Five Chart-Topping Hits From Artists You May Not Have Known Were From Michigan [Video]

Madonna, Bob Seger, Kid Rock. These are all legendary names in Michigan music history. Along with most of the Motown lineup, they constitute the bulk of the number one singles and albums from our state.

But there's a few chart-topping bands you may not have know were from Michigan. Here's five of them.

1. "96 Tears" -- ? and the Mysterians (Saginaw)

My friend Jerry delivered papers to the Balderrama family in my home town of Saginaw. This was kind of a big deal, because Bobby Balderrama was the guitarist for ? and the Mysterians, who's big hit '96 Tears' went to number one back in 1966 when Bobby was a freshman in high school.

The Mysterians had a couple of minor hits before fading from the national scene.

2. "Crimson and Clover" -- Tommy James and the Shondells (Niles)

Tommy formed the Shondells when he was in high school in Niles. The song "Hanky Panky" received some local success, but faded until a Pittsburgh DJ started playing a bootleg copy he found in a record bin. The band went on to record a string of hits including "I Think We're Alone Now" and "Mony Mony". After fading for a bit, the band's career was resurrected, thanks to a illegally recorded version of "Crimson and Clover" which found its way to the airwaves on Chicago's famed WLS Radio. The song signaled a change from bubble gum pop to heavy, psychedelic sound for the band.

3. "We're An American Band" -- Grand Funk Railroad (Flint)

Mark Farner, Don Brewer and Mel Schacher formed Grand Funk from the scraps left by previous the disintegration of Michigan bands Terry Knight and The Pack and the afore mentioned Mysterians. Grand Funk made their mark with live performances on the outdoor festival circuit which rose up in the wake of the fabled Woodstock Arts and Music Festival in New York.

Known for their raucous performances both on and off the stage, the band went to number one twice in 1971, first with a remake of Little Eva's "Locomotion" and then with a song about the band's road exploits called "We're An American Band".

4. "Let's Stay Together" -- Al Green (Grand Rapids)

After moving to GR from Arkansas, Green (originally his last name was spelled Greene) attended the now defunct South High School beofre he was booted out of his religious household for listening to Jackie Wilson records. After mild success around town, Green was discovered by Memphis, TN producer Willie Mitchell, who mentored Green and produced his smooth R&B sound. After several hits on the R&B charts, Green hit number one on the pop charts with the title track from his 1972 album, Let's Stay Together.

Green returned to religion, became a minister and now preaches in his adopted home town of Memphis.

5. "My Sharona" -- The Knack (Oak Park)

Doug Fieger (brother of famed lawyer Geoffrey Fieger) was in many bands growing up in the north suburbs of Detroit, but none of them had the impact of The Knack, which he formed shortly after moving to Los Angeles.

The Knack modeled themselves after the early Beatles, and wore matching suits and thin ties, which was the style of many up and coming bands in the wake of the New Wave movement of rock and roll. Like Grand Funk, the band achieved acclaim on the basis of thier high energy live shows which drew sit in musicians like Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty.

The band was hype as the second coming of the Beatles and their first single, "My Sharona" stormed up the charts to number one in the summer of 1979. Their album Get The Knack soon followed that success. But the band couldn't seize that momentum and their second album flopped. The band never regained their footing and later broke up.