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 mi ...
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 att ...
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 de ...
) 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
The Jackson 5 (sometimes stylized as the Jackson 5ive, also known as the Jacksons) are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most o ...
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 recor ...
was the co-lead singer. The band's biggest
hit singles 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", and "
Nightshift"; and
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 mi ...
-influenced dance songs; including "
Brick House", "Fancy Dancer", "
Lady (You Bring Me Up)", and "
Too Hot ta Trot".
Commodores were inducted into the
Alabama Music Hall of Fame and
Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
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 pr ...
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
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 recor ...
,
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 ( : 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 prope ...
'' magazine. "We almost became 'The Commodes.'"
The bandmembers attended
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 de ...
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 ...
, and was later replaced by drummer Walter "Clyde" Orange, who wrote or co-wrote many of their hits.
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 recor ...
and Orange alternated as lead singers. Orange was the lead singer on the Top 10 hits "
Brick House" (1977) and "
Nightshift" (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 ...
" (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 fi ...
'' 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 chart and bec ...
".
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 "
Three Times a Lady".
In 1979, the Commodores scored another top-five ballad, "Sail On", before reaching the top of the charts once again with another ballad, "
Still
A still is an apparatus used to distill liquid mixtures by heating to selectively boil and then cooling to condense the vapor. A still uses the same concepts as a basic distillation apparatus, but on a much larger scale. Stills have been use ...
".
In 1981 they released two top-ten hits with "Oh No" (No. 4) and their first upbeat single in almost five years, "
Lady (You Bring Me Up)" (No. 8).
Commodores made a brief appearance in the 1978 film, ''
Thank God It's Friday''. 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.
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 co ...
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 most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...
,
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 coun ...
. Reynolds departed for
Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire (EW&F or EWF) is an American band whose music spans the genres of jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, big band, Latin, and Afro pop. They are among the best-selling bands of all time, with sales of over 90 million reco ...
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
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 ...
album ''Nightshift'', produced by Dennis Lambert (prior albums were produced by James Anthony Carmichael), delivered the title track "
Nightshift", 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 pres ...
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 th ...
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 ...
.
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- ...
,
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, 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 dow ...
, 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 We ...
'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'', 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
*
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 recor ...
– 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
* ''
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 ...
'' (1974)
* ''
Caught in the Act'' (1975)
* ''
Movin' On'' (1975)
* ''
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 ...
'' (1976)
* ''
Commodores
Commodores are an American funk and soul 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) in 1968, and signed with Motown in ...
'' (1977)
* ''
Natural High'' (1978)
* ''
Midnight Magic'' (1979)
* ''
Heroes'' (1980)
* ''
In the Pocket'' (1981)
* ''
Commodores 13'' (1983)
* ''
Nightshift'' (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 on ...
'' (1988)
* ''
No Tricks
''No Tricks'' is the fourteenth and latest studio album by the Commodores
Commodores are an American funk and soul band, which were at their peak in the late 1970s through the mid 1980s. The members of the group met as mostly freshmen at Tusk ...
'' (1993)
Accolades
Grammy awards
The Commodores have 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 pr ...
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
Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
References
External links
Official Commodores websiteLionel 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