Mark Farner Has Forgiven The Man Who Ripped Off Grand Funk - Terry Knight

[@loveistruth5713]

A true man of God who loves Jesus living out his faith without being Preachy. Our job is to forgive and share the good news .

[@jimgallagher3904]

Amen brother!

[@walterspisak4521]

The power of forgiveness! God Bless Mark Farner!

[@fastinbulvis2223]

Terry was a crook. But he was a front. The buck did not stop with him. He was kickin' upstairs to the real crooks. That's what guys like Terry were there for. So the real crooks stay invisible.

[@jupiterlegrand4817]

Brother Mark has got to be one of the nicest and most upstanding guys in music. He was naive (in a good way, i.e. not cunning) and got reamed so many times, yet his actions shows he really loves the Lord...he walks the walk. One guy I'd love to meet and shake hands with.

[@davidrynberk4830]

This guy is a needle in a haystack ..a diamond in the rough.

[@onusgumboot5565]

I saw him in Aberdeen a few years ago. He described himself as a cussin' Christian. Great show. I think he was 68 at the time, and had more energy than a lot of younger people I know. He stayed after the show to talk to people and sign pretty much whatever you wanted signed. Great guy

[@randysalles2292]

Gotta give it to mark farner, the man still has his integrity and his soul is inwavered.....aho! Brother!

[@lovelylori1085]

Absolutely love Mark Farner!!! Class act and awesome artist.

[@debbiescott6732]

When I listen to Mark telling his story it reminds me of another very similar story of another great musician,Gerry Rafferty. He was also a very talented musician and had beautiful songs I loved like Bakers Street.

[@mariaday712]

Wow! What a story. How can you forgive someone that ripped you off like Terry Knight did? Mark is one amazing man if he did this and not feel bitter about it. I still love how he calls you "Brother John". I love Mark and Grand Funk when he was with them. I wish Mark all the best. He's a great person. I love this interview. Thanks John for talking to Mark. Stay safe.

[@mtradz]

Lovin' this interview with Mark. He is in such a wonderful place in his head and heart and thank God for that! 😉

[@RonnieMinh]

Thanks Mark for all the great music. My band opened for you in Las Vegas on NYE in the early 70’s and I got to see first hand what a great performer you are.

[@truthseeker2321]

What was the name of your band? Did you have any records recorded? I'm very interested in obscure rock music, and puzzled why many never became hits.

[@groverbaker6404]

Mark Farner!! Wrote more Killer songs than 2/3 of the songwriters in history!! Mark is grand funk!!

[@raulmacias1311]

I love you Mark! You're a wonderful human being and I always believed in you and your lyrics! I have fond memories of you, Don and Mel whilst attending Pacoima Junior High School 1969~1972! All us Chicanos love Grand Funk! I wish I could go back. Blessings To You Mark!

[@MrPolleyr]

Thank you Mark. I am a child of the 50’s and started playing guitar at 13 and them GFR came along and I found my music, I had many years playing in bands all over the country. AND........not only did I follow you into music, but years later I followed you into FAITH. So, I thank God for you, not only for the music, but also for your very public faith. I love ya Brother.

[@Rezcat-y6r]

Love 💕 hard! Forgive harder!! Thank you Brother John. Have a great Friday. God bless.

[@stevefroese4616]

I am so proud of my hero Mark Farner! He is so strong to forgive Terry Knight! He has taught us you have to forgive our enemies in order to move on. Mark is now at peace to keep going!!! God Bless you Mark!!! You deserve all the best in life from f

[@lasquishahlostootha9124]

Mark you helped me and thousands of others get through their teens…..bless you…..you still have great energy…

[@mrDCunningham]

No matter what anyone says and I know you have to say he is the "former" front man. But to me he is and always will be the front man. Mark is Grand Funk Railroad. I love this guy. Don and Mel need to get there shit together and make things right with him. Great interview series John 👍🏻😎

[@robertgrant4501]

Amen to that.

[@davidrynberk4830]

Agreed! 100% he is Grand Funk Railroad

[@austinteutsch]

Yeah, and do it BEFORE they're in a fucking wheelchair and can't play a chord on stage. Life is short.

[@lonesometinman3147]

Yeah , as another person commented GFR.Without Mark is like CCR without Fogerty Or like the Experience without Jimi....

[@JohnnyPissoff235]

Or Ten Years After without Alvin Lee

[@randyjordan5521]

About Terry Knight keeping Mark's publishing rights---Paul McCartney said in an interview that in their early days, he and John were very naive. They thought that once a song was written and recorded, it just became public domain property---or just "out there," as Paul put it. They had no idea of the value of the publishing rights. John said that when the Beatles split up, George and Ringo were "penniless." All they had to show for their decade of hard work was that they had paid for their houses. All four had to create solo careers to make up for what they were screwed out of in the '60s. It's a shame that Paul doesn't have the rights to his own Beatles songs, even though he offered good money to repurchase them.

[@queensgirl58]

love Mark Farner... thank you for the interviews John..

[@MrMrtoby05]

I had the honor of meeting Mark years ago at the Pickerington, Ohio Violet Festival. He put on a fantastic show and was very engaging. How much better his story is since he became a brother in Christ.

[@VavyLozano]

They deserve to be in the Hall of Fame.....of course they deserve it...!!

[@deanguando1335]

The rock and roll hall of fame means absolutely nothing.

[@doodleboy60]

Terry Knight screwed people out of their money. And where is he now? What good did it serve him? A lesson to ponder and one that has been played out since the beginning.

[@RayBecker]

I love this dude. He IS GFR! When that album came out, I'll never forget it. The LP was way better than what you could get on the radio. Played that vinyl to death. God Bless you Mark.

[@David-ei1fs]

Farner was my hero when I was 12-13 in 72-74....his stand against hard drugs likely kept me off of them when the whole youth society was saturated with them. Thank You for your courage and inspiration Mark!

[@StratmanDarrell]

Mark Farner is a true Christian. For our battles are not carnal. Vengeance is mine saith the Lord. Mark is going to heaven while like Terry likely went to hell. For eternity. Terry was a wolf in sheep's clothing. The joy of the Lord is his strength.

[@gwestfall]

GFR without Farner is like CCR without Fogerty.

[@coldlava101]

YES He is G.F. and John is CCR

[@maximilianozamorategui2608]

Amen

[@mbeckerini]

GFR is nothing more than a cover band now. I won't waste money on them. I'd go see Mark any day of the week, though!

[@TheMrmartind40]

Bingo.

[@chrisbacos]

@@mbeckerini sadly many of the bands we loved from the 60, the 70s, and the 80s are just that.

[@Crankerny58]

WoW! Much respect to Mark Farner!

[@edbaskett3080]

I followed CCR and John and Tom Fogarty very deeply as I lived within 5 miles from their family homes and the places they started out at. Our band, Destiny, was given the opportunity to grab a bunch of equipment from Cosmo's Factory in Emeryville after John left CCR. I was able to do lights and sound on an occasion for Tom's band, RUBY, and I got stomped by Tom in Foosball. I was always in it for the music and the stories I could share and that makes all these stories more Heartbreaking. I loved Grand Funk and Mark Farners talent. I'm fortunate to have a catalog of songs I written and recorded some of and save many more but it seems like the real joy was the playing to an audience that showed their appreciation in their own personal was. It was a great honor to show up at a recording session and have Michael Jackson shake my hand before leaving, not even knowing until later that night that it was THE MJ. I have a song I wrote about it that only been shared to a very few. I look forward to more information. Thank You.

[@leonardlloyd1089]

Mark Farner is ROCK ROYALTY! MARK and grand funk are HOF bound! Should have been there! Mark Farner IS GRAND FUNK!!!! Brother Mark, you keep it " SHININ ON! "

[@Skypie61]

Its not just in Music. Bad actors are everywhere and when you take shortcuts, cause you don't want to pay out more than you have to, this is where peeps get screwed. I've always been a contract person/law school, and what I learned is enough to spot these peeps who deliberately want everything. Especially if it is your IP...Always pay for a 2nd opinion, even if the person is your bestie/relative, etc. It pays to be safe...👍🤠

[@canadianstudmuffin]

Great interviews. Mark rocks!

[@mikeshomin8144]

There really is no GFR without Mark Farner! Rock on Mark!

[@pookiemartinez5006]

Don and Mel, you are not Grand funk railroad!!! No Mark Farner, no GFR! Wake the funk up.

[@raymondrodriguez9389]

I read about that percentages story in one of the GFR books, forget now which one. However, I'd like to hear more about went on during the Madison Square Garden show for ABC In Concert. It's a shame that GFR was treated so badly during those years. Makes one wonder just how many more footstompin' hits would have made it to the Golden Oldies by now. The same goes for CCR, What could have been is a question that sadly will never be answered. As the guys aren't getting any younger, They need to get it together within the next few years IF there is any hope of a World Tour as a last hoorah. It would be fitting as The American Band visits the world and shows them how it's done American Style!!!

[@randyjordan5521]

They picked up the pieces and started over after Knight screwed them over, with the "Phoenix" album. Their string of hits had run out by 1975 with "Some Kind Of Wonderful" and "Bad Time." They put out two more albums, "Born To Die" and "Good Singin' Good Playin', but they didn't produce any hits. They just fizzled out.

[@dapinelli]

Mark is a true American hero and was the sole creative force of Grand Funk. It's too bad that his band mates were jealous and conspired against him. I can't believe that people still go to Grand Funk Railroad concerts w/o knowing any of the background of the band and allow themselves to not hear the original singer and songwriter. As an example, in the summer of 1990, I took a friend of mine to a Eric Clapton concert as a thank you for helping me paint my house since he was a fan of his music. I had just turned 20 and he was in his early to mid-20's. He didn't know anything about Eric with the Yardbirds, or with John Mayall and probably not even his time with Cream, as that was all before his time. So I would venture to say that 99% of the people under 40 or definitely under 30 wouldn't know that without Mark Farner, the band that they're listening to is a Faux band!

[@BillyBob-ld5nv]

My 15 year old sister turned me on to Grand Funk when I was 6. I took one of her LPs to 1st grade show-and-tell. (Of course I didn't tell my sister.) All the kids and even the teacher acted like I was a freak. The teacher even refused to play a song for the class.

[@robseneff]

GFR was my first concert ever... and I have never forgotten the show. Mark Farner is, and always will be Grand Funk Railroad. Period.

[@billhawkins1236]

And what's really cool is his Messenger sitting in the background 🤠🤠🤠👍👍👍

A great Real Christian Not a Preachy pointing the finger at Everyone but a True American Christian and A Underrated Guitarist I'm 63 years young I got to see them in San Francisco years ago Great Performances

I know this phrase has been used a lot but he is just one of the many Great guitarists why I as a.young boy I picked up a Fender Stratocaster Thanks to my parents for buy it but Mark was a great guitarists and teacher Ive learned a few riffs from him Still practice and studying and playing Blues guitar at the young age of 63 Thanks Mark for all the best Guitar lessons and Riffs I'm still playing to this very day

[@randecolley7054]

Met Mark in Tucson wayyy| back. He was an awesome, nicest human I have ever met in my life. I could never forget you!!!

[@Avalonrick1]

Mark has the right idea . I hope he puts the band together and makes a ton of money. Love this series.

[@lonesometinman3147]

I like the way Mark said in a previous interview If you don't forgive it'll eat you up Forgiveness is hard but possible

[@geo.cgeier3435]

Your a good man Charlie Brown! To bad there was so many snakes back then and so many other bands have the same story. Love you Mark!

[@jerbear57]

Humble brother in Christ. Mark Farner will be Grand Funk, always. I was in Junior high when I became a huge fan. I had to buy another "Grand Funk Live" because I wore out the first one.

[@thekeysman1]

Sad story of many managers ripped off the musicians, BIlly Joel was ripped off, Peter Frampton, to name a few i can think of.

[@TheJohnnyCotts]

Happens a lot in the music business, but I thought Peter Frampton's problem was he invested heavily in the US stock market, then lost it all when Black Monday hit in 1987. At least that was the way it was presented in his Behind The Music. Billy Joel is an extreme version of getting fucked over by your manager, as his original manager was his brother-in-law, his first wife's brother.

[@truthseeker2321]

All of them got ripped off.

[@maximilianozamorategui2608]

Little Richard, Sly Stone.

[@imeretian9446]

Badfinger, the saddest story of them all

[@impalaman9707]

I keep coming back to the difference between the way John Fogerty and Mark Farner both handle being taken advantage of having gone through the same set of circumstances, and I have to tell you, Mark Farner is a better man for wanting to let go of the past, and forgive those who wronged him, than that "bitter" man John Fogerty who is so full of pride and conceit that he won't forgive and still holds grudges and vengeful

[@rocktober1327]

I saw Grand Funk at SHEA stadium, Great Show.

[@steelydan42]

My Ex mother- in Law Used to Date Terry knights Dad back in the late 70s. Even had him over to my place many times he was a pretty good guy

[@jamesscarselletta3446]

Without Mark Farner, there is no Grand Funk. I am really shocked that m. Farner has no more publishing rights for the songs he did. This is a shame. More and more I hear of people in many different areas of show business are being taken and it doesn't seem fair. People in these big companies need to realize that we are workers and need to be paid too.

[@philbrown1474]

Great series of interviews with the engineer. Too bad the porter and coal shoveler can’t do the right thing today.

[@paulperetti7889]

I'm not a Christian or conservative but Farner is really a good guy and I still love the old Grand Funk records

[@raulmacias1311]

To me, Mark Farner was the Bobby Kennedy of Hard Rock Music! I simply believed in everything he sang!

[@Truly1Tom]

If I were in Mark Farner's shoes I could very well forgive somebody but still sue them if they had screwed me in a financial situation.

[@dean4247]

Mark you are an Amazing human,great heart man.

[@stevekosak8624]

No Mark Farner ...... No fucking grand funk !!!!!

[@johnnyclark7830]

To Don and Mel : The song is nearly over and So's the world and the day. Something's missing but who will listen, enough to do what it would take?

[@biscuitboy3617]

No matter what happens, or who does someone else wrong, the better man is the one who can forgive the other, and even offer a helping hand and help their fellow man (or woman) up from a down situation. Mr. Farner has exhibited this very well. The world tells us to get revenge, but Christ tells us to forgive even those who have done evil towards you, and I trust Him more than anyone on this planet!

[@tcooneytunes]

I've always said, The music is great...the business sucks!

[@jimreal3840]

We're all good....lets get the original band back together now....when we start playing together we will remember all the great stuff we did together...and people will love it !

[@ginohernandez3770]

Question is how does Don Brewer sleep at night

[@dapinelli]

Don has a Law degree and set the wheels in motion to get rid of Mark, so I would venture to say that he does sleep well at night. Until the fans show up at the concerts and begin booing and/or protesting, the Faux Grand Funk will continue.

[@truthseeker2321]

Like a baby no doubt. Narcissistic assholes do that.

[@austinteutsch]

He sleeps soundly because he is still living in the same arena as Terry Knight.

[@TM-te3bh]

Bob seager felt sorry for Don and gave him a job

[@raymondbonington9355]

Enjoyed this chat , in the uk they never really took off for some reason .

[@truthseeker2321]

Different sound perhaps? As an American, I'm curious as to what American bands of that era were popular in the UK, besides the Doors or Hendrix.

[@leewaken5059]

Yeah, Farner's story! Bad Finger and Stan Polley! What the hell? These people can't be happy just to make lots of cash doing their job. Or "stealing" just a bit. They gotta take it all!!!!! Where are their hearts?

[@58BURST]

The love of money, leaves no room for the heart. ONLY GREED

[@LaMusicade4]

It’s so sad how this talented person , and of course the rest of Grand Funk, got the shaft . At least they got the opportunity to share that talent with us. Still have the wax and I have the downloads

[@tacmason]

Great stuff !!!

[@kc0lif]

i like mark farner he smart guy .music business definitely a business.

[@bold58]

Terry Knight was a unique Genius had great talent at a lot of things but he was a little light on morales and trustworthiness !!

[@davidskidmore4189]

To do what he did, Terry Knight made his mind believe that he was due that much because he made them what they were, that they would've done nothing without him. His connections did get them gigs they would not otherwise have gotten, but that is a managers job. Mark is right to say their mistake is they had no one review the contract. But I think Terry Knight slept like a baby. In his mind, it was all his doing.

[@TheJohnnyCotts]

In his book, Mark said he was suspicious of Knight from the get-go, but Don Brewer felt he had the connections, etc., ... necessary to get them to the big time and they should go with him as their manager.

[@U2WB]

I’ll never understand how Mark’s own bandmates could screw him over. Mark Farner WAS GFR. Composer, singer, guitarist... Give me a break. I stand by Mark; I grew up listening to his music and he inspired me as a musician myself.

[@matthewspatol1811]

This was extremely interesting

[@gltglt8624]

"MARK FARNER" A WORLD MUSICAL TREASURE! ( he will always be "our" captain)

[@johnerwin9024]

How sad for all parties; hope offending party is salvageable ☹

[@jjdvideo]

The first question, I think, was referring to Terry Knight, but Mark Farner was answering about his ex-band mates. Wow, he's been screwed over so many times, that when he's asked about it, he has to figure out which incident they are talking about.

[@debbiescott6732]

A lot of 1970's bands were screwed. A lot of the bands were started in young men's garages. They had zero business sense or experience. All they wanted to do was write their songs and play their instruments which many of them self taught how to play. But these rip offs were very common back then. GFR was the greatest 3 piece band. 👍🇺🇸❤

[@chuckhutton5087]

Accurate up until the last sentence. As great as Grand Funk were, that is a generic statement to call them the greatest three member band. Fans of RUSH and ELP might disagree.

[@randyjordan5521]

@@chuckhutton5087 Or Cream or Hendrix.

[@fretworkband3204]

@@chuckhutton5087 And Cream and James Gang, et al.

[@truthseeker2321]

@@chuckhutton5087 Or Cream.

[@robertshanks3674]

Great interview

[@jjdvideo]

The Guess Who were another band with a similar messed up history. Unfortunately, it is common for bands to get screwed over in the music biz.

[@kevinhughey316]

Rocks voice of Gold!!!!

[@sinsagoodmansbrother]

Excellent... I've always been fascinated by all this and how the RIAA and record companies payed their bands... So, I understand all that went down with GFR. So, Terry Knight (who did an excellent job in promoting them in my opinion) got Capital to pay 16%? Total? Terry took 10% and gave the boys 6%? Plus he took a management fee as well? I guess the next logical question is what did other successful rock groups receive? Is that info available anywhere?

[@austinteutsch]

I talked to Mark in 1987 when he came to Austin, Texas as a solo artist. He told me that the legal bullshit broke his heart, that GFR could never be the same IF Don and Mel didn't get on the same page with him and together they take back the band. BUT Don and Mel were listening to other powers that be who also had the same mind set as Terry and Mark was in for another fucking, which happened and completely tore up Mark's personal relationship with Don and Mel. Don turned out to be cut from the same cloth as Terry, thus ending any chances of GFR getting back together WITH total control of the band's finances. They were young and only interested in the music and we all know now you have to be a businessman first and a musician second. Ask John Fogerty.

[@impalaman9707]

Always remember---it was DON who talked Mark into signing their lives away to Terry Knight in the first place. It was Mark who never trusted Knight to begin with. It was only the lure of getting a deal to make records for Capitol and a faster ride to fame that talked Mark into giving up his freedom to Knight

[@kenbash2951]

Guys like Terry Knight, Bernie Madoff and countless other thieves, make me actually believe there is evil on this earth and I never believed it could be true but here it is:(

[@randyrook4960]

I love GFR Go Mark Farner....👽

[@raywite6665]

Terry Knight and the Pack were fabulous, at least they didn't go all John Sinclair radical.

[@truthseeker2321]

Yes. I love their cover of the Yardbirds " Mister You're a Better Man Than I".

[@vincentrathbone26]

It was Pete and Tom, not Joey.

[@vayabroder729]

Those stories on Terry Knight’s shenanigans are the stuff of legend. Don Brewer should’ve become an attorney earlier to deal with him. Pete Ham killed himself after Badfinger got screwed; thankfully Joey is still with us.

[@sloanchampion85]

How can people do this to each other? I'll never understand it.....

[@sspbrazil]

Such a common story with bands from that era.

[@michaelcopps5683]

Elvis' Colonel was a circus "carny'...Barnum and Bailey's greatest quote "Never give a sucker an even break". People will do the "darn dest" things or etc, etc. Gypsies can be everywhere in more in difficult times. These days maybe even the "Gypsies" are getting ripped off. Rock n roll, sadly, "Roll" with it as in "Just roll w/it. Thanks!

[@randyschiffer3265]

Hey John if you want to hear a feel good story of someone doing the right thing interview Chris Hillman. Ask him about Stephen Stills giving him back his publishing rights.

[@isaiahneilguitaristofficia549]

$1,500,000 in 1970 is equivalent to $10,400,000…that is a lot of money.

[@debravirden7130]

Mark has more grace than Knight could ever have achieved in his life.

[@lamper2]

In a Dateline episode, hopefully a Keith Morrison episode, it would turn out his daughter convinced that boyfriend to kill him. who got the insurance? At 8:15 It was Tom and Pete NOT JOEY!

[@nanchanger]

Sad story, seen GFR, great, seen without Mark, bloody awful!

[@donwilson7166]

Mark, great are your rewards in heaven.

[@cremls]

Sad.... Narcissim, sociopathology, no empathy, no conscience....

[@frankny4947]

My problem with all this business of Grand Funk getting ripped off by Terry Knight, and then later on Mark getting ripped off by the other guys in Grand Funk is this...Wasn't there enough money to go around fairly??..This was a multi million dollar band...WTF...I mean this is rock and roll..Why do people have to get greedy about cool rock and roll music?..And the money they can make working, together to kick rock and roll ass, for themselves and us fans?.I want to give it those guys right here on You Tube, but I don't want to be vicious and nasty, and dirty and get thrown out of the place..Because that's the negative energy that Mark doesn't let get to HIM..He's a better man than I am..I'm more pissed off than he is about the whole deal..Creedence, Badfinger, Grand Funk...I've known about those stories for decades now and I try not to think about it or I get sick...So then all I can do is put on all of their music and just enjoy it for how lucky we are to have it, and just say...Shit Happens...What else can we do?.....frankm64yroldwhitekid rockfan

[@theodorehall322]

Mark Farner was GRAND FUNK!

[@MrRunt128]

Why are you dredging this up for Mark after 50 years. Mark is a Saint

[@stevenguevara2184]

This Man had to literally beat the lady’s off of Him. He was also immortalized by Homer Simpson

[@alexcastro7339]

It's there a rock band from the 70s that actually made wise decisions and wasn't ripped off? Except maybe the Grateful Dead... lol 😎

[@truthseeker2321]

The Grateful Dead's biggest success was, they stayed on the road, getting their money from the concerts they had. I remember back in 1988, they came to Cincinnati and had a sold out show in just a few hours. I didn't get to see though, but wished I had.

[@timstubbs6900]

That makes me sick !

[@OthO67]

Music can be a sleazy business.

[@davecody5997]

Mark farner ...is...grand funk!!!!!