Kool & The Gang › Similar Artists

Earth, Wind & Fire - 100% match to Kool & The Gang

The origins of this imaginative US group date back to the 60s and Chicago’s black music session circle. Drummer Maurice White (19 December 1941, Memphis, Tennessee, USA) appeared on sessions for Etta James, Fontella Bass, Billy Stewart and more, before joining the Ramsey Lewis Trio in 1965. He left four years later to form the Salty Peppers, which prepared the way for a Read more

Sister Sledge - 81% match to Kool & The Gang

Debra (9 July 1954), Joan (b. 13 September 1956), Kim (b. 21 August 1957) and Kathy Sledge (b. 6 January 1959) were all born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. They started their recording career on the Money Back label with 1971’s ‘Time Will Tell’. A short time working as backing singers followed before the quartet enjoyed a series of minor R& Read more

Shalamar - 73% match to Kool & The Gang

This act was created by Dick Griffey, booking agent for US television’s Soul Train show, and Simon Soussan, a veteran of UK’s northern soul scene. The latter produced ‘Uptown Festival’, a medley of popular Motown Records favourites, which was issued on Griffey’s Solar label. Although credited to ‘Shalamar’, the track featured session musicians Read more

The Gap Band - 73% match to Kool & The Gang

This influential US funk/soul outfit was formed in 1967 by three brothers, Charlie Wilson (Charles Wilson, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA; vocals/keyboards), Ronnie Wilson (trumpet/keyboards) and Robert Wilson (bass/vocals). They took their name from the initials of three streets, Greenwood, Archer and Pine, in their home town of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Initially known as the Greenwood, Arch Read more

Chic - 71% match to Kool & The Gang

Probably the band of the disco generation, Chic was built around Nile Rodgers (19 September 1952, New York, USA; guitar) and Bernard Edwards (b. 31 October 1952, Greenville, North Carolina, USA, d. 18 April 1996, Tokyo, Japan; bass). During the 60s Rodgers had played in a rock group, New World Rising, before joining the Apollo Theatre house band. Edwards had played with seve Read more

The Bar-Kays - 64% match to Kool & The Gang

Formed in Memphis, Tennessee, USA by Jimmy King (1949, d. 10 December 1967; guitar), Ronnie Caldwell (b. 1948, d. 10 December 1967; organ), Phalon Jones (b. 1949, d. 10 December 1967; saxophone), Ben Cauley (trumpet), James Alexander (bass) and Carl Cunningham (b. 1949, d. 10 December 1967; drums) were originally known as the River Arrows. Signed to Stax Records, the Bar-Kay Read more

The Isley Brothers - 61% match to Kool & The Gang

Three brothers, O’Kelly (25 December 1937, d. 31 March 1986), Rudolph (b. 1 April 1939) and Ronald Isley (b. 21 May 1941), began singing gospel in their home-town of Cincinnati, USA, in the early 50s, accompanied by their brother Vernon, who died in a car crash around 1957. Moving to New York the following year, the trio issued one-off singles before being signed by the Read more

Ohio Players - 59% match to Kool & The Gang

Formed in Dayton, Ohio, USA, this multi-talented unit originated from four members of the Ohio Untouchables, saxophonists Ralph ‘Pee Wee’ Middlebrooks and Clarence ‘Satch’ Satchell, bass player Marshall Jones and guitarist Leroy ‘Sugarfoot’ Bonner. The Ohio Untouchables forged a reputation as a powerful instrumental group by providing the backing t Read more

The Whispers - 59% match to Kool & The Gang

Formed in the Watts section of Los Angeles, California, USA in 1964, soul group the Whispers were originally comprised of Nicholas Caldwell (5 April 1944, Loma Linda, California, USA), twin brothers Wallace and Walter Scott (b. 23 September 1943, Fort Worth, Texas, USA), Marcus Hutson (b. 8 January 1943, St. Louis, Missouri, USA) and Gordy Harmon. The group recorded its firs Read more

Cameo - 57% match to Kool & The Gang

This US soul/funk act, originally called the New York City Players, was formed in 1974 by Larry ‘Mr. B’ Blackmon (New York City, New York, USA; drums, vocals) and vocalists Tomi Jenkins and Nathan Leftenant. Building up a strong following by undergoing rigorous touring schedules, with their backing group at times numbering almost a dozen members, they signed with t Read more

Delegation - 57% match to Kool & The Gang

Con Funk Shun - 56% match to Kool & The Gang

Formed initially in 1968 as Project Soul by Mike Cooper (guitar, sitar, timbales, percussion, vocals) and Louis McCall (drums, vocals), the group’s rise began when they accepted an offer to back the Soul Children, necessitating a move from California to Memphis. Upon arrival in 1972, Project Soul became Con Funk Shun, having been augmented by group members Karl Fuller (tru Read more

Heatwave - 53% match to Kool & The Gang

Although based in Britain, Heatwave was formed by the Wilder brothers, Johnnie (3 July 1949, Dayton, Ohio, USA, d. 13 May 2006, Clayton, Ohio, USA) and Keith, on their discharge from the US Army. An advertisement in a music paper yielded Hull, England-born songwriter and keyboardist Rod Temperton, while further members recruited were the American guitarists Eric Johns (b. Er Read more

James Brown - 53% match to Kool & The Gang

James Joseph Brown Jnr., 3 May 1928, Barnwell, South Carolina, USA, d. 25 December 2006, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. (NB: Brown always claimed he was born in 1933 in Macon, Georgia.) ‘The Hardest Working Man In Showbusiness’, ‘The Godfather Of Soul’, ‘The Minister Of The New New Super Heavy Funk’ - such sobriquets only hint at the protracted James Br Read more

Evelyn "Champagne" King - 51% match to Kool & The Gang

b 1 July 1960, the Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. A former office cleaner at Gamble And Huff’s Sigma Sound studios, King was overheard singing Sam Cooke’s ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ by Theodore Life, a member of the company’s writing and production staff. He coached the aspiring singer on recording technique and was instrumental in preparing King
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