Blood, Sweat & Tears
Blood, Sweat & Tears is not the first band to ever use a horn section, but they are the first to fuse it with rock, jazz, and some blues thrown in for good measure.
From the first ensemble in the late sixties practicing in a loft on Bleeker Street in New York’s Greenwich Village and having crowds clapping on the street below between songs, founding member and drummer Bobby Colomby knew they were on the right course. Since then, the band has never stopped touring for over 50 years.
The first Blood, Sweat & Tears album, “Child is Father to the Man”, was released to little fan fair. After band member changes and replacing a lead singer, the second album self-named “Blood Sweat & Tears” was a success, rising to the top of the charts for 7 weeks and yielding 3 top 5 singles. The album received the Grammy Award for “Album of the Year” in 1970 beating out the Beatles’ “Abby Road”. That album went on to earn quadruple Platinum status with sales well over 4 million units.
Blood Sweat & Tears went on to receive 10 Grammy nominations and won 3. Other prestigious awards and recognitions include: The Playboy Jazz & Pop award, the “Blood, Sweat & Tears” 1969 album induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002, and in 2008 they were recognized as an Honorary Ambassador of Peace Republic of Korea.
Blood Sweat & Tears performed on Sunday August 17, 1969 at Woodstock same day as Jimi Hendrix among other great bands.
Blood Sweat & Tears has had many firsts. They are the first rock band to tour behind the former Iron Curtain, and the first rock band to play Las Vegas among major protest from fans who felt the band sold out.
Blood Sweat & Tears has had many configurations over its 50 plus years of touring but one thing for sure is that the music is timeless, and fans are never disappointed. BS&T tours with the greatest musicians available, stars in their own right (most coming off major tours with other artists). BS&T still headlines jazz festivals all over the world. BS&T only performs about 60 shows a year so it’s a rare treat to see them live.
The band members are always looking to inspire the next generation of musicians so don’t be shy walk up and talk to them.
To this day Bobby Colomby (founding member) still hand picks the musicians for every tour. Colomby still uses the same theory: “Great Musicians Make Great Music”.
