Dave & Sugar was an American pop-styled country music trio which enjoyed its peak success in the mid- to late-1970s. The trio consisted of lead singer Dave Rowland and initially on backing vocals, Vicki Hackeman and Jackie Frantz. Over time, the female members ("Sugar") of the group changed: Frantz was replaced by Sue Powell in 1977, who in turn was replaced by Jamie Kaye in 1980, while Hackeman was replaced by Melissa Dean (Etta Britt) in January 1979. Overall, Dave & Sugar charted 16 times on the Billboard country charts, including three No. 1 hits: "The Door Is Always Open", "Tear Time" and "Golden Tears". Powell also had two chart singles outside the group. Dave & Sugar were sometimes called "The country ABBA" because of their slickly produced sound as well as blend of male and female voices.
Background The trio was founded and fronted by Dave Rowland, born in Sanger, California, raised in Los Angeles, California (January 26, 1944 – November 1, 2018), while two female vocalists made up the "Sugar" part. The "Sugar" line-up changed several times during the group's run of success, while the two original singers were Jackie Frantz and Vicki Hackeman.
Before forming Dave & Sugar, Rowland was part of J.D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet (who was touring with Elvis Presley at the time), and later the Four Guys. He also was a prominent member of country singer Charley Pride's road show. By 1975, with Pride looking for a backup band, Rowland hired Frantz and Hackeman, and Dave & Sugar was formed. They signed a deal with RCA Records.
The trio's first single, "Queen of the Silver Dollar" (written by Shel Silverstein, and originally recorded by Dr. Hook in 1972, and also included on Emmylou Harris' debut solo album earlier in 1975) broke into the Top 25 of Billboard'''s country singles chart in early 1976. Their next single, "The Door Is Always Open", became their first No. 1 hit in July. Their peak run garnered nearly one dozen Top 10 singles, including two more No. 1 hits - "Tear Time" (1978) and "Golden Tears" (1979).
Rowland disbanded the trio briefly during the early 1980s to try a solo career, releasing an album entitled (appropriately) Sugar Free and charting two singles of his own. Powell also charted two singles on RCA as a soloist, and later went on to host the TV series Nashville on the Road''.Whitburn, p. 328 Rowland later reformed the trio with two new sets of "Sugar" partners: Cindy Smith and Lisa Alvey, followed by Regina Leigh and Lori Mason. However, these second-era trios failed to gain the popularity the original trios had in the 1970s and the group disbanded for good after only minimal success. In 1997, former Sugar member Leigh formed the short-lived country duo Regina Regina with partner Regina Nicks.
On November 1, 2018, Rowland died due to complications from a stroke in his Nashville home at the age of 74.
Discography Albums Year Album Chart Positions Label US Country US CAN Country 1976 Dave & Sugar 3 — — RCA Victor 1977 That's the Way Love Should Be 10 157 — 1978 Tear Time 8 — 4 1979 Stay with Me / Golden Tears 20 — — 1980 New York Wine Tennessee Shine 47 — — 1981 Greatest Hits 35 179 — Pleasure 31 — — Elektra
Dave Rowland solo albums Year Album Chart Positions Label US Country 1982 Sugar Free 56 Elektra
Singles Year Single Chart Positions Album US Country US AC AUS CAN Country CAN AC 1975 "Queen of the Silver Dollar" 25 — 61 21 — Dave & Sugar 1976 "The Door Is Always Open" 1 — 84 1 — "I'm Gonna Love You" 3 — — 2 — 1977 "Don't Throw It All Away" 5 32 — 5 34 That's the Way Love Should Be "That's the Way Love Should Be" 7 45 — 6 33 "I'm Knee Deep in Loving You" 2 — — 4 — 1978 "Gotta' Quit Lookin' at You Baby" 4 — — 9 — Tear Time "Tear Time" 1 — — 3 — 1979 "Golden Tears" 1 — — 2 — Stay with Me / Golden Tears "Stay with Me" 6 — — — — "My World Begins and Ends with You"/"Why Did You Have to Be So Good" 4 — — 7 — 1980 "New York Wine and Tennessee Shine" 18 — — 10 — New York Wine Tennessee Shine "A Love Song" 40 — — — — 1981 "It's a Heartache" 32 — — 37 — Greatest Hits "Fool By Your Side" 6 — — — — Pleasure "The Pleasure's All Mine" 32 — — — —
Dave Rowland solo singles Year Single Chart Positions Album US Country1982 "Natalie"/"Why Didn't I Think of That" 77 Sugar Free "Lovin' Our Lives Away" 84
Sue Powell solo singles Year Single Chart Positions US Country1981 "Midnite Flyer"57"(There's No Me) Without You"49
Notes
Awards
|+ Country Music Association |- | 1976 | "The Door Is Always Open" - RCA | Single of the Year | | Dave Rowland, Jackie Frantz, Vicki Hackeman |- | 1976 | Dave & Sugar |Vocal Group of the Year | | Dave Rowland, Jackie Frantz, Vicki Hackeman |- | 1977 | Dave & Sugar |Vocal Group of the Year | | Dave Rowland, Sue Powell, Vicki Hackeman |- | 1978 | Dave & Sugar | Vocal Group of the Year | | Dave Rowland, Sue Powell, Etta Britt (as M.Dean) |- | 1979 | Dave & Sugar | Vocal Group of the Year | | Dave Rowland, Sue Powell, Etta Britt
References