Did you know that in 1972 Grand Funk Railroad sold out Shea Stadium in 72 hours?

It took The Beatles three weeks to sell it out. Now, Mark Farner brings his “American Band” to the Potter Center on Saturday Night. At that time, Farner had written every song for Grand Funk, and he said, “I was pretty proud of the fact that it was my music that was played at Shea Stadium.”

Farner got his start in 1965, so we had to ask who his influences were. “Hendrix was my Guitar God, and I like Clapton on that first album ‘Fresh Cream’, the sound he had on his guitar man, was awesome but he never went back to that sound. I dug when the Yardbirds had Jeff Beck, they came to Flint and played the IMA and I was there watching; and I love Jeff Beck then, and now.” Farner said.

Greg O’Connor knows literally everyone, so of course he’s known Mark Farner for over 30 years. He met Farner when he owned a large appliance store in Onaway, and they became euchre partners. That’s Pure Michigan. “Singing Spruce Enterprises, you remember the jingle?”  Farner said.

Mark Farner and His American Band performs Saturday night with Blue Oyster Cult at the Potter Center at 7pm.