Dan Hartman (December 8, 1950 – March 22, 1994) – Relight My Fire (Progressive Instrumental Remix) (1979)
Dan Hartman (December 8, 1950 – March 22, 1994) – Relight My Fire (Progressive Instrumental Remix) (1979)
In an exclusive interview, original Relight My Fire co-mixer John Luongo reveals he was secretly behind this #1 remix of Hartman's classic #1 dance hit feat. Loleatta Holloway.
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Dan Hartman was a musical genius and a key member of the Edgar Winter Group in the early 70s before becoming a solo artist. When he began making music for the dancefloor, he wrote and produced several #1 dance hits, including “Instant Replay” (1978), “Vertigo/Relight My Fire” (1979) featuring Loleatta Holloway, and “We Are The Young” (1984). He wrote nearly 250 songs before his career was cut short by his early death at age 43.
Daniel Earl Hartman was born in small town Pennsylvania and was a musical prodigy, studying classical piano as a child. He joined his first band at age 13 in 1964, the Legends, who played throughout the state. Although they started out covering soul, by the decade’s end they had become a hard rock band. The Legends released singles but nothing charted. Eventually, Dan sent demos of their songs to record companies. Steve Paul, president of Epic’s Blue Sky Records imprint, listened to one and then introduced him to Edgar Winter, who invited Hartman to join his band.
He was a major creative force within the Edgar Winter Group. Not only did he write and sing lead on their biggest hit “Free Ride,” but penned many of their other songs including most of the band’s classic second album Shock Treatment (1974). Highlights included the superb jam “Easy Street,” the beautiful “Sundown” and “Miracle Of Love,” which he co-wrote with Winter.
Hartman left the group in 1976 to go solo, and after being introduced to the disco scene, wrote his first #1 dance hit, the title track to his third solo LP Instant Replay (1978).
Besides collaborating with Loleatta Holloway on the huge disco hit “Vertigo/Relight My Fire” in 1979, he gave her the great “Love Sensation” (1980) which went to #1 on dance charts and remains one of the disco era’s all-time dancefloor classics, sampled more than 180 times since its original release.
His superb anthem “We Are The Young” (1984) was a celebration of life that became his third #1 dance hit released under his own name. His biggest-ever song was also released that same year. “I Can Dream About You” appeared on the soundtrack to the film Streets Of Fire. Released as the title track single from his album of the same name, it peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in mid-1984.
Hartman’s dance masterpiece was “Vertigo / Relight My Fire” (1979) featuring Loleatta Holloway’s powerful vocals, and mixed by pioneer disco DJ/remixer John Luongo along with his production partner Michael Barbiero. It was the title track to the fourth solo studio album by Hartman. The 12" single hit #1 on U.S. dance charts for six weeks from December 12, 1979, to February 16, 1980.
Its instrumental intro "Vertigo" ensured that anticipation would build and build on dancefloors before the track's second part, “Relight My Fire” kicked in. According to influential UK DJ Ian Levine:
“The big record at [the London LGBT nightclub] Heaven was Dan Hartman's 'Relight My Fire'—that's when we brought the big fans out and two thousand people had their hands in the air screaming. It was electrifying."
In an exclusive interview with Jointz Of The Day, “Relight My Fire” co-mixer John Luongo explained how the track's unique structure was conceived. “The song's parts were always intended to be one,” said Luongo, “but I decided it would bring drama to the track if we (split them up) in the way we did.”
After the single’s runaway success, Epic released a special remix, initially distributed as DJ-only 12” promos. Strangely, no remixer was credited on the Progressive Instrumental remix. “This was our remix of our own mix to try and and make people think someone else did it,” revealed Luongo. “We didn't even put our names on it at first when the acetates shipped.”
The Progressive Instrumental remix sent “Vertigo / Relight My Fire” shooting back up dance charts in early 1980. “No one knew we remixed it, and the remix went number one as well," said Luongo.
“I was honored to work on the production and mix of this #1 Dance Classic, as new today as the day Dan and I finished it,” continued Luongo. “And it stands up to anything coming out now!”
Sadly, Dan Hartman left us much too soon when he died of complications from AIDS at age 43.
“I often wonder what music may have come from this brilliant producer, artist, and friend, had he not passed away at such an early age. (He) was as talented as anyone I’d encountered in my career." - John Luongo
#disco #soul #EdgarWinterGroup #LoleattaHolloway #JohnLuongo #DanHartman