Fat Larry's band

Fat Larry's Band was a Phillysoul , disco , and funk band formed in Philadelphia in 1976 . The front man was singer and drummer Larry James, after whom the formation was named.

Band history

Larry James was already making music in the emerging disco scene in the early 1970s. In 1976 "Fat Larry", who owed this nickname to his obesity, formed the Fat Larry's Band named after him. Other founding members were Art Capehart, Jimmy Lee, Doug Jones, Erskine Williams, Ted Cohen, Larry Labes and Darryl Grant. Between 1976 and 1986 a total of nine studio albums were created . In addition to placements in the Billboard R&B and dance charts, the band managed to enter the UK charts several times . An international hit is Looking for Love from the summer of 1979. The most successful single in the United States is Act Like You Know from the spring of 1982, which reached number 24 on the US dance charts. The most successful release in the UK was Zoom that autumn , which reached number 2 there and received a silver record .

Larry James also played with the groups The Delfonics and Blue Magic. He was also the manager of his backing band Slick. After James' sudden death in 1987, Fat Larry's band broke up.

occupation

Founding members

"Fat" Larry James (born August 2, 1949 in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , † December 5, 1987 ) - singer , drums
Doug "Khalif" Jones - saxophone
Theodore "Ted" Cohen - guitar
Larry LaBes - bass
Erskine Williams - keyboard (until 1980)
Art Capehart - trumpet , flute (until 1978)
Jimmy Lee - trombone , alto saxophone (until 1978)
Darryl Grant - percussion (until 1978)

Later members

Anthony Middleton - guitar, songwriter (from 1979)
Arthur Austin - percussion
Butch Harper - trumpet, flugelhorn
Melvin El - trombone
Cuca Echevarria

Discography

Studio albums

year	title	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes)		Remarks
year	title	UK	R&B	Remarks
1980	Stand up	-	R&B72 (3 weeks) R&B	First published: 1980 Producer: Larry James
1982	Breakin 'out	UK58 (4 weeks) UK	-	First published: September 1982 Producers: Larry James, Nick Martinelli

More albums

1976: Feel It
1977: Off the Wall
1978: Spacin 'Out
1979: Lookin 'For Love
1983: Tune Me Up
1983: Straight from the Heart
1986: Nice

Compilations

1979: Bright City Lights - The Best of Fat Larry's Band
1994: Close Encounters of a Funky Kind
1995: Greatest Hits
2006: House Party

Singles

year	Title album	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes)			Remarks
year	Title album	UK	R&B	Dance	Remarks
1977	Center City Feel It	UK31 (5 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: June 10, 1977 Authors: Larry James, Ronnie Walker, Vincent Montana Jr., Doris Hall
	Fascination Feel It	-	-	Dance39 (1 week) Dance	First published: September 30, 1977 Authors: Luther Vandross , David Bowie Original: David Bowie, 1975
	We Just Want to Play for You Feel It	-	-[Dance: ↑]	Dance39 (1 week) Dance	B-side by Fascination Authors: C. Gunner, Larry James, Larry LaBes
1978	Peaceful Journey Off the Wall	-	R&B94 (2 weeks) R&B	-	First published: April 1978 Authors: Larry James, Doris James
1979	Boogie Town Spacin 'Out	-	R&B43 (11 weeks) R&B	-	First published: January 1979 Authors: Larry James, Doris James
1979	Lookin 'for Love (Tonight) Lookin' for Love	UK46 (6 weeks) UK	R&B47 (8 weeks) R&B	Dance27 (17 weeks) Dance	First published: July 1979 Authors: Larry James, Doris James
1980	Here Comes the Sun Lookin 'for Love	-	R&B44 (12 weeks) R&B	Dance39 (9 weeks) Dance	First published: December 1979 Authors: Anthony Middleton, Arthur Austin, Larry James, Lawrence Taylor, Len Barry
	Last Chance to Dance Lookin 'for Love	-	-[Dance: ↑]	Dance39 (9 weeks) Dance	First publication: 1980 Authors: Larry James, Doris James
	How Good Is Love Lookin 'for Love	-	R&B78 (3 weeks) R&B	-	First published: June 1980 Authors: Clover Adams, Donny Mathis, Osborner Young, Ray Middlebrooks
1982	Act Like You Know Breakin 'Out	-	R&B67 (8 weeks) R&B	Dance24 (11 weeks) Dance	First published: March 1982 Authors: Mark Birts, Nick Martinelli, Terry Price
1982	Zoom breakin 'out	UK2 silver (11 weeks)UK	R&B89 (3 weeks) R&B	-	First published: September 1982 Entry into the R&B charts only in April 1986 Authors: Bobby Eli, Len Barry
1983	Stubborn Kind of Fellow Straight from the Heart	UK83 (3 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: April 1983 Authors: George Gordy, Marvin Gaye, William Stevenson Original: Marvin Gaye , 1962
1983	Don't Let It Go to Your Head Straight from the Heart	UK93 (2 weeks) UK	-	-	First release: October 1983 feat. Freddie Campbell and Monica Thoughton Authors: Kenny Gamble , Leon Huff Original: Jean Carn, 1978
1984	Straight from the Heart Straight from the Heart	UK88 (2 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: January 1984 Authors: Alfonzo Smith, Terry Price, Larry James

More singles

1978: Castle of Joy (release February 17th)
1978: We Just Can't Get It Together
1980: Can't Keep My Hands to Myself
1980: Stand Up
1980: Party After Midnight
1982: Traffic Stopper

1982: Be My Lady
1982: Act Like You Know (released April)
1982: Golden Moment (release: November)
1986: Nice
1986: Teach Me (There Is Something About Love)
1986: Sunrise, Sunset

literature

Frank Laufenberg : Frank Laufenberg's Rock and Pop Lexicon Vol. 1 , ISBN 3-612-26206-8

swell

↑ ^a ^b Chart sources: UK US1 US2
↑ ^a ^b UK gold / platinum database
^ Joel Whitburn : Top R&B Albums 1965–1998, ISBN 0-89820-134-9
^ Joel Whitburn : Hot R&B Songs 1942–2010: 6th Edition, ISBN 978-0898201864
^ Joel Whitburn : Hot Dance / Disco 1974-2003, ISBN 978-0-89820-156-7

Web links

[charts-1] Chart sources: UK US1 US2

[gold-2] UK gold / platinum database

[3] Joel Whitburn : Top R&B Albums 1965–1998, ISBN 0-89820-134-9

[4] Joel Whitburn : Hot R&B Songs 1942–2010: 6th Edition, ISBN 978-0898201864

[5] Joel Whitburn : Hot Dance / Disco 1974-2003, ISBN 978-0-89820-156-7