Gary Pihl

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Gary Pihl


Img_capt = Gary Pihl performing live with Boston on June 13, 2008 in Hinckley, MN
Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Born = birth date and age|1950|11|21
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Birth_name =
Died =
Alias =
Instrument = Guitar, Keyboards
Genre = Rock
Associated = Boston, Sammy Hagar
Label = Epic, CBS
Years_active = 1977 - present
URL = [http://www.bandboston.com Boston]
Notable_instruments =

Gary Pihl (pronounced "Peel") is a guitarist most famous for playing for Sammy Hagar and the band Boston.

At his home recording studio, he worked with the founding members of a band that would be called "Night Ranger". They recorded their second album, "Midnight Madness", at his home studio. Night Ranger was then called "Ranger" but found the name used by another band and changed it prior to the album release.

He also played with several other bands including Day Blindness, Crossfire (Steve Jones, Mitchell Froom, David Froom, Phil Marshall with Jeff Dornfield as manager), Stark Raving Mad (Gary on lead vocals and guitar, Donovan Stark, Paul Taylor later of Winger and Jay Causbrook, with Eric Martin of Mr. Big joining after Gary left, among other players), and Alliance. (Note: There have been several different bands named Alliance.)

Crossfire featured an ARP Odyssey and ARP String Ensemble played by Mitchell Froom (who would later become know for the soundtrack to "La Bamba" and other films while also producing bands in LA). Crossfire's seminal moment was their performance at the "Stop the Dam Concert" held at Sonoma State College, (now Sonoma State University). The concert was to raise awareness and funds to stop the Army Corps of Engineers construction of the Lake Sonoma Dam project in Geyserville's Dry Creek Valley.

Before leaving Stark Raving Mad to join Sammy Hagar he was known for songs such as "Olga on the Volga".

Sammy Hagar was the opening act on Boston's second tour in 1978. It was on that tour that Pihl first met Tom Scholz. The two of them found out how much they had in common with their extensive home studios and techniques. It set up a life long bond and a few years later Tom asked Pihl to join Boston.

After Jeff Dornfield became road manager for Boston, Pihl made other introductions including Doug Huffman, another drummer from Sebastopol in Sonoma County when Boston needed a replacement, and still later, bassist David Sikes from Fairfield, California near Sonoma County.

Discography

With Day Blindness

* "Day Blindness" (1969)

With Sammy Hagar

* "Musical Chairs" (1977)
* "All Night Long" (1978)
* "Street Machine" (1979)
* "Danger Zone" (1980)
* "Loud & Clear" (1980)
* "Standing Hampton" (1981)
* "Three Lock Box" (1982)
* "Live 1980" (1983)
* "VOA" (1984)

With Boston

* "Third Stage" (1986)
* "Walk On" (1994)
* "Greatest Hits" (1997)
* "Corporate America" (2002)

With Alliance

* "Alliance" (1997)
* "Missing Piece" (1999)