Nolan Frederick Porter, born on May 10, 1949 in the United States of America, is an American singer known for his contributions to Northern soul and R&B music. His career began with the release of "Crazy Love", a cover of Van Morrison's song, on the Lizard label in 1971. This marked the start of his recording journey, which included several singles and two albums. Porter's first album, No Apologies, was released in 1970 under Mekler's Lizard imprint and featured songs by notable artists such as Steve Cropper, Booker T Jones, and Randy Newman, alongside Porter's original compositions. The album showcased his unique blend of rock-influenced soul. In August 1972, he returned to the studio to record his second and final album, Nolan, which included new songs and re-recorded mixes of older tracks like "Groovin' (Out On Life)" and "If I Could Only Be Sure". Despite these releases, Porter's recording career came to an end as Mekler's labels collapsed towards the end of 1973. His notable song "Keep On Keeping On" became popular on the Northern soul scene, and in 1978, Joy Division used its guitar riff for their song "Interzone" on Unknown Pleasures. Porter continued performing in Los Angeles nightclubs as a musician and comedian until his death at his home in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, on February 4, 2021.
