Devo are an American new wave band from Akron, Ohio, best known for the 1980 hit “Whip It” and their iconic red-dome stage costumes. Between 1978 and 1984, they released six albums on Virgin and Warner Bros. They emerged from the art department at Kent State University. By 1976, the lineup stabilized with brothers Mark […]
The Ohio Players were an American soul-funk band that emerged from Dayton, Ohio, in 1959 under the name The Ohio Untouchables. During their early years, they released six singles between 1962 and 1964 on the Lu Pine and Thelma labels. This formative period established their foundation in rhythm and blues with a lean, guitar-led style […]
The Isley Brothers were an American soul-funk band from Cincinnati that first performed doo-wop in the early 1950s. Between 1957 and 1967, they released assorted singles on RCA, Atlantic, Wand, and UA, capping this period with two albums on Tamla. Between 1969 and 1983, they released 18 albums on their exclusive imprint T-Neck, distributed by […]
The Dazz Band was an American soul-funk nine-piece from Cleveland, first named Kinsman Dazz for two 1978/79 albums on 20th Century Fox. As Dazz Band, they released seven 1980–85 albums on Motown and scored R&B crossover hits with “On the One for Fun,” “Let It All Blow,” and the electro-funk anthem “Let It Whip.” Members: […]
Roland Kirk — aka Ronald Theodore Kirk (August 7, 1935 — December 5, 1977) — was an American multi-reedist and bandleader with a twenty-year jazz career. Kirk debuted as a bandleader in 1956 with Triple Threat and followed with Introducing Roland Kirk (1961). He recorded several albums on Mercury, including We Free Kings (1962), Domino […]
The James Gang was an American hard-rock band that debuted with the 1969 Bluesway release Yer’ Album, followed by four studio albums and a live disc on ABC Records, including the popular 1970/71 titles Rides Again and Thirds. Two songs, “Funk #49” and “Walk Away,” remain staples of classic rock radio. Multiple guitarists passed through […]
Joe Henderson (April 24, 1937 — June 30, 2001) was an American tenor saxophonist with a forty-year jazz career. He emerged in New York in 1962 as a sideman for trumpeter Kenny Dorham, who provided guidance and mentorship. He soon joined Horace Silver’s band and contributed a solo to the 1963 jukebox hit “Song for […]
Zapp was an American electro-funk band from Hamilton, Ohio, that released four albums between 1980 and 1985 on Warner Bros., followed by a 1989 fifth on Reprise. Members: Roger (vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, harmonica, vibraphone, percussion), Zapp Troutman (keyboards, bass, vocals), Tony Troutman (bass), Lester Troutman (drums), Larry Troutman (percussion) Background Zapp evolved from Roger […]
Faze-O was an American soul-funk band that released three albums between 1977 and 1979 and scored an R&B hit with “Riding High.” Members: Keith “Chop Chop” Harrison (keyboards), Ralph “Love” Aikens (guitar), Tyrone “Flye” Crum (bass), Roger “Dodger” Parker (drums), Robert “Bip” Neal, Jr. (percussion) Background Faze-O evolved in Dayton, Ohio, from the earlier funk […]
Nancy Wilson (Feb. 20, 1937 — Dec. 13, 2018) was an American soul and jazz singer who released thirty albums between 1960 and 1980 on Capitol Records. She landed twenty-one songs on the Billboard R&B Top 100, including “Save Your Love for Me” (with Cannonball Adderley), “Tell Me the Truth,” “You’re as Right as Rain,” […]
Sun was an American soul-funk band from Dayton, Ohio, best known for the songs “Wanna Make Love (Come Flick My BIC),” “Time Is Passing,” and “We’re So Hot.” They released seven name-spun albums (1976–1982) on Capitol and a 1984 final on Air City. Members: John Wagner (trumpet), Chris Jones (vocals, keyboards, trumpet), Byron M. Byrd […]
Slave was an American soul-funk band from Dayton, Ohio, that released nine albums (1977–1984) on Cotillion, followed by six further albums on Ichiban Records. They scored a crossover hit with their debut single, “Slide,” and notched further Top 20 placements on the Billboard Hot R&B chart with the 1978–81 singles “Stellar Fungk,” “Just a Touch […]
Pat Lundy (194?–1994) was an American soul singer from New York who released five Sixties small-label singles and signed with Columbia for her 1968 debut album, Soul Ain’t Nothin’ but the Blues. After four De Luxe singles, she resurfaced with the 1973 RCA album Only Love Spoken Here. In 1976, she landed on Pyramid Records […]
Mad River was an American psychedelic-rock band that self-released a 1967 EP and signed to Capitol for the 1968/69 albums Mad River and Paradise Bar and Grill. Members: Lawrence Hammond (vocals, bass, guitar, piano, recorder), David Robinson (guitars, banjo, vocals), Rick Bockner (guitars, vocals), Tom Manning (12-string guitar, bass, vocals), Gregory Leroy Dewey (drums, vocals). […]
Tin Huey was an American new wave/art-rock band from Akron, Ohio, that made two DIY EPs and the 1979 album Contents Dislodged During Shipment. Saxophonist Ralph Carney led the Swollen Monkeys and scored Eighties hits with The Waitresses. Members: Mark Price (bass, vocals), Ralph Carney (horns), Chris Butler (vocals, guitar), Michael Aylward (guitar, vocals), Harvey […]
Westfauster was an American psych-rock trio from Cincinnati that released the 1971 album In a King’s Dream on Nasco Records. Members: Michael Newland (flute, saxophone, vibraphone), Stephen Helwig (drums, vocals), C. W. Fauster (piano, harpsichord, bass, keyboards, vocals) Background Westfauster formed in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the late 1960s as a trio centered on multi-instrumentalist C.W. […]
RAMP was an American soul-funk band from Cincinnati that released the album Come Into Knowledge on ABC Blue Thumb in 1977. Their name was an acronym for Roy Ayers Music Productions. Members: John Manuel (drums), Landy Shores (guitar), Nate White (bass), Sharon Matthews (vocals), Sibel Thrasher (vocals), Kia Bennett (vocals), Desiree Jordan (vocals) Background RAMP […]
24-Carat Black was an American soul-funk band from Cincinnati, Ohio, that released the album Ghetto: Misfortune’s Wealth on Stax-subsidiary Enterprise in 1973. The following year, the band recorded a second album that was ultimately released in 2009 by archivists Numero. Members: Dale Warren, Ernest Latimore, Billy Talbert, Larry Austin, Tyrone Steels, Leslie Carter, Richard Sebastian, […]
Hot Chocolate was an American soul-funk trio from Cleveland that released a 1971 album on Co Co Records. Members: Lou Ragland (vocals, guitar), George Pickett (bass), Tony Roberson (drums) For the namesake British hitmakers, click here. Background Hot Chocolate formed in Cleveland in 1970 when singer-guitarist Lou Ragland assembled bassist George Pickett and drummer Tony […]
Nytro was an American soul-funk band that released two albums on producer Norman Whitfield’s namesake Warner-subsidiary Whitfield Records between 1977 and 1979. Members: Benjamin Wilber, Chris Powell, Daniel Smithson, Earnest Reed, John Jackson, Kenneth Scott, LaMorris Payne, Robert Justice, Theodore Willingham Background Nytro evolved from The Soul Superbs, a Columbus, Ohio, soul group formed in […]
Lea Roberts is an American soul singer who cut five singles between 1969 and 1972, followed by the 1973–75 UA albums Excuse Me, I Want to Talk to You and Lady Lea. In 1982, she reappeared on Skies Unlimited with My Silent Place. Profile Lea Roberts was born Leatha Roberta Hicks on April 15, 1946, […]
15-60-75 (aka the Numbers Band) was an American avant-rock ensemble from Kent, Ohio, that released the live album Jimmy Bell’s Still in Town in 1976 on self-press Water Brothers. After a six-year gap, they issued the 1982–87 studio albums 15.60.75 2 and Among the Wandering. Members: Robert Kidney (vocals, guitar), Terry Hynde (alto saxophone, baritone […]
Switch was an American soul-funk band that released five albums between 1978 and 1981 on Gordy, followed by a 1984 sixth on Total Experience Records. They released thirteen singles, including the R&B hits “There’ll Never Be,” “I Call Your Name,” and “Love Over and Over Again.” Members: Gregory Williams (vocals, keyboards), Bobby DeBarge (lead vocals, […]
The Load was an American symphonic-rock trio that released the 1976 album Praise the Load on Columbus small-press Owl. In 1977, they recorded a second album that appeared in 1995 as Load Have Mercy through archivists Laser’s Edge. Members: Dave Hessler (guitar, bass), Sterling Smith (keyboards), Tom Smith (drums, percussion) Background The Load formed in […]
Wee was an American soul-funk band from Columbus, Ohio, that issued a pair of singles and the 1977 album You Can Fly On My Aeroplane on Owl, the vanity label of Owl Recording Studios. Members: Norman Virgil Whiteside, Victor Martin, Benji Harris, J.J. Thomas Background Guitarist Joe King led the first version of Wee in […]
Norma Jean Wright is an American soul singer who co-founded Chic and sang on their 1977 debut album. In 1978, she scored an R&B hit with “Saturday” from her Bearsville solo album Norma Jean, produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. Background Norma Jean Wright was born on July 15, 1950, in Ripley, Tennessee, and grew […]
Law was an American hard-rock/funk band from Youngstown, Ohio, that released a self-titled album on GRC in 1975, followed by two albums on MCA in 1977. The band toured its first album as an opening act for Bad Company. Years later, BC vocalist Paul Rodgers used Law as the inspiration for his early ’90s band […]
Marie Queenie Lyons is an American soul singer who released the 1970 album Soul Fever on DeLuxe Records. Background Marie Queenie Lyons was born in Archibald, Louisiana, and grew up in Ashtabula, Ohio. Her public biography starts with teenage club work around Geneva-on-the-Lake, a Lake Erie resort area east of Cleveland. At fifteen, Lyons sang […]
Dayton was an American soul-funk band from Dayton, Ohio, that debuted with a self-titled album on United Artists in 1980, followed by a pair of albums on Liberty and another two on Capitol between 1981 and 1985. Members: David Shawn Sandridge (vocals, guitar), Chris Jones (vocals, keyboards, trumpet), Dean Hummons (keyboards), Derrick Armstrong (vocals), Jenny […]
Timeless Legend was an American soul group that made four intervalled singles and the 1976 album Synchronized. Members: Butch Johnson, Allen B. Burney, Jackie Hogg, Donald Harmon, Michael Harmon Background Timeless Legend emerged in Columbus, Ohio as a vocal quintet with Butch Johnson, Allen B. Burney, Jackie Hogg, and brothers Donald Harmon and Michael Harmon. […]
Molkie Cole was an American art-rock/pop band from Avon, Ohio, that released a 1977 self-titled album on Janus. Members: Tim Cole (drums), Paul Pope (lead guitar, vocals), Pat Cole (bass), Phil James (guitar), Bob Steinmetz (keyboards) Background Molkie Cole formed in Avon in summer 1972 around drummer Tim Cole and guitarist Paul Pope. Bassist Pat […]
The Ultimates were an American soul vocal group from Columbus, Ohio. They released the 1974 single “Girl I’ve Been Trying to Tell You,” included on their 1976 TSG album You’re My Lady. Members: Donnie Scales, Earl Railey, Jimmy Radford, Nathaniel Hayden. Background The Ultimates grew out of the Enchanted Five, a Columbus harmony group with […]
Strongbow was an American symphonic/hard-rock band that issued a 1973 standalone single on self-press Epodus, followed by a 1975 album on Southwind, a subsidiary of Buddah. Members: Bill Bendler (vocals), Michael Shortland (guitar), John Stelzer (organ, synthesizer, saxophone, flute, vocals), John Durzo (bass), David Smith (drums), Bob Hill (guitar, 1970-71), Mike Haines (bass, 1970-71) Background […]
Pat Rebillot (born April 21, 1935) is an American keyboardist, arranger, and producer who played on numerous jazz, funk, pop, and soul recordings during the 1960s and ’70s. In 1974, he released the album Free Fall on Atlantic. Background Pat Rebillot was born Patrick Earl Rebillot on April 21, 1935, in Louisville, Ohio. His father […]
Shadow was an American soul-funk trio from Ohio that made the 1979–81 Elektra albums Love Lite, Shadow, and Shadows in the Streets. The members hailed from the Mercury-era lineup of the Ohio Players. Members: Billy Beck (grand piano, fender rhodes), James Williams (drums), Clarence Willis (lead guitar, bass) Background Shadow formed in Ohio in 1979 […]
Joy was an American Midwest hard-rock band that released three 1970/71 singles on Paula Records, followed by the 1972 album Thunderfoot. Members: Ralph DeSimone (drums, percussion), Bob DiPiero (lead guitar, backing vocals), Don DiPiero (bass), Billy Joe Shina (lead vocals, percussion), Ralph Vitello (keyboards, guitar) Background Joy emerged in 1970 as a Youngstown, Ohio, quintet […]
Vesta Williams (Dec. 1, 1957 — Sept. 22, 2011) was an American soul singer who debuted in 1986 and recorded seven albums, scoring R&B hits with “Once Bitten Twice Shy,” “Don’t Blow a Good Thing,” “Sweet, Sweet Love,” “4 U,” “Congratulations,” “Special,” and the 1990 Najee collaboration “I’ll Be Good to You.” Background She was […]
James Ingram (Feb. 16, 1952 — Jan. 29, 2019) was an American soul singer, songwriter, and keyboardist who sang the Quincy Jones hits “Just Once” and “One Hundred Ways” and scored major duets with Patti Austin (“Baby, Come to Me”) Michael McDonald (“Yah Mo B There”), and Linda Ronstadt (“Somewhere Out There”). His solo hits […]
Aurra was an American soul-funk band from Dayton, Ohio, that released a self-titled album on Dream Records in 1980, followed by three titles on Salsoul and a fifth on 10 Records between 1981 and 1985. The band was spawned from the original lineup of Slave and gradually slimmed down to the duo of Starleana Young […]
