BENNY MARDONES – Benny Mardones (1989) *HQ*

As requested, here’s perhaps the best or at least most complete album from iconic ’80s crooner BENNY MARDONES > his 1989 self-titled album “Benny Mardones” on Curb Records. It was Mardones’ first album since 1981’s LP ”Too Much to Lose” and its hit-single “Into the Night”, following his battle with a drug addiction and other personal issues.
After his successful ’81 LP Mardones was dropped by Polydor not for being a bad seller, on the contrary, but Benny wasn’t able fulfill promotional press interviews, tour, or being sober at the second album sessions. Mardones resulted somehow ‘lost’ during the decade, releasing a couple of very good indie EP’s, however not distributed nation-wide.
The industry simply forgot BENNY MARDONES.

However, in 1989, a Where Are They Now? Arizona radio segment spurred Los Angeles DJ Scott Shannon to add “Into the Night” to his playlist. The exposure ultimately rocketed the song back into the national charts where it reached No. 20 in the first week of July 1989.
In a twist of fate, the outcast Benny Mardones scored the longest-charting single of the 1980s by a solo artist (the 1981 weeks + the 1989 weeks). Industry sharks saw the opportunity and signed Benny. With most the songs co-written with Mark Mangold (Drive She Said, Touch), ”Benny Mardones” is a wonderful 1989 melodic AOR production with some impressive musicians involved such as Jeff Porcaro, guitarists Michael Thompson & Dave Amato, Mark Mangold on keys & synths, etc.
HIGHLY Recommended

01 – I Never Really Loved You At All
02 – For A Little Ride
03 – How Could You Love Me
04 – Into The Night
05 – We’ve Got To Run
06 – I’ll Be Good To You
07 – If You Loved Me
08 – Never Far Away
09 – Close To The Flame
10 – Run To You

Benny Mardones – lead and backing vocals
Duane Evans – keyboards, guitars, backing vocals
Mark Mangold – keyboards, synthesizers, drums (9)
Michael Lloyd – synthesizers (6), drums (6)
Bobby Martin – Hammond organ
Claude Gaudette – keyboards (8)
Dave Amato – guitars (1, 2, 8, 9), backing vocals (2, 3, 10)
Ron Bloom – guitars (4)
Michael Thompson – guitars (6)
John Pierce – bass (1–3, 8, 10)
Dennis Belfield – bass (4, 6, 9)
Jeff Porcaro – drums (1–3, 8, 10)
Ron Krasinski – drums (4)
Alex Acuña – percussion (1, 8)
Al Fritsch – backing vocals (1, 8, 9), guitars (9)
Gary Falcone – backing vocals (2, 3, 10)
Michael Everett Mardones – backing vocals (5)

BUY
www.amazon.com/Benny-Mardones/dp/B000000CSW