TOP SONGS

“Let It Whip”

“Dazz Dazz”

“Heartbeat”

Biography

The Dazz Band are known most for the 1982 funk marvel “Let It Whip.” In terms of crossover funk hits, the song is up there with “Fire” and “Fight the Power,” other Top Ten pop singles minted respectively by fellow Buckeye State natives the Ohio Players and the Isley Brothers. Instantly an inspiration for multiple rap versions, “Let It Whip” earned the Clevelanders a Grammy and can lay rare claim to having been adapted for marching bands and a cappella groups alike while being sampled and covered through each subsequent decade. Without “Let It Whip,” the Dazz Band’s important role in the evolution of funk would still be incontestable. Uncommonly versatile, they have spotlighted with equal brightness their vocal, horn, and rhythm sections since their late-’70s start (when they were known as Kinsman Dazz). From 1980 through 1998, the group placed 19 additional singles on Billboard’s R&B chart — such as “On the One for Fun,” “Joystick,” and the Top 20 U.K. pop hit “Let It All Blow” — during which they also put together four straight Top 20 R&B albums, most notably the gold-certified Keep It Live, the LP that spawned “Let It Whip.” The group has continued to perform well into the 2020s with a lineup featuring several original and early members.

TOP SONGS

“Rappers Delight”

“8th Wonder”

“Apache”

Biography:

Though the Sugarhill Gang inaugurated the history of recorded hip-hop with their single “Rapper’s Delight,” a multi-platinum-seller and radio hit in 1979, the group was cooked up to cash in on a supposed novelty item. Music industry producer and label owner Sylvia Robinson had become aware of the massive hip-hop block parties occurring around the New York area during the late ’70s, so she gathered three local rappers (Master Gee, Wonder Mike, and Big Bank Hank) to record a single. Infectious and catchy, “Rapper’s Delight” borrowed the break from Chic’s “Good Times” and became a worldwide hit, eventually selling more than eight million copies. Most industry people figured rap for a short-lived trend, and though they were dead wrong, the Sugarhill Gang certainly didn’t carry the torch; despite several modest hits (“8th Wonder,” “Apache”), the trio faded quickly and was gone by the mid-’80s, only returning in 1999 with Jump on It, a rap album for children.

TOP SONGS

“Dedicated To The One I Love”

“Love Can Be So Wonderful”

“Love Maze”

Biography:

A Memphis soul vocal trio. This polished group formed in 1970 and recorded for We Produce, a Stax offshoot. Bandmembers Harold “Scotty” Scott, Jasper “Jabbo” Phillips, and William Norvell Johnson rode a sumptuously produced remake of the often-covered Five Royales/Shirelles standard “Dedicated to the One I Love” onto R&B play lists in 1972. After “Love’s Maze” made a little noise as a follow-up, the trio moved to Epic for their final hit in 1976, the entirely self-explanatory “I Found Love on a Disco Floor.”

TOP SONGS

“Shower Me With Your Love”

“Only You Can Make Me Happy”

“Can We Spend Some Time Together”

Biography:

When you think of the group Surface, the term disco dancefloor doesn’t come to mind. The ’80s soft soul vocal trio known for such lush ballads as “Closer Than Friends” and the million-selling singles “Shower Me With Your Love” and the number one pop hit “The First Time” had one of its first charting records as artists signed to dance music pioneer Salsoul Records. “Falling in Love,” co-written by Surface member David Conley, doesn’t have much in common with the aforementioned titles other than the group name and a (presumably) Conley flute solo. The single made it to number 84 R&B in summer 1983 and the U.K. pop charts. Singer Bernard Jackson who grew up in Stamford, CT, got into the music business through his cousin who lived in New York. Seizing the opportunity, he relocated to New York and began performing around the city. While doing a show in Stamford, his godfather suggested that he contact his nephew David Townsend who was also in the music business. Townsend, a former touring guitarist for the Isley Brothers, was the son of singer/songwriter/producer Ed Townsend who had a hit with “For Your Love” in summer 1958 and wrote the Impressions’ “Finally Got Myself Together (I’m a Changed Man)” and co-wrote Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” Around 1973, Townsend joined a band called the Port Authority where he met David “Pic” Conley. Townsend, whose father shared hit songwriting tips with him, began writing songs with Conley. After Townsend and Conley met Jackson it was decided that they’d write songs together. The trio became staff writers for EMI Music. Their songs were covered by New Edition (“Let’s Be Friends” from their 1985 MCA LP All for Love) and Sister Sledge (“You’re So Fine”). The trio became performers using the name Surface and moved to Los Angeles. An EMI Music executive brought one of their songs, “Let’s Try Again,” to the attention of Larkin Arnold of Columbia Records. Arnold’s previous successes include Natalie Cole and Peabo Bryson. He signed the group to Columbia and their first single “Let’s Try Again” charted number 80 R&B in late 1986. The debut album Surface included the smooth and sweet “Happy,” which hit number two R&B for two weeks in early 1987, “Lately” (number eight R&B), and the reissued “Let’s Try Again.” The next LP, 2nd Wave yielded “I Missed” (number three R&B), “Closer Than Friends” (number one R&B for two weeks in early 1989), the wedding standard “Shower Me With Your Love” (gold, number one R&B/number five pop), “You Are My Everything” (number one R&B for two weeks), and “Can We Spend Some Time” (number five R&B). Jackson brought the sheet music to a song he had written in 1986 to his friend, songwriter Brian Simpson, who had a recording studio in his garage. After listening to the finished demo tape, Jackson thought that he had a hit. Hiring a mobile 24-track recording studio truck to capture his vocal in the best professional conditions, Jackson sang “The First Time” in Simpson’s house. “The First Time” was the first single from Surface’s 3 Deep album and went gold hitting number one R&B and holding the number one pop for two weeks in early 1991. While “The First Time” was topping the charts, Surface was one of the presenters at the American Music Awards and were enthusiastically congratulated. The hits continued with “All I Want Is You” (number eight R&B, early 1991) and “Never Gonna Let You Down.” “You’re the One” billed as Surface featuring Bernard Jackson made it to number 24 R&B, summer 1991. The group’s last charting single was “A Nice Time for Lovin'” included on their 1991 greatest hits LP The Best Surface: A Nice Time for Loving. Conley and Townsend also produced sides on Rebbie Jackson (“Reaction”) that are on The Rebbie Jackson Collection from U.K. label Expansion distributed by Sony/3MV.

TOP SONGS

“There’ll Never Be”

“I Called Your Name”

“I Wanna Be Closer”

Biography:

During the early to mid-’70s, Bobby DeBarge, Eddie Fluellen, Phillip Ingram (brother of James Ingram), Jody Sims, and Gregory Williams were in the Ohio-based White Heat. The band backed Barry White and recorded a self-titled album — released by RCA in 1975 — produced by the maestro. Budgetary constraints forced White to cut ties with the band, which subsequently morphed into Hot-Ice, an outfit that featured DeBarge, Sims, and Williams, as well as DeBarge’s brother Tommy. That band released an album on Polydor in 1977. Jermaine Jackson helped them secure a contract with Motown offshoot Gordy. As Switch, the band proved to be popular in clubs, as well as within the quiet storm radio format. Their singles “There’ll Never Be” (1978), “I Call Your Name” (1979), and “Love Over and Over Again” (1981) reached the Top Ten of Billboard’s R&B chart. After Switch’s fifth and final album for Gordy, the DeBarge brothers departed to support sibling group DeBarge. By the time Switch released Am I Still Your Boyfriend? (1984) on Total Experience, Sims and Williams were the only original members, along with Fluellen (who had joined for the third album), Renard Gallo, and Gonzales Ozen. That album sold poorly, and Switch broke up. Bobby DeBarge passed away due to AIDS complications in 1995. Throughout the 2000s, the band’s recordings were sampled by the likes of De La Soul (“A Brighter Tomorrow”), Ne-Yo (“It Just Ain’t Right”), Rich Boy (“Throw Some D’s”), and Erykah Badu (“That Hump”). Ingram, Williams, and Fluellen reunited, added new members, and toured during the same decade. Bassist Tommy DeBarge died on October 21, 2021 due to kidney and liver failure; he was 64 years old.

TOP SONGS

“Love’s Train”

“Baby I’m Hooked”

“Straight From The Heart”

Biography:

First formed as a backing band, Con Funk Shun became one of the premiere party-funk groups of their time before turning to R&B ballads in the early ’80s. Aside from being the primary musicians on all their albums, the band also contributed to each of their albums as writers, arrangers, and producers. Signed to Mercury in 1976, Con Funk Shun hit the top of the R&B charts one year later with “Ffun,” written as a tribute to funk band Brick. The group found much success at Mercury; over a ten-year span, they released one hit after another (including “Shake and Dance with Me,” “Chase Me,” “Got to Be Enough”) and were a popular concert attraction. In the ’80s, Con Funk Shun began receiving more fame for their ballads, and re-entered the R&B Top Ten with “Baby I’m Hooked (Right into Your Love),” “Electric Lady,” and “Burnin’ Love.” Though the band dissolved after their last album with Mercury, they reunited in the ’90s and began performing at oldies festivals.