Dave Bickler

Dave Bickler
Birth name	Dave Bickler
Born	1953
Origin	Chicago, Illinois, USA
Genres	Rock
Occupations	Musician, Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, Guitar
Years active	1972 - Present
Website	Official Survivor Web site Official Jamestown Massacre Web site

Dave Bickler (born 1953) is an American vocalist, best known as the lead singer for the rock band Survivor from 1977–1983. His distinctive vocal was featured on the #1 U.S. hit "Eye of the Tiger". In addition to his wide vocal range, his street-wise image included a trademark beret. Bickler would go on to provide the vocals in advertisements, including the Real Men of Genius Bud Light TV and radio commercials.

Biography

In 1971, Bickler graduated from Benet Academy in Lisle, Illinois.^[1] Bickler's career began as one of two lead singers of 1970s American rock group Jamestown Massacre, who recorded their debut album not later than 1972. The Jamestown Massacre single "Summer Sun" was a Billboard Top 100 and Easy Listening chart entry in the summer of 1972. Bickler met Jim Peterik while doing commercial jingles in the mid-1970s.

Survivor

Bickler is best known as a member of Survivor from 1977–1983 and 1993–2000. He was a part of the group for their first four albums: Survivor, Premonition, Eye of The Tiger and Caught in the Game. Survivor experienced their big breakthrough in 1982, when they were asked by Sylvester Stallone to provide the theme song for his movie Rocky III. Enter "Eye of the Tiger", which soon turned into one of the biggest hits of the band's career. It had an enormous impact on the Billboard charts, soaring to #1 for seven weeks. The song won the band a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, was voted "Best New Song" by the People's Choice Awards and received an Academy Award nomination. Thanks to the song's success and another Top 20 single, "American Heartbeat", the album Eye of the Tiger stormed to #2 on the Billboard 200 chart. The song remains a cultural phenomenon. It came in at #18 on the “Top 100 Singles” chart in Billboard's 100th Anniversary issue^[2] and it is well over the 300,000 mark on the iTunes Store, where it once held #9 on their “Top Soundtrack” chart.

Bickler also can be heard on other Survivor singles including "Somewhere In America", "Rebel Girl", "Poor Man's Son", "Summer Nights", "The One That Really Matters", "American Heartbeat", "Caught In The Game" and "Ever Since the World Began" (this song has a version that was featured on Lock Up movie soundtrack with the voice of Jimi Jamison).

Bickler left the band in late 1983 after he developed polyps on his vocal cords and required surgery and voice rest, a condition that would take a year and a half to recuperate from. Bickler was also unhappy about his lack of a bigger payday he felt was owed him for the multiplatinum success the band had from their hit album Eye of The Tiger released a year earlier.^{[citation needed]} After leaving Survivor, Bickler continued recording with other groups in the Chicago area and doing commercial jingles and ads.

Bickler rejoined Survivor in early 1993 as lead vocalist for a Greatest Hits album on Scotti Bros. featuring two new songs "You Know Who You Are" and "Hungry Years" (which he co-wrote). Bickler recorded new music with the band in hopes of a new album, but ongoing lawsuits and trademark ownership issues with former singer Jimi Jamison halted the release.^{[citation needed]}

Bickler was fired in early 2000 after a brief string of tour dates. He was replaced once again by Jimi Jamison (who split with Survivor in July 2006 and was replaced by Hard Rock Singer Robin McAuley). Bickler is credited with co-writing two songs on the new Survivor album Reach with Frankie Sullivan: "I Don't" and "One More Chance". Bickler also began recording his first solo album in early 2001, which remains unreleased.

Bud Light "Real Men of Genius" radio ads

Since 2000, Bickler has continued his venture in recording commercials and video advertisements. His singing is featured in the successful Budweiser Light "Real American Heroes" and "Real Men of Genius" ad campaign (the decision to change the campaign from Heroes to Genius was made after 9/11) singing plaintively in counterpoint to the wry commentary of voice actor Peter Stacker. Over 100 of these commercials have been recorded and broadcast on sports radio stations and events for over ten years. A handful of CDs from the Bud Light ads have been released and sold over 100,000 copies in its first three weeks of release.

Discography

With Survivor

• Survivor (1979)
• Premonition (1981)
• Eye of the Tiger (1982)
• Caught in the Game (1983)

References

1. ^ Benet Academy
2. ^ "The Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs (30-21)". http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/specials/hot100/charts/top100-titles-30.shtml. Retrieved 2009-05-04. 

External links

• Official Survivor Web site
• Official Jamestown Massacre Web site

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Name	Bickler, Dave
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Date of birth	1953
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