History & Biography A little-known fact is how Cinderella was formed and named by Michael Kelly Smith of Britny Fox. Smith and Keifer had previously played together in the band Psychopath which also featured future Avenger guitarist Reiter. After playing the club scene for years, it was a chance show with Jon Bon Jovi in the audience that became the catalyst for a deal. Phonogram had resisted, attempting to sign the band to a development deal only, but was finally persuaded to actually give the band a contract. Jon further went on to sing back-up for the band and played himself in the band's debut video. Two years earlier Gene Simmons had tried to garner interest in the band, but to no avail, as well. The band played a good mixture of hard rock and boogie at this point and the debut, Night Songs, sold three million copies in the USA after support from MTV and tours with Bonjovi and David Lee Roth. Fred Coury was listed as the band’s drummer, but Jody Cortez did the actual playing. Jim Drnc was actually fired from the drum stool in time for the recording! Coury did not play on the band’s second album either.
The second album recorded a bluesier band and a tour with Scorpions followed. The advent of the '90s and the band's increasingly R&B sound left the band with less fans and Coury soon beat a fast retreat. Following Heartbreak Station Keifer apparently lost his voice, which put the nail in the band's coffin. The band was nearly broken up. The group had ended up using drummer Kenny Aronoff (Chickenfoot, John Fogerty, John Mellencamp) on Still Climbing. He had replaced Kevin Valentine who was not working out. Ray Brinker of Barefoot Servants toured with the group.
Late '90s interest has seen a couple of samplers, a live album and the one-off reunion show. The band had also discussed a reformation. However, a lack of a recording budget from Sony Music hampered the band. On the eve of beginning work on a new album in 2001, Cinderella was dropped by Portrait Records. Supposedly the Sony imprint was no longer.
Cinderella, Ratt, Quiet Riot and Firehouse announced a North America tour for the summer of 2005 using the Rock Never Stops 2005 monicker. The band announced touring plans in 2006 in celebration of the 20th Anniversary of Night Songs for the summer. Eric Brittingham suffered a heart attack in November of 2006, but was healing well. Cinderella, Warrant and Lynch Mob were to tour the USA in the summer of 2008. Cinderella cancelled its participation, however, when Keifer reinjured his vocals. Jeff LaBar replaced Carlos Cavazo on guitar in Juan Croucier's Dirty Rats. The Authorized Bootleg: Live At The Tokyo Dome - Tokyo, Japan Dec. 31 1990 CD was out in April of 2009 through Island. Brittingham filled in for Poison’s Bobby Dall on the last few shows of the latter band’s tour with Def Leppard and Cheap Trick after Dall had to exit for personal reasons. Bon Jovi's Hugh McDonald filled in for Dall at the August 25th concert at USANA Amphitheatre in West Valley City, Utah. Keifer was still at work on his solo record. Live At The Mohegan Sun was recorded in 2005 in Connecticut on a tour with Ratt and Quiet Riot. Lost Angels, the band featuring singer John Corabi (Mötley Crüe and Ratt), guitarist Eric Dover (Slash's Snakepit and Alice Cooper) and drummer Troy Patrick Farrell (White Lion, Gilby Clarke and Pretty Boy Floyd), recruited Eric Brittingham in 2012 to fill in for bassist Muddy Stardust who himself is touring with the Chris Robinson Brotherhood. Corabi had previously opened for Cinderella. Tom Keifer would conduct a solo tour in February of 2013. The 14-city US tour would have the singer playing songs from his solo debut album, The Way Life Goes, in addition to Cinderella songs. Members of The Quireboys, Faster Pussycat, Adler and Dangerous Toys conducted guest vocals for Cinderella during the 2013 Monsters Of Rock cruise following singer Tom Keifer’s bout of pneumonia. Cheap Thrill, a band featuring Cinderella guitarist Jeff LaBar and bassist Eric Brittingham, as well as singer/guitarist Brandon Gibbs and drummer Troy Patrick Farrell (White Lion and Gilby Clarke) was playing shows. Cinderella played a select Monsters Of Rock cruise show in 2014. Keifer busied himself with solo work. Collectors Dream Records announced May 16th, 2014 as the release date for the Stripped live album. It was recorded on October 2nd and 3rd, 1998 at the Key Club in Hollywood, California. All My People is the name of the single from Devil City Angels, which was the new 2014 band of singer and guitarist Brandon Gibbs (Cheap Thrill), guitarist Tracii Guns (L.A. Guns), drummer Rikki Rockett (Poison) and bassist Eric Brittingham of Cinderella. In 2016, Eric Brittingham was touring with Poison singer Bret Michaels's solo band. Brittingham was on stage on Saturday, April 30th at Harrah's Laughlin Casino & Hotel in Laughlin, Nevada, USA. In a podcast interview with Izzy Presley, guitarist Jeff LaBar has admitted to being the reason for Cinderella’s lack of activity. The man admitted to being a drunk and abusing alcohol. He has also recalled the issue to be his cocaine abuse in the ‘80s, heroin in the ‘90s and continued alcoholism. Jeff LaBar died at the age of 58 in July 2021. He was found dead at his Nashville apartment. The band’s touring keyboardist Gary Corbett also died on July 14th. He had lung cancer.
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