Cinderella was an American hard rock and glam metal band from the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, formed in 1983 by vocalist, guitarist, pianist, and primary songwriter Tom Keifer and bassist Eric Brittingham. VH1 would later call them "Philadelphia's most illustrious contribution to glam," though the band always carried more blues in their DNA than that label suggested. The original lineup included drummer Tony Destra and guitarist Michael Schermick, both of whom departed in 1985 to form Britny Fox — another Philadelphia-area band that would have its own moment in the spotlight. Their replacements were guitarist Jeff LaBar and drummer Jim Drnec, with Drnec giving way to Fred Coury before the debut album was finished. It was this four-piece — Keifer, Brittingham, LaBar, and Coury — that became the classic Cinderella lineup.
The band's break came in 1985 when Jon Bon Jovi caught them performing at the Empire Rock Club in Northeast Philadelphia and immediately contacted his A&R representative Derek Shulman at Mercury/PolyGram. Gene Simmons of Kiss had also shown earlier interest but failed to land them a deal. Bon Jovi not only championed the band but contributed backing vocals to their debut. Night Songs (1986), produced by Andy Johns — whose credits included Led Zeppelin — became one of the breakout rock records of the year, peaking at number three on the Billboard 200 and going triple platinum in the US. The album launched Cinderella onto a 14-month tour opening for Bon Jovi on the Slippery When Wet run, exposing them to massive audiences across North America. The single "Nobody's Fool" reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the band's calling card.
Long Cold Winter (1988) was where Cinderella separated themselves from the glam metal pack. Leaning heavily into blues, Southern rock, and Aerosmith-influenced hard rock, the album showed a band consciously evolving beyond the hair metal genre with which they'd been associated. It debuted in the top 10 of the Billboard 200, was eventually certified triple platinum, and produced four charting Hot 100 singles — including "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)," a power ballad that reached number 12 and became the band's highest-charting single. A highlight of the supporting 254-show world tour was Keifer being lowered to the stage while playing a white piano during the song — a piece of staging that became one of the era's most memorable images. The band also performed at the Moscow Music Peace Festival alongside Ozzy Osbourne, the Scorpions, Mötley Crüe, Bon Jovi, and Skid Row.
Heartbreak Station (1990) pushed even further into blues-rock territory and debuted at number 19 on the Billboard 200, going platinum. Still Climbing (1994) was their final studio album, arriving in the post-grunge landscape to diminished commercial returns. By the mid-1990s, internal tensions and health issues — including a serious vocal cord condition that would plague Keifer for years — had taken a significant toll. The band reunited in 1996 and continued to tour periodically into the 2000s and early 2010s, participating in the 2014 Monsters of Rock Cruise before going inactive. Keifer has since built a successful solo career under the Keiferband name. Guitarist Jeff LaBar passed away in July 2021. Across their four studio albums, Cinderella sold 15 million records worldwide.
Wayne Dennon photographed Cinderella as part of an archive that captures the full story of hard rock's most celebrated era. Cinderella were always more than a glam metal band — they were a genuine blues-influenced rock outfit that happened to arrive at the exact moment the Sunset Strip aesthetic was consuming everything in its path. Wayne's images reflect a band that brought real musicianship and raw feeling to a genre that didn't always demand it.
