Rick James › Similar Artists

The Gap Band - 100% match to Rick James

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

The Time - 77% match to Rick James

This Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA-based funk outfit enjoyed a string of inventive hits in the early 80s that, for verve, style, and wit, often matched the output of their mentor Prince. Flamboyant singer Morris Day (Springfield, Illinois, USA) played drums in Prince’s junior high school band, Grand Central. After several years on the local R&B circuit he hooked up wi Read more

Cameo - 63% match to Rick James

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

Mary Jane Girls - 56% match to Rick James

Ohio Players - 55% match to Rick James

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

Slave - 49% match to Rick James

The Bar-Kays - 49% match to Rick James

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

Teena Marie - 46% match to Rick James

Mary Christine Brockert, 5 March 1957, Santa Monica, California, USA. A singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger and producer, Teena Marie is rightly fêted as one of the few white artists to sustain a consistent career in the US soul market. Spotted by Motown Records’ Berry Gordy in the 70s, he linked her up with funk star and labelmate Rick James, and h Read more

Zapp & Roger - 45% match to Rick James

Dazz Band - 44% match to Rick James

Bobby Harris masterminded the formation of the Dazz Band in the late 70s when he combined two Cleveland funk outfits, Bell Telefunk and the Kinsman Grill house band. The result was an eight-piece line-up, with Harris, Pierre DeMudd and Skip Martin III handling horns and vocals, and Eric Fearman (guitar), Kevin Frederick (keyboards), Kenny Pettus (percussion), Michael Wiley (bas Read more

The Isley Brothers - 43% match to Rick James

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

Con Funk Shun - 38% match to Rick James

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

George Clinton - 38% match to Rick James

22 July 1940, Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA. The mastermind behind the highly successful Parliament and Funkadelic, George ‘Dr Funkenstein’ Clinton’s seemingly impregnable empire crumbled at the beginning of the 80s. Restrained from recording by a damaging breach-of-contract lawsuit and unable to meet the running expenses of his considerable organization, he Read more

S.O.S. Band - 38% match to Rick James

Formed in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, in 1977, the S.O.S. Band enjoyed a long run of hits on the US R&B charts during the 80s. The group originally consisted of Mary Davis (vocals, keyboards), Jason ‘T.C.’ Bryant (keyboards), Billy R. Ellis (saxophone) and James Earl Jones III (drums). They performed regularly, as Sounds Of Santa Monica, at Lamar’s Regal Room in A Read more

Lakeside - 37% match to Rick James

Formed in 1969, US vocalists Tiemeyer McCain, Thomas Oliver Shelby, Otis Stokes and Mark Woods were augmented by an instrumental unit comprising Steve Shockley (guitar), Norman Beavers (keyboards), Marvin Craig (bass), Fred Alexander (drums) and Fred Lewis (percussion). Originally based in Dayton, Ohio, USA, this funk group secured its first hit in 1978 with ‘It’s All Read more