Grass Roots Lead Vocalist Rob Grill Dies

From 1966 to 1972, The Grass Roots notched up 14 Top 40 Hits.  the lead vocalist on all those hits was Rob Grill, a kid from Hollywood who got to live his dream as a rock star. Rob passed away after a fall and several strokes.

Rob Grill, lead singer with the Grass Roots, died Monday (July 11) after falling a month ago and suffering a brain injury. Rob's wife had reported July 1 that he was stricken with pneumonia and was in a coma. Rob was 67. Born in Hollywood, he graduated from Hollywood High, then went to work at American Recording Studios there. Encouraged to record on his own, he joined the 13th Floor when their lead singer was drafted. The group came to the attention of producer/writers P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri, who were looking for a band who could portray their studio creation, the Grass Roots, in 1967. Starting with "Let's Live For Today" (#8), the group-- with Rob providing lead vocals-- notched 13 top hits, including "Midnight Confessions" (#5-1968), "Sooner Or Later" (#9-1971), "I'd Wait A Million Years" (#15-1969), "Temptation Eyes" (#15-1971) and "Two Divided By Love" (#16-1971). By 1975 the hits dried up and Rob started a solo career four years later, though he retained the rights to the group name and reformed them in 1982. It came to light when Rob was arrested for illegally obtaining prescription painkillers in 2007 that he had a bone-degenerating disease and had undergone six hip replacement surgeries. Rob underwent an intervention program to avoid jail time. His failing health forced him to withdraw from fronting the group last year.