Emitt Rhodes started out as a drummer (in his teens) and graduated to singer in a group called the Merry Go Round that had a few regional hits in California (late 60s psych rock). The M-G-R were signed to A&M and recorded a few singles (and an album) before breaking up. Emitt showed intrest in recording a solo record and A&M obliged. The record was made up of left over M-G-R material and new solo recordings. When it was finished, A&M decided to shelve it and dump Emitt. Emitt moved into his parents house (in Hawthorne, CA) and set up a 4 track (and two borrowed mikes) in the garage and began making his self titled masterpiece (playing all the instruments himself). Once it was finished, ABC Dunhill decided to pick it up. It was mixed/mastered professionally and released in 1970 to critical acclaim. (the same year Macca released his "cherries" record). When A&M noticed that Emitt was scoring points with his Dunhill record, they decided to cash in on the record they had shelved by releasing it under the title "The American Dream". Having two New Emitt Rhodes Records being promoted by two different labels was not good. It detracted sales from the (better and most current) Dunhill record, and created general confusion amongst the record buying public (as it wasn't that great of a record). Emitt was so busy keeping up with public performances and press activity that he fell short on his Dunhill contract obligation of TWO RECORDS A YEAR. Consequently, ABC Dunhill sued him for $500,000 (more money than he's ever seen in his life). Under the pressure, Emitt squeezed out his second record "Mirror" (late, stressed and rushed) and under the circumstances (being done in a fraction of the time) how could it have been as good as the first? On this schedule, the very depressed 23 year old Emitt released his last (also late) album "Farewell to Paradise" in 1973 to no acclaim whatsoever.
Emitt recorded a solo album in the early eighties that was shelved and has recently been found in the engineering credits of a few albums.
Bio written by: Hussalonia |
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