Dayton Music Guide - Get The Full Effect
P -T [ use CTL +F to find]

Take your time and check this out...
Our Buddy John Mortimer found this excellent site,
that contains information and scans of Soul record labels from 1966 and up. This is an excellent trip down memory lane.

Lakeview Palladium
Dayton's favorite intimate concert venue, run by George Tuck. The former amusement park, and bingo hall became the entertainment spot of the 70's featuring the Motown Revue, The Delfonics, Jerry Butler, BloodStone, The Moments, The Ohio Players, and numerous Battles of the Local Bands.
Doug "Funky Pearl" Parker
Vocals. Pure entertainer. Started his career at the age of 11, with the Image, when he blew minds with his rendition of The J5's "Who's Loving You" He traveled with the band until he was 15, when his involvement with the ladies, and the Chains Of Rap Brown, a local street gang, made him impossible to work with. Whereabouts: Unknown. information please
Melvin Payne
Bass Guitar & Drums. Appeared with several groups in Dayton over the years, as either bass player or drummer.
Stone Coal White • Act 5 • The Sidewineders. • Strictly Business & The S B II Show Band.
 
Dottie "Little Dot" Pearson  
Vocals.
Performed popular songs in the clubs during the 1970's. 
Little Dot Band: Michael Webster  • Floyd Bailey •  Kenny Bass Emmett North Jr. •  Keith Wilder  • Michael Manley  • Kevin Hurt •  Jeff Ruggs
information please
 
Robert Pennington offsite story available  
Trombone.
information please
Dottie Peoples Picture Available offsite story available
Vocals.
(BIO)
 
information please

Jerry Peppers
MC. The most professional groups around town had their own warm-up man, to bring on the act, and control the show between breaks. JP was another one of the MC's for Lakeside Express (Lakeside) information please
Mack J. Pettigrew
Radio Personality/WDAO
information please
Definition
Pimp-N-Indual. Adj.) Phrase coined by Alan Foster, To describe a player who is still in the game and is on top of that game. The Game = Women* (*note the plural version of the word "woman" is used.) A true Pimp-N-Idual is able to run his game to the fullest without keeping any of the parties involved in the dark, or if it is his choice he may choose to keep h is game on the down low for Pimp-N-Idual reasons. The key to this is to keep everybody happy...especially the PIP. There are different levels of Pimp-N-Idualism, but that is a story for another day.

Pimp Shower. N.) To wash one's face and up under one's arms in the privacy of the Men's Room at the Sohio Gas Station, after a long night of Pimping, Pandering, Playing and sleeping in one's Cadillac.

 

Phoenix
Group Members: Reggie Morgan • Robert Bradley • Van Morgan • Darrell Wright • Rex Nabors • Moses Camp  • Milton Gibson • Thurman Burney  •  •  (information please)
Bio: A spin off of the group Gem City Starship.
Phoenix Soul Suns
Group Members: Marty Drake • Dion Dorche • Tony Russell • Reggie Crutcher • Charles Jackson
Bio: More than a garage band, but less than a career. I remember three gigs at the most for this ensemble. The whole group was in pursuit of college diplomas and just kind of got together to see what would happen. Nothing did.
information please
Robert Pitts
Trumpet/Vocals. Played a mean 2nd horn for the Image, on the road. After high school, he played with a couple of un-descript bands along the way, before meeting with an untimely death.
Platypus Picture Available
AKA: The Four Corners • The Bad Bunch
Group Members: Larry Hines • Lloyd "Toliver" Jones • Kerry Rutledge • Arthur Stokes • Curty Sandford • Dana Meyers

Bio: Roberta Flack is credited with discovering these guys and getting them signed to a major record label. Platypus was signed to Casablanca Records around 1979 or 80. They recorded 2 albums which artistically were very good, but commercially flopped. They wanted to play rock and roll, instead of R & B, but their records just never seemed to chart.
information please
Related People: Jheryl Busby • Roberta Flack
P-La-Boyz
Group Members. Reggie "Moon" Morgan • Al "Spidermanvan" Morgan • Darrell "Kools" Wright • Robert "Ziss" Bradley. • Milton "G-Money" Gibson • Rex Nabors • Kenny "Kendogg"
Crawl •  Danny "SweetPea" Parks •
Bio. This group recorded the song "Emotional Touch", that was played locally, and also performed in the first 3 Fly City Festivals.
Player's Lounge
Once a small bar, and jazz club, frequented by Dayton Tires employees. As kids we used to stand in the alley and listen to jazz greats like Timmy Thomas, and Cannonball Aderly through the door. Later, the new owner, Connie remodeled it, and tore down some walls. She got some input from some of the local bands, and built them a nice stage and decent dressing rooms, turning the lounge into the nicest club environment in town. As disco took over, the place was rented out to some promoters, who called it Imperial Hall, and it became the bomb dance hall, complete with a Champaign fountain.
Pleasure Plus Joy
Group Members: John Smith • Debbie Wills • Cordell Williams • Deloris Steele • Marsha Martin • David Martin • Denise Turpin • Rene • George Gee
BIO: (by Marsha Martin) Formed in the early 70's around John Smith on Guitar, David Martin on Bass, Reginald Smith on Lead Guitar and Cardell Williams on Drums. In 1974 they added 4 female singers, Rene, Delois Steele, Debra Wills and Denise Turpin.  In 1975 Rene was replace by Marsha Martin and in '76 added keyboard player George Gee. The group opened for groups like Leah Roberts, New Birth, and The Ohio Players on local venues. Group dispersed in 79 and recreated itself into a group called Message.
(information please)
 
Plush
Group Members: Alan Foster • Paul Hawkins • Shawn Dedrick • Eric Cook • Leslie McDaniels • Elaine Daniels
Bio:Another group of talented youngsters that came along somewhat after the Dayton Music era, when groups were forced to compete with DJ's and disco singles clubs. The best members of this group struck out and brought youth to some older groups (The Ohio Players, Ashford and Simpson, and Little Richard)
information please
 Price Stores
Vendor. 4th and Jefferson, Downtown
Biography:
You pretty much had to go here at prom time. They had all of the most stylish Tux's. This was also a favorite place for nice men's suits, on a budget, plus they had a rack full of styles in virtually every size. This was a great place to pick up matching suit/outfits for bands and singing groups. I still stop in and pick up a nice leisure suit whenever I'm in town.  (information please)
Pure Pleasure
Group Members: Dale Wilson • Ronald Nooks • Will Shelby • • • • information please  

Find Names quickly

Qualytee Tiime  Picture Available
Group Members: Hunter Brigham • Keith Combs • Victor Pate • Luther Wright • Yacub
Bio:  If you enjoy music by Luther, Brian, Santana, EWFire, Maxwell and Usher,  then you will love "QUALYTEE TIIME", The most exciting band in the Midwest. (information please)

http://www.qualyteetiime.com
Quiet Fire
Group Members: (Bobby Taylor • Jerry Smith • Katy Cosco 
Bio: Jazz group from the early eighties. information please
Tom Qualls
Manager. A major friend of the music business in Dayton. He worked with the Sly Westerly Agency, to guide the careers of several Dayton groups. (TNT Powerhouse, Satori, Roger & The Human Body). (information please)
Rare Pleasure  Picture
Group Members. Tony Allen • Jim Paye • Reginald Crutcher • Ivan "Mico Lewis" Groves • Sonny Kilabrew • Ron Bailey • Mitch Kinney • Larry Ferrell
Bio. This group of Daytonians headed south, to Atlanta, and ended up opening for some popular recording acts, as they swung down south. It didn't last for long, as members of the group took off to play with Latimore, The SOS Band, and Sun, to name a few.
Best Song: "Just To Be Close To You" - Commodores.
information please
Raw Funk Band
Group Members. Wilford Davis • Leroy Davis • D. Wright • Bruce H. • William Kirk • Eddie
Bio. Performed out of Dayton back in the late 60's and early 70's, but the group broke up after the death of their guitar player, William Kirk.
Reel To Reel  Picture Available
Group Members. Adeanna Ivy • Robert "Ziss" Bradley • Darrel "Kools" Wright  • Van "Spider Bass" Morgan • Kenneth S. "Ken Dog" Moore • John Mortimer 
Based in Dayton Ohio. Featured in the Dayton Daily Newspaper, this captivating ensemble provides listeners everything they need to be entertained. With soulful vocals and precise musicianship, this band has the sound everyone can enjoy. Reel to Real comes with a promise to present boundless enthusiasm to universal audiences. We unite diverse Individuals toward one love through music.
Record Player Picture Available offsite story available
AKA: Cypress
Group Members Charles Carter • Sam Carter • George Gee • Charles Jackson • Delbert Jones • Keith Nash • Ronald Nooks • Alan Fostor • Kevin Hurt • Larry Kidd • Mike Jennings • Dallas Webster • Lamar Webster • Tom Black • Cheryl Rutledge Lorenzo Pryor • Alan Bridges • Geoffrey Trammel Keith Trammel • Dale Ogletree.
Biography. The best of the Dayton singing bands, during the disco/show band era. An exciting show and well organized team with multi-faceted musicians that switched instruments between songs, bringing drummers to the front line, and guitar players to the horn section. Had the best road crew known to the industry the group moved to LA and disbanded in the early 80's
Recordings #10 hit - Free Your Mind • GCR (Gem City Records)
Related People • Charles Flacks. • Rudy Hartman. • Dave Harris • James Thomas • Tom Qualls • David Franklin
• Joey Roberts • Duane Webster • Geoffrey Trammel • Nate Coles • Kevin Belcher • Rick King (MORE @ http://home.earthlink.net/~lamar2tlw/rp.html)
Kenny and Frank Renfrow
The "Brother's Renfrow" were early pioneers of "blue eyed soul", having been around way back in the mid 70's when Roger Troutman was Little Roger... They founded a band called "Excursion" (The Excursions) back in the late 60's. (1967-71). This band, which played all original music, evolved later into a soul cover band. Eventually Kenny went on to play in the Young Underground, which evolved into the Underground. (which became Lakeside). Kenny played a funky guitar with a rock and roll edge to his solos. After leaving the Young Underground, he played with several bands before settling into a career in psychiatry. His brother, organist Frank still makes his living in the music business, playing when a gig comes up, but mainly he has a piano tuning business, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Information Please.

www.pianocincinnati.com

 
Sini Richardson
Promoter. Ms. Richardson was responsible for the early Miss Black Ohio Pageants. She produced them, promoted them, and even booked the entertainment. She was briefly the manager for the Stone Soul Image, in 1970. She moved to Los Angeles and runs the Richardson School Of Dance.
Round Trip Ticket
Members: Cornie Woodull • Roger "Dodger" Parker • Ronald Parker • Gilbert Johnson • Rick Crawford • Randy Wilson information please
Rubenstein's Furniture
Vendor. 3rd St. Dayton.
Biography:
  Y'all know you were wrong for burning down this dude's store during the riots in the late '60s. He was the one giving you credit, so you could buy cheap "conversation pits."  (information please)
Wanda Rash

Wanda was drafted into Zapp in 1981 as a background vocalist before Shirley Murdock joined the group. She toured with Zapp for (5) five years and was the feature lead vocalist on the single 'Girl, Cut It Out' from Roger's 1984 album 'The Saga Continues'. Currently she works as a high energy solo artists. She's muilti-talented and teaches music at DAYTON BAND Music Store on North Main as well.  In 1991 Wanda released her first hit single 'Are You Ready' with Epic Records, Are You Ready was also featured on the Z-Look album 'My Desire'. She has also worked with Bootsy Collins, The Ohio Players, Slave, Lakeside, Heatwave, members of Sun and with Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers.

Be on the look out for Wanda's new CD release it's a secret.  
 
 (Thanks for the info: Bobby Miller)
Kerry "Jakee Boy" Rutledge Picture Available
Vocals. information please
 

Find Names quickly

Carleta Sanders-Sloan
Vocals. One of the best female vocalists that I've ever heard. She used to work with Sheila Anthony and various other female vox , in a local Dayton group. She left Dayton in 1979 and started working with band in St. Louis, MO where she met up with Little Milton Campbell and Shirley Brown with whom she toured and also made her first recording "I'm Sue I'm a goodin" It made number 38 on billboard. Next she recorded a single "You Keep Holding back on Love" this record made it to Japan, where she traveled all over singing and performing city after city, Opening up for major acts such as "One Way", Ohio Players, Millie Jackson, Kylmaxx, Johnny Taylor, and song backup for Luther Ingram and Shirley Brown. She, moved back to Dayton and joined Hott Number, an all female band and worked with them for about 8 years as their lead vocalists. She formed The Caution band her Brother Jesse.A Duet vocal group, with musicians, Curty Sanford, Jeon McConell, Chris Bowman and Robyn Hackett. In 1995 she was saved and joined Gospel Troupe gospel group formed by the late Otha Stokes, She is still with this group.They recorded their first CD in 1997 and are now working on a new recording project.
Curtis Sandford
Drummer. Generally accepted as one of Day ton's baddest. Often compared to Billy Cobham, back in the day. Curty was among the many excellent Dayton drummers to emerge from the American Legion Marching Band (Diamond", Kevin Hurt etc.) He left Dayton, for LA, in 1972 to become a member of the recording group Platypus. Whereabouts: Dayton information please
Clarence "Satch" Satchel story available
Sax/Vocals. Always a controversial character. The leader of the Ohio Players, and later his own thing called Satch & Company There were some magical moments when the Players were on stage. They were once voted by Playboy Magazine as the Most Entertaining band in the world.
Best Song: "If You Were My Woman" (Satch's version of the Gladys Knight classic) Deceased.
Satori Picture
Group Members Mike Hinton • Rufus Hinton • Jerry Hawes • Charles Jackson • Rodney Cranford • Rick Schiller • John Harden
Biography. One of the few money making Un-Recorded showbands of the 70's. Lead by Mike Hinton, the group actually had a line of credit with music stores, and vehicle leasing companies, and paid it's members regular paychecks.
Recordings/Similar Artist • The Isleys
Related People • Sly Westerly. • Tom Qualls.
Mike Schockley
Road Crew. Worked with Lakeside and the Solar Records organization's traveling road show.
Steve Schockley Picture Available
Guitar. Lead the group Lakeside from the chittlen' circuit to the charts. Popularized the plucked, muted guitar sound that formed the sound of Solar Records. Active
Shadow
Group Members: Diamond • Chet Willis • Billy Beck • Don Taylor • Harry-O • Tony Allen information please
Biography. This group was another one of those Overnight Low, Ohio Players, Sun spin-offs. Beck, Willis and Diamond got the support from a major recording label and released an artistically acclaimed LP, but the group splintered, and went into other projects.
Related People •
http://daytonfunk.com/shadow.html
Carl Sharp
Keyboard/Vocals. Carl showed up on the Dayton Music scene as the keyboard player for the DelVons, with the Stradwick brothers, Tony Allen, Larry Farrell, John Tinsley, Willie Oliver, Plum Brown, and Keith Patton. Later he played with Soul Experience (w/Teddy Dunn, the Hinton brothers, etc) and Stone Soul Image with the Crutcher brothers, Charles Jackson, etc. In 1979-80, he was the keyboard player for Little Dot (Dottie Peoples), with Mike Manley (guitar), Tony Russell (bass) and Marcus Ross (drums), and in 1981 with Crystal Love (w/Dale Wilson, Thurman Burney, etc). In 1993, Car; and Huston Wiley started a group called 20 Years Later with Angela Kay, Jerome Johnson, Anthony Farmer, and Kevin Chenault. Still living in Dayton, writing songs, singing and playing keyboards for his church, New Life Worship Center.
Tommy Shelby
Vocals: Information Please.
William "naughty" Shelby
Vocals: Started as a featured act as part of the Capri Show band's review. The Capri's created a show for William, who at the time was called "Little Naughty."  He used to have all the women yelling and screaming for him.  They even threw money on stage at him with much excitement. He helped make the review a real exciting concert to see. Later William went on to sing and write with Crystal Love, Leon Sylvers, Dynasty and later Lakeside He made his mark writing some of the hottest hits of the eighties for groups like Shalimar, and the Whispers, hitting platinum again in the nineties, with Will "Fresh Prince" Smith
Information Please.
Shield's BAR • B • Que
This was "Q" y'all. Arguably, the best Bar B Que in town. They stayed open late, so you could always get yourself a slab on the way home from the Show (or the gig, if you were the Show...)
Mr. "G" & The Sidewinders Picture 
Group Members: Paul Brooks • Stan Brooks • Alton Brown • Oliver Dollar • John Wright • Melvin Payne • Jessie Partridge • Gatewood Bledsoe • Frank Woods • Harold Smith • Dean Hummons  • Carl Cowan  • Henry Barwick
Biography.
information please.
The Sights and Sounds
Group Members:  •  •  •  •  •  •  •
Biography. information please
David Simpson
Guitar/Vocals. One of Dayton's best Guitarists, who help take the Image to the top of the stack. On the road, the Stone Soul Image Band would often do a set without the singing group, featuring David on lead vocals, a task at which he proved himself not only a gifted singer, but a motivating entertainer. Best Song: Only The Beginning - Chicago. Whereabouts: Dayton.
Skateland - Downtown
The Dayton Music Guide is dedicated to the generation of great memories from the "Good.Old.Days". We would be remiss in our duty, if we don't mention Skating. This was one of our favorite pastimes besides a good Talent Show, and it was all about music, Like "Twine Time" or Marvin Gaye's "Grapevine" and some serious dancing on wheels. This was the main skating venue, during the mid-1960's.
(Thanks for reminding me, Patricia...)
Slave Picture
Group Members: Mark Adams • Mark Hicks • Tom Lockett • Ray Turner • Tim Dozier • Danny Webster • Orin Wihoite • Steve Washington • Floyd Miller • Charles Carter • Delburt Taylor • Steve Arrington • Keith Nash • Carter Bradley •
Biography. Dayton's biggest surprise. These guys slammed onto the national music scene from out of nowhere, with a solid gold album, and an imaginative concept. "It's been said that you either pay your dues up front or you pay them later..." Because of their quick success, Slave ended up paying later. They had a bunch of personnel changes after every album, and got into trouble, owing the label (Cotillion) money after each stellar release. The records were selling like hotcakes, and they had several big hits, that got bigger with each new effort. 
information please
Recordings/Similar Artist Slide • Watching You • A Touch Of Love
Related People •
Cynthia Sloan - Hummons
Singer. Appeared with the group Hawthorne Express in 1975 along with Doug, Pedro, and Billy Jones, Derrick Allman, Keith Wilder , Tony Baskins.  She left Hawthorne Express to sing with "Junie & Eye",  Walter "Junie" Morrison's group, later in  '75.
Sly Slick & The Wicked  Picture
Group Members: Terry Harris (guitar)• Tony Allen (original bass player) • Willis Daniels 2ndbass)• Ronnie Robinson (Drums) • Robert Young (Electric Sax)
Biography. Disciples of Parliament Funkadelic. The group played the P-FUNK with kustom equipment like they used, including an electric sax player. One of the few Dayton groups thought of as playing Rock and Roll.
Recordings/Similar Artist Grand Funk Railroad
Related People •
Daryl Smith
Keyboards: Actually from the Cleveland area of Ohio, but has contributed to the effort of Daytonian transplant groups in Los Angeles, working with Alan Foster's Redemption, Lamar Webster, Siggy Dillard, Larry Houston and Tony Alan in various carnations of club bands. (information please)
Related People: Alan Foster
Darryl Smith     Picture
Promoter: Worked with Tom Qualls and Sly Westerly, booking such groups as Record Player. A talented artist and jewelry maker, also. (information please)
Related People: Tom Qualls, Sly Westerly, TNT Powerhouse
Soul Experience
AKA: Topaze
Group Members: Teddy Dunn • Larry Ferrell • Siggie Dillard • Charles "Cedell" Carter • Kenny Marcellus • Carl Sharp • Mike and Rufus Hinton • George Clarke • James TJ Townsend • John Fredricks • Raye Turner • Lamar Webster • Bobby Taylor • Mike Kritzer • Ted Porum • Mike Sizer • Bill Forte • Steve Hilton • John Gresham.
information please
Biography. One of the first racially mixed bands in Dayton in the late 70's. One of the first of the "singing" bands to lead the revolution against the singing groups. Nice horn section, and good vocals. One of the best self contained bands in the early 70s who patterned their style after the Ohio Players.
Recordings/Similar Artist Brass Construction
Related People •
Soul Mobile
A traveling road show, sponsored by the Dayton Parks and Recreation. The big truck bed served as a full featured stage, that would roll up to the local parks and entertain the youth (us) with some of the local bands. The Chains of Rap Brown, The Glory Stompers, and the Vanguards local gangs had to agree not to wear and display their colors during the shows, mainly because some of the bands would contain members of different gangs.
Sounds Unlimited
Group Members Robin Shipp • Belinda Young • KiKi Banks • Punkin Ford • Debra Ellington • Jackie Collier • Raymond Metcalf • Anthony Calhoun • Michael Manley • Curtis Sandford • Larry Hines • Lloyd Jones • Ray Turner • Tony Allen • Keith Patton • John Tinsley
Biography. The only all girls group, in Dayton, to really kick it with the fellas'. They were originally backed up the Bad Bunch Band, and later it was the OverHill Gang.They tore up a couple of Battle of The Bands. These girls had moves and vocal prowess. Every bit as memorable as the many male groups, but probably found it hard to hold an all male band in check, and there were no girl bands, and few female musicians, interested in hitting the chittlen' circuit.
Recordings/Similar Artist
information please
Related People •
Spacious
Group Members Reggie Crutcher • Tony Allen • Larry Houston • Kevin Hurt • Valeria Almond • Cynthia Frost Information Please
Recordings/Similar Artist
Related People • Beau Ray Fleming.
James Spencer
Teacher. Taught and tutored voice and sight reading at Day ton's Roosevelt High School, during the 70's. Some of his students included Timeyer McCain, Mark Wood, Tony Joe White, Brian Mulberry (of the Nomads), Charles Jackson, Reggie & Ronnie Crutcher, Doug Parker, Dale Wilson (of The Image), Ronald Nooks (Ohio Players), Derick and Cindy Floyd, Thomas Shelby (Lakeside) William Shelby, Tommy Owens, Mike Watts, William Morrison, and many others. His wife was my Home-Ec teacher, and he had some fine daughters, too... (information please) .
Stewarty Hotel

If you've every spent an evening here, the name provides all of the memories that you need.

Arthur "Sonny"Stokes Picture Available

Vocals-First Tenor: One of the original first tenors, in the Dayton music game. Back in the day a tenor had to aspire to sound like either Arthur Stokes or Eddie Kendricks. Sonny was an original member of the Four Corners, and later recorded with Platypus, as a founding member. Information Please.

Otha Stokes Picture Available

Vocals/Saxophone: Information Please.

Otis Stokes Picture Available

Vocals-1st and 2nd Tenor: This brother is a smooth standout first tenor. He worked with several incarnations of the Bad Bunch, and traveled with his brother's group, the 4 Corners, where he generally did the MC/opening act duties. After the move to LA he ended up a member of Lakeside, after the departure of Ricky Abernathy. When that run was over, Otis tried his hand at production, and showed up as a celebrity judge on a nationally televised talent show. Today he helps to manage Justus Records, the label that has released his CD and several singles. Information Please.
Best Song: "Say Yes" - Lakeside.

STONE Coal White

Group Members. Tom Mundy • Joey Lobo • Melvin Payne • Delbert Jones • Dennis Mundy • King Soloman Prather • Robert " Dapp " Brown • David Jones • Holland Makeupson • Larry Makeupson • Chico Milliner • Sylvester Judkins • Mike Huhgley
Biography. One of the hottest groups out of Dayton, Ohio in the early 70's was "Stone Coal White ". They were one of the few groups to reach fame and light stardom without cutting a record. Performing on concerts with top recording acts. The group had several styles but the main focus, Funkadellic type stage presence and a big sound. The group later merged with
Act 5 to form " Act 5 & Stone Coal White "

The STONE Soul Image

A.K.A. The Nouvelles • Swift Movement • The Image • The Family
Group Members
Reggie Crutcher • Ron Crutcher • Harvey Ellison • Charles Jackson • Doug Parker • Michael Hicks • Bimbo Wright • Josh Coleman • Freddy Hill • Siggie Dillard • Kevin Hurt • Larry Kidd • Ollie Landers • Robert Pitts • David Simpson • Ray Turner • Dale Wilson • Ricky Nabors •
Galen Drake • Michael Manley • Leon Robinson • Carl Sharp • Steve Arrington • Phillip Broyles • Curtis Sanford • George Marshall • Michael Beach • Sam Johnson • Gjuan Johnson • Carl Douglas • Reggie Broach • Cathy Graves • Leslie Day • Desiree Estes • Carletta Sanders • Sherry Ector • "TOPS" • Otis • Rick Foster
Biography. The Image started as a 5 man Jackson 5 style singing group, and 8 piece showband in 1970. After some swift personnel changes, and some guidance from Steve Shockley they rose up among the cream of the Dayton music set, opening out of town venues for the Delfonics, Ohio player's, and David Ruffin. They auditioned for Motown in the Gordy mansion, and were offered a shot at becoming Rufin's back-up group, after he left the Temps. After a few more personnel changes, they ended up as a quartet lounge act. The only recording they ever did featured a female lead vocalist - Cathy Graves.
Recordings/Similar Artist • The Five Stairsteps
Related People • James Crutcher Sr. • Charlie Jackson Sr. • Gerald Ceaser • Sini Richardson • John Turk Logan • Carol White • Desire Estes • Fuller Gordy • James Spencer

Gregory Stradwick

Vocals. First tenor. One of 3 Stradwick brothers that formed the mighty Delvons. Known for his perfect 'fro. (information please)

Tommy Stradwick

Vocals/Baritone. One of the many unheralded background singers from within the Dayton music game. His baritone vocals helped the Delvons develop their sound. (Deceased) (information please)

Vincent Stradwick

Vocals/1st-2nd Tenor. Another young boy singer, who killed the ladies as a member of the Delvons, when he blew Michael Jackson tunes on stage (information please)
Best Song: I'll Be There" - J5.

STRICTLY Business

Group Members. Lester Lark Sr. • Calvin Lark Sr • Jeffery Lark • Michael Lark • Lester Lark Jr. • Robert Bumpus.
Biography. One of Dayton's premier show groups, past and present. Consisting of family oreintation. Father and his four sons( the Larks ).The father, Lester Lark Sr. founded the group.Calvin Lark Sr. went on to become lead singer of the group Slave for a time, after Lester Lark Sr. suffered a stroke at practice. Calvin left Slave to pull the family group back together to begin performing once again. It is now called " Strictly Business & The S B II Show Band.
Information Please.

SUN Picture Available

See: The Majestics

Mr. Sutton

Teacher. Taught and tutored many of Dayton's best musicians in the art of musicianship. He was the instrumental and band teacher at Roosevelt High School, as well as a working trumpet player, himself. As a union musician, he often appeared in concert with the traveling superstars of the time, like former Impression's lead singer, Jerry Butler. (information please)  

Find Names quickly

 

Tahiti Hut

"The Soul Corner of Rosedale and Riverview. The Ice Cubely Air Conditioned, Tahiti Hut!" was what the ads used to say on WDAO. But when I took my girl in there for my first club date, her mascara mole melted and ran down her cheek. This was a tiny little club, only suitable for a DJ and 2 or 3 people dancing. It still survives though, on the corner of Rosedale and Riverview, now called the VFW hall.

Elisa Gomez Taylor

Vocals/percussion. This young lady calls Dayton her hometown, and jammed in Dayton with local band Buck Naked, and at Havana's Express in LA last fall. She now entertains all over Maui Hawaii, singing Jazzy Latin & Originals from her upcoming CD, entitled "Elisa" with "Year 2000's Here" African Samba style. She will be back to perform in Dayton in 1999. Aloha! For more info visit her website at: http://www.mauigateway.com/~elisa/

The Timeless Band Picture Available

Group Members: George Daniels • Mike Cain • Danny Davidson • Geo Long • Allen Ray Howard • Mark Roy • information please
Biography. A young country band with one hell of a show, and some great 3 part harmonies. Together they make the finest country sounds to come out of the central Ohio area. From yesterday's R&R, to today's Young Country sounds, along with their own originals, the group has been performing at various events for the past 5 years.
MORE:
http://www.timelessband.homestead.com

 

Theater West

Group Members Clarence Young • Sam Carter • Siggie Dillard • • • Information Please
BIO: Another theatrical dance and rhythm show. The organization moved to Washington DC where their cultural message was much better received than in Dayton. Recordings/Similar Artist
Related People

James Thomas

Promoter/Booking Agent/Manager. (information please)
Related People: Charles Flacks, Rudy Hartman, Record Player

TNT Powerhouse Photo Available story available

Group Members Darryle (Sweet Pea) Horn • Keith (K.C.) Cheatham • Gerald Cheatham • Mike (Shepdogg) Sheppard • Terry (Da Zon) Mazion • Rick Sebastian • Sonny Talbert
Information Please
BIO: (click)

To Far Out

Rock and Funk Band. Andre Brown • Jon Frisch • Matt Shaw • Nathan Shaw • Julius Brown
TFO! is a band from Dayton, Ohio. They play a unique mix of rock and funk, with some other influences thrown in. Andre has a bit of a hip-hop influence on drums. Matt is a little more Alternative and Ska in his taste on bass. Nathan brings the blues influence into the group. Out of these various influences comes a different sound that best fits into the rock/funk/alternative categories. This is one of the new breed of Dayton performers, bringing up the '90s. Watch them grow!
BIO:
http://www.tofarout.com
Related People: Anthony "Plum" Brown

 

Topaze

Group Members: Teddy Dunn • Larry Ferrell • Siggie Dillard • Charles "Cedell" Carter • Kenny Marcellus • Carl Sharp • Mike and Rufus Hinton • George Clarke • James TJ Townsend • John Fredricks • Raye Turner • Lamar Webster • Bobby Taylor • Mike Kritzer • Ted Porum • Mike Sizer • Bill Forte • Steve Hilton • John Gresham • Kenny Wynn • Charlie Moore. information please
Biography. One of the first racially mixed bands in Dayton in the late 70's. One of the first of the "singing" bands to lead the revolution against the singing groups. Nice horn section, and good vocals. One of the best self contained bands in the early 70s who patterned their style after the Ohio Players - a band that did it's own singing.
AKA: Soul Experience
Recordings/Similar Artist Brass Construction • Earth Wind & Fire • Chicago • Blood Sweat & Tears
Related People •

Picture AvailableTrue Confessions

AKA: The Tweeds • The Dancers The Image Girls
Members. Cathy Graves • Leslie Day • Sherry Ector • Desiree Estes • Denise Conley • Caman Elmore • Cheryl Broach • Carletta Sanders • Shelia Anthony • Jackie King
(information please)
Biography.
Most Daytonians never saw these ladies perform. They hardly appeared in Dayton, but were instead part of the Stone Soul Image Revue, that went out on big out of town dates. On these dates the Image Band Played one set, and then they backed up the first part of the Image girls, who did an exotic dance routine. The band would take a break, and when they returned, the second half of the Image girls came out and sang a 15-20 minute set. The Image singers would come out and do one big headline show to end the evening.
The original members were Carletta, Kathy, Leslie, Sherry, and Desiree . - Carletta
Carmen, Denise, and Cheryl, were the sexy Image Dancers who warmed up the crowd in their revealing "sizzler dresses". They would draw the guys to club and the singers would bring the girls. The results were full houses at the Clock Bar and Utopia.- Reg.

Touch Photo Available

R&B. Arthur Stokes • Floyd Weatherspoon • Jerome Johnson • Jeff Ruggs • Cardell Williams • David Mathews • Jesse Partridge •Johnathan Rice • Xonerale Freeman •
BIO: Still holding it down for the R&B lover. These guys are out there performing oldies and current vocal numbers in clubs after - a couple of decades.
(information please)
Related Groups: Four Corners, Pleasure + Joy, House Rockers, Bad Bunch, Different Shades Of Brown

Larry Troutman

Information Please

Photo AvailableRoger Troutman

Keyboard/Guitar.Vocals. The musical leader of the group Zapp. Roger had been known in the Dayton area as a great guitar player, since day one. He was actually from the Hamilton, Ohio area but he and his brothers worked and eventually moved into Dayton. His legendary "talk box" sound has become a staple in R&B music, as he recorded with Doctor Dre, and Tupac, as well as gospel the group Sound Of Blackness. He was recently found dead of gunshot wounds. Information Please
Best Song: More Bounce To The Ounce/ Zapp

Ray "Lamb" Turner

Keyboard/Sax. This is the real thing. Played keyboard like a concert master. (though somewhat temperamental) He was responsible for the musical direction for The Image, and later recorded with Slave. He's now playing gospel

Nate and The Typicals

Vocal Group. Nate Alexander • Michael Watts • Michael Wallace • Larry Hart • Leon ?
Information Please
 

 

Visit Boldaz.Com

© 1999/All Rights Reserved
Information Please
 

The Symbol Of Change