Commodores are an American

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...

and

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...

band, which were at their peak in the late 1970s through the mid 1980s. The members of the group met as mostly freshmen at Tuskegee Institute (now

Tuskegee University Tuskegee University (Tuskegee or TU), formerly known as the Tuskegee Institute, is a private, historically black land-grant university in Tuskegee, Alabama. It was founded on Independence Day in 1881 by the state legislature. The campus was d ...

) in 1968, and signed with

Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...

in November 1972, having first caught the public eye opening for the Jackson 5 while on tour. The group's most successful period was in the late 1970s and early 1980s when

Lionel Richie Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. (born June 20, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality. He rose to fame in the 1970s as a songwriter and the co-lead singer of funk band the Commodores; writing and recordi ...

was the co-lead singer. The band's biggest

hit singles A hit song, also known as a hit record, hit single or simply a hit, is a recorded song or instrumental that becomes broadly popular or well-known. Although ''hit song'' means any widely played or big-selling song, the specific term ''hit record' ...

are

ballads A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...

such as " Easy", "

Three Times a Lady "Three Times a Lady" is a 1978 song by American soul group the Commodores for their album '' Natural High'', written by lead singer Lionel Richie. It was produced by James Anthony Carmichael and the Commodores. It was the Commodores' first number ...

", and "

Nightshift A night shift is either a group of workers night working, or the period in which they work. Night Shift, Nightshift, or The Night Shift may also refer to: Film, TV, and video games Film * Night Shift (1944 film), ''Night Shift'' (1944 film), a 1 ...

"; and

-influenced dance songs; including " Brick House", "Fancy Dancer", "

Lady (You Bring Me Up) "Lady (You Bring Me Up)" is a 1981 hit single by the Commodores. In the United States, it peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 on the ''Billboard'' R&B singles chart. It reached No. 56 on the UK Singles Chart. It was written by Commo ...

", and "

Too Hot ta Trot "Too Hot ta Trot" is a song by R&B/funk band, the Commodores. The song is written in E major. The track on their 1977 live album ''Commodores Live!'', and it spent a week at number one on the R&B singles chart and peaked at number twenty-four on t ...

". Commodores were inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and

Vocal Group Hall of Fame The Vocal Group Hall of Fame (VGHF) is an American-based hall of fame that honors vocal groups throughout the world in every genre of music. Headquartered in the Columbia Theatre in Sharon, Pennsylvania, it includes a theater and a museum. It was ...

. The band has also won one

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

out of nine nominations. The Commodores have sold over 70 million albums worldwide.

History

Commodores were formed from two former student groups, the Mystics and the Jays. Richie described some members of the Mystics as "jazz buffs". The new six-man band featured

, Thomas McClary, and William King from the Mystics, and Andre Callahan, Michael Gilbert, and Milan Williams from the Jays. To choose their name, William King opened a dictionary and randomly picked a word. "We lucked in," he remarked with a laugh when telling this story to ''

People A person (plural, : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of pr ...

'' magazine. "We almost became 'The Commodes.'" The bandmembers attended

in Alabama. After winning the university's annual freshman talent contest, they played at fraternity parties as well as a weekend gig at the Black Forest Inn, one of a few clubs in Tuskegee that catered to college students. They performed cover tunes and some original songs with their first singer, James Ingram (not the famous solo artist). Ingram, older than the rest of the band, left to serve in

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

, and was later replaced by drummer Walter "Clyde" Orange, who wrote or co-wrote many of their hits.

and Orange alternated as lead singers. Orange was the lead singer on the Top 10 hits " Brick House" (1977) and "

" (1985). The early band was managed by Benny Ashburn, who brought them to his family's vacation lodge on Martha's Vineyard in 1971 and 1972. There, Ashburn test-marketed the group by having them play in parking lots and summer festivals. "

Machine Gun A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles) a ...

" (1974), the instrumental title track from the band's debut album, became a staple at American sporting events, and is also heard in many films, including ''

Boogie Nights ''Boogie Nights'' is a 1997 American period comedy-drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. It is set in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley and focuses on a young nightclub dishwasher who becomes a popular star of pornographic fil ...

'' and '' Looking for Mr. Goodbar''. It reached No. 22 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1974. Another 1974 song "I Feel Sanctified" has been called a "prototype" of Wild Cherry's 1976 big hit "Play That Funky Music". Three albums released in 1975 and 1976, '' Caught in the Act'' was funk album, but '' Movin' On'' and ''

Hot on the Tracks ''Hot on the Tracks'' is the fourth studio album by the Commodores, released by Motown Records in 1976. It includes the Top Ten pop single "Just to Be Close to You". The album was the band's first #1 album on the R&B albums chart. Covers and Sa ...

'' were pop albums. After those recordings the group developed the mellower sound hinted at in their 1976 top-ten hits, "Sweet Love" and "

Just to Be Close to You "Just to Be Close to You" is a song by American R&B/ funk band, Commodores, in 1976. Released from their album, '' Hot on the Tracks'', it would become one of their biggest hits, spending two weeks at the top of the Hot Soul Singles The Hot R& ...

". In 1977, the Commodores released " Easy", which became the group's biggest hit yet, reaching No. 4 in the US, followed by funky single "Brick House", also top 5, both from their album ''Commodores'', as was "Zoom". The group reached No. 1 in 1978 with "

". In 1979, the Commodores scored another top-five ballad, "Sail On", before reaching the top of the charts once again with another ballad, " Still". In 1981 they released two top-ten hits with "Oh No" (No. 4) and their first upbeat single in almost five years, "

" (No. 8). Commodores made a brief appearance in the 1978 film, ''

Thank God It's Friday Thanks may refer to: * ''Thank you'' (phrase), a common expression of gratitude Film and television * ''Thanks'' (film), a 2011 American film * ''Thanks'' (TV series), a 1999 American sitcom Music Albums * ''Thanks'', by Ivan Neville, 1994 ...

''. They performed the song "Too Hot ta Trot" during the dance contest; the songs "Brick House" and "Easy" were also played in the movie In 1982, Lionel Richie left to pursue a solo career, and Skyler Jett replaced him as co-lead singer. Also in 1982, their manager Benjamin Ashburn died of a heart attack at the age of 54. CommodoresPerforming

Founding member McClary left in 1984 (shortly after Richie) to pursue a solo career, and to develop a

gospel music Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music, and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is com ...

company. McClary was replaced by guitarist-vocalist Sheldon Reynolds. Then LaPread left in 1986 and moved to

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

. Reynolds departed for Earth, Wind & Fire in 1987, which prompted trumpeter William "WAK" King to take over primary guitar duties for live performances. Keyboardist Milan Williams exited the band in 1989 after allegedly refusing to tour South Africa. The group gradually abandoned its funk roots and moved into the more commercial pop arena. In 1984, former Heatwave singer James Dean "J.D." Nicholas assumed co-lead vocal duties with drummer Walter Orange. That line-up was hitless until 1985 when their final

album ''Nightshift'', produced by Dennis Lambert (prior albums were produced by James Anthony Carmichael), delivered the title track "

", a loving tribute to

Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gay Jr., who also spelled his surname as Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo ar ...

and

Jackie Wilson Jack Leroy Wilson Jr. (June 9, 1934 – January 21, 1984) was an American singer and performer of the 1950s and 60s. He was a prominent figure in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. Nicknamed "Mr. Excitement", he was considered a mas ...

, both of whom had died the previous year. "Nightshift" hit no. 3 in the US and won the Commodores their first

Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

for

Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals The Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded between 1970 and 2011. From 1967 to 1969 and in 1971 the award included instrumental performances. The award had several minor name changes: *From 1967 to 1968 the ...

in 1985. In 2010 a new version was recorded, dedicated to

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

. The Commodores were on a European tour performing at

Wembley Arena Wembley Arena (originally the Empire Pool, now known as OVO Arena Wembley for sponsorship reasons) is an indoor arena next to Wembley Stadium in Wembley, London, England, used for music, comedy, family entertainment and sport. The 12,500-sea ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, on June 25, 2009, when they walked off the stage after they were told that Michael Jackson had died. Initially the band thought it was a hoax. However, back in their dressing rooms they received confirmation and broke down in tears. The next night at

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...

's NIA Arena, J.D. Nicholas added Jackson's name to the lyrics of the song, and henceforth the Commodores have mentioned Jackson and other deceased R&B singers. Thus came the inspiration upon the one-year anniversary of Jackson's death to re-record, with new lyrics, the hit song "Nightshift" as a tribute. In 1990, they formed Commodores Records and re-recorded their 20 greatest hits as ''Commodores Hits Vol. I & II''. They have recorded a live album, ''

Commodores Live ''Live!'', or ''Commodores Live!'', is a live album by the American band Commodores, released in 1977. The album reached number 3 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart. The album was recorded during the Commodores' 1976–1977 coast-to-coast US tour, ...

'', along with a DVD of the same name, and a Christmas album titled ''Commodores Christmas''. In 2012, the band was working on new material, with some contributions written by current and former members. Commodores as of 2020 consist of Walter "Clyde" Orange, James Dean "J.D." Nicholas, and William "WAK" King, along with their five-piece band The Mean Machine. They continue to perform, playing at arenas, theaters, and festivals around the world.

Personnel

;Current members * William "WAK" King – trumpet, guitar, keyboards, vocals (1968–present) * Walter Orange – drums, vocals (1972–present) * James Dean "J.D." Nicholas – vocals, keyboards (1984–present) ;Former members *

– vocals, keyboards, saxophone (1968–82) * Milan Williams – keyboards, rhythm guitar (1968–89) * Thomas McClary – lead guitar, vocals (1968–83) * Andre Callahan – drums, vocals, keyboards (1968–70) * Michael Gilbert – bass guitar, trumpet (1968–70) * Eugene Ward – keyboards (1968–70) * Ronald LaPread – bass guitar (1970–86) * James Ingram – vocals, drums (1970–72) * Skyler Jett – vocals, keyboards (1982–84) * Sheldon Reynolds – lead guitar (1983–87) * Mikael Manley – lead guitar (1995–2005)

Timeline

Discography

;Studio albums * ''

'' (1974) * '' Caught in the Act'' (1975) * '' Movin' On'' (1975) * ''

'' (1976) * '' Commodores'' (1977) * '' Natural High'' (1978) * '' Midnight Magic'' (1979) * ''

Heroes Heroes or Héroes may refer to: * Hero, one who displays courage and self-sacrifice for the greater good Film * ''Heroes'' (1977 film), an American drama * ''Heroes'' (2008 film), an Indian Hindi film Gaming * ''Heroes of Might and Magic'' ...

'' (1980) * '' In the Pocket'' (1981) * ''

Commodores 13 ''Commodores 13'' is the tenth studio album (and thirteenth overall, including two greatest-hits compilations and a live album) by the Commodores, released in 1983 on Motown Records. It's also the first album by the band after the departure of ...

'' (1983) * ''

'' (1985) * '' United'' (1986) * ''

Rock Solid ''Rock Solid'' is the 13th studio album by the Commodores, released in 1988. At this time in the band's career, hits were no longer forthcoming, and this album failed to enter the Billboard albums chart. The single, "Solitaire", reached No. 51 o ...

'' (1988) * ''

No Tricks ''No Tricks'' is the fourteenth and latest studio album by the Commodores, released on March 29, 1993. At this point, the band had been reduced to the trio of Walter "Clyde" Orange, William King and J.D. Nicholas. The album did not chart. Single ...

'' (1993)

Accolades

Grammy awards

The Commodores have won one

out of ten nominations.

Alabama Music Hall of Fame

During 1995 the Commodores were inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.

Vocal Group Hall of Fame

During 2003 the Commodores were also inducted into the

References

External links

Official Commodores website

Lionel Richie interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' 03/2009

{{DEFAULTSORT:Commodores American dance music groups American funk musical groups American soul musical groups Motown artists Musical groups from Alabama Grammy Award winners Musical groups established in 1968 Tuskegee University alumni Lionel Richie African-American musical groups Universal Motown Records artists 1968 establishments in Alabama