Dan Gilroy (musician)

Dan Gilroy
Born (1947-05-19) May 19, 1947 (age 77)
New York City, U.S.
OccupationsSinger, musician
InstrumentsVocals, guitar
Formerly ofBreakfast Club
Partner(s)Madonna (1979–1980)
Shelley Duvall (1989–2024; her death)

Daniel Alan Gilroy (born May 19, 1947) is an American musician best known as the former lead singer of the group Breakfast Club.[1] Following Breakfast Club, he acted in the children's programs Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme and Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle.

Biography

Gilroy met Madonna, then an aspiring dancer, at a party in 1979. They became romantically involved and she moved into the synagogue where Gilroy lived with his brother Ed Gilroy in Corona, Queens. It also served as a studio for the brothers, who at times worked as musicians or comics under the name Bil and Gil.[2] While Gilroy and his brother were waiting tables during the day and performing their comedy routines at night, Madonna was at the synagogue practicing drums.[2] She also began writing songs, Gilroy taught her how to play guitar and they formed the band Breakfast Club.[3] She convinced Gilroy to let her perform her own songs, to which he reluctantly agreed. Madonna promoted the band and they performed local gigs.[2] In 1980, Madonna left Breakfast Club to form the band Emmy and the Emmys.[4]

By the mid-1980s, Breakfast Club consisted of the Gilroy brothers: Dan concentrated on singing, with Ed on guitar. Gary Burke joined the band, playing the bass. Also, Paul Kauk on keyboards, and Stephen Bray on drums.[5] In 1987, Breakfast Club signed a record deal with MCA Records and released the album Breakfast Club. Their single "Right On Track" peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.[6] They recorded a second album that was never released. Their last song was a cover version of the Beatles "Drive My Car", which was included on the soundtrack for the 1988 movie License To Drive.[5]

Gilroy was in a relationship with actress Shelley Duvall from 1989 until her death in 2024.[7][8] They co-starred in the Disney Channel film Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme (1990).[9][10] Gilroy also appeared as Pete the Postman in the TV series Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle in 1994.[11]

Gilroy was portrayed by actor Calvin Knie in the 2019 documentary film Madonna and the Breakfast Club.[12]

References

  1. ^ "Breakfast Club | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Madonna Rising". New York Magazine: 43. October 14, 1991.
  3. ^ Morton, Andrew (October 20, 2008). "The Lost Madonna Tapes". The Daily Beast. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  4. ^ Graff, Gary (April 25, 1987). "Bray's Loyalty To Madonna Pays Off". Chicago Tribune.
  5. ^ a b Allen, Craig (March 2, 2013). "Meet the '80s band Breakfast Club". New Jersey 101.5. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  6. ^ "Right on Track (song by Breakfast Club) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". www.musicvf.com. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  7. ^ Abramovitch, Seth (February 11, 2021). "Searching for Shelley Duvall: The Reclusive Icon on Fleeing Hollywood and the Scars of Making 'The Shining'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  8. ^ Barnes, Mike (July 11, 2024). "Shelley Duvall, Robert Altman Protege and Tormented Wife in 'The Shining,' Dies at 75". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  9. ^ Michele Kort (December 15, 1991). "SHELLEY DUVALL GROWS UP : There's a Lot of the Kid Left in the Tenacious Producer Who Put Cable on the Map and Breathed New Life into Children's TV". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  10. ^ "Audio Archaeology: Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme (1990)". Consequence. September 10, 2009. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  11. ^ Scott, Tony (June 8, 1994). "Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle the Not Truthful Cure; The Pet Forgetter's Cure". Variety. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  12. ^ "'Madonna and the Breakfast Club' Trailer: Like A Doppelgänger". Nonfics. March 15, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2021.


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