Dan Hartman

Dan Hartman was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, who moved fluidly between rock, funk, soul and dance music across a career spanning the 1970s and 1980s. He first made his name as bassist and songwriter for the Edgar Winter Group, co-writing and playing on the hit «Free Ride» before stepping out as a solo artist and studio auteur in his own right.

As a solo performer, Hartman became a fixture on both the pop and dance charts, scoring with the disco-funk anthem «Instant Replay» and later with «I Can Dream About You», his contribution to the «Streets of Fire» soundtrack that became one of his signature hits. Behind the scenes he was equally prolific, producing and writing for artists such as James Brown, and later penning «Relight My Fire», a song that found new life as a hit for Take That featuring Lulu.

Hartman's sound blended sleek, danceable grooves with soulful vocal hooks and polished studio production, making him a bridge figure between 1970s funk-rock and the synth-driven pop and R&B of the 1980s. He died in 1994, but his songwriting and production credits continued to resurface through covers and samples long after.