’70s vocalists to perform at Sanctuary Concerts
Terry Sylvester and John Ford Coley know a thing or two about harmony – and that extends to their approach to playing live together.
“Every time we perform together, we have fun,” says Sylvester, who sang with the Hollies on “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” and “The Air That I Breathe.”
“It’s always a pleasure to play with Terry,” say Coley, who charted in the 1970s with the late England Dan Seals. “He’s very funny, very energetic.”
Sylvester and Coley will share stories and sing on each other’s songs this Saturday at the Presbyterian Church of Chatham as part of the Sanctuary Concert series.
The Halloween concert is billed by Sanctuary organizers as “Our ’70s Show.” Treats will be distributed, and attendees are encouraged to dress up in 1970s garb.
Sylvester and Coley started working together more than 10 years ago. They were initially joined by Jimmy Griffin of the band Bread, co-writer of the Oscar-winning song “For All We Know.” They continued to play together after Griffin’s death in 2005.
Sylvester’s career began in the 1960s as a member of a band called the Escorts. The Liverpool native recalls a particular concert when the Escorts were on the bill with the Hollies (with original member Graham Nash).
“Graham and Allan (Clarke, the Hollies’ lead vocalist) joined us on stage and sang Everly Brothers songs,” Sylvester recalls. “It was all just fun.”
About three years later, Nash left the Hollies to join David Crosby and Stephen Stills. “The rest of the band must have remembered me being able to handle the high harmonies,” Sylvester says. He joined the Hollies in 1969.
Sylvester says that the song “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” marked a turning point. “The Hollies had been known for upbeat songs like ‘Bus Stop’,” he says.
In contrast, “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” was a ballad that relied less on jangling guitars and more on a string section. The recording also featured a young session pianist named Reginald Dwight, who would change his name to Elton John.
“That song got us on high-profile TV shows with orchestras,” Sylvester says. “We were the bee’s knees, not just a fluffy rock band.” In 1974, the Hollies scored with “The Air That I Breathe,” another string-oriented ballad with Sylvester’s high harmonies.
In concert, Sylvester also sings “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress,” the Hollies’ 1972 hit. “That was the most un-Hollies-like record,” he says. “There are no harmonies. I think people thought it was Creedence Clearwater Revival.”
Around the same time as those Hollies songs, John Ford Coley was starting to work with England Dan Seals, younger brother of Dash Seals (of Seals & Croft fame). Coley and Seals attended the same high school in Dallas and played in the same band.
The beginning of the partnership was not auspicious, according to Coley. “We didn’t get along, and we butted heads. But we had a natural blend, and then we started writing together, and things blossomed from there.”
Between 1976 and 1979, England Dan and John Ford Coley had six songs in the Top Ten, including “I’d Really Love to See You Tonight,” “Nights Are Forever Without You,” and “We’ll Never Have to Say Goodbye Again.”
The duo also covered Todd Rundgren’s song “Love Is the Answer.” “That might be my favorite, and I think Dan would say so, too,” Coley says. “Todd is an amazing musician, and it was flattering when he told us he liked what we did with his song.”
In concert, Coley likes to dig deep into his catalog than just play the hit singles. He notes that the song “Soldier in the Rain,” for one, has taken on greater emotional weight, especially since he has come to know more military personnel.
“I still love playing those songs,” says Coley, echoing Sylvester’s affection for his own songs. “It’s an emotional release. It always feels new.”
TERRY SYLVESTER AND JOHN FORD COLEY
WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31
WHERE: Presbyterian Church, 240 Southern Blvd., Chatham.
TICKETS: $30
INFORMATION: 973-376-4946 or www.sanctuaryconcerts.org