What do Don Johnson, Rick Springfield, Jack Wagner, and Patrick Swayze have in common? All of them were among the gaggle of successful actors from the 1980s who sang and released albums (Swayze's big hit, "She's Like The Wind," was on the Dirty Dancing soundtrack.)
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We were curious about some of these thespians and their vocal talent, so we took a deep dive into the singing endeavors of these four performers. They all make the grade!
'Jessie's Girl' by Rick Springfield (1981)
I am convinced that this pizzazz-y song from the album Working Class Dog will be around forever. It eventually became a number 1 hit and got the handsome Springfield a Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. He was playing Dr. Noah Drake on the daytime sudser General Hospital at the time. Per Songfacts, the tune was a major success that grew out of Springfield's real-life, hopeless longing for someone else's woman.
The charming rocker/actor said, "I was going to a stained glass class in Pasadena, and I met this guy and his girlfriend. I was completely turned on to his girlfriend, but she was just not interested. So I had a lot of sexual angst, and I went home and wrote a song about it."
Per the outlet, the song "became one of the biggest hits of the year and one of the most enduring and best-loved songs from the '80s."
'All I Need' by Jack Wagner (1984)
Wagner, like Rick Springfield, acted in General Hospital, as well as many other soap operas. He played the character of Frisco Jones, which eventually brought him to the attention of one of the most powerful and experienced music executives in the business, the late Quincy Jones, per Ranker. Jones thought highly of Wagner, according to the outlet via People. "He's a quick study and very smart. His soul is beautiful. I have a sign at the studio that says, 'Check your ego at the door.' He works hard and has no attitude problems. I think he can go as far as he wants."
The track "All I Need," from the album of the same name, got up to the number 2 slot on the Billboard Hot 100. Wagner also released seven other singles, four other albums, and the self-released On the Porch.
'Heartbeat' by Don Johnson (1986)
The wildly popular co-star of the campy 1980s TV series Miami Vice was indeed a heartthrob to legions of ladies. Johnson was known for his dapper, ice cream-hued designer suits that he casually paired with a t-shirt on the show, achieving a Steve McQueen kind of cool. In addition, the guy could really sing. Per noecho.net, Johnson "actually did have some music cred." He and Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers collaborated on a song titled "Can't Take It with You" in 1979.
It was included on the band's album Enlightened Rogues. Between Johnson's good looks and his ability to take a song and run with it, he made a convincing - even exciting - performer. He released a second album, Let It Roll, in 1989. Johnson also recorded a duet with his girlfriend at the time, Barbra Streisand, called "Till I Loved You."
'She's Like The Wind' by Patrick Swayze (1987)
I always watch Dirty Dancing for the spectacular final scene in which Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey twirl ecstatically on the dance floor. Swayze, who died in 2009 at 57, was a remarkable vocalist as well. The song "She's Like The Wind," which he sang, proved to be a perennial fan favorite and a big hit.
Per Ranker, "Swayze sang the duet with Wendy Fraser, and it peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1988. The song reached #1 on adult contemporary charts. This - combined with the film's other memorable tunes - pushed the LP to become the fifth best-selling soundtrack of all time, with over 11 million copies sold as of 2016."
