Biography of Blood, Sweat & Tears

One of the first rock bands to integrate jazz-influenced horns into their sound, Blood, Sweat & Tears burst onto the pop playlists with three million-sellers in 1969. Keyboardist Al Kooper, once a member of The Royal Teens ("Short Shorts"), formed the group in 1968, but soulfully raspy vocalist David Clayton-Thomas was up front when they scored their first smash for Columbia in 1969, a revival of Brenda Holloway's "You've Made Me So Very Happy." "Spinning Wheel" and Laura Nyro's "And When I Die" made it three giants in a row for the band. Clayton-Thomas went solo in 1972 but returned two years later. ~ Bill Dahl