The Late Great Michael Stanley

It is safe to say that Michael Stanley was to Cleveland what Bruce Springsteen is to New Jersey, although he would never have the mainstream success that Mr. Springsteen did. That having been said, he was a superstar in Cleveland and had a fiercely loyal following elsewhere. He had a gift for storytelling in his songs and his lyrics were often intelligent. He certainly was not afraid of big words. At the same time, his music was populist in nature. Michael Stanley was recognizably from the middle class in the Midwest, and his fellow citizens of Cleveland loved him for it. Sadly, Mr. Stanley died at age 72 on March 5 2021 from lung cancer.

Michael Stanley was born Michael Stanley Gee on March 25 1948 in Cleveland, Ohio. His father, Francis Stanley Gee, was a local radio personality. He was still attending Rocky River High School when he began playing in bands. He played in a group called The Sceptors and then The Establishments. After graduating high school, he attended Hiram College, where he majored in sociology and comparative religion. It was while he was at Hiram College that he played in a band called The Tree Stumps. The Tree Stumps would be signed to ABC Records and their name would be changed to Silk. Their only album, Smooth as Raw Silk, was released in 1969.

Michael Stanley's first, self-titled solo album was released in 1973. It was followed the same year by Friends and Legends. He formed The Michael Stanley Band in 1974. Their first album, You Break It...You Bought It!, was released in 1975. The Michael Stanley Band proved popular, although they never reached the heights of mainstream success as some other artists. They would have two top forty hits, "He Can't Love You" (which peaked at no. 33 in 1979) and "My Town" (which peaked at no. 39 in 1983). They would have five other songs that reached the Billboard Hot 100. In total they released eleven albums from 1975 to 1986.

After the dissolution of The Michael Stanley Band, Michael Stanley returned to his solo career. From 1996 to 2017 he released released. 16 albums. From 1987 to 1990 he was the host of PM Magazine on Cleveland station WJW. He was on the station for one more year, in 1991, on Cleveland Tonight. He was on the Cleveland radio station WNCX as a weekday afternoon and Saturday morning DJ.

Michael Stanley was very much a part of the fabric of Cleveland. He saw success in rock music, yet he never left his hometown. He could regularly be seen at fundraisers held in Cleveland, and he worked with the sports team in the city. Beyond being the local boy who made good and one who consistently gave to his hometown, Cleveland loved Michael Stanley because he was a genuinely good person. Michael Stanley was known for his kindness and graciousness to his fans. His fans loved him and he loved them back.

Michael Stanley might not have had the success that some rock musicians did, but he will be remembered in his hometown of Cleveland and beyond. He was a talented songwriter and performer whose material should really be better known. I have to think he will be remembered even after some better known artists have been forgotten.