Artists

Night Ranger is best known for "Sister Christian," a 1984 single that reached the Top 10 in the U.S. and Canada that later turned into a power ballad perennial. Prior to "Sister Christian," Night Ranger had a pair of major hits on American Album Rock radio -- "Don't Tell Me You Love Me" and "(You Can Still) Rock in America" -- but the success of "Sister Christian" helped push them in a pop-friendly direction which they rode through the end of the '80s, racking up a few hits along the way ("Sentimental Street," "Goodbye"). The band split in 1989 but in 1996 the original lineup reunited and, over the next two decades, the group would survive various changes in membership, touring regularly and recording occasionally. Founding members Brad Gillis (guitar) and Jack Blades (bass) first met while playing in Rubicon, a group led by Jerry Martini of Sly & the Family Stone that spent its time alternating between funk and soft pop in the vein of Chicago. Rubicon had a hit in 1978 with "I'm Gonna Take Care of Everything" but split after a second album in 1979. Gillis and Blades recruited Rubicon touring drummer Kelly Keagy for their new rock-oriented project. Soon, the trio expanded, with ex-Montrose keyboardist Alan Fitzgerald and guitarist Jeff Watson and began playing the Bay Area under the name Stereo, which swiftly became Ranger. By 1982, the group signed to Boardwalk Records but by the time of their debut, Dawn Patrol, at the end of the year, they renamed themselves Night Ranger in order to distance themselves from a country band that shared a similar name. During the brief time between signing with Boardwalk and the release of Dawn Patrol, Brad Gillis filled in for the late Randy Rhoads on Ozzy Osbourne's Diary of a Madman tour; he can be heard on the Speak of the Devil live album.