Orphan

Emerging from Canada during the first half of the 1980s, Orphan joined fellow domestic rock acts Coney Hatch and Honeymoon Suite in gaining attention. The former Pimps pair Chris Burke on vocals and bass together with Brent Diamond on keyboards recruited guitarist Steve McGovern and drummer Ron Boivenue, securing a deal with the Canadian Portrait imprint that also housed Saga and Orion the Hunter. Producers Lance Quinn and Tony Bongiovi, the latter responsible for Bon Jovi’s debut album, oversaw the sessions for the 1983 release Lonely at Night. That opening effort blended an eerie mood with strong AOR material such as the tracks “Hello” and “What Kind of Love Is This.” McGovern’s guitar work lifted Diamond’s somber keyboard textures on the edgy title song, which received both radio and video exposure. Diamond further contributed to Arc Angel’s self-titled debut issued that same year. The band’s next album, Salute, appeared in 1985 and featured Terry Norman Taylor on drums. Even a guest spot from labelmate and waning star Aldo Nova failed to halt Orphan’s slide into obscurity.