Dick Wagner
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For the former baseball executive, see Dick Wagner (baseball).
Dick Wagner is an American rock music guitarist and songwriter.
Growing up in the Saginaw area, Wagner's first band, called The Bossmen, was a favorite in the Detroit area and scored radio play with the Wagner penned composition "Baby Boy". His next band, The Frost, was formed in the late 1960s and built up a substantial following in the Michigan area. The band released three albums during their tenure together on Vanguard Records: 1969's Frost Music and Rock and Roll Music, plus 1970's Through the Eyes of Love.
Wagner then formed the shortlived group "Ursa Major" with former Amboy Dukes bassist Greg Arama and released one self-titled album. Wagner was soon recruited for Lou Reed's band along with Steve Hunter. They are best known for the intro to the Rock N Roll Animal live album song 'Sweet Jane'. Many famous guitarists have stated this intro is some of the most influential guitar playing ever. It was soon after that when producer Bob Ezrin brought Wagner and fellow guitarist Steve Hunter into sessions with Alice Cooper.
The result was that Wagner became Alice Cooper's right-hand man on albums Welcome to My Nightmare, Goes To Hell, Lace and Whiskey, From the Inside and DaDa, helping in songwriting, composing, production and playing lead guitar. Wagner was assisted in these endeavors by Steve Hunter. The two have been fast friends ever since. The song 'Only Women Bleed' from the album Welcome to My Nightmare, has become one of the most covered songs of all times. Artists from Etta James, Lita Ford, Tori Amos and most recently Wensday, have put their talents to the first song to ever deal with domestic violence. It has been covered at least 25 times over the years by popular musicians.
Wagner also lent his playing (and in some cases, songwriting and production) talents to many albums during the 1970s including: Lou Reed's Rock N Roll Animal and Berlin albums, KISS' Destroyer, Aerosmith's Get Your Wings, Peter Gabriel's self-titled solo debut, Hall & Oates' Along the Red Ledge, Mark Farner's solo debut and a pair of albums for the star of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Tim Curry.
In 2005, Dick Wagner permanently moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where he is currently writing again with Alice Cooper for a new album. However, in July 2007, he suffered a major heart attack. He has now partially recovered and is able to work again, although his guitar playing is severely limited for now. Dick is currently working with the up and coming artist Wensday, who is signed to his independent record label Desert Dreams Records. Her debut album, produced by Wagner, was included on the 2007 50th Anniversary Grammy Awards ballot. Although Dick and Wensday did not win, it brought attention to his songwriting ability and production work that has been overlooked for many years. He is quoted as saying that "Wensday's album 'TORCH ROCK' is his best work yet!"
He is continuing to recover from his near fatal heart attack, and will soon be back to playing again. In recent months he has worked with Steve Hunter again, on a yet unamed single for the artist, Wensday.
