Lobo Records
| Lobo | |
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Lobo in 1973
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Roland Kent LaVoie |
| Born | July 31, 1943 |
| Origin | Tallahassee, Florida, U.S. |
| Genres | Pop, country, folk, soft rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitarist |
| Years active | 1961–present |
| Labels | Laurie, Big Tree, MCA, Lobo Records, Curb, Pony Canyon |
| Associated acts | The Rumours (Gram Parsons, Jim Stafford) |
| Website | www.fansoflobo.com |
Roland Kent LaVoie (born July 31, 1943), better known by the stage name Lobo, is an American singer-songwriter who was successful in the early 1970s, scoring several U.S. Top 10 hits, including "Me and You and a Dog Named Boo", "I'd Love You to Want Me" and "Don't Expect Me to Be Your Friend".
Born in Tallahassee, Florida, LaVoie was raised by his mother in Winter Haven, Florida, with his six siblings. He began his musical career in 1961 as a member of a local band, The Rumours. The band included Gram Parsons and Jim Stafford, as well as drummer Jon Corneal, who later joined Parsons' International Submarine Band.
In 1964, while attending the University of South Florida, LaVoie joined a band called the Sugar Beats and met producer Phil Gernhard. He recorded a regional hit for the band, a cover of Johnny Rivers' song, "What Am I Doing Here".
During the 1960s, LaVoie performed with many other bands, including US Male, The Uglies, and Me and the Other Guys. It was in the latter band that he met musician Billy Aerts, who became a member of Lobo's touring band in the early 1970s and produced Lobo's comeback album in 1989.
Again working with Gernhard, his first solo record was released in 1969 on Laurie Records. It included the original tracks "Happy Days In New York City" backed with "My Friend Is Here".
By 1971, LaVoie had started calling himself Lobo (Spanish for wolf). Gernhard was an executive for Big Tree Records, and the company released his first single, "Me and You and a Dog Named Boo" in March 1971. The first major hit for the label, it reached #5 in the US and #4 in the UK by May of that year, launching a successful series of singles. It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc in September 1971.
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