- 1972-09-15 — The duo "Seals and Crofts" were on tour in Boston. Their fourth album, "Summer Breeze", had been released a couple of months previously but the album and the title song they had worked so hard to perfect were not catching on in the music charts and their label had stopped promoting it. Their manager, Marcia Day, through a personal connection with a DJ on one of the city's most popular radio stations, arranged for them play the song. He was impressed and put the song into rotation. This proved to be the career break they were looking for. They went on to release more than a dozen albums. Their hit singles from this period also included "Diamond Girl," "We May Never Pass This Way (Again)," and "Get Closer". A number of their songs began to include references to and passages from the Bahá'í scriptures. When they appeared in concert, they often remained on stage after the performance to talk about the Faith.
They became embroiled in controversy in 1974 due to the title track of their Unborn Child album, an anti-abortion song written from the fetus' point of view. The album was a critical failure, while the single flopped and outraged abortion advocates, who held demonstrations at many of the duo's shows.
[Article in the TexasMonthly, February, 2020 entitled The Secret Oil Patch Roots of 'Summer Breeze'; Biography by Steve Huey] - 2022-06-06 —
The passing of Jim (James Eugene) Seals, (b. 17 October 1941 or 1942 in Sidney, Texas) singer, musician and songwriter was announced on social media by a relative, Bradley Seals. He passed away in Nashville, TN. [The Guardian 10 June 2022]
- See his obituary on the site of the Bahá'ís of the United States.
- See YouTube.
- See Wikipedia for their career trajectory and disography.
- This chart, courtesy of Steven Kolins, shows the internet traffic generated by the announcement of his passing.
- 2024-09-20 — The publication of Seals & Crofts: Chronicles of a Summer Breeze. It was written by Anthony Bentivegna and published independently.
Jimmy Seals and Dash Crofts were pop-rock troubadours in the ‘70s famous for songs such as “Summer Breeze,” “Diamond Girl,” “We May Never Pass This Way (Again),” and “Get Closer.” Their deep connection to the Baha’i Faith made them the only American musicians who caused thousands to join an organized religion, and their lyrics frequently explored mystical concepts. Their exquisite vocal blend and their guitar and mandolin counterpoint generated a huge following and the respect of peer musicians, as they went from small town roots in Texas to filling stadiums in their heyday. Seals & Crofts had an extended family of musicians who contributed road stories, songwriting insight and personal reflections over decades of struggles, setbacks and ultimately the breakthrough success of “Summer Breeze.” Jimmy and Dash were polar opposites but their shared values and unlikely mesh of talents forged a unique sound, aided by their legendary Wrecking Crew producer, Louie Shelton. Seals & Crofts: Chronicles of a Summer Breeze is not a typical expose’ of sex, drugs, or even hard core rock and roll. It is a story of two musicians who shared a lifetime of another sort of adventures. The book details their incredible happenstance to join a Top 40 instrumental band as teenagers, years of paying dues, finding their calling, surviving the controversy of a politically charged hit single, trying their hand at disco, and fading into the background of an 80’s music scene, only to re-emerge as vanguards of the Baha’i Faith. This is their story.
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