Starland Vocal Band

Starland Vocal Band were a 70s soft-rock group who will always be best remembered for their sensuous #1 hit song "Afternoon Delight". The group had its roots in the Washington, D.C. folk scene of the late 60's and began as "Fat City", an acoustic folk duo consisting of singer/songwriters Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert. Danoff and Nivert collaborated with John Denver on his hit song "Take Me Home, Country Roads" and sing back-up vocals on said song. "Fat City" released two albums and regularly opened for Denver in concert. Changing their name to Bill and Taffy, the duo enlisted vocalist/keyboardist Jon Carroll for their 1974 album "Aces". Subsequently adding singer Margot Chapman to the line-up as well, they changed their name to Starland Vocal Band and signed up with Denver's "Windsong" label. Their self-titled debut album begot the hit single "Afternoon Delight", which soared to #1 on the pop charts in the summer of 1976. The album likewise did well; it peaked at #20 on the album charts. Moreover, the group was nominated for five Grammy Awards and won two for Best New Artist and Best Vocal Arrangement respectively. The smash success of "Afternoon Delight" even led to the short-lived 1977 comedy/variety TV program The Starland Vocal Band Show (1977) which featured none other than a then-unknown David Letterman as a series regular. Alas, the group never managed to either match or surpass the monumental success of their first album; the follow-up albums "Rear View Mirror", "Late Night Radio" and "4X4" were all flops. Starland Vocal Band broke up in 1981 and all the individual members went on to pursue solo careers. One of the most beloved of one-hit wonder songs of the 70's, "Afternoon Delight" has been featured on the soundtracks to such films as "The Spirit of '76," "PCU," "Boogie Nights," Good Will Hunting (1997), The Rules of Attraction (2002) and Starsky & Hutch (2004). Moreover, the song has also popped up on episodes of such TV shows as The Simpsons (1989), Family Guy (1999), ER (1994) and My Name Is Earl (2005). Starland Vocal Band have reunited on several occasions throughout the years; they performed at a 1998 John Denver memorial concert and sang their signature tune "Afternoon Delight" on a 1996 episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986).