From the band: Effective immediately, and due to a recent medical issue, Max Carl has made the difficult decision to retire from touring and performing with Grand Funk Railroad.
Max has been an integral part of this band for 26 years. For over two decades, his soulful vocals and stage presence have helped keep the Grand Funk legacy alive and vibrant. We are deeply grateful for the immense talent and enthusiasm he brought to the stage night after night. More importantly, Max has been a kind, loyal friend to us all, and a warm, gracious presence to the countless fans he has had the pleasure of meeting over the years.
Max’s contributions to rock music extend far beyond his incredible tenure with us. As one of the premier voices in rock n’ roll soul, fans will also remember his remarkable era with .38 Special, where he penned and sang lead vocals on their massive, chart-topping hit, “Second Chance”. We wish Max all the very best as he focuses on his health and his family in this next chapter.
Moving forward, the music will continue. Founding member Don Brewer, the voice behind some of the band’s biggest historic hits, and longtime bandmate Tim Cashion will step into the lead vocal roles. As we embark on this next phase, the band also looks forward to digging into the catalog and incorporating new songs into our live sets, including fan favorites like “Aimless Lady”, “Bad Time”, and more.
We congratulate Max on an incredible career and look forward to coming to your town soon!
About Grand Funk Railroad:
“You cannot talk about rock in the 1970s without talking about Grand Funk Railroad!” – David Fricke, Rolling Stone Magazine
Originating from Flint, Michigan in 1969, this top selling American rock group of the 70’s is “COMIN’ TO YOUR TOWN TO HELP YOU PARTY IT DOWN”.
Known as “The American Band”, the high-energy five-piece group will play shows all over the USA this year. Grand Funk Railroad includes original founding members Don Brewer (vocals and drums, writer and singer of the multi-million selling hit, We’re an American Band) and bassist Mel Schacher, “The God of Thunder”. Joining Don and Mel are true “All Stars”. Lead guitarist Mark Chatfield is best known as a founding member of Ohio Rock Legends “THE GODZ” as well as a founding member of Ohio Rock Greats “ROSIE”. Mark also played guitar with Bob Seger’s Silver Bullet Band touring with the Silver Bullet Band over three decades. Keyboardist Tim Cashion has a master’s degree in music from the University of Miami. Affectionately called “Dr. Tim”, his credits include stints with Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band and English soul man Robert Palmer.
Grand Funk laid the groundwork for such bands as Foreigner, Journey, Van Halen and Bon Jovi with its signature hard driving sound, soulful vocals, muscular instrumentation and forceful pop melodies. The fact that Grand Funk’s legacy still reigns over the Classic Rock landscape 55 years after its 1969 birth in Flint, Michigan is a testament to the group’s influence and staying power. Mega-hits We’re an American Band, I’m Your Captain/Closer to Home, The Locomotion, and Some Kind of Wonderful still receive continuous airplay on Classic Rock radio. We’re an American Band has received notoriety in recent years being used in movie sound tracks and in television/radio advertising. The huge hit was featured in a General Motors national TV ad campaign and in Disney’s animated feature film The Country Bears. We’re an American Band was featured in the Cuba Gooding Jr. film RADIO, and in the swashbuckler SAHARA starring Matthew McConaughey.
Internationally acclaimed Grand Funk has toured the world, selling out in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan and South America. A 1971 performance at New York’s Shea Stadium sold out faster than the Beatles. The group’s widespread appeal is also evident in its prestigious recording achievements. Over their career, Grand Funk has had 19 charted singles, 8 Top 40 hits and two Number One singles (We’re an American Band and Locomotion, both selling more than one million each). The group has now accumulated 7 gold and 10 platinum certifications with record sales in excess of 25 million copies sold worldwide. Most recently, We’re An American Band and Some Kind of Wonderful each went platinum in 2022.
The multi-talented band carries on the tradition of Grand Funk hits and creates a new chapter in the legacy of Grand Funk Railroad. GFR drew 25,000 people to their Molson Canal Series Concert outside Buffalo 20,000 in Albany, New York, and 20,000 fans to downtown Orlando, Florida. The group’s 2024 THE LOCO-MOTION TOUR and AMERICAN BAND TOUR 2025 were huge successes and now, with the group’s STILL SHININ’ ON TOUR, Grand Funk lovers and contemporary rock fans discovering the group for the first time will be able to celebrate with GRAND FUNK RAILROAD!
