Feature Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/vazzz/, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Cinderella emerged from the rock scene in Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania, in 1983, founded by vocalist and guitarist Tom Keifer and bassist Eric Brittingham. The original lineup also included guitarist Michael Schermick and drummer Tony Destra, but both left to form Britny Fox. Their replacements, guitarist Jeff LaBar and drummer Fred Coury, completed the classic lineup that propelled Cinderella to commercial success. The band’s first major break came when Jon Bon Jovi saw them perform at the Empire Rock Club in Philadelphia and recommended them to Mercury Records, leading to their first record deal.
The band’s debut album, Night Songs, was released in 1986 and became an immediate success. The record reached number three on the Billboard 200 and was eventually certified triple platinum. Featuring hard-hitting songs including “Nobody’s Fool,” “Shake Me,” and “Somebody Save Me,” the album introduced Cinderella’s blend of hard rock, glam metal, and blues-based songwriting. The band toured extensively in support of the album, appearing with Poison, David Lee Roth, and Bon Jovi while establishing a reputation as a powerful live act.
In 1988, Cinderella moved toward a more blues-influenced sound with its second album, Long Cold Winter. The album became another major commercial success and produced “Gypsy Road,” “The Last Mile,” “Coming Home,” and the power ballad “Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone),” which reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. The band’s lengthy tour in support of Long Cold Winter included an appearance at the Moscow Music Peace Festival.
Cinderella continued to expand its sound with Heartbreak Station in 1990. Although the album did not match the multi-platinum sales of its predecessors, it reached number 19 on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum. The record emphasized blues, country, and roots-rock influences, with “Shelter Me,” “Heartbreak Station,” and “The More Things Change” among its best-known songs. During the tour, drummer Fred Coury was temporarily replaced by Kevin Valentine.
The band faced a major setback when Tom Keifer developed paresis of his left vocal cord, leading to multiple surgeries and an extended recovery. Cinderella eventually released its fourth studio album, Still Climbing, in 1994. The changing musical climate and limited label support contributed to the album’s disappointing commercial performance. Mercury Records later dropped the band, which entered a hiatus in 1995.
Cinderella regrouped in 1996 and returned to touring. The 1997 compilation Once Upon A… included the previously unreleased “War Stories” and the band’s version of Janis Joplin’s “Move Over.” The group recorded Live at the Key Club in 1998, capturing a concert performed in Hollywood. Cinderella later signed with Sony, but plans for a new studio album ended amid contractual disputes.
During the 2000s and early 2010s, Cinderella continued touring, including anniversary dates with Poison, festival appearances, and performances on the Monsters of Rock Cruise. Despite recurring discussion of new music, the band never released another studio album after Still Climbing.
In 2017, Keifer said the personal issues among the members were beyond repair and ruled out a Cinderella reunion. Guitarist Jeff LaBar died on July 14, 2021, at age 58. Former touring keyboardist Gary Corbett died the same day. Keifer has continued recording and touring as a solo artist, including a run of solo dates in 2026.
Cinderella’s studio discography consists of four albums: Night Songs, Long Cold Winter, Heartbreak Station, and Still Climbing. The band’s best-known singles include “Nobody’s Fool,” “Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone),” “Gypsy Road,” “Coming Home,” “The Last Mile,” and “Shelter Me.” Their ability to combine hard rock with blues, country, and roots influences gave Cinderella a distinctive identity among the commercially successful rock bands of the 1980s.
Outside Cinderella, the members pursued several projects. Tom Keifer became a solo artist, releasing The Way Life Goes in 2013 and Rise in 2019, while Fred Coury worked in music production and composition. Cinderella’s legacy continues through its four studio albums, live recordings, and songs that remain staples of classic hard-rock radio.
Complete List Of Cinderella Songs From A to Z
- “All Comes Down” – Still Climbing – 1994
- “Back Home Again” – Night Songs – 1986
- “Bad Attitude Shuffle” – Still Climbing – 1994
- “Bad Seamstress Blues / Fallin’ Apart at the Seams” – Long Cold Winter – 1988
- “Blood from a Stone” – Still Climbing – 1994
- “Coming Home” – Long Cold Winter – 1988
- “Dead Man’s Road” – Heartbreak Station – 1990
- “Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone)” – Long Cold Winter – 1988
- “Easy Come Easy Go” – Still Climbing – 1994
- “Electric Love” – Heartbreak Station – 1990
- “Fire and Ice” – Long Cold Winter – 1988
- “Freewheelin” – Still Climbing – 1994
- “Galaxy Blues (Live)” – Somebody Save Me – Single B-Side – 1987
- “Gypsy Road” – Long Cold Winter – 1988
- “Hard to Find the Words” – Still Climbing – 1994
- “Heartbreak Station” – Heartbreak Station – 1990
- “Hell on Wheels” – Night Songs – 1986
- “Hot & Bothered” – Still Climbing – 1994
- “If You Don’t Like It” – Long Cold Winter – 1988
- “In from the Outside” – Night Songs – 1986
- “Jumping Jack Flash (Live)” (The Rolling Stones cover) – Gypsy Road – Single B-Side – 1988
- “The Last Mile” – Long Cold Winter – 1988
- “Long Cold Winter” – Long Cold Winter – 1988
- “Love Gone Bad” – Heartbreak Station – 1990
- “Love’s Got Me Doin’ Time” – Heartbreak Station – 1990
- “Make Your Own Way” – Heartbreak Station – 1990
- “The More Things Change” – Heartbreak Station – 1990
- “Move Over” (Janis Joplin cover) – Stairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell / Once Upon A… – 1989/1997
- “Night Songs” – Night Songs – 1986
- “Nobody’s Fool” – Night Songs – 1986
- “Nothin’ for Nothin'” – Night Songs – 1986
- “Once Around the Ride” – Night Songs – 1986
- “One for Rock and Roll” – Heartbreak Station – 1990
- “Push, Push” – Night Songs – 1986
- “The Road’s Still Long” – Still Climbing – 1994
- “Rock Me Baby / Bring It On Home (Live)” – Shelter Me – Single B-Side – 1990
- “Second Wind” – Long Cold Winter – 1988
- “Shake Me” – Night Songs – 1986
- “Shelter Me” – Heartbreak Station – 1990
- “Sick for the Cure” – Heartbreak Station – 1990
- “Somebody Save Me” – Night Songs – 1986
- “Still Climbing” – Still Climbing – 1994
- “Take Me Back” – Long Cold Winter – 1988
- “Talk Is Cheap” – Still Climbing – 1994
- “Through the Rain” – Still Climbing – 1994
- “War Stories” – Once Upon A… – 1997
- “Winds of Change” – Heartbreak Station – 1990
Cinderella Albums and Major Releases
Night Songs (1986)
Long Cold Winter (1988)
Heartbreak Station (1990)
Still Climbing (1994)
Once Upon A… (1997)
The Mercury Years (2018)
Check out our fantastic and entertaining Cinderella articles, detailing in-depth the band’s albums, songs, band members, and more…all on ClassicRockHistory.com
Complete List Of Cinderella Band Members
Cinderella Albums Ranked And Complete Discography
Read More: Artists’ Interviews Directory At ClassicRockHistory.com
Read More: Classic Rock Bands List And Directory
Updated July 26, 2026.
Complete List Of Cinderella Songs From A to Z article published on ClassicRockHistory.com © 2026
