Robert Andrew Hyman (born April 24, 1950) is an American singer, songwriter, keyboard and accordion player, producer, and arranger, best known for being a founding member of the rock band the Hooters.[1]
Rob Hyman | |
|---|---|
 Hyman performing with the Hooters in 2022. | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Robert Andrew Hyman |
| Born | April 24, 1950 Meriden, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Genres | Rock |
| Occupations |
|
| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Member of | The Hooters |
Early life
editHyman started taking piano lessons at the age of four and grew up playing in local bands in Meriden, Connecticut, including The Trolls and the Pro-Teens.[2]
While attending the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology, Hyman met future bandmate and composing partner Eric Bazilian and producer Rick Chertoff. In the late 1960s, Hyman and Chertoff, along with local singer David Kagan formed a band called Wax, who recorded an album in the early 1970s. They also released two albums under the group name of Baby Grand in the mid 1970's with Chertoff as the producer.[3][4]
The Hooters
editHyman and Eric Bazilian formed The Hooters in 1980.[5] The band played its first show on July 4 of that year. They took the band's name from a nickname for the melodica,[6] a type of keyboard harmonica.[5] The Hooters first gained major commercial success in the United States in the mid-1980s due to heavy radio airplay and MTV rotation of several songs, including "All You Zombies", "Day by Day", "And We Danced" and "Where Do the Children Go".[5]
The band played at the Live Aid benefit concert in Philadelphia in 1985,[7] at A Conspiracy of Hope, a benefit concert on behalf of Amnesty International, at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey,[8] and at The Wall Concert in Berlin in 1990.[9]
In 1995, The Hooters went on hiatus,[10] although Hyman and Bazilian would continue to collaborate on musical projects for other artists. Hyman reunited with The Hooters on headlining European summer tours in 2003, 2004 and 2005.
On May 11, 2004, The Hooters were presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Philadelphia Music Awards.[11]
Other musical projects
editIn 1983, Hyman and Cyndi Lauper wrote and sang the Billboard number one hit "Time After Time," which earned him a Grammy Award nomination for Song of the Year in 1985.[12][13] Hyman has collaborated with Dar Williams on The Beauty of the Rain and My Better Self (2002 and 2005),[14] and with Bette Midler.[15]
Recognition
editOn November 17, 2000, Hyman was inducted into the Philadelphia Walk of Fame on the Avenue of the Arts.[16][17]
References
edit- ^ Benarde, S.R. (2003). Stars of David: Rock'n'roll's Jewish Stories. Brandeis University Press, published by University Press of New England. ISBN 9781584653035. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
- ^ Paguaga, Pete (October 6, 2016). "Q&A: Musician Rob Hyman talks about the special Meriden's Music Men concert". Record-Journal. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
- ^ Information on Wax @rockmymonkey.com Retrieved 2011-05-02. Archived 2012-03-10 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Hiltbrand, David (February 5, 2008). "Hooters "Time" again". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
- ^ a b c Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. p. 620. ISBN 1-85227-745-9.
- ^ John Darling (2000). What's in a Name?: The Book of Bands. Writers Club Press. ISBN 978-0-595-09629-9.
- ^ "Live Aid in Philadelphia: An Oral History of that Crazy Day at JFK Stadium". 10 July 2020.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (June 16, 1986). "AMNESTY CONCERT IN JERSEY". The New York Times.
- ^ Gross, Dan. "Roger Waters loves Hooters". Inquirer.com.
- ^ Nagy, Rob (November 24, 2010). "The Hooters celebrate their 30th anniversary". The Mercury.
- ^ "Live Music". Philadelphia Weekly. May 5, 2004. Archived from the original on October 15, 2008. Retrieved May 9, 2010.
- ^ Myers, Marc (December 1, 2015). "How Cyndi Lauper Wrote Her First No. 1 Hit, 'Time After Time'". The Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Condran, Ed (October 13, 2023). "Cyndi Lauper is so unusual". The Spokesman-Review.
- ^ Blauser, Brian (September 24, 2012). "Dar Williams On Mountain Stage". NPR.
- ^ Willistein, Paul (August 19, 2016). "The Hooters Rob Hyman reflects on Philadelphia rock band with Lehigh Valley roots". Lehigh Valley Press News.
- ^ "Philadelphia Music Alliance Walk of Fame". Archived from the original on 2011-07-27. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
- ^ Klein, Michael. "Phila. Walk of Fame comes back to life". Inquirer.com.