Editing Grand Funk Railroad (section)

=== Early 1970s ===
The hit single "[[I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)]]", from the album ''[[Closer to Home]]'', released in June 1970, was considered stylistically representative of Terry Knight and the Pack's recordings. In the spring of 1970, Knight launched an intensive advertising campaign to promote the album ''Closer to Home''.<ref name="Larkin" /> That album was certified multiplatinum despite a lack of critical approval.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs" /> The band spent $100,000 on a New York City [[Times Square]] [[billboard]] to advertise ''Closer to Home''.<ref name="NME Rock 'N' Roll Years">{{cite book |first=John |last=Tobler |year=1992 |title=NME Rock 'N' Roll Years |edition=1st |publisher=Reed International Books Ltd |location=London |page=213 |id=CN 5585}}</ref>

By 1971, Grand Funk equaled [[the Beatles]]' [[Shea Stadium]] attendance record but sold out the venue in just 72 hours, whereas the Beatles concert took a few weeks to sell out.<ref name="james15-16,22,37,60">James (1999), pp. 15–16, 22, 37, 60.</ref> Following ''Closer to Home'', The double disc ''[[Live Album (Grand Funk Railroad album)|Live Album]]'' was also released later in 1970 and was another gold disc recipient.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs" /> ''[[Survival (Grand Funk Railroad album)|Survival]]'' and ''[[E Pluribus Funk]]'' were both released in 1971. ''E Pluribus Funk'' celebrated the Shea Stadium show with an embossed depiction of the stadium on the album cover's reverse.

By late 1971, the band was concerned with Knight's managerial style and fiscal responsibility. This growing dissatisfaction led Grand Funk Railroad to fire Knight in early 1972. Knight sued for breach of contract, which resulted in a protracted legal battle. Knight repossessed the band's gear at one point before a gig at [[Madison Square Garden]]. In [[VH1]]'s ''[[Behind the Music]]'' Grand Funk Railroad episode, Knight stated that the original contract would have run out in about three months and that the wise decision for the band would have been to wait out the time.<ref name="james31,36–37,76">James (1999), pp. 31, 36–37, 76.</ref> However, at that moment, the band members felt they had no choice but to continue and fight for the rights to their careers and name. The legal battle with Knight lasted 2 years and ended when the band settled out of court. Knight became the clear winner with the copyrights and publisher's royalties to every Grand Funk recording made from March 1969 through March 1972, not to mention an enormous payoff in cash and oil wells. Farner, Brewer, and Schacher were given the rights to the name Grand Funk Railroad.<ref name="auto">''Discoveries Magazine'' No. 124 October 1998 Steve Bond</ref>

In 1972, Grand Funk Railroad added former Fabulous Pack bandmate [[Craig Frost]] on keyboards full-time.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://michiganrockandrolllegends.com/index.php/mrrl-hall-of-fame/385-terry-knight-and-the-pack | title=TERRY KNIGHT AND THE PACK - Michigan Rock and Roll Legends }}</ref> Originally, the band had attempted to attract [[Peter Frampton]], late of [[Humble Pie (band)|Humble Pie]]; however, he was not available due to signing a solo record deal with [[A&M Records]]. The addition of Frost, however, was a stylistic shift from Grand Funk's original garage-band-based rock & roll roots to a more rhythm & blues/pop rock-oriented style. With the new lineup, Grand Funk released ''[[Phoenix (Grand Funk Railroad album)|Phoenix]]'', its sixth album of original music, in September 1972.<ref name="james80,83–84">James (1999), pp. 80, 83–84.</ref>
[[File:The Loco-Motion - Cash Box ad 1974.jpg|thumb|''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cashbox]]'' advertisement, March 2, 1974]]

To refine Grand Funk's sound, the band secured veteran musician [[Todd Rundgren]] as a producer. With the band’s name shortened to Grand Funk,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Huey |first=Steve |title=Grand Funk Railroad |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/grand-funk-railroad-mn0000659517 |access-date=January 7, 2024 |website=AllMusic}}</ref> its two most successful albums and two number-one hit singles resulted: the Don Brewer-penned "[[We're an American Band (song)|We're an American Band]]" (from the number two album ''[[We're an American Band]]'', released in July 1973) and "[[The Loco-Motion]]" (from their 1974 number five album ''[[Shinin' On]]'', written by [[Carole King]] and [[Gerry Goffin]] and originally recorded by [[Little Eva]]).<ref name="Larkin" /> "We're an American Band" became Grand Funk's first number-one hit on Farner's 25th birthday, followed by Brewer's number-19 hit "[[Walk Like a Man (Grand Funk Railroad song)|Walk Like a Man]]." "The Loco-Motion" in 1974 was Grand Funk's second chart-topping single, followed by Brewer's number-11 hit "Shinin' On". The band continued touring the U.S., Europe, and Japan.<ref name="james90,92–94,104–106">James (1999), pp. 90, 92–94, 104–106.</ref>