Sugarfoot's OHIO PLAYERS are a funky-pop-R&B blend of master
musicians surrounding the exuberant and soulful “Sugarfoot”, the signature
Voice and personification of the original OHIO PLAYERS. With virtuoso
bassist Trae Pierce, a second generation OP member, now returning to
the band again, as Musical Director, Sugarfoot’s OHIO PLAYERS perform
all the 1 “Sugar” hits everyone expects from an OHIO PLAYERS concert.
Pierce utilizes a gifted stage band to deliver a monster bottom-heavy and
horn-stabbing funk sound to rival the legend of the OHIO PLAYERS live
show and honor the tradition of their music to support Sugarfoot.
The group that eventually became the OHIO PLAYERS formed in Dayton,
Ohio, in 1959, as the Ohio Untouchables. With a name change and the
addition of Leroy “Sugarfoot” Bonner as lead-vocal front man, the group
evolved and emerged with a GOLD debut 21 album, “Pain”, and Top 30
R&B title-track single in 1971. The follow up album “Pleasure” went all the
way to 4, and dropped a 1 Black single, “Funky Worm”, which also rose
to 4 Pop. Their next release charted up to 12 Black with title track
“Ecstasy”, while the album charted to 19.
Then in 1974 came the PLATINUM blow out. The 1 Album “Skin Tight”
delivered a 2 R&B / 13 Pop title-track single and a 6 R&B single “Jive
Turkey”. The next PLATINUM album, “Fire”, was a back-to-back, double-
chart 1 album, at R&B and Pop, but this time out Sugarfoot sported a
double-chart 1 title track single, too. “Fire” proved to be their hottest and
still most requested radio smash. The album also featured the 6 R&B
single “I Want To Be Free”, a social commentary. The album “Honey”
continued the PLATINUM studio album tradition charting 1 R&B / 2 Pop.
It also brought “Sweet Sticky Thing” hitting 1 R&B / 33 Pop Singles,
“FOPP” hitting 9 R&B / 30 Pop, and another huge evergreen hit, “Love
Rollercoaster”, doubling at 1 R&B / 1 Pop. At Radio, this proved to be
their biggest album with these three smast hits.
“Contradiction” followed the chart trend and hit 1, selling GOLD.
Released in 1976 was their fourth 1 album and included another 1 R&B
hit “Who’d She Coo?”, which also went 18 Pop. Mercury capped the
dizzy run of 1 hit albums and singles at Christmas 1976 with the greatest
hits album “Gold” that sold GOLD. They continued to sell and chart well with
albums into the 80’s, but their 1’s run defined their sound and legacy.
Along the way, amid a staggering string of hits straddling both R&B and
Pop charts, the OHIO PLAYERS melded together elements of jazz, soul,
funk, and pop to coalesce their signature sound. In all they racked up four
1 Albums, seven 1 chartings on Singles, three Platinum and three
GOLD albums, and very many more Top 10-20-30 & Top 40 hit singles.
On top of their hot music, the OHIO PLAYERS were also well known for
their steamy album covers (“Honey” being the most controversial) with
sensual females engaged in provocative artwork and suggestive poses. In
the 1985 Sugarfoot briefly left the OHIO PLAYERS for a solo album
delivered on Warner Brothers and produced by the late great, legendary
Roger “Zapp” Troutman. Sugarfoot was also featured on Herbie Hancock’s
album “Vibe Alive”. Returning to the fold in 1988 resulted in the album
“Back”, and the band returned to the stage to the joy of fans far and wide.
In 1999, the OHIO PLAYERS were inducted into Dayton’s “Walk of Fame”
to celebrate their incomparable accomplishments. Noted at the time was
the passing of founding member Clarence “Satch” Satchell and original
member Ralph “PeeWee” Middlebrooks. There are only two remaining
original members, Leroy Bonner and and Marshall Jones, who were on
hand when the band transitioned from Ohio Untouchables to OHIO
PLAYERS. In recent years, their “street funk” continues to open doors for
young hip hop artists and DJ’s who sample “Ol’ School”, building new
songs and new traditions on top of their original hit tracks.
Sugarfoot has also been an inspiration to many, including the character
“Uncle Bobby” on the animated show “The Proud Family”. Recording Artist
D’Angelo has re-recorded “Heaven Must Be Like This” on his new album
“The Best So Far” released on Virgin Records in June 2008. The Red Hot
Chili Peppers perform “Love Rollercoaster” and “FOPP” during their
concerts, and
recorded “Love Rollercoaster” for the “Beavus and Butthead” movie
soundtrack.
Today, after taking a break from the road, Sugarfoot is back putting his
stamp on the next chapter in the history of the OHIO PLAYERS with his
own Sugarfoot’s OHIO PLAYERS, satisfying the demand for The Voice.
Sugarfoot has “reignited” the original OHIO PLAYERS sound, with Trae
Pierce and a well credited group of players including Calvin Loatman,
Derwin Daniels, David Grant, Courtney Girlie, Emmanuel Cook, and Earl
Fleming. They are also back in the studio. Sugarfoot’s OHIO PLAYERS
are recording new music mixed with both classic and new influences,
produced by Sugarfoot and Trae Pierce.
Having played bass with the OHIO PLAYERS, in the 80's, Trae moved on
to become a three-time Grammy award winner. He has performed,
produced and recorded with Phil Collins, The Blind Boys of Alabama,
George Clinton, Chaka Khan, Dr. Hook, Jodeci, Peter Gabriel, The Mighty
Clouds of Joy, Randy Travis, and has movie credits such as “The Fighting
Temptations” with Cuba Gooding and Beyonce Knowles. Guitarist
Loatman has performed with Kirk Franklin, Patti LaBelle and CeCe
Winans, and has recorded with Kenny G, Rick James and Ludacris. As
Sugarfoot’s OHIO PLAYERS regain their legacy stature with a hot new
show and steamy new tracks, the fans are in for the thrill of a life time.............................................................................................................................Sugarfoot's Ohio Players
1. FIRE CHARTED 1 R&B
1 POP
2. ROLLER COASTER CHARTED 1
R&B 1 POP
3. FUNKY WORM CHARTED 1
R&B 15 POP
4. WHOD SHE COO &nb!
sp;CHARTED 1 R&B 18 POP
5. SWEET STICKY THING CHARTED
1 R&B 33 POP
6. SKIN TIGHT CHARTED 2 R&B
13 POP
7. I WANNA BE FREE CHARTED 6
R&B 44 POP
8. JIVE TURKEY CHARTED 6
R&B 47 POP
9. HONEY.....TITLE ALBUM CHARTED 1
R&B 2 POP
10. ANGEL NO SINGLE...TITLE ALBUM 9 R&B
41 POP
11. HEAVEN MUST LIKE THIS NO SINGLE,
VERY POPULAR
&nbs! p;
12 LETS LOVE. NO SINGLE,
VERY POPULAR
13. ITS ALL OVER NO SINGLE,
VERY POPULAR
...................................................................................................................................LIVE IN 2008, VIDEO CONTAINS PROTIONS OF EACH HIT SONGS, SWEET STICKY, SKIN TIGHT, HONEY, LETS LOVE, FUNKY WORM, HEAVEN MUST BE LIKE THIS, I WANNA BE FREE, ROLLER COASTER AND FIRE..........................................
2008 SUGARFOOT & O.P. @ THE HOUSTON ARENA THEATER
SUMMERTIME BACK IN THE 60's SUGARFOOT ON GUITAR AND LEAD VOCALS
THIS IS A CLASSIC.........A MUST HEAR SUGARFOOT IN THE 60's SINGING OUTSIDE OF HIS SIGNATURE GROWL
THIS CHARACTER UNCLE BOBBY FROM THE PROUD FAMILY IN THIS CLIP IS BASED OFF OF SUGARFOOT.....BET YOU DIDNT KNOW THAT
HERBIE HANCOCK VIDEO FEAT SUGARFOOT
*A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Real Hope Learning Initiative’s Youth Club After School program. A non-profit organization who has since 2002 provided after school programs for youth (Kindergarten-High School) to learn & help develop the skills needed to become future entrepreneurs. “THE CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE”
Tobias Celebrity Music Events is hosting a New Year’s Eve Party (21 & Older) at The Clarion Hotel Ballroom (Near the National Harbor) on Thursday, December 31, 2009 from 8:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m. “Down Home” Dinner Buffet (w/Blackeyed Peas); Live Entertainment, Dancing and much more! FEATURING THE SOULFUL SOUNDS OF IMMORTAL SOUL, THE SULTRY JAZZ VOCALS OF ANGELI http://myspace.com/immortalsoul4
What's happenin' my favorite funkster? I tell ya, Steve Harvey be giving you and the OP props in the morning on the radio. He did a whole segment on ya'll doing "Heaven Must Be Like This" when he got his first apartment in college. It was great! Yea it was really good UNTIL he started trying to sing like you! LOL
Much Love
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