Interview with Music Man David Pack: Coming to Ruth Eckerd Hall for Yacht Rock Summer 2

The former Ambrosia Grammy-winning singer is joining his friends and hit makers Orleans, Pablo Cruise and singer Henry Gross, who had the number one 1976 hit “Shannon,” for the 2nd Annual Yacht Rock Summer tour on Saturday, July 25. David Pack, who has had several careers over the years as a founding member of Ambrosia, solo artist and record producer, is “dipping his toes in the water” — in our Florida waters, to be exact, as he put it — by joining this lineup and coming back to the stage after a break. He wants to get a chance to see and meet his many fans.

Pack was in Clearwater at the BayCare Sound in 2024 with the Beatles tribute show “It Was 50 Years Ago Today,” which included Christopher Cross, Maxi Priest and former longtime Chicago singer and bass player Jason Scheff. In my opinion, David Pack is one of the great voices of the ’70s and ’80s. I was lucky to get a phone interview with David to chat about his upcoming appearances in Florida. He was real, honest and had some great stories to tell!

Returning to the Stage

SP: David, what have you been doing lately and what made you decide to do these shows?

DP: I have been working on a solo album for a while now that I think is some of my best work, trying to get it finished. I am friends with the guys in Orleans and Pablo Cruise, so it was a great opportunity to get back on the stage and get to meet and talk with fans. I am excited to head to Florida. I live in Santa Barbara, CA, which many call the ultimate yacht rock town. [David laughs.]

Friendship and Music with Steve Perry

SP: Can we talk about another great voice of the same era, which is former Journey frontman Steve Perry?

DP: Steve and I have been longtime friends, and in 2005 I was working on my solo album “The Secret of Movin’ On,” and I asked Steve if he would sing on the track “A Brand New Start.” He said he would, which was really something since he hadn’t been working at all for many years. People asked me how I got him to do it, but honestly, he was my friend and I just asked him. It was really that simple. He is so gifted in many ways and is a really good person. Steve and the Eagles’ Timothy B. Schmit also sang harmonies on the title track, “The Secret of Movin’ On.” Check out the video for “A Brand New Start” on YouTube. The blending of David and Steve’s voices is amazing!

Beatles Tributes and Legendary Collaborators

SP: How was the experience of the tour “A Walk Down Abbey Road” that you did in 2001, a Beatles tribute? One of the musicians who played on that tour with you lives right here on the west coast. Drummer Steve Luongo, who worked with John Entwistle, lives in the Fort Myers area!

DP: This was a great show with Ann Wilson from Heart, Todd Rundgren, Alan Parsons, who I worked with over many years, and the late John Entwistle from The Who. We did some of our own hit songs and also Beatles tunes. We played some summer North American dates and a few dates in Japan. I sang with Todd on several songs and also with Ann Wilson. Yeah, I keep in touch with Steve via Facebook now and then. That was a cool tour to be on with that great crowd of musicians and doing Beatles music.

SP: Tell me about your relationship with the great Leonard Bernstein.

DP: He became a mentor and friend to me at the young age of 18 when I was in one of his productions and took me under his wing. It was amazing. When I started working with Quincy Jones in the ’80s, who guided me into producing, my worlds collided when Leonard asked me if he could meet Michael Jackson for his birthday. So I asked Quincy to invite Michael to meet him. Michael came to Leonard’s show, a first for Michael attending a classical concert at UCLA. Afterwards, I arranged a private dinner for the four of us. It was a night I will never forget!

Producing Great Artists

SP: You have produced so many artists over the years. What were those experiences like?

DP: One awesome work I produced was an album dedicated to Leonard’s charity called “The Songs of West Side Story,” and some of our greatest artists sang on tracks on the record. They included the great Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, my longtime buddies Michael McDonald and James Ingram, and Phil Collins. There is a track that is Selena’s last recording of a song called “A Boy Like That” with Sheila E. That was an amazing experience. Producing music came to me through Quincy and was something I didn’t expect.

SP: Wow, that is quite a list of artists! Tell me, do you have an idea of what you are going to be playing for these Florida shows? Are the bands going to jam?

DP: It will be a mix of some hits, my solo work and a couple of surprises. Each of the bands does their own sets. I am not sure if there will be a jam or what.

SP: I recently saw the video on your Facebook of you with Keith Urban in Nashville singing together on “How Much I Feel.” You guys sounded great and looked like you were having a blast.

DP: Yes, that was a fun time! Keith was promoting his new Yacht Rock album “Flow State.” He is a great guy, and I wish him every success on the record.

SP: David, we look forward to seeing you in Clearwater on July 25. Thank you!

The Stacey Pack Best Life Cancer Foundation

While I did not discuss this with David, I felt it would be remiss not to mention that David lost his wife, Stacey Pack, to cancer in 2023. There is a foundation they started along with musician Michael McDonald and his wife, Amy, to help recording artists and their families dealing with cancer. You can read all about The Stacey Pack Best Life Cancer Foundation. It is a great way to help artists and musicians!

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Photos 1 and 4 provided by David Pack

Photo 2 – A Walk Down Abbey Road provided by Steve Luongo