Grab your boat shoes and captain hats because Honeywell Center in Wabash is having a Rock the Dock night featuring Ambrosia, John Ford Coley, and Peter Beckett on Friday, Jan. 24. 

Yacht rock has a major fanbase. The soft rock music of the ’70s and ’80s is a sound that is nostalgic and just has an all around great vibe. 

How did this genre come to be? Well, soft rock has always been quite popular, but the term was not coined until 2005 when a comedy web series began calling it yacht rock as they dug into fictional drama between some of the iconic musicians of the genre. 

While Michael McDonald is known as the king of yacht rock, there are a lot of bands that have the smooth jazzy sound that makes you want to sip a tropical drink in the middle of the ocean.

Bringing the hits

Coley is an American guitarist and singer known for being part of the Grammy-nominated duo England Dan & John Ford Coley, who scored big with “I’d Really Love To See You Tonight” off their 1976 debut Nights are Forever.

After posting triple-platinum and gold albums, the duo disbanded in 1980, and Coley continued his musical career in Nashville, Tennessee. 

Beckett is the singer and guitarist of Player. Hailing from Liverpool, England, he began recording at the age of 16. After being in a couple of bands, he moved to Los Angeles and joined Player in 1976. 

You’ve definitely heard Player’s hit “Baby Come Back” off their 1977 self-titled debut. Four albums later, the band broke up, and Beckett continued writing and recording for artists like Janet Jackson and Kenny Rogers. 

Biggest part is ambrosia

Headlining the show is Ambrosia, whom you may know from their biggest hit songs such as “How Much I Feel,” “Biggest Part of Me,” and “You’re the Only Woman (You & I).”

Formed in 1970, Ambrosia hit the charts and have not turned back since. Collaborating with multiple fellow rock musicians such as Alan Parsons, Bill Champlin, and, of course, McDonald, they have made their footprint on the genre. 

I had the chance to correspond with Ambrosia’s founding vocalist/bassist Joe Puerta about their upcoming performance and what being in the genre means to him.

“One of the things that brought us so much joy is seeing a new group of younger people who weren’t yet born when we made these records out in the audience singing along and dancing in the aisles and having the time of their life to the background of our music,” he said in an email response.

“To the other group that grew up with our music, it was part of the soundtrack of their lives, and that brings back so many great memories for them. We are enjoying all of this and sharing in their joy of this music celebration.”

Along with playing their hits like “Holdin’ On to Yesterday” and “How Can You Love Me,” Ambrosia will also be playing the music for Coley and Beckett.

“Ambrosia is lucky to play as the ‘house band’ behind friends and fellow musicians,” Puerta said. “It’s been an honor to perform their huge hits on stage and watch the crowd singing and dancing along. 

“We are all very lucky to still be playing at this point and to have such a renewed interest is quite the blessing and high. When we all get together it’s an incredible night of mega hits.”

Resurgence

Puerta expressed how happy he is to be visiting the Midwest again and to be bringing together such an awesome community of music lovers. 

“I think what we look forward to the most is the joy and excitement in the faces of the crowd who appreciate this music that has endured for over 50 years and still brings so much happiness to our fans,” he said.

So, why has yacht rock made a resurgence? Streaming platforms have launched the music into an era that has never been this chaotic. 

With it so easily accessible, music has become a constant in our everyday lives. Bands that thrived in ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s are seeing a wave of new listeners. 

Older generations are hooked on nostalgia. Younger generations are hooked on bringing that nostalgia back to life. 

Modern-day artists like Bruno Mars are also pulling inspiration from the yacht rock genre with his smooth jazz tones and floral shirts. 

So, whether you are a new listener, old listener, or just a music explorer, you should get your ticket for the Rock the Dock.