Rising to fame in the 1970s and ’80s with hits like Maneater and Private Eyes, Hall and Oates became one of the best-selling duos in music history
Music legend Daryl Hall, best known as one-half of the chart-topping duo Hall and Oates, has declared himself a pioneer who helped break down racial boundaries in the music industry. Now 78, Hall continues to perform solo while looking back on a career that shaped the course of popular music in the United States.
In a candid interview with Classic Pop magazine, Hall emphasized the importance of Black radio in launching his career. “I was one of those pioneers in breaking down those barriers between Black music and white music, whatever that means,” he said. “My earliest success was on Black radio in America. I had to break into the white pop world in America. That was secondary, after the fact.”
Hall attributes part of his success to his upbringing in Philadelphia. “Being from Philly, a very colourblind area, helped me be able to break those barriers down. Luckily, I figured out how to do it.”
Rising to fame in the 1970s and ’80s with hits like Maneater and Private Eyes, Hall and Oates became one of the best-selling duos in music history. However, Hall is now navigating a new chapter, both musically and legally. In 2023, Hall sued longtime partner John Oates in an effort to block the sale of their shared stake in Whole Oats Enterprises, the company that controls much of their publishing catalogue.
This solo shift has allowed Hall to explore his own musical identity more freely. “I really was restricted,” he admitted. “When I was with John on stage, we had this rule that we couldn’t play any other work than what we did under the Hall and Oates name. It was very restrictive to me.”
Now liberated from that arrangement, Hall says he finally has the chance to perform his solo material. “I had no outlet. So now, I’m completely liberated and it’s much more fun.”
Despite decades in the industry, Hall believes his voice has only improved with age. “With age and maturity, my voice has mellowed and kind of opened up in a way. I had maybe more high note facility as a young guy… Now, I’ve lost a little of that, but I’ve gained other things.” Summing up his vocal evolution, he added, “I’m basically a soul singer, and I think my voice is more appropriate sounding to my emotions and my soulful thing than it used to be… It came from wisdom and experience. And a few whiskeys, too.”
