J. Fred Knobloch

Fred Knobloch had several turns in front of the microphone during his career in music, with the most successful occurring in the field of country music during the early '80s when Scotti Brothers Records signed him to a recording deal. He took "Why Not Me" into the Top 20 in 1980. Knobloch followed up with "Killin' Time," a collaboration with Susan Anton that scored in country's Top Ten later that year and crossed over to pop, where it peaked at number 26. "Memphis," which was originally recorded by Chuck Berry, again brought Knobloch into the Top Ten in 1981. A year later, "I Had It All" landed him on country charts for the last time. Before going country, Knobloch belonged to Let's Eat, a rock outfit that tried to make a go of it during the '70s. In 1986, he joined forces with Paul Overstreet and Thom Schuyler Jr. to form Schuyler, Knobloch & Overstreet, whose sound mixed elements of pop, folk, and country. When Overstreet dropped out in 1987, Craig Bickhardt joined and the group became known as Schuyler, Knobloch & Bickhardt. The band later folded. No longer in front of the microphone, Knobloch carried on as a songwriter. He also collaborated with Jelly Roll Johnson on the album Live at the Bluebird Café, which was released in 2000.