Candy Dulfer, Chance Howard, and Prince gettin' funky with it
Prince and the New Power Generation burned up the stage with a sleazy, gutbucket rendition of Blackstreet’s classic “No Diggity” during a stop on the Musicology Live 2004ever tour. The Purple One and his groove squadron were in top form, serving up that good, raw, uncut funk. This badass performance showcased the considerable talents of the NPG members. Keyboardist/vocalist Chance Howard delivered a smooth, soulful lead vocal performance complemented by saxophonist Candy Dulfer's sultry backing vocals.
Rhonda Smith anchored the groove with a savage bass line, and John Blackwell raised the funk level to the stratosphere with his powerful drumming. The highlight of the performance was Mike Scott’s blistering, show-stopping guitar solo. And Prince looked like he was having a blast as he invited audience members onstage to work their backsides. The artist never scrimped on the funk, always bringing it in ample doses, both onstage and in the studio. The performance occurred on August 13, 2004, at Washington D.C.’s MCI Center.
The Musicology Live 2004ever tour was Prince’s most commercially successful tour. It drew 1.47 million people and earned $87.4 million. It consisted of 77 shows across 52 cities in the U.S. The Musicology album was also quite successful. It sold over two million copies and charted in the top ten in many countries. Additionally, the collection earned Prince two Grammy awards: Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance (“Musicology”) and Best R&B Vocal Performance–Male (“Call My Name”).
San Francisco-based music artist RonKat Spearman dropped the sublime groove “Funk Insurance (Bootification)” back in January. The track has a smooth, jazzy flow and is played with style and funky finesse. It features cold guitar licks, a sizzling beat, and some sick bass. Luke Sailor enhances the groove with his stellar keyboard work, and RonKat delivers a soulful lead vocal performance. Funk veteran and trombonist Greg Boyer is responsible for the killer horn arrangement. The horn players on the track are Boyer (trombone), Bennie Cowan (trumpet), and Eric Rohner (saxophone). RonKat wrote and produced the song and played bass, guitar, and drums. And guitarist John Cotto also contributes some nasty licks.
RonKat is a talented songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He’s co-written hits for noted music acts such as Jade and Klymaxx. He earned a Grammy nomination for co-writing Toni Braxton’s hit “I Belong To You.” The song also garnered him and co-writer Vassal Benford the BMI “Songwriter of the Year” Award. RonKat toured with George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic for 10 years before focusing all his talents and creativity on his band KATDELIC. The band has been thrilling audiences across the Bay Area with its exhilarating amalgam of funk, rock, soul, hip-hop, and EDM. They were voted the two-time winner of “Best of the Bay” band in 2017 and 2019. The members of KATDELIC are Kirk Peterson (bass), Lisa Lynn-Preston (vocals, sax, dancer), John D. Cotto (guitar), Luke Sailor (keyboards), Jadyn Petterson-Rae (vocals, tambourine), Charles Spikes (guitar), and RonKat (guitar, keyboards, drums, bass, harmonica, percussion, lead, and backing vocals).
Ronkat released his fantastic new track “Believer” on March 21. It features an intoxicating groove and a positive message of standing up for what you believe in and living your truth. Visit RonKat’s website to learn more about him and KATDELIC as well as tour dates.
KATDELIC's performance at UC Berkeley's radio station KALX on March 1. The set included "Funk Insurance (Bootfication)" and "Believer."
Blues-rock outfit Eddie Roberts & The Lucky Strokes released the inspirational anthem “Stay On Track” in November last year. The track features a gritty soul-drenched vocal performance from Mississippi-bred guitarist/singer Shelby Kemp (Royal Horses), winner of the 2024 Telluride Blues Challenge. Kemp brings equal shares of Chris Robinson and Joe Cocker swagger to his powerful Southern rock-flavored vocals. The Tamba Bay-based Galbraith sisters–Ashley (bass) and Taylor (drums)–provide a strong rhythm bedrock for this gutbucket gospel-laced track. Guest artist Chris Spies (Honey Island Swamp Band) serves up some fantastic keyboard work, while Kemp lets loose with his electrifying fretboard magic. Eddie Roberts (the New Mastersounds) keeps things raw and funky with some tight rhythm guitar licks.
“Stay on Track” is about pushing forward through tough times, remaining focused on your goals, and overcoming obstacles to finally get your due and achieve your dreams. The song was co-written by Shelby Kemp and Ceredig Benjamin Roberts. It was produced by Eddie Roberts and released on the Denver-based label Color Red Music, which he founded in 2018.
Eddie Roberts & The Lucky Strokes was formed in 2023. The talented quartet first played together during a performance at Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom’s 20th Anniversary party on January 20, 2023. They shared such tremendous chemistry that they decided to make playing together a regular thing. The band released their self-titled debut album on October 13, 2023. Their sound fuses the rich lyricism of acclaimed country greats such as Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and George Jones, with James Brown's dynamic, rhythm-powered thrust and topped off with some good old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll.
The band has some tour dates coming up soon. Visit their website for upcoming tour info and updates on new music releases.
Average White Band were still releasing great uncut funk as the ‘70s were coming to a close. The acclaimed Scottish groove outfit never half-stepped when it came to funk, always serving it up straight with no chaser. The band released the funk gem “When Will You Be Mine” in 1979. It’s one of their most underappreciated tracks. The irresistible groove features percolating keyboards, sick guitar licks, and some nasty bass. Alan Gorrie delivers a marvelous lead vocal performance that’s complemented by Hamish Stuart's smooth backing vocals. Steve Ferrone’s super-tight drumming keeps the groove humming. The track is finely arranged and boasts a terrific chorus.
“When Will You Be Mine” was written by Gorrie and AWB. It was a single from the band’s seventh album Feel No Fret, released in 1979. The song peaked at #49 on the UK charts. The album also enjoyed some solid chart action, peaking at #32 on the Billboard 200 and #30 on Billboard’s R&B album chart. And the collection had an impressive showing on the UK album charts, peaking at #15. The album was produced by Average White Band.
“When Will You Be Mine” was sampled on Mark Ronson’s 2003 “She’s Got Me,” featuring Daniel Merriwether.
Here's Average White Band’s lineup for “When Will You Be Mine”: Alan Gorrie (guitar, lead vocals), Hamish Stuart (bass, backing vocals), Onnie McIntyre (guitar), Steve Ferrone (drums), Roger Ball (keyboards) and Malcolm Duncan (saxophone).
Average White Band are still going strong. They still record and tour, of course, with a few personnel changes from the original lineup.
AWB performing "When Will You Be Mine" on British television music show The Old Grey Whistle Test in October, 1978.
Influential vibraphonist, composer and jazz-funk pioneer Roy Ayers died on Tuesday, March 5, after a long illness. He was 84. “The Godfather of Neo-Soul” brought a wealth of great music and wonderful performances to the world. In honor of this multitalented artist, I made up a list of my top five Roy Ayers songs. Here’s the list in no particular order.
Freaky Deaky (1978)
Kenny Turman’s funky slap bass line drives this dynamic dance groove. The song features singers Sylvia Cox and Merry Clayton, who lit up the Rolling Stones’ classic “Gimme Shelter” with her soul-wrenching vocal performance. “Freaky Deaky” was a single from Ayers’ album Let’s Do It (1978). It peaked at #29 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart.
Roy Ayers caressed the airwaves with this majestic track back in 1976. The song is immaculately produced and arranged. It features luminous synths and an exquisite vocal performance from Debbie Darby (aka Chicas). Music magazine Pitchfork placed it at #72 on its “200 Greatest Songs of the 1970s” list. It’s the title track from Ayers’ album released on May 12, 1976. The collection performed well on the charts, peaking at #10 on Billboard’s R&B album chart and #51 on the Billboard 200. “Everybody Loves The Sunshine” has been sampled on 188 songs, including tracks by prominent artists such as Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Tupac Shakur, OutKast and Common.
There is so much groove goodness on this irresistible cut. Ayers’ serves up some marvelous keyboard work, particularly the funky clavinet parts. And he infuses his lead vocals with tons of smooth soul, nicely complemented by Carla Vaughn's strong backing vocals. William Allen anchors the track with a tasty bass line. “Love Will Bring Us Back Together” was the lead single from Ayers’ album Fever (1979). It peaked at #41 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart.
Roy Ayers brought truckloads of funk to this dope groove. The track features cold guitar riffs, a wicked beat, and electrifying synth lines. And Ayers delivers a smokin’ vibraphone solo, which augments the funk level considerably. “Hot” was the second single from Ayers’ album You Might Be Surprised (1985). The song had a pretty strong showing on the charts, peaking at #20 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart and #12 on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart. It was famously played at the intro of Michael Jackson’s iconic “The Way You Make Me Feel” video, which first aired on October 31, 1987.
This smooth indelible groove had music lovers everywhere bobbin’ their heads and tapping their feet. It’s one of Roy Ayers’ best-known tracks, and it still gets a lot of play on classic R&B, jazz and soul stations. William Allen’s fantastic bass line is the funky nexus of this memorable groove, flawlessly linking all of the elements together. The track features a creative vocal arrangement, with vocals provided by Edwin Birdsong, Silvia Cox, Roy Ayers, and Marguerite Arthurton. Steve Cobb keeps the groove tight and deep in the pocket with his stellar drumming. And Chano O'Ferral's percussion work is topflight. “Running Away” is a single from Ayers’ 1977 album Lifeline. The song peaked at #19 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart and #14 on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart. It has been sampled on 34 songs, including tracks by noted music acts such as A Tribe Called Quest, Common, Big Daddy Kane, and Slick Rick.
Singer Anita Ward's mesmerizing disco anthem “Ring My Bell” dominated the charts back in 1979, receiving tons of love from R&B, disco, and pop fans. It was also a huge club favorite. DJs kept this cut handy in case things got too dead at the club. Bumpin’ it was a surefire way to get folks back on the dance floor. The track is simply electric. It has a hypnotic flow, featuring a smoldering bass line, a powerful beat, and tight scratchin' guitar licks. And Ward delivers a captivating vocal performance. Her vocals are packed with passion and sultry soul. She receives strong vocal support from background singers Cheryl Bundy and Valerie Williams.Their haunting harmonies on the chorus elevate the track to maximum sonic satisfaction. Also, the song was one of the first to feature a Synare drum (an electronic synthesized drum). And the addition of a bell was the cherry on top of this irresistible track.
“Ring My Bell” was written by singer, songwriter, and producer Frederick Knight. The song was originally intended for 11-year-old R&B singer Stacey Lattisaw as a teenybopper song about kids talking on the telephone. Knight wrote the song intending to get Lattisaw to sign with his production company. When she signed with another label, Ward was asked to record the song instead. The song was reworked with a sexy grown-up theme and a hot dance beat. It’s about a woman welcoming her man home after a hard day at work. She invites him to ring her bell, a euphemism for sex. This playfully seductive invitation seems so sweet and quaint compared to the sexually explicit songs released today, i.e., Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s hit “WAP."
“Ring My Bell” was the second single from Ward’s debut album Songs of Love (1979), released on the independent label Juana Records (founded by Frederick Knight and Clinton Harris). The song was an instant smash, topping the pop, R&B and dance charts in the U.S. It also reached the top spot on the charts in the UK, Spain, Norway, New Zealand, Israel, and Canada. And it made the top 10 in many other countries. The song has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. It also landed Ward a Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 1980 Grammy Awards. Additionally, “Ring My Bell” placed at #18 on Billboard magazine’s 2022 list of “The 60 Sexiest Songs of All Time.”
“Ring My Bell” has been sampled on 56 songs and was featured on the soundtracks of several films, including The Book of Eli (2010), The Waterboy (1998), Corky Romano (2001), and Mystery Men (1999). It has also been featured in TV series such as Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (Season 1, episode 5 titled “Pieces of Man,” originally aired April 3, 2022); Doom Patrol (season 1, episode 5 titled “Paw Patrol,” originally aired March 15, 2019); The Good Place (season 4, episode 10, titled “You’ve Changed Man,” originally aired January 9, 2020); and Cold Case (season 2, episode 3, titled “Daniella,” originally aired October 17, 2004). The song is also featured on the video games Just Dance and Just Dance: Greatest Hits. Additionally, the significance of “Ring My Bell” to disco music's history is discussed in episode 3 of the 2024 PBS series Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution.
The disco classic has been covered by a host of music artists, including Tori Amos, who puts her own unique stamp on it. And New Zealand-born Australian pop singer Collette scored a big hit with her 1989 cover of the song, which peaked at #5 on the Australian charts and #4 on the charts in New Zealand.
Anita Ward was born in Memphis, Tennessee on December 20, 1956. She was the eldest of five children and developed a love for music at an early age, particularly gospel music. Ward earned a degree in psychology at Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi. While a student there, she sang with the Rust College A Cappella Choir with Metropolitan Opera star Leontyne Price. Following graduation, Ward worked as a substitute teacher in the Memphis elementary school system, but her true calling was music.
She began making moves to launch a music career. Her manager got her in contact with Frederick Knight, who had the 1972 hit “I’ve Been Lonely For So Long” to his credit. He produced a three-song session with Ward. He was so impressed with Ward’s abilities that the session expanded to an entire album’s worth of material. After the basic tracks for the album were completed, everyone agreed that it needed one more uptempo tune. Knight returned the next day with “Ring My Bell.” Ward wasn’t enthusiastic about the song, preferring ballads over disco music. But Knight insisted she record it because he knew it had the potential to become a big hit.
Ward's career would never again reach the massive level of success that she enjoyed during her “Ring My Bell” era. She experienced some major career setbacks that included contractual disputes with Knight, a serious car accident, and disco’s waning popularity. She had a minor hit with “Don’t Drop My Love,” released in 1979. It peaked at #87 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #52 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart. And it rose to #26 on Billboard’s dance chart. Her subsequent recordings failed to gain any traction on the U.S. charts. Her 1989 single “Be My Baby” peaked at #164 in Australia, and a 1990 UK reissue of “Ring My Bell” reached #99 on the UK charts.
Ward still occasionally performs. On January 23, 2024, she performed “Ring My Bell” at the First Ladies of Disco Show, which also featured Janice-Marie Johnson of A Taste of Honey and Thea Austin of Snap!
Anita Ward performing "Ring My Bell" on Dutch TV Show TopPop in 1979
A more recent performance of "Ring My Bell." Don't know the year, but really cool performance.
Questlove returns to the director’s chair for his documentary Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius). Again, he displays his considerable talents as a filmmaker with this fascinating portrait of Sly Stone, one of the most innovative and influential music artists of the 20th century. The film takes a deep dive into Sly’s life and explores what fueled his genius and creativity as well as his musical inspirations and influences. It includes in-depth interviews with Sly & The Family Stone founding members Larry Graham, Jerry Martini, Freddie Stone, Greg Errico, and Cynthia Robinson. It also features exciting concert footage of the legendary band’s electrifying performances, rare behind-the-scenes moments, and other pivotal events in Sly’s life. Additionally, the film features commentary from noted music artists who were influenced by Sly, including D’Angelo, André 3000, George Clinton, Chaka Khan, Nile Rodgers, Jimmy Jam, Vernon Reid, and Terry Lewis. It also has archival footage of interviews that Sly has given over the years.
Sly was one of the first Black rock stars. In the late 1960s, he and Jimi Hendrix entered uncharted territory for Black artists. They both had large rock-loving white fan bases that rivaled some of their white counterparts, such as the Rolling Stones, the Animals, and the Beach Boys. However, unlike Hendrix and the other acts mentioned, Sly had an equally large Black following. His sound reached across demographics in an unprecedented fashion. His music was funky and soulful enough to appeal to a large black demographic, but it also had enough rock and pop elements to connect with a large white audience. At a time when popular music was highly segmented, Sly & the Family Stone’s music had no boundaries. Their sound was a liberating fusion of funk, gospel, rock, soul, pop, blues, and psychedelia. The documentary examines Sly’s incredible ability to cross-pollinate different music styles to create something new, exciting, and innovative.
The film traces back to Sly’s early childhood in Vallejo, California, where his family relocated from Denton, Texas when he was three months old. Coming from a devoutly religious family, he developed a great love for music while growing up in the church. He played guitar, bass, and drums for the church and sang in the youth choir. He was also a member of his family’s gospel group, the Stewart Four, which consisted of him, his brother Freddie, and his sisters Rose and Loretta. Early on, it was apparent that Sly possessed an extraordinary musical gift, and this film examines how he honed and cultivated that gift, which eventually took him to rock superstardom.
The film explores how Sly made a name for himself in the Bay Area music scene as a songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. In 1964, he signed with San Francisco-based label Autumn Records as a staff producer. Around this time, he started going by Sly Stone instead of his birth name Sylvester Stewart. He was known for his unfailing ear and astonishing abilities as a musician, producer, and songwriter. He produced San Francisco-area music acts such as Bobby Freeman, the Beau Brummels, the Mojo Men, and Grace Slick’s first band, the Great Society. Sly produced and co-wrote Freeman's top-10 hit “C’mon and Swim” (released in 1964). The documentary contains an archival interview with Slick, who praised Sly’s patient hands-on approach to producing. She was also in awe of his prodigious musical talent and versatility: “He plays every instrument beautifully,” she said. “I just stood there with my jaw on the ground.”
While Sly worked as a producer at Autumn Records, he was also a disc jockey for San Francisco-based soul radio station KSOL. He became a popular radio personality and made a lot of important music connections through his deejay job. Jerry Martini often dropped by the station to hang out with Sly. So the two already had great rapport before the formation of Sly & The Family Stone.
The documentary details how Sly & The Family Stone was formed in 1966. In his interview, Martini discussed how he came up with the idea for a band that centered around Sly’s significant gifts as a songwriter and producer. “I see the songs he’s writing, and I say, if we do a band, we’ll all be famous,” he explained. The band’s interracial, mixed-gender makeup was by design. Sly felt that bringing together this diverse mix of talented players would create a sound that was truly unique and different. The lineup of the band was Sly (vocals, producer, multiple instruments), Larry Graham (bass, vocals), Rose Stone (keyboards, vocals), Cynthia Robinson (trumpet, vocal ad-libs), Greg Errico (drums), Jerry Martini (saxophone) and Freddie Stone (guitar, vocals). The band put in work honing their chops by playing six nights a week at the Winchester Cathedral, a nightclub in Redwood City, California.
The band eventually caught the attention of record executive and producer Clive Davis, which resulted in their signing to Epic/CBS Records in 1967. Davis recognized right away that Sly was a rare talent who had the potential to change the game in popular music. “I thought, here you have a creative genius who was going to make a permanent mark on history,” he said. The band released their debut album, A Whole New Thing, on October 1, 1967. Unfortunately, the album failed to generate much buzz and was a huge disappointment from a commercial standpoint. The collection has some great music on it, but it was too nakedly funky, complex, and experimental to garner any substantial radio airplay–particularly for a debut album by a new band. Davis requested the band make their next album more pop radio-friendly. As a result, Sly wrote songs that were less complex and more palatable for a wider audience. This approach resulted in the smash “Dance To The Music,” the title track of their second album, released in 1968. The song is an exhilarating mix of psychedelic soul, funk, and pop. The high-energy, celebratory dance track was immediately embraced by both R&B and pop fans. It peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #9 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart. And it rose to #11 on the UK charts.
There’s a great section in the documentary where commentators share their thoughts on the song’s massive impact and why it had such major crossover appeal. “The first time I heard ‘Dance To The Music’ it was like, Oh my God, it’s the greatest thing ever,” said Jimmy Jam. “It sounded like nothing else on the radio at the time.” Nile Rodgers said, “Sly had the uncanny ability to make every part of the song hooky.”
The song was hugely influential and helped popularize psychedelic soul, and it further expanded the growth of funk music, which James Brown pioneered a few years earlier. As a result of “Dance To The Music,” big-name Motown acts like the Temptations added psychedelic soul to their sound as did several other popular R&B artists and bands of the day. “The song changed everything,” said Errico. “It was a huge paradigm shift.”
Sly & The Family Stone skyrocketed to national fame following the release “Dance To The Music.” They went from playing small clubs to headlining famous rock venues like the Fillmore East in New York.
The documentary also illustrates how Sly’s songwriting drew inspiration from burning social issues and events. The turbulent state of America in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s influenced the themes of the band’s groundbreaking albums, Stand! (1969) and There’s a Riot Goin’ On (1971). Division, anger, and hate permeated the country during that time. Race riots erupted across the United States in response to systemic racism, police brutality, and racial injustice; anti-war protests and civil unrest dominated the headlines and flashed across television screens. Sly’s songs reflected these sentiments.
The title track on Stand! is a powerful civil rights and youth counterculture anthem. Commentators discussed the song’s cultural impact and how it inspired young people to stand up for what they believed in. “It was one of the only empowering songs that were out there for young people, and we weren’t getting a lot of that,” said Chaka Khan. Mark Anthony Neal, author and professor of African and African American Studies at Duke University, said, “Sly & The Family Stone were in sync with what was happening culturally, socially, and politically.”
The Stand! album also features the classic “Everyday People,” a moving plea for peace, equality, and racial unity. Soul, pop, and gospel meld beautifully on this song. It’s one of the band’s biggest hits, topping both Billboard’s R&B singles chart and the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for four weeks. It has sold more than three million copies to date. “With ‘Everyday People,’ Sly came along as the Black hippie Pied Piper singing we are the same whatever we do,” said Vernon Reid, acclaimed guitarist and founder of the hard rock band Living Colour. “That’s the first time you hear that sentiment from a Black artist. Sly was bringing people together at a time when this country was tearing itself apart.”
The film revisits Sly & The Family Stone’s historic Woodstock performance that took place on August 17, 1969. The band blew the minds of thousands of audience members with their explosive, soul-stirring set. They hit the stage like a funky typhoon and didn’t let up. The galvanic performance put Sly & The Family Stone’s name on everyone’s lips as one of the hottest and most talented bands on the scene.
Sly & The Family Stone performing at Woodstock, photo by Jason Lauré
There was a freeing euphoric energy about the performance that had never been seen before. Those in attendance knew they were witnessing something truly special and groundbreaking. “To me, one of the greatest things about Sly is he’s letting us peer into something very free,” said André 3000. “The appearance, the clothing, even the wigs, it was from another world. When they came together as the sound, it was so future.”
The Woodstock performance elevated Sly to rock superstar status, something he’s never been comfortable with and one of the factors that contributed to his destructive, self-sabotaging behavior. The documentary explores Sly’s struggles with drug abuse and coping with his massive celebrity. The mounting pressures of his position caused his life and career to go into freefall. He became heavily addicted to cocaine and angel dust. The once familial bond he shared with the band members was gone, and he began to isolate himself from them. He became increasingly paranoid and erratic. He started missing shows and displaying unpredictable behavior. This eventually led to the departure of founding members Greg Errico and Larry Graham. The documentary thoughtfully examines the detrimental effects fame, fortune, and great success can often have on Black artists. It presents Sly’s gradual self-destruction as a case study of this phenomenon.
Sly’s influence on contemporary music is immeasurable. Music would be significantly different today if not for his many innovations and contributions. He set the blueprint for genre-defying superstars like Prince, Lenny Kravitz, and Bruno Mars, among countless others. Questlove–who won an Oscar for his 2021 documentary Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)–does a tremendous job in this comprehensive look at Sly’s life and amazing music career.
Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) has received mainly high marks from critics and currently has an impressive 92% fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes. It’s currently streaming on Hulu.
