What Major Artist Contributed to Funk Music in Dayton?

Funk music would not be the same without the contributions of these major artists from Dayton.

Funk Music in Dayton

Funk music in Dayton, Ohio has been around since the early 1970s. The style of music is a mix of R&B, soul, and funk. The music is often times considered to be danceable and is known for its strong beats. Some of the most well-known funk musicians from Dayton include Bootsy Collins, Ohio Players, and Zapp.

George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic

Clinton was born in Kannapolis, North Carolina, and grew up in Plainfield, New Jersey. During his teen years Clinton formed a doo-wop group inspired by Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers called The Parliaments, while straightening hair at a barber salon in Plainfield. For a period in the 1960s Clinton was a staff producer for Motown Records, where he worked with Smokey Robinson, Bobby Taylor, the Temptations, Martha Reeves, Gladys Knight & the Pips and Frank Wilson among others.

Bootsy Collins

Bootsy Collins is a legendary bass player, singer and songwriter who was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and raised in Dayton. He is best known for his work with James Brown and Parliament-Funkadelic, but has also had a successful solo career. His unique style of playing, which combines elements of R&B, soul, funk and rock, has influenced many other bass players.

The Ohio Players

The Ohio Players were a Dayton, Ohio-based jazz-funk, R&B and soul band, most popular in the 1970s. They are best known for their hits “Fire” and “Love Rollercoaster”. The Ohio Players began in 1959 as the Ohio Untouchables, a group consisting ofcore members Cornelius Johnson (bass guitar), Robert Ward (lead guitar), Clarence – Satchel – Paige (tenor saxophone), Glenn Lawless (baritone saxophone), and Willy Kirkland (trumpet). The Untouchables first record was the 45 single, “All Night Long” b/w “Tighten Up” on Revilot Records in 1961. The A-side was written by W. Kirkland with the B-side penned by Marshall Paul.

The Sound of Funk Music in Dayton

Funk music in Dayton has been shaped by many major artists over the years. Some of the most popular include The Ohio Players, Bootsy Collins, and Parliament-Funkadelic. Each of these artists have helped to create the unique sound of funk music that is found in Dayton.

The Funk Brothers

The Funk Brothers were a group of Detroit-based session musicians who performed the backing tracks for many Motown Records hits. The group recorded at Hitsville U.S.A., the name given to Motown’s first headquarters. Founder Berry Gordy Jr. gathered the musicians in 1959 and nicknamed them “the Funk Brothers”. The Funk Brothers’ core lineup consisted of keyboardists Earl Van Dyke and Joe Hunter, bassist James Jamerson, guitarist Robert White, drummer Benny Benjamin, and percussionist Richard “Pistol” Allen.

The group worked with Motown’s house band, The house band included arrangers Benny Benack Sr., H more…

The Meters

The Meters were a funk band based in New Orleans, Louisiana, active from 1965 to 1977. The band’s original lineup consisted of keyboardist and vocalist Art Neville, bassist George Porter Jr., guitarist Leo Nocentelli, and drummer Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste. The Meters are credited with being one of the main progenitors of funk, and their sound is often described as tightly syncopated rhythms with a strong backbeat. The band contributed to the development of New Orleans second-line and Crescent City soul music.