Joe Lynn Turner Rick Blakemore Abe Speller Bob Danyls Larry Dawson Denny LaRue Santos Lou Mondelli Joe De Lia Ron Zampini
Fandango was an American
pop rock band which began as a four-piece, playing in the local clubs in the Tri-state area: New Jersey, New York, Connecticut (circa 1976) before adding three more members prior to their first recording contract being signed in March 1977.[1] It was fronted by
vocalistJoe Lynn Turner (who by then had already changed his given name 'Linquito' through a suggestion by
guitarist Rick Blakemore).[2] Larry Dawson (stage name of
Larry Dvoskin), one of the band's keyboardists, would later play for
Uli Jon Roth.
The band opened for acts like
The Allman Brothers,
The Marshall Tucker Band,
Wet Willie,
Billy Joel, and
Chicago.[3]Phil Walden's Paragon Agency (who initially represented such artists as
Otis Redding,
Percy Sledge, and
Sam & Dave in the early 60s) were responsible for booking Fandango.[4] Turner has stated that the band took influences from the
Eagles and
southern rock. The group, after the release of their fourth album (Cadillac), disbanded shortly after their equipment was stolen at Chicago Fest.[5] Turner's work with the band got him noticed by Barry Ambrosio (who was
Ritchie Blackmore's personal assistant). He put Blackmore on the phone and asked Turner to audition for
Rainbow.[6]
Discography
Fandango (1977)
Track listing
Side One
"Headliner" – (Denny LaRue, Rick Blakemore) – 3:40
"Down Down Down" – (LaRue, Blakemore) – 4:41
"Jesse And Will" – (Blakemore) – 4:49
"San Joaquin" – (LaRue, Blakemore) – 4:02
"Life Of The Party" – (music: Joe Delia / lyrics: LaRue, Joe Delia, Joe Lynn Turner) – 4:43
Cadliac was Fandango's final album before
Joe Lynn Turner joined
Rainbow in the fall of 1980. Released on
RCA Records. Re-Released on CD in 2008 on
Wounded Bird Records in the United States and in 2010 on Canyon in the United Kingdom.
Track listing
Side One
1. "Blame it On The Night" – (Rick Blakemore/Dannie LaRue) – 3:42 2. "Rock 'n' Roll You" - (LaRue/Joe Lynn Turner) - 5:44 3. "Hypnotized" - (Blakemore/LaRue/Bob Danyls/Turner) - 2:32 4. "Don't Waste My Time" - (Danyls/Turner) - 3:06 5. "Stranger (in a Strange Land)" - (LaRue/Blakemore) - 4:10
^"Presenting Fandango". Artista, RCA Sign New Artists. Cash Box. Vol. XXXVIII, no. 43. George Albert. March 12, 1977. p. 10.
^Turner, Joe Lynn. Personal Interview. (1 March 2017). "Rick Blakemore suggested changing my name...I like the Blues...He said, Big Joe Turner!...His cousin had the middle name 'Lynn'...very common in (the) southern states...so he yelled out, Joe Lynn Turner!...And it stuck! RCA loved the name when we signed the record deal."