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 Its All
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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
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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
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This Chicago-based group evolved from the American Breed when three original members, Al Ciner (guitar), Charles Colbert (bass) and Lee Graziano (drums), were joined by Kevin Murphy (keyboards), Paulette McWilliams (vocals), Ron Stockard and Dennis Belfield. Initially known as Smoke, then Ask Rufus, it was several months before a stable unit evolved. Graziano made way for Andre
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The core of this long-standing soul group, Eddie LeVert (16 June 1942, Birmingham, Alabama, USA) and Walter Williams (b. 25 August 1942, USA), sang together as a gospel duo prior to forming the Triumphs in 1958. This doo-wop-influenced quintet was completed by William Powell (b. 20 January 1942, USA, d. 26 May 1977), Bill Isles and Bobby Massey and quickly grew popular aroun
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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
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This US group was formed in 1964 in New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA. The line-up comprised five brothers, Ralph (10 December 1948), Antone Chubby, Feliciano Butch, Arthur Pooch and Perry Lee Tiny Tavares. Originally known as Chubby And The Turnpikes, the group assumed its familys surname in 1969. Although they lacked a di
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Originally formed as a quartet, the Jazziacs, by Robert Kool Bell (8 October 1950, Youngstown, Ohio, USA; bass), Robert Spike Mickens (b. Jersey City, New Jersey, USA; trumpet), Ronald The Captain Bell - later known by his Muslim name Amir Bayyan (b. 1 November 1951, Youngstown, Ohio, USA; saxophone, keyboards) and Dennis D.T.
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Cheryl Lynn Smith, 11 March 1957, Los Angeles, California, USA. The full-throated Lynn became a hit-maker at the height of discos popularity, singing dance tunes that retained the gospel vocal approach of classic soul. Lynn grew up in the church where her mother was a minister of music. Her break into the music business came in 1976 after she won as a contestant on the
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This act was created by Dick Griffey, booking agent for US televisions Soul Train show, and Simon Soussan, a veteran of UKs northern soul scene. The latter produced Uptown Festival, a medley of popular Motown Records favourites, which was issued on Griffeys Solar label. Although credited to Shalamar, the track featured session musicians
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b 1 July 1960, the Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. A former office cleaner at Gamble And Huffs Sigma Sound studios, King was overheard singing Sam Cookes A Change Is Gonna Come by Theodore Life, a member of the companys writing and production staff. He coached the aspiring singer on recording technique and was instrumental in preparing King
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James Ambrose Johnson, 1 February 1948, Buffalo, New York, USA, d. 6 August 2004, Los Angeles, California, USA. The nephew of Temptations vocalist Melvin Franklin, James pioneered a crossover style between R&B and rock in the mid-60s. Having fled to Canada after going AWOL from the US Naval Reserve, in 1965 he formed the Mynah Birds with two future members of the Buffalo
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Formed in the USA as a multi-purpose backing group, the original nine-piece worked under a variety of names. In 1973 Kenji Brown (guitar), Victor Nix (keyboards), Kenny Copeland, Freddie Dunn (trumpets), Michael Moore (saxophone), Lequient Duke Jobe (bass), Henry Garner and Terrai Santiel (drums) backed Edwin Starr as Total Concept Limited, before supporting Yvonne
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This US hard-funk duo featured George Johnson (17 May 1953, Los Angeles, California, USA; guitar, vocals) and Louis Johnson (b. 13 April 1955, Los Angeles, California, USA; bass). They previously worked alongside their older brother Tommy and cousin Alex Weir in the band Johnson Three Plus One, backing the Supremes and Bobby Womack. George and Louis then went on to tour with
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