Craig Frost was keyboardist for '70s pop-rockers Grand Funk, who had a handful of massive hit singles.
He was born April 20, 1948, in Flint, Mich. Though the band was
formed as Grand Funk Railroad in 1968 by singer/guitarist Mark Farner, bassist Mel Schacher and drummer Don Brewer, Frost wasn't added as keyboardist until the band's eighth album, Phoenix (1972).
The following year, the band officially dropped "Railroad" from its name and issued the Todd Rundgren-produced We're an American Band, which spawned a #1 hit single in the title track (RealAudio excerpt).
In 1974, Grand Funk released the more pop-based Shinin' On, which included another chart-topper in their cover of Little Eva's "The Locomotion." Grand Funk's version marked only the second time in history that a remake of a #1 song hit the top.
All the Girls in the World — Beware!! (1974), which spawned the #3 "Some Kind of Wonderful," was the last hit album for Grand Funk. They announced their split in 1976 but reconsidered and came back later that year with the Frank
Zappa-produced Good Singin', Good Playin'.
It was their last LP until Grand Funk re-formed for a short time in 1981 without Frost.
Other birthdays Thursday: Jimmy Winston (Small Faces), 55.
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