In 1967, his group Kangaroo released an album on MGM Records,[1] and Hall also composed music for a Broadway theatre trilogy Morning, Noon and Night.

As part of Orleans, he was a songwriter and session musician for artists that include Janis Joplin, Seals and Crofts, Taj Mahal, Jackson Browne, Little Feat, and Bonnie Raitt.

In 1977, Hall left to concentrate on the solo career that had begun with the Action album at the beginning of the decade and became active in the anti-nuclear movement, fighting to stop a nuclear plant planned for Cementon on the Hudson River, and co-founding Musicians United for Safe Energy with Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, and Graham Nash.

His second solo recording of that period (his third overall) included the title track "Power," which became an environmental anthem performed by Pete Seeger; Peter, Paul and Mary; Holly Near; and the Doobie Brothers and James Taylor, who cut it live at the No Nukes Concerts at Madison Square Garden.

The John Hall Band released two albums on the EMI America label with high AOR and MTV visibility but limited Top 40 success.

There he wrote more songs including co-writing Steve Wariner's #1 country hit "You Can Dream of Me," began touring with Jonell Mosser and Freebo, and continued sporadically performing with Orleans.

In 2005, he released Rock Me on the Water, an album of songs inspired by an extensive sailing trip he took with his second wife Pamela Bingham from Kingston, New York, to Key West, and Havana, Cuba on a humanitarian aid delivery mission, and later Martha's Vineyard; Cuttyhunk; and Annapolis, Maryland.

He also formed the band Gulf Stream Night with longtime Orleans drummer Peter O'Brien, percussionist Joakim Lartey, bassist Bobby MacDougal, and his wife Pamela, who co-wrote four of the songs on the CD, on vocals and guitar.

Having sold the boat and moved back to the Hudson Valley of New York, this time to Dutchess County, the Halls began to settle in and make new friends in Dover and Millbrook, where "Gulf Stream Night" was recorded.

Hall put his musical career on hold during his time in office, but performed at the concert honoring the 90th birthday of Pete Seeger, supporting the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater at Madison Square Garden on May 3, 2009.

In August 2011, Hall joined his MUSE cohorts Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, and Crosby, Stills & Nash along with Jason Mraz, the Doobie Brothers, and Tom Morello for a benefit concert in Mountain View, California, proceeds to aid victims of the tsunami and nuclear meltdowns in Fukushima, Japan, and to promote renewable energy.

John and Pamela Hall, along with co-lyricist Bob Furlong, wrote the song "I Told You So" and performed it with Browne, Raitt, and Nash at the concert.

[4] During the fall of 2005, Hall's concern about the environment and the Iraq War, and dissatisfaction with Sue Kelly, the U.S. Representative for his new home town, contributed to his decision to set musical projects aside and run for the seat in New York's 19th congressional district.

As chair of the VA Disability and Memorial Affairs subcommittee, he helped write the Veterans Claims Modernization Act of 2008, which passed the House and Senate unanimously and was signed into law by President George W. Bush, who referred to it as "good government".

In July 2011, Hall announced that he would not seek a rematch with Hayworth, citing the prohibitive campaign fund-raising necessary as a result of the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v.

According to an article in the Hudson Valley newspaper, the Middletown Times Herald-Record, two days after his primary victory, Hall, in an online chat with the progressive blog Firedoglake, was asked about his position on a possible impeachment of then-President George W. Bush.

Several potential top-tier candidates, such as State Assemblyman Greg Ball, Orange County Executive Ed Diana, and former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer all declined to run for the seat.

Andrew Saul, head of the Federal Thrift Retirement Investment Board had begun raising funds for a campaign but announced on November 20, 2007, that he would not run.

[15] Hall drew numerous potential challengers for the 2008 race, including Iraq veteran Kieran Lalor and Westchester County Legislator George Oros.

[16] In January 2009, Hall declared his support for Kirsten Gillibrand becoming the junior senator of New York, a seat vacated by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.