album, 1970's ''Mongrel
A mongrel, mutt, or mixed-breed dog is a dog that does not belong to one officially recognized breed, including those that result from intentional breeding. Although the term ''mixed-breed dog'' is sometimes preferred, many mongrels have no kn ...
'', without Neme. Bob Schultz left as well, and was replaced by Dan Watson. ''Mongrel'', with the powerful single "Lucifer
The most common meaning for Lucifer in English is as a name for the Devil in Christian theology.
He appeared in the King James Version of the Bible in Isaiah and before that in the Vulgate (the late-4th-century Latin translation of the Bib ...
", was considered a strong album by critics and fans, but failed to sell. The Bob Seger System was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in 2006.
Solo
After ''Mongrel'' failed to live up to the success of ''Ramblin' Gamblin' Man'', The System disbanded. For a short time following the breakup, Seger had ambitions to be a one-man act.[Tom Weschler and ]Gary Graff
Gary Graff (born 1960) is an American music journalist and author.
Biography
Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Graff attended Taylor Allderdice High School where he wrote for school newspaper ''The Taylor Allderdice Foreword''.
He recei ...
. ''Travelin' Man: On the road and behind the scenes with Bob Seger''. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press, 2009. In 1971, he released a solo album, the all-acoustic '' Brand New Morning''. It was a commercial failure and led to his departure from Capitol.[
Having thus regained an eye for bands,] Seger started playing with the duo Teegarden & Van Winkle, who in 1970 had a hit with "God, Love, and Rock & Roll". Together they recorded '' Smokin' O.P.'s'' (1972), released on Punch Andrews' own Palladium Records. The album mainly consisted of covers, spawning a minor hit with a version of Tim Hardin
James Timothy Hardin (December 23, 1941 – December 29, 1980) was an American folk music and blues singer-songwriter and guitarist. In addition to his own success, his songs " If I Were a Carpenter", " Reason to Believe", " Misty Roses" and " ...
's " If I Were a Carpenter" ( the US), though it did feature "Someday", a new Seger original, and a re-release of "Heavy Music". The album reached 180 on the Billboard 200.
After spending most of 1972 touring with Teegarden & Van Winkle, Seger left to put together a new backing band, referred to as both My Band and the Borneo Band, made up of musicians from Tulsa
Tulsa ( ) is the second-most-populous city in the state of Oklahoma, after Oklahoma City, and the 48th-most-populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tul ...
. Jamie Oldaker, Dick Sims, and Marcy Levy were all members of My Band before joining Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...
. In 1973, Seger put out '' Back in '72'', recorded partly with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section is a group of American session musicians based in the northern Alabama town of Muscle Shoals. One of the most prominent American studio house bands from the 1960s to the 1980s, these musicians, individually or a ...
, a renowned group of session musician
A session musician (also known as studio musician or backing musician) is a musician hired to perform in a recording session or a live performance. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a reco ...
s who had recorded with the likes of J. J. Cale
John Weldon "J. J." Cale (December 5, 1938 – July 26, 2013) was an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Though he avoided the limelight, his influence as a musical artist has been acknowledged by figures such as Neil Young, Mark Knopf ...
and Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Honored as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Soul", she was twice named by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine as the Roll ...
.[Segerfile.com: Back in '72](_blank)
. "Working with Muscle Shoals". Excerpted from Chris Cioe, Musician
A musician is someone who Composer, composes, Conducting, conducts, or Performing arts#Performers, performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general Terminology, term used to designate a person who fol ...
. "Bob Seger: Hymns from the heartland". According to Seger, there was a financial misunderstanding with the musicians: they offered to record him "for $1500 a side", which he took to mean $1500 per album side. When he found out that they meant $1500 per song, he left after recording three songs but resolved to work with them in the future. ''Back in '72'' featured the studio version of Seger's later live classic " Turn the Page"; "Rosalie", a song Seger wrote about CKLW music director Rosalie Trombley (and which was later recorded by Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. The band initially consisted of bass guitarist, lead vocalist and principal songwriter Phil Lynott, drummer Brian Downey, guitarist Eric Bell and organist Eric Wrixon although Wr ...
); and " I've Been Working", a song originally by Van Morrison
Sir George Ivan "Van" Morrison (born 31 August 1945) is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician whose recording career started in the 1960s. Morrison's albums have performed well in the UK and Ireland, with more than 40 reaching the UK ...
, a strong influence on Seger's musical development. Despite the strength of Seger's backup musicians, the album only reached 188 on the US charts and faded into obscurity. Even so, ''Back in '72'' and its supporting tour mark the beginnings of Seger's long-time relationships with future Silver Bullet Band saxophonist Alto Reed, powerhouse female vocalist Shaun Murphy
Shaun Peter Murphy (born 10 August 1982) is an English professional snooker player who won the 2005 World Snooker Championship, 2005 World Championship and has completed the Triple Crown (snooker), Triple Crown. Nicknamed "The Magician", Murp ...
, and the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. Over the tour, My Band would prove to be unreliable, which frustrated Seger. By the end of 1973, Seger left My Band in search of a new backing band. Throughout 1974–75, Seger continued to perform in local venues around his hometown while known as the Bob Seger Group including one renowned concert in Davisburg, Michigan, called the "Battle of the Bands".
The Silver Bullet Band
In 1974, Seger formed the Silver Bullet Band. Its original members were guitarist Drew Abbott, drummer and backing vocalist Charlie Allen Martin, keyboardist and backing vocalist Rick Manasa, bass guitarist Chris Campbell, and saxophonist and backing vocalist Alto Reed. With this new band sitting in occasionally, Seger released '' Seven'' (1974), which contained the Detroit-area hard-rock hit "Get Out of Denver". This track was a modest success and charted at nationally.
In 1975, Seger returned to Capitol for '' Beautiful Loser'', with help from the Silver Bullet Band (with new keyboardist Robyn Robbins replacing Manasa) on his cover of the Tina Turner
Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifyin ...
penned " Nutbush City Limits". The album's single " Katmandu", later featured in ''Mask
A mask is an object normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance, or entertainment, and often employed for rituals and rites. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practical purposes, ...
'', was Seger's first national break-out since "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man". Although it just missed the US Pop Top 40 – peaking at – the song received strong airplay in several markets nationwide including Detroit.
In April 1976, Seger and the Silver Bullet Band released '' Live Bullet'', recorded over two nights at Detroit's Cobo Arena in September 1975. It contained Seger's rendition of "Nutbush City Limits" as well as his classic take on life on the road, " Turn the Page", from ''Back in '72''. It also included his late 1960s successful releases – "Heavy Music" and "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man". Critic Dave Marsh
Dave Marsh (born ) is an American music critic and radio talk show host. He was an early editor of '' Creem'' magazine, has written for various publications such as ''Newsday'', ''The Village Voice'', and ''Rolling Stone'', and has published num ...
later wrote that "''Live Bullet'' is one of the best live albums ever made ... In spots, particularly during the medley of "Travelin' Man"/"Beautiful Loser" on side one, Seger sounds like a man with one last shot at the top." An instant best-seller in Detroit, ''Live Bullet'' got attention in other parts of the country, outselling Seger's previous albums, received progressive rock radio and album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock (AOR, originally called album-oriented radio) is an FM radio format created in the United States in the late 1960s that focuses on the full repertoire of rock albums and is currently associated with classic rock.
US rad ...
airplay, and enabled Seger to headline shows. But there was still a popularity imbalance; in 1976, he was a featured performer at the Pontiac Silverdome
The Pontiac Silverdome (also known as the Silverdome) was a stadium in Pontiac, Michigan. It opened in 1975 and sat on 199 acres (51 ha) of land. When the stadium opened, it featured a fiberglass fabric roof held up by air pressure, the fi ...
in metro Detroit in front of nearly 80,000 fans, but one night later played to fewer than a thousand people in Chicago.
Peak of success: 1976–1987
Seger finally achieved his commercial breakthrough with his October 1976 album '' Night Moves''. The title track was critically and commercially well-received, becoming a hit on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and receiving airplay on AOR radio. The album also featured "Mainstreet
"Mainstreet" is a song written and recorded by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band. It was released in April 1977 as the second single from the album '' Night Moves''. The song peaked at number 24 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and has become a sta ...
" (written about Ann Arbor's Ann Street), a hit that emphasized Seger's rock credibility as well as guitarist Pete Carr's lead guitar, and " Rock and Roll Never Forgets", which peaked at on the Billboard Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), ...
. ''Night Moves'' was Seger's first top-ten album in the Billboard album chart, and as of 2006 was certified at 6 million copies in the United States, making it the biggest-selling studio album of his career. The success of ''Night Moves'' also bolstered sales of Seger's previous releases. Seger's 1975 release ''Beautiful Loser'' would eventually sell two million copies and the 1976 album ''Live Bullet'' would go on to sell six million copies in the United States.
In February 1977, Silver Bullet Band drummer Charlie Allen Martin was hit by a car from behind while walking on a service road and was left unable to walk. David Teegarden, previous drummer for Seger on his 1972 album '' Smokin' O.P.'s'' was his replacement.
The 1978 album '' Stranger in Town'' was a success. The first single, " Still the Same", reached on the ''Billboard Hot 100''. " Hollywood Nights" reached , and the ballad " We've Got Tonight" reached . "We've Got Tonight" was a major hit again when it was covered in 1983 by Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Ray Rogers (born Kenneth Donald Rogers) (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer and songwriter. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particul ...
and Sheena Easton
Sheena Shirley Easton (; born 27 April 1959) is a Scottish singer and actress who achieved recognition in an episode of the reality television series ''The Big Time (TV series), The Big Time: Pop Singer'', which recorded her attempts to gain a ...
. Notably, it topped ''Billboard's'' Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States.
This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data along with digital sales and streaming. ...
and peaked at and on ''Billboard's'' Adult Contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...
and Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), o ...
charts respectively. "Old Time Rock and Roll
"Old Time Rock and Roll" is a song written by George Jackson and Thomas E. Jones III, with uncredited lyrics by Bob Seger. It was recorded by Seger for his tenth studio album '' Stranger in Town.'' It was also released as a single in 1979. It ...
", a song from George Jackson and Thomas E. Jones III that Seger substantially rewrote the lyrics for, peaked at on the Hot 100, but achieved greater popularity after being featured in the Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962) is an American actor and film producer. Regarded as a Cinema of the United States, Hollywood icon, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Tom Cruise, various accolades, includ ...
film '' Risky Business'', in which Cruise's character dances in his underwear to the song. It has since been ranked the second-most played Jukebox Single of all time, behind Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline (born Virginia Patterson Hensley; September 8, 1932 – March 5, 1963) was an American singer. One of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century, she was known as one of the first country music artists to successfully Cross ...
's " Crazy". "Old Time Rock and Roll" was named one of the Songs of the Century
The "Songs of the Century" list is part of an education project by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the National Endowment for the Arts, and Scholastic Inc. that aims to "promote a better understanding of America's musical an ...
in 2001. Seger later remarked that not taking one-third of writing credit on his recording was, financially, "the dumbest thing I ever did".
Seger also co-wrote the Eagles
Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...
' hit " Heartache Tonight" from their 1979 album '' The Long Run''; a collaboration about Seger's and Glenn Frey's shared early lives in Detroit.
In 1980, Seger released '' Against the Wind'' (with ex-Grand Funk Railroad
Grand Funk Railroad (often shortened to Grand Funk) is an American rock band formed in Flint, Michigan, in 1969 by Mark Farner (vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica), Don Brewer (drums, vocals) and Mel Schacher (bass). The band achieved pea ...
member Craig Frost replacing Robyn Robbins on keyboards) and it became his first and only album on the ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' album chart. The first single " Fire Lake" featured Eagles Don Henley, Timothy B. Schmit, and Glenn Frey on backing vocals and Muscle Shoals guitarist Pete Carr on 12-string acoustic. Fire Lake reached on the Hot 100, while the title song " Against the Wind" reached and crossed over to the Top 10 on ''Billboard''s Adult Contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...
chart. " You'll Accompany Me" became the third hit single from the record, reaching . ''Against the Wind'' would also win two Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
. As of 2006, both ''Stranger in Town'' and ''Against the Wind'' had sold over 5 million copies each in the United States.
The live 1981 album '' Nine Tonight'' encapsulated this three-album peak of Seger's commercial career. Seger's take on Eugene Williams' " Tryin' to Live My Life Without You" became a Top Five hit from ''Nine Tonight'' and the album would go on to sell 4 million copies.
Seger released the acclaimed '' The Distance'' in December 1982. During the recording of this album, Silver Bullet guitarist Drew Abbott left due to his frustration with Seger's frequent use of session musicians and was replaced by Dawayne Bailey. After the album's release, David Teegarden also left due to internal conflict and was replaced by ex- Grand Funk drummer Don Brewer. Critically praised for representing a more versatile sound than that of his recent material, ''The Distance'' spawned numerous hits beginning with Rodney Crowell
Rodney Crowell (born August 7, 1950) is an American musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music. Crowell has had five number one singles on Hot Country Songs, all from his 1988 album '' Diamonds & Dirt''. ...
's "Shame on the Moon
"Shame on the Moon" is a song written and recorded by Rodney Crowell on his 1981 self-titled album. It was covered by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band as the lead single from their 1982 album '' The Distance''.
Glenn Frey joined Seger on ba ...
". It was the biggest hit of the Silver Bullet Band's entire career, hitting on the Adult Contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...
chart and holding at for four consecutive weeks – behind Patti Austin and James Ingram's " Baby, Come to Me" and Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...
's "Billie Jean
"Billie Jean" is a song by the American singer Michael Jackson, released by Epic Records on January 3, 1983, as the second single from his sixth studio album, ''Thriller (album), Thriller'' (1982). It was written and composed by Jackson, produ ...
" – on the Hot 100. It also crossed over to on ''Billboard'' Country Singles chart. The follow-up, "Even Now", just missed the Top 10, and "Roll Me Away
"Roll Me Away" is a song written by American rock artist Bob Seger on the album '' The Distance'' by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band. The song was used as Seger's opening song on his Face the Promise tour in 2006–2007, his first tour in a ...
" peaked at . The driving album track "Making Thunderbirds" was a popular music video filmed in Detroit and was well-received on MTV
MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
. Seger's multi-platinum sales dropped off at this point, however, with ''The Distance'' peaking at and selling 1.9 million copies in the United States. ''The Distance'' was belatedly released on 8-track tape
The 8-track tape (formally Stereo 8; commonly called eight-track cartridge, eight-track tape, and eight-track) is a magnetic-tape sound recording technology that was popular from the mid-1960s until the early 1980s, when the compact cassette, ...
; Capitol reportedly had no plans to do so, but Seger, claiming that many of his fans still used 8-track players in their vehicles, requested that the label also release the album in the waning format.
In 1984, Seger wrote and recorded the power rock ballad "Understanding" for the soundtrack of ''Teachers
A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching.
''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. w ...
''. The song was a Top 20 hit, and in 1986, he wrote and recorded "Living Inside My Heart" for the soundtrack of '' About Last Night...''.
Seger was no longer prolific, and several years elapsed until his next studio album, '' Like a Rock'', emerged in 1986. The fast-paced "American Storm" was another Top-20 hit aided by a popular music video featuring Lesley Ann Warren, and the title cut followed, reaching on Billboard's Hot 100. Later, it became familiar through its association with a long-running Chevrolet
Chevrolet ( ) is an American automobile division of the manufacturer General Motors (GM). In North America, Chevrolet produces and sells a wide range of vehicles, from subcompact automobiles to medium-duty commercial trucks. Due to the promi ...
ad campaign
An advertising campaign or marketing campaign is a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme which make up an integrated marketing communication (IMC). An IMC is a platform in which a group of people can group their ide ...
(something Seger explicitly chose to do to support struggling American automobile workers in Detroit). Seger's 1986–1987 American Storm Tour was his self-stated last major tour, playing 105 shows over nine months and selling almost 1.5 million tickets. ''Like a Rock'' reached and eventually sold over three million copies, although it has never been certified above platinum.
On March 13, 1987, Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
for their contributions to the music industry; it is located at 1750 Vine Street
Vine Street is a street in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, that runs north–south between Franklin Avenue, Los Angeles, and Melrose Avenue. The intersection of Hollywood and Vine being symbolic of Hollywood itself. The intersection has be ...
.
In 1987, Seger recorded " Shakedown" for the soundtrack to ''Beverly Hills Cop II
''Beverly Hills Cop II'' is a 1987 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Tony Scott, written by Larry Ferguson and Warren Skaaren, and starring Eddie Murphy. It is the sequel to the 1984 film '' Beverly Hills Cop'' and the second ...
''. A synth-driven pop-rock song, it was Seger's first and only hit on the pop singles chart. The song had originally been intended for fellow Detroiter Glenn Frey, but when Frey lost his voice just before the recording session, he asked Seger to take his place. Seger changed the verses but kept the chorus as it was. Seger received an Oscar nomination as co-writer in the Best Original Song category the following year.
Later years: 1988–present
Seger's next record was 1991's '' The Fire Inside'', at a time when glam metal
Glam metal (also known as hair metal or pop metal) is a subgenre of heavy metal music, heavy metal that features pop music, pop-influenced Hook (music), hooks and guitar riffs, upbeat arena rock, rock anthems, and slow Sentimental ballad#Powe ...
, grunge
Grunge (sometimes referred to as the Seattle sound) is an alternative rock Music genre, genre and subculture that emerged during the in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington, particularly in Seattle and Music of Olympia, Washington, O ...
and alternative rock
Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...
were at the forefront. His new music found little viability on radio or elsewhere. The same was true of 1995's ''It's a Mystery
''It's a Mystery'' is the fifteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Seger, released in 1995 (see 1995 in music). As with his prior album, it is credited to the Silver Bullet Band, though many of the tracks feature a wide array ...
'', although it was certified gold
Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...
(500,000 copies sold). But in 1994, Seger released '' Greatest Hits''. The compilation was his biggest-ever record in terms of sales, selling nearly 10 million copies in the United States . Seger went out for a 1996 tour, which sold the fourth-largest number of tickets of any North American tour that year.
He took a sabbatical from the music business from 1997-2005 to spend time with his wife and children. In 2001, and again in 2002, he won the prestigious Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race aboard his sailboat ''Lightning''. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...
on March 15, 2004. Fellow Detroiter Kid Rock
Robert James Ritchie (born January 17, 1971), known professionally as Kid Rock, is an American musician, singer, rapper, and songwriter. After establishing himself in the Music of Detroit#Hip-hop, Detroit hip-hop scene, he broke through into m ...
gave the induction speech and Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm
Jennifer Mulhern Granholm (born February 5, 1959) is an American politician who was the 16th United States secretary of energy from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, she previously served as the 47t ...
proclaimed the date Bob Seger Day in his honor. In 2005, Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band were inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame, and Seger was featured singing with 3 Doors Down
3 Doors Down is an American Rock music, rock band from Escatawpa, Mississippi that formed in 1996. The band's music is described as post-grunge, alternative rock, and hard rock.
The band's 2000 debut single "Kryptonite (3 Doors Down song), Kr ...
on the song " Landing in London" from their '' Seventeen Days'' album.
Seger's first new album in eleven years, '' Face the Promise'', was released in 2006. In its first 45 days, it sold over 400,000 copies and went on to sell 1.2 million, returning Seger to platinum status and staying on the ''Billboard'' chart for several months. The supporting tour was eagerly anticipated, with many shows selling out within minutes. Showing that his legendary appeal in Michigan was undiminished, all 10,834 tickets available for his first show at Grand Rapids' Van Andel Arena sold out in under five minutes; three additional shows were subsequently added, each of which also sold out.
In 2009, Seger released a compilation album, '' Early Seger Vol. 1'', containing archival material from the 1970s and 1980s, including some fully or partially re-recorded tracks from ''Smokin' O.P.'s'' (1972) and ''Seven'' (1974), and some never-before-released songs. The album was initially only available for purchase at Meijer stores and then later for download at his website.
Seger contributed piano and vocals to Kid Rock's 2010 album '' Born Free'' and staged a successful arena tour during 2011, accompanied by the release of a two-CD compilation, '' Ultimate Hits: Rock and Roll Never Forgets''. On May 28, 2011, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder
Richard Dale Snyder (born August 19, 1958) is an American business executive, venture capitalist, attorney, accountant, and politician who served as the 48th governor of Michigan from 2011 to 2019. Snyder, who was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, ...
proclaimed that date as Bob Seger Day (Seger's second such honor) for his more than 50 years of sharing his celebrated musical talents with fans all over the world. In 2012, Seger was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) is an American institution founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music publisher/songwriter Abe Olman, and publisher/executive Howie Richmond to honor those whose work represent and maintain the heri ...
. The next year, he performed a duet of " Who'll Stop the Rain" with John Fogerty on Fogerty's album '' Wrote a Song for Everyone''.
Seger's 17th studio album, '' Ride Out'', was released in 2014, along with a successful arena tour of the United States and Canada.
On December 22, 2016, Seger performed " Heartache Tonight" as the Kennedy Center
The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, commonly known as the Kennedy Center, is the national cultural center of the United States, located on the eastern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Opened on September 8, ...
honored the Eagles
Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...
. A few weeks later, on January 18, 2017, Seger gave away the single "Glenn Song" on his website as a tribute marking the first anniversary of the death of Eagles founding member Glenn Frey. That summer, Seger embarked on his ''Runaway Train'' tour, including a show at The Palace of Auburn Hills, the last event to be held at that venue. Seger released a cover of the Lou Reed
Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician and songwriter. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. Althoug ...
song "Busload of Faith" as the first single from the '' I Knew You When'' album. Due to "an urgent medical issue with his vertebrae
Each vertebra (: vertebrae) is an irregular bone with a complex structure composed of bone and some hyaline cartilage, that make up the vertebral column or spine, of vertebrates. The proportions of the vertebrae differ according to their spinal ...
", all concert dates starting September 30 were postponed. Of the 32 scheduled tour dates, Seger completed thirteen and postponed nineteen.
On September 18, 2018, Seger announced his final tour. The ''Travelin' Man'' tour included postponed dates from the 2017 tour, and kicked off at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...
. The tour ended on November 1, 2019, and Seger retired.
Seger made a brief return in 2023 to perform at the Country Music Hall of Fame
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the world's largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American vernacular music. Chartered in 1964, the museum has amass ...
in Nashville
Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
for the induction of Patty Loveless, playing her song " She Drew a Broken Heart". Loveless sang a duet with Seger in "The Answer's The Question" from Seger's '' Face the Promise'' album.
Legacy
Lincoln Park declared November 17, 2017, "Bob Seger Day" in the city. Mayor Thomas Karnes called Seger the voice of the city for their generation. Seger attended school there in his youth and performed at the city's bandshell
In theatre, a shell (also known as an acoustical shell, choral shell or bandshell) is a curved, hard surface designed to reflect sound towards an audience.
Often shells are designed to be removable, either rolling away on wheels or lifting into ...
in the 1960s. In 2023, ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason.
The magazine was first known fo ...
'' ranked Seger at number 181 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.
Personal life
Seger's first marriage to Renee Andrietti in 1968 lasted for "one day short of a year". He had a long-term relationship with Jan Dinsdale from 1972 until 1983. In 1987, he married actress Annette Sinclair and they divorced one year later. He married Juanita Dorricott in 1993, in a small private setting at The Village Club, in Bloomfield Hills; they have two children.
Views
Politically, Seger has characterized himself as a centrist
Centrism is the range of political ideologies that exist between left-wing politics and right-wing politics on the left–right political spectrum. It is associated with moderate politics, including people who strongly support moderate policie ...
: " 'mright down the middle", he remarked. He supported Democrat Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...
in the 2016 presidential election. He tackled antiestablishment themes in early songs such as " 2 + 2 = ?" (1968) and "U.M.C. (Upper Middle Class)" (1974), according to Brian McCollum of the ''Detroit Free Press''. On his 2014 album '' Ride Out'', he addressed topics such as gun violence and wrote "It's Your World" about climate change. On the subject, he said, "There are a lot of culprits in climate change, and everybody's responsible, myself included. Nobody gets a free pass on this one. We've got to change our ways and change them fast."
He has considered President Barack Obama to be the favorite president of his lifetime; he met him at the 2016 Kennedy Center Honors and thanked Obama for his "wisdom and dignity."
Discography
Studio albums
* '' Ramblin' Gamblin' Man'' (1969)
* ''Noah
Noah (; , also Noach) appears as the last of the Antediluvian Patriarchs (Bible), patriarchs in the traditions of Abrahamic religions. His story appears in the Hebrew Bible (Book of Genesis, chapters 5–9), the Quran and Baháʼí literature, ...
'' (1969)
* ''Mongrel
A mongrel, mutt, or mixed-breed dog is a dog that does not belong to one officially recognized breed, including those that result from intentional breeding. Although the term ''mixed-breed dog'' is sometimes preferred, many mongrels have no kn ...
'' (1970)
* '' Brand New Morning'' (1971)
* '' Smokin' O.P.'s'' (1972)
* '' Back in '72'' (1973)
* '' Seven'' (1974)
* '' Beautiful Loser'' (1975)
* '' Night Moves'' (1976)
* '' Stranger in Town'' (1978)
* '' Against the Wind'' (1980)
* '' The Distance'' (1982)
* '' Like a Rock'' (1986)
* '' The Fire Inside'' (1991)
* ''It's a Mystery
''It's a Mystery'' is the fifteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Seger, released in 1995 (see 1995 in music). As with his prior album, it is credited to the Silver Bullet Band, though many of the tracks feature a wide array ...
'' (1995)
* '' Face the Promise'' (2006)
* '' Ride Out'' (2014)
* '' I Knew You When'' (2017)
Live albums
* '' Live Bullet'' (1976)
* '' Nine Tonight'' (1981)
Compilation albums
* '' Greatest Hits'' (1994)
* ''Greatest Hits 2 (Bob Seger album), Greatest Hits 2'' (2003)
* '' Early Seger Vol. 1'' (2009)
* '' Ultimate Hits: Rock and Roll Never Forgets'' (2011)
* ''Heavy Music: The Complete Cameo Recordings 1966–1967'' (2017)
References
Citations
Other sources
* 1983 ''Rolling Stone Record Guide''
* Joel Whitburn, ''The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits'', 1983. .
* Joel Whitburn, ''Top Adult Contemporary 1961–2001'', 2002. .
* Stephen Thomas Erlewine, [ AllMusic biographical entry on Bob Seger]
External links
*
*
*
Bob Seger biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, discography and album reviews, credits & releases
at AllMusic, AllMusic.com
Bob Seger discography, album releases & credits
at Discogs.com
Bob Seger albums
at Spotify.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Seger, Bob
1945 births
Living people
20th-century American guitarists
20th-century American male musicians
20th-century American pianists
21st-century American male musicians
21st-century American pianists
American male guitarists
American male pianists
American male singers
American male songwriters
American rock guitarists
American rock musicians
American rock pianists
American rock singers
American rock songwriters
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band members
Capitol Records artists
Grammy Award winners
Guitarists from Detroit
Michigan culture
Michigan Democrats
Musicians from Ann Arbor, Michigan
People from Dearborn, Michigan
People from Orchard Lake, Michigan
Pioneer High School (Ann Arbor, Michigan) alumni
Reprise Records artists
Rock and roll musicians
Singers from Detroit
Songwriters from Michigan