17 Facts About Dick Wagner

Richard Allen Wagner was an American rock guitarist, songwriter and author best known for his work with Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, and Kiss.

Dick Wagner fronted his own Michigan-based bands, the Frost and the Bossmen.

Dick Wagner's first band, called the Bossmen, was a favorite in the Detroit area and scored radio play with the Wagner-penned composition "Baby Boy", "You're the Girl for Me" and others.

Dick Wagner formed his next band, the Frost, with Donny Hartman, Bobby Rigg and Gordy Garris, in the late 1960s and built up a substantial following in the Michigan area.

Dick Wagner was the principal songwriter, arranger and lead vocalist of the Frost.

Dick Wagner had already been featured on the band's fifth studio album School's Out, notably for playing the memorable guitar solo on the track "My Stars".

Dick Wagner continued to play lead guitar on every Alice Cooper band album that followed, through the break-up of the original group.

Dick Wagner produced and co-wrote songs for Mark Farner's solo debut and a pair of albums for the star of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Tim Curry, and more.

Dick Wagner entitled the concert, The Remember the Child Concert, raising funds for child abuse agencies in central Michigan through his Remember the Child Foundation.

Dick Wagner moved to Phoenix, Arizona, in 2005 where he was writing a new studio album with Alan Gordon.

Dick Wagner continued to recover from his near-fatal heart attack and recorded with long-time collaborator Steve Hunter on an unnamed single for Wednesday.

Dick Wagner released a new solo studio album in October 2009, titled Full Meltdown on Desert Dreams Records.

Dick Wagner produced the band Warsaw Pact and the independent artist Brandon Bullard with releases from both in early 2010.

Dick Wagner scored with Alice Cooper and the British funk rock band the Velvet Hearts the soundtrack to the Indie horror film Silas Gore, A Film Trilogy.

Dick Wagner won a number of BMI Songwriter awards and other international music awards and his work has been featured on albums earning more than 35 gold and platinum records.

Dick Wagner gathered more than 50 musicians to record at Sunset Sound Recorders in Los Angeles, including Mark Farner on lead vocals; Danny Seraphine on drums; Leland Sklar; Fred Mandel on piano; Elliot Easton; Jennifer Batten; Merrilee Rush; and Trini Lopez and Laurie Beebe Lewis on lead vocals.

Dick Wagner was the First Artist Ambassador for Guitars for Vets.