One hit top 40 wonder: "How Long" Ace (1974)

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British group Ace only had two songs cracking Billboard Hot 100 with “How Long?” making a splash at #3. The song was from their debut album “Five-a-Side.” The band formed in Sheffield as Ace Flash and the Dynamos in 1972 and had a r&b rock flavor. Like most listeners, I assumed “How Long?” concerned infidelity. Not so. Written by lead singer Paul Carrack, “How Long?” was about bassist Terry Comer secretly playing for other groups. Ace disbanded in 1977 after three albums. Carrack went on to an excellent long career. He was an in demand touring and session player for name acts. Carrack had an ongoing solo career between working in groups like Roxy Music. His biggest solo hit “Don’t Shed a Tear” reached #9 in 1987 and he was a founding member of Mike+the Mechanics and sang on their #1 hit “The Living Years.” As a member of Squeeze, Carrack was lead singer on the band’s best known single “Tempted.”