Orleans is an American pop-rock band best known for its hits "Dance with Me" (1975), "Still the One" on the album Waking and Dreaming (1976) and "Love Takes Time" (1979). Orleans was formed in Woodstock, New York in February 1972 by guitarist/songwriter John Hall, vocalist/guitarist Larry Hoppen and drummer/percussionist Wells Kelly. In November of that year the group expanded to include Larry’s younger brother Lance on bass. Drummer Jerry Marotta later joined, thus completing the quintet.
Orleans found its core audience touring the clubs and college circuit of the Northeast US, crossing paths with other up-and-comers such as Bonnie Raitt, Tom Waits and Hall & Oates. Rolling Stone magazine called Orleans "the best unrecorded band in America". Showcase performances in NYC gave rise to a recording contract with ABC Dunhill Records and the release of the eponymous debut album in 1973. But it was not until Orleans was heard, then produced, by Chuck Plotkin, then head of A&R for Asylum Records, that the band scored its first Billboard Hot 100 hit with "Let There Be Music" in early 1975.
The follow-up single "Dance With Me" brought Orleans to #6 on the pop charts, and the mainstream of American pop music. Atypical of the high-energy, earthy, R&B/Rock n’ Roll mix of styles they had been previously identified with, "Dance With Me" cast the band in a more "soft-rock" light and landed them a tour with Melissa Manchester, when they really were more at home on tour with bands such as Little Feat.
It was the smash hit "Still the One" that cemented Orleans' relationship with the American public. While the single was climbing the charts to the peak position of #5, the band did a major cross-country tour with label-mate Jackson Browne. However, within a year internal stresses prompted guitarist/songwriter Hall to leave the band in search of a solo career, as "Still the One" played ceaselessly on the ABC television network as the theme song for their 1977 promotional campaign. Since then, it has been used for countless commercials and movie soundtracks.
The Hoppen brothers and Kelly reunited the band in 1979, signing a new record contract with the Infinity Records label. They produced the #11 hit "Love Takes Time", continuing to tour with the likes of Stephen Stills and Chicago. Collectively, the three Orleans' hits have been aired over 7 million times.
Wells Kelly's untimely death in 1984 while on tour with Meat Loaf was the catalyst for a reunion of Hall and the Hoppen brothers. By 1986, a reunited Orleans had cut the Grownup Children album under the direction of famed Nashville Producer/MCA label chief, |Tony Brown. 1991 saw the group's double live CD anthology release in Japan, with the US release in 1993. Two tours of Japan, an appearance at Woodstock '94, opening the "Can’t Stop Rockin'" Tour (Fleetwood Mac, REO Speedwagon and Pat Benatar) in 1995 were Orleans' highlights in the 1990s.
As of 2007, Orleans continues to play live and record. Their latest studio album, Dancin’ in the Moonlight, was released in late 2005. The current lineup includes Lance and Larry Hoppen, youngest brother Lane Hoppen on keyboards, Dennis "Fly" Amero (replacing John Hall) on guitar and, on drums, Charlie Morgan (best known for his 14-year stint with Elton John). During his 2006 bid for a US Congressional seat, Hall appeared with the group on rare occasions. On November 7, 2006, Hall was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives from the state of New York. He was reelected in the 2008 election.
