Funk

Fuzzy Haskins was a vocalist, guitarist, and founding member of The Parliaments.  The Parliaments, led by George Clinton, were a doo-wop group formed in the late 1950s.   Haskins was one of the lead vocalists.   For most of the '60s, the…

The Universals were a funk/soul band from Daytona Beach, Florida who recorded in the early '70s.  The group was comprised of Lindsey Morris (Vocals, Keyboard, & Arranger), Alex Morgan (Vocals & Guitar), Ralph Williams (Vocals,…

Little Beaver, a blues and funk guitarist from Forest City, Arkansas, enjoyed a limited run in the mid '70s.  He released five albums between 1972 and 1976.  His third album, Party Down (1973), featured "Party Down," "I Can Dig It Baby,"…

Cymande is a British funk band that rose to prominence in the early '70s.  The group was originally comprised of nine self-taught, Caribbean born, London based musicians and singers.  In 1972, Cymande released their debut album, Cymande. …

Grady Tate was a well-renowned Jazz drummer from Durham, North Carolina.  He was a self-taught drummer who played a major role in the expansion of soul-jazz.   In 1963, Tate moved to New York City to enroll at The New York Academy of…

"The Streetbeater," originally known as, "Sanford and Son Theme (The Streetbeater)" is one of the most iconic theme songs in television history.  In an interview with the Television Academy, Quincy Jones said that he composed the Sanford…

The Salem Travelers were a Chicago-based soul/funk group that enjoyed a limited run in the '60s and '70s.  Their music bordered between classic gospel and the soulful and funk music of the late '60s and early '70s.  On "Tell It Like It Is,"…

Bernard Purdie is one of the most prominent drummers of all-time. He did most of his damage during the '60s and '70s, working with a slew of artists including: Nina Simone, Gil-Scott Heron, and Aretha Franklin.  Purdie created the "Purdie…