Fatback Band
{{Short description|American funk band}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Fatback Band
| image =
| image_size =
| landscape =
| caption =
| origin = New York City, U.S.
| genre = {{hlist|Funk|soul|R&B|disco}}
| years_active = 1970–present
| label = {{hlist|Perception|Event|Spring|Cotillion}}
| associated_acts =
| website = {{URL|www.fatbackband.com}}
| current_members =
- Bill "Fatback" Curtis
- Cordell "Pete" Everett
- Ed Jackson
- Isabella Dunn Gordon
- Ledjerick Todd Woods
- George Williams
- Darryl McAllister
- Bob "Zoot" James
| past_members =
- Earl Shelton
- Quenetta "Que" Simpson
- Gerry Thomas
- Johnny Flippin
- Johnny King
- Billy Hamilton
- Wayne Wilford
- Michael Walker
}}
The Fatback Band (later, simply Fatback) is an American funk and disco band that was popular in the 1970s and 1980s. The Fatback Band is most known for their R&B hits: "(Do the) Spanish Hustle", "I Like Girls", "Gotta Get My Hands on Some (Money)", "Backstrokin'" and "I Found Lovin'".
Their 1979 single "King Tim III (Personality Jock)" is generally considered the first commercially released hip hop single.
History
Formed in New York City in 1970, the Fatback Band was the concept of Bill Curtis, an experienced session drummer, inspired to merge the "fatback" jazz beat of New Orleans into a funk band. In addition to Curtis, the band's initial line-up included guitarist Johnny King, bassist Johnny Flippin, trumpet player George Williams, saxophonist Earl Shelton, flautist George Adams, and keyboardist Gerry Thomas.{{cite web|title=The Fatback Band Page|url=http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Fatback%20Band.html|website=Soulwalking.co.uk|access-date=October 27, 2020}} The band specialized in playing "street funk". The group also later included conga player Wayne Woolford, vocalists Jayne and Gerry, Deborah Cooper saxophonist Fred Demerey, guitarist Louis Wright and George Victory.{{cite web|last1=Wynn|first1=Ron|title=Artist Biography|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-fatback-band-mn0000067329/biography|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=September 23, 2020}}
The Fatback Band signed to Perception Records and had a hit single that summer with "Street Dance". The single reached the top 30 on the US Billboard R&B chart, but failed to cross over to the Pop chart, a pattern the group would follow for the rest of their career. The band released the albums Let's Do It Again, People Music, and Feel My Soul before signing to Event Records in 1974.
In the mid-1970s, the band incorporated jazz elements and moved more towards a disco sound resulting in the singles, "Keep On Steppin'", "Yum, Yum (Give Me Some)", and "(Are You Ready) Do the Bus Stop". The singles proved popular in dance clubs, but did not do as well on the R&B chart until the spring of 1976 when "(Do The) Spanish Hustle" came close to the top ten.
Now recording for Spring/Polydor, the group continued with the singles "Party Time", "The Booty", and "Double Dutch". Late 1977 brought a name change to Fatback, and in 1978 they found their first top ten single with "I Like Girls". The song "King Tim III (Personality Jock)" is often considered to be the first commercially released rap single, having shipped just a week before the Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" in October 1979.{{cite book|last1=Hess|first1=Mickey|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LldOLnIQ66cC&q=king+tim+iii+first+rap+single&pg=PR22|title=Icons of Hip Hop: An Encyclopedia of the Movement, Music, and Culture|page=p.xxii|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|date=2007|isbn=978-0-313-33903-5}}
In 1980, Fatback had a pair of their biggest hits with "Gotta Get My Hands on Some (Money)" and "Backstrokin'". Also finding the charts in the 1980s were "Take It Any Way You Want It", "I Found Lovin'" and "Spread Love", with singer Evelyn Thomas, in 1985. Whilst American pop success proved elusive, the group made regular appearances on the UK Singles Chart, including the top ten twice with "(Do The) Spanish Hustle" and "I Found Lovin'";{{cite book|first=David|last=Roberts|year=2006|title=British Hit Singles & Albums|edition=19th|publisher= Guinness World Records Limited|location=London|isbn=1-904994-10-5|page=196}} the latter also covered by British disc jockey Steve Walsh, reached the top ten at the same time as the original version.{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/i-found-lovin'/|title=OFFICIAL SINGLES CHART RESULTS MATCHING: I FOUND LOVIN'|website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=February 11, 2020}}
Keyboardist Gerry Thomas was simultaneously a member of the Jimmy Castor Bunch,{{cite web|url=http://www.fatbackband.com/gerrythomas.html|title=Fatback band|website=Fatbackband.com|accessdate=27 June 2024}} so the band elected to remain close to the New York area instead of extensive touring. They had substantial success in UK. As recent as 2019, the Fatback Band performed at multiple concerts and festivals in London and other cities in England. Their 2020 tour was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They have a new album to be released in 2021 and have performances scheduled in July 2021.
Band members
=Current=
- Bill "Fatback" Curtis – drums/percussions (1970–present)
- Xavier Zack Guinn – bass guitar, vocals (2015–present)
- Ledjerick Todd Woods – trumpet (2002–present)
- Darryl McAllister – guitar, vocals (2005–present)
- Isabella Dunn Gordon – vocals
- Montreal Parker – drums
- Marell Glenn – keyboards (2018–present)
- Ed Jackson – saxophone, vocals (1990–present)
=Past=
- Billy Hamilton – organ, keyboard (1970–1972)
- Earl Shelton – saxophone (1970–1979)
- Johnny King – guitar, vocals (1970–1979)
- Johnny Flippin – bass, percussion, vocals (1971–1983)
- Gerry Thomas – keyboard (1971–1985)
- George Adams – flute (1972–1974)
- Skip Walker – drums (1985–1988, 2007)
- Tom Browne – trumpet (1976)
- Najee – saxophone (1983)
- John DeBerry – vocals (1985–1988, 1997)
- Wayne Wilford – percussion (1973)
- Fred Demery – saxophone (1977, 1979–1981)
- Louis Wright – guitar (1976–1977)
- George Victory – guitar (1977, 1979–1981, 1983)
- Deborah Cooper – backing vocals (1977–1979)
- Michael Walker – keyboard, vocals (1981, 1983)
- Robert Damper – keyboard (1983–1987)
- Linda Blakely (d.1994) – vocals (1982–1987){{Cite web|url=http://fatbackband.com/lindablakely/linda.txt|title=Linda Blakely - Fat Back Band|website=Fatbackband.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200330015755/http://fatbackband.com/lindablakely/linda.txt|archive-date= March 30, 2020}}
- Vernon Lloyd – bass guitar, vocals (1983–1990)
- Quenetta "Que" Simpson – vocals (1996–2006)
Discography
=Albums=
| class="wikitable"
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album ! scope="col" colspan="4"| Peak chart positions |
| style="width:40px;"|US {{cite web|title=The Fatback Band - Awards|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-fatback-band-mn0000067329/awards|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=5 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120624215843/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-fatback-band-mn0000067329/awards|archive-date=June 24, 2012}} ! style="width:40px;"|US R&B ! style="width:40px;"|UK ! style="width:40px;"|AUS |
|---|
| 1972
| Let's Do It Again | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — |
| 1973
| People Music | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — |
| rowspan="2"|1974
| Feel My Soul | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — |
| Keep on Steppin'
| align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — |
| rowspan="2"|1975
| Yum Yum | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — |
| Raising Hell
| align=center | 158 | align=center | 37 | align=center | 19 | align=center | 35 |
| 1976
| Night Fever | align=center | 182 | align=center | 31 | align=center | — | align=center | 81 |
| rowspan="2"|1977
| NYCNYUSA | align=center | — | align=center | 54 | align=center | — | align=center | 91 |
| Man with the Band
| align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — |
| 1978
| Fired Up 'N' Kickin | align=center | 73 | align=center | 17 | align=center | — | align=center | — |
| rowspan="2"|1979
| Brite Lites/Big City | align=center | — | align=center | 57 | align=center | — | align=center | — |
| Fatback XII
| align=center | 89 | align=center | 16 | align=center | — | align=center | — |
| rowspan="2"|1980
| Hot Box | align=center | 44 | align=center | 7 | align=center | — | align=center | — |
| 14 Karat
| align=center | 91 | align=center | 16 | align=center | — | align=center | — |
| rowspan="2"|1981
| Tasty Jam | align=center | 102 | align=center | 17 | align=center | — | align=center | — |
| Gigolo
| align=center | 148 | align=center | 68 | align=center | — | align=center | — |
| 1982
| On the Floor with Fatback | align=center | — | align=center | 28 | align=center | — | align=center | — |
| rowspan="2"|1983
| Is This the Future? | align=center | — | align=center | 27 | align=center | — | align=center | — |
| With Love
| align=center | — | align=center | 64 | align=center | — | align=center | — |
| 1984
| Phoenix | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — |
| 1985
| So Delicious | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — |
| 1987
| align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | 80 | align=center | — |
| 1988
| Tonight's an All-Nite Party | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — |
| 2004
| Second Generation | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — |
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |
=Singles=
| class=wikitable |
| scope="col" rowspan="2"|Year
! scope="col" rowspan="2"|Single ! scope="col" colspan="5"|Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"|Certifications ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album |
|---|
| style="width:40px;"|US {{cite web|title=Fatback Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography |url=https://www.musicvf.com/Fatback.art|website=Music VF|access-date=September 23, 2020}} ! style="width:40px;"|US ! style="width:40px;"|US ! style="width:40px;"|UK ! style="width:40px;"|AUS |
| rowspan="3"| 1973
| "Street Dance" | align=center | — | align=center | 26 | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | | Let's Do It Again |
| "Njia (Njia) Walk (Street Walk)"
| align=center | — | align=center | 56 | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | | rowspan="2"| People Music |
| "Soul March"
| align=center | — | align=center | 69 | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | |
| rowspan="2"| 1974
| "Keep on Steppin'" | align=center | — | align=center | 50 | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | | rowspan="2"| Keep on Steppin' |
| "Wicki-Wacky"
| align=center | — | align=center | 94 | align=center | — | align=center | 82{{efn-ua|"Wicki-Wacky" peaked at number 82 after being reissued with "Is This the Future?" in October 1985.|name=fn1|group=upper-alpha}} | align=center | — | |
| rowspan="3"| 1975
| "(Hey I) Feel Real Good (Part One)" | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | | rowspan="2"| Yum Yum |
| "Yum Yum (Gimme Some)"
| align=center | — | align=center | 80 | align=center | — | align=center | 40 | align=center | — | |
| "(Are You Ready) Do the Bus Stop"
| align=center | — | align=center | 37 | align=center | 15 | align=center | 18 | align=center | 26 | | rowspan="3"| Raising Hell |
| rowspan="4"| 1976
| "(Do the) Spanish Hustle" | align=center | 101 | align=center | 12 | align=center | 5 | align=center | 10 | align=center | — | |
| "Party Time"
| align=center | — | align=center | 84 | align=center | — | align=center | 41 | align=center | — | |
| "Night Fever"
| align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | 28 | align=center | 38 | align=center | — | | rowspan="2"| Night Fever |
| "The Booty"
| align=center | — | align=center | 32 | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | |
| rowspan="4"| 1977
| "Double Dutch" | align=center | — | align=center | 52 | align=center | — | align=center | 31 | align=center | — | | rowspan="2"| NYCNYUSA |
| "NYCNYUSA"
| align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | |
| "Mile High"
| align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | | rowspan="2"| Man with the Band |
| "Master Booty"
| align=center | — | align=center | 88 | align=center | 27 | align=center | — | align=center | — | |
| rowspan="3"| 1978
| "I Like Girls" | align=center | 101 | align=center | 9 | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | | rowspan="2"| Fired Up 'N' Kickin' |
| "I'm Fired Up"
| align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | |
| "Freak the Freak the Funk (Rock)"
| align=center | — | align=center | 36 | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | | rowspan="2"| Brite Lites, Big City |
| rowspan="4"| 1979
| "(Do the) Boogie Woogie" | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | |
| "You're My Candy Sweet"
| align=center | — | align=center | 67 | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | | rowspan="3"| Fatback XII |
| "King Tim III (Personality Jock)"
| align=center | — | align=center | 26 | align=center | 62 | align=center | — | align=center | — | |
| "Love in Perfect Harmony"
| align=center | — | align=center | 59 | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | |
| rowspan="5"| 1980
| "Gotta Get My Hands on Some (Money)" | align=center | — | align=center | 6 | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | | rowspan="2"| Hot Box |
| "Backstrokin'"
| align=center | — | align=center | 3 | align=center | 53 | align=center | 41 | align=center | — | |
| "Let's Do It Again"
| align=center | — | align=center | 55 | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | | rowspan="3"| 14 Karat |
| "(To Be) Without Your Love"
| align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | |
| "Angel"
| align=center | — | align=center | 67 | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | |
| rowspan="4"| 1981
| "Take It Any Way You Want It" | align=center | — | align=center | 19 | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | | rowspan="2"| Tasty Jam |
| "Kool Whip"
| align=center | — | align=center | 64 | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | |
| "Rockin' to the Beat"
| align=center | — | align=center | 50 | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | | rowspan="2"| Gigolo |
| "I'm So in Love"
| align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | |
| rowspan="2"| 1982
| "On the Floor" | align=center | — | align=center | 36 | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | | rowspan="2"| On the Floor with Fatback |
| "She's My Shining Star"
| align=center | — | align=center | 76 | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | |
| rowspan="5"| 1983
| "The Girl Is Fine (So Fine)" | align=center | — | align=center | 28 | align=center | 47 | align=center | 77 | align=center | — | | rowspan="3"| Is This the Future? |
| "Is This the Future?"
| align=center | — | align=center | 43 | align=center | — | align=center | 82{{efn-ua|"Is This the Future?" peaked at number 82 after being reissued with "Wicki-Wacky" in October 1985.|name=fn2|group=upper-alpha}} | align=center | — | |
| "Up Against the Wall"
| align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | |
| "Please Stay"
| align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | | rowspan="3"| With Love |
| "I Found Lovin'"
| align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | 7{{efn-ua|"I Found Lovin'" originally peaked at number 49 in June 1984. A first reissue from 1986 peaked at number 55. A second reissue peaked at number 7 in October 1987. The song spent a combined total of 59 weeks on the UK Singles Chart.|name=fn3|group=upper-alpha}} | align=center | — | |
| rowspan="4"| 1984
| "I Wanna Be Your Lover" | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | |
| "Call Out My Name"
| align=center | — | align=center | 70 | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | | rowspan="2"| Phoenix |
| "You've Got That Magic"
| align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | |
| "Spread Love"
| align=center | — | align=center | 88 | align=center | 32 | align=center | — | align=center | — | | Is This the Future? |
| rowspan="3"| 1985
| "Girls on My Mind" | align=center | — | align=center | 79 | align=center | — | align=center | 69 | align=center | — | | rowspan="3"| So Delicious |
| "Lover Undercover"
| align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | 86 | align=center | — | |
| "She's a Go-Getter"
| align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | |
| rowspan="3"| 1987
| "Bus Stop (Stop and Go mix)" | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | 38 | | {{N/A}} |
| "Sunshine Lady"
| align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | 96 | align=center | — | | Is This the Future? |
| "Rhythm of the Night"
| align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | 94 | align=center | — | | rowspan="2"| Tonite's an All-Nite Party |
| 1988
| "All Nite Party" | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | |
| 2007
| "Feel the Fire" | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | | {{N/A}} |
| colspan="9" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |
Notes
{{notelist-ua}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs artist}}
- [http://www.fatbackband.com The Fatback Band Official Site]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20170919192935/http://billcurtismusic.com/ Bill Curtis Official Site]
- [http://www.soulinterviews.com/fatback-band-bill-curtis-2011/ The Fatback Band / Bill Curtis 2011 Interview at Soulinterviews.com]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fatback Band}}
Category:1970 establishments in New York (state)
Category:American dance music groups
Category:American disco groups
Category:American funk musical groups
Category:Musical groups established in 1970