Guitarist Dick Wagner: Iowa Time Machine December 14, 1942

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 14, 1942, guitarist Dick Wagner was born in Oelwein. Best known for his work with Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, and Kiss. He also fronted his own Michigan-based bands, the Frost and the Bossmen.

Born in Oelwein, Iowa, Wagner grew up in the Owosso, Michigan, area and graduated from Waterford Township High School in 1961. His first band, the Bossmen, was a favorite in the Detroit area and scored radio play with the Wagner-penned compositions "Baby Boy," "You're the Girl for Me," and others. 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 1972, Wagner moved to New York and formed the short-lived group "Ursa Major". The original line-up included Billy Joel on keyboards and Rick Mangone on drums. Producer Bob Ezrin brought both Wagner and Steve Hunter into the studio to play guitar on the early Alice Cooper albums. Wagner had already been featured on the band's fifth studio album, School's Out (1972), notably for playing the memorable guitar solo on the track "My Stars". Wagner continued to play lead guitar (sometimes uncredited) on every Alice Cooper band album that followed through the break-up of the original group.

When the members of the original Alice Cooper group parted ways in 1974, Wagner officially teamed up with Alice Cooper and became his principal co-writer, lead guitarist, and band director. Together, they wrote their first concept album, Welcome to My Nightmare. Wagner contributed guitar tracks to the highly successful fourth studio album by Kiss, Destroyer (1976) – the first Kiss album to prominently feature outside musicians. Though uncredited, Wagner replaced Ace Frehley as lead guitarist for the tracks "Flaming Youth" and "Sweet Pain", while also playing the acoustic guitar found on the ballad "Beth.” #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar