Melvin Carl Dunlap (June 9, 1945 - September 12, 2021) was an American bass player, noted for his work with
Charles Wright and
Bill Withers
William Harrison Withers Jr. (July 4, 1938 – March 30, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He had several hits over a career spanning 18 years, including "Ain't No Sunshine" (1971), "Grandma's Hands" (1971), " Use Me" (1972) ...
.
Dunlap was born in Cleveland, Ohio. While suffering from an extended childhood illness, he began practicing on an old Fender bass which his adoptive parents bought for him from a pawn shop. After playing with various local bands, he joined
The O'Jays
The O'Jays are an American R&B group from Canton, Ohio, formed in 1958 and originally consisting of Eddie Levert, Walter Lee Williams, William Powell, Bobby Massey, and Bill Isles. The O'Jays made their first chart appearance with the minor hi ...
as their touring bass player. Dunlap subsequently settled in California where he worked several odd jobs while trying to make a living as a musician.
Dunlap joined
Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band
Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band is an American soul and funk band. Formed in the early 1960s, they had the most visibility from 1967 to 1973 when the band had 9 singles reach Billboard's pop and/or rhythm and blues charts, s ...
and played on the 1970 hit ''
Express Yourself''. He later became a regular member of Bill Withers' band, playing on the hits ''
Lean on Me'' and ''
Use Me''. He also co-produced some of Withers' albums, and has a few shared songwriting credits with Withers. In 2009 and 2012 he released two self-produced albums of what he called "holistic funk".
R.I.P. 70s funk giant, Melvin Dunlap
soultracks.com
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dunlap, Melvin
1945 births
2021 deaths
Musicians from Cleveland
20th-century American bass guitarists
American male bass guitarists
20th-century American male musicians
20th-century African-American musicians
American rhythm and blues bass guitarists