"I'm The One” by Average White Band

Scottish funk outfit Average White Band dropped this super-smooth groove back in 1976. It features a superb horn arrangement with the horn section serving up massive doses of pure funk. The rest of the band are also on their game here. The track boasts an extra-funky bass line, sweet rhythm guitar licks and a potent beat. And Alan Gorrie infuses his lead vocal with cool understated soul. This is one of AWB’s most underrated tracks and deserves a lot more love.

“I’m The One” was written by Alan Gorrie, Hamish Stuart, Roger Ball and Average White Band. It’s a track from AWB’s platinum-selling fourth album Soul Searching (1976), which was produced by Arif Mardin and released on Atlantic Records. The collection also contains the exquisite soul ballad “A Love Of Your Own.”

“I’m The One” has been sampled on 10 songs, including Brand Nubian’s “Word is Bond” and Mellow Man Ace’s “Gettin Stupid.” It was also featured on the soundtrack for Larry Clark’s controversial 1995 film Kids.

The full AWB lineup for Soul Searching was Alan Gorrie (bass, guitar, lead and backing vocals), Hamish Stuart (bass, guitar, lead and backing vocals), Roger Ball (alto saxophone, keyboards, horn and string arrangements), Steve Ferrone (drums, percussion), Malcolm Duncan (tenor saxophone) and Onnie McIntyre (guitar). Some of the guest musicians featured on the album included Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone), Barry Rogers (trombone), Marvin Stamm (trumpet), Kenneth Bichel (synthesizer), Randy Brecker (trumpet), Carlos Martin (congas) and cellists Seymour Barab, Alan Schulman, Jesse Levy.

"I'm The One" at Amazon

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