Fat Larry's Band
| Fat Larry's Band | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Genres | R&B, funk |
| Years active | 1977–1987 |
| Labels | WMOT, Fantasy, Omni |
| Past members | |
| "Fat" Larry James Art Capehart Doug Jones Jimmy Lee Ted Cohen Tony Middleton Darryl Grant Larry La Bes Erskine Williams |
|
Fat Larry's Band was an American R&B/funk band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who enjoyed some commercial success in the early 1980s.
Contents |
[edit] Career
Formed by drummer and vocalist "Fat" Larry James (August 2, 1949 - December 5, 1987) in 1977, band members included trumpeter/flutist Art Capehart, saxophonist Doug Jones, trombonist/alto saxophonist Jimmy Lee, guitarists Ted Cohen and Tony Middleton, percussionist and lead singer Darryl Grant, bassist Larry La Bes, and keyboardist Erskine Williams.[1] The band's biggest hits were "Act Like You Know" (1982) (which later appeared on the soundtrack for Grand Theft Auto: Vice City) and "Zoom", which reached number two in the UK Singles Chart in October 1982. They had three other hits in the UK: "Center City", "Boogie Town" and "Looking for Love Tonight".[2]
James also played with The Delfonics and Blue Magic, and managed the group Slick.[3]
James died from a heart attack, at the age of 38, on December 5, 1987,[4] and the band folded.
The opening drum break from "Down on the Avenue", from the band's first album, Feel It (Stax 1977), has been sampled by many hip hop artists, including N.W.A (Straight Outta Compton), Ice-T, Jungle Brothers and Run-D.M.C.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- Feel It (1977)
- Off the Wall (1978)
- Spacin' Out (1978)
- Lookin' for Love (1979)
- Stand Up (1980)
- Breakin' Out (1982) - UK #58
- Tune Me Up (1983)
- Straight from the Heart (1983)
- Nice (1986)
- The Best of Fat Larry's Band (1994)
- Fat Larry's Band - Greatest Hits (1995)
- I Like Eating Chocolate - Greatest Hits (1999)[2]
[edit] Singles
- 1976: "Center City" #31 UK
- 1976: "Fascination" #39 U.S. Dance
- 1977: "Peaceful Journey" #94 U.S. R&B
- 1979: "Boogie Town" #43 R&B
- 1979: "Here Comes the Sun" #44 U.S. R&B, #39 U.S. Dance
- 1979: "Lookin' for Love" #47 U.S. R&B
- 1979: "Lookin' for Love Tonight" #46 UK
- 1980: "Can't Keep My Hands to Myself"
- 1980: "How Good Is Love" #78 U.S. R&B
- 1982: "Act Like You Know" #67 U.S. R&B, #24 U.S. Dance
- 1982: "Be My Lady"
- 1982: "Traffic Stopper"
- 1982: "Zoom" #2 UK, #89 U.S. R&B
- 1983: "Stubborn Kind of Fellow" #83 UK
- 1983: "Straight from the Heart" #88 UK
- 1983: "Don't Let It Go to Your Head" #93 UK
- 1986: "Nice"
- 1986: "Sunrise Sunset"
- 1986: "Teach Me (There Is Something About Love)"[2]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Soulfunkjazz.wordpress.com
- ^ a b c Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 196. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ "Biography by Ron Wynn". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p17461. Retrieved 3 January 2008.
- ^ Brainyhistory.com
