Ohio Players

Ohio Players
	General information
Genre (s)	R&B , soul , funk
founding	1959
resolution	2002
Founding members
Vocals , guitar	Robert Ward († 2008)
bass	Marshal Jones († 2016)
Saxophone , guitar	Clarence Satchell († 1995)
Drums	Cornelius Johnson
Trumpet , trombone	Ralph Middlebrooks († 1997)
former members
Keyboard	Walter Morrison († 2017)
guitar	Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner († 2013)
percussion	Robert Jones
Keyboard	Billy Beck
guitar	Wes Boatman
trombone	Mervin Pierce
bass	Jimmy Sampson
guitar	Vincent Thomas
Drums	James Williams
Trumpet	Bruce Napier
guitar	Andrew Noland
singing	Bobby Lee Fears
singing	Dutch Robinson
singing	Dale Allen

Ohio Players was an American R&B , soul and funk band from Dayton , Ohio . Her most successful hits were Fire and Love Rollercoaster .

history

The band was formed in 1959 in Dayton, Ohio as "Ohio Untouchables" by Robert Ward ( vocals , guitar ), Marshal Jones ( bass ), Clarence Satchell ( saxophone , guitar), Cornelius Johnson ( drums ) and Ralph Middlebrooks ( trumpet , trombone ) . In the beginning she was known as the backing band of the Detroit group "The Falcons". In 1963 front man Robert Ward left the band for a solo career, the other four members stayed in the group. In the same year Gregory Webster (drums) and Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner (guitar) as well as Bobby Lee Fears and Dutch Robinson (both vocals) joined them.

In 1970 the group broke up again. But a short time later Bonner, Satchell, Middlebrooks, Jones and Webster re-founded the Ohio Players with Bruce Napier (trumpet), Charles Dale Allen (vocals), Marvin Pierce (trombone) and Billy Beck ( keyboard ). A year later the formation had another success in the USA with their second studio album Pain .

In 1973 the group landed their first big hit with Funky Worm ; the song made it to number 1 on the Billboard R&B charts and number 15 on the pop charts . In addition, Billy Beck were replaced by Walter Morrison and Gregory Webster by James Williams in the same year. Later Clarence Willis (guitar, vocals) and Robert Jones ( percussion ) joined them.

Between 1973 and 1976, the Ohio Players had seven top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including Fire and Love Rollercoaster , which reached number 1 on both the R&B and pop charts. Even Sweet Sticky Thing climbed in 1975 to the top position of the R & B charts, but came into the pop charts do not have space 33 also.

In 1976 the group with Who'd She Coo? her only success in the UK , where the song rose to number 43 on the charts . It was the Ohio Players' fifth and final number one hit on the R&B charts and the final top 20 hit on the pop charts. Until 1988, various singles were still in the middle of the R&B charts, only OHIO made it into the R&B top 10 in 1977.

On December 30, 1995, Clarence Satchell died of a brain aneurysm at the age of 55 , Ralph Middlebrooks was 58 in November 1997, and Robert Ward was 70 on December 25, 2008.

Discography

Studio albums

year	Title music label	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes)		Remarks
year	Title music label	US	R&B	Remarks
1972	Pain Westbound 2015	US177 (7 weeks) US	R&B21 (25 weeks) R&B	First published: February 1972 Producers: Billy Pittman, Herb James, Ohio Players
1972	Pleasure Westbound 2017	US63 (22 weeks) US	R&B4 (31 weeks) R&B	First published: December 1972 Producer: Ohio Players
1973	Ecstasy Westbound 2021	US70 (19 weeks) US	R&B19 (19 weeks) R&B	First published: September 1973 Producer: Ohio Players
1974	Skin Tight Mercury 705	US11 (48 weeks) US	R&B1 (46 weeks) R&B	First published: April 1974 Producer: Ohio Players
	The Ohio Players Capitol 11291	-	R&B32 (5 weeks) R&B	First published: May 1974 Reissue of Observations in Time (1969) Producer: Johnny Brantley
	Fire Mercury 1013	US1 (29 weeks) US	R&B1 (29 weeks) R&B	First published: November 1974 Producer: Ohio Players
1975	Honey Mercury 1038	US2 (36 weeks) US	R&B1 (32 weeks) R&B	First published: August 1975 Producer: Ohio Players
1976	Contradiction Mercury 1088	US12 (20 weeks) US	R&B1 (22 weeks) R&B	First published: May 1976 Producer: Ohio Players
1977	Angel Mercury 3701	US41 (27 weeks) US	R&B9 (31 weeks) R&B	First published: March 1977 Producer: Ohio Players
1977	Mr. Mean Mercury 3707	US68 (10 weeks) US	R&B11 (16 weeks) R&B	First published: December 1977 Producer: Ohio Players
1978	Jass-ay-lay-dee Mercury 3730	US69 (9 weeks) US	R&B15 (13 weeks) R&B	First published: August 1978 Producer: Ohio Players
1979	Everybody Up Arista 4226	US80 (14 weeks) US	R&B19 (20 weeks) R&B	First published: April 1979 Producer: Ohio Players
1981	Tenderness Boardwalk 37090	US165 (3 weeks) US	R&B49 (10 weeks) R&B	First published: March 1981 Producer: Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner
1988	Back Track 58810	-	RB55 (12 weeks) RB	First published: August 1988 Producer: Ohio Players

More studio albums

1969: Observations in Time ( Capitol 192)
1981: Ouch! ( Boardwalk 33347)
1984: Graduation (Air City 403)
1996: Ol'School (Intersound 9177)

Live albums

1996: Jam (Mercury 314 532 406-2)
1997: (Live Series) Sweet Sticky Thing ( EMI-Capitol Music Special Markets 72438-19417-2-0)
2013: Live 1977 (Goldenlane 1078)

Compilations

year	Title music label	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes)		Remarks
year	Title music label	US	R&B	Remarks
1974	Climax Westbound 1003	US102 (8 weeks) US	R&B24 (11 weeks) R&B	First published: October 1974
1975	Ohio Players Greatest Hits Westbound 1005	US92 (7 weeks) US	R&B22 (6 weeks) R&B	First published: February 1975
1975	Rattlesnake Westbound 211	US61 (14 weeks) US	R&B8 (14 weeks) R&B	First published: December 1975
1976	Ohio Players Gold Mercury 1122	US31 (17 weeks) US	R&B10 (13 weeks) R&B	First published: November 1976
1977	The Best of the Early Years Westbound 304	-	R&B58 (1 week) R&B	First published: July 1977

More compilations

1972: First Impressions (Trip 8029)
1975: The Very Best Of (The World Of) Ohio Players ( United Artists LA502-E)
1976: 16 Greatest Hits (Trip 1623)
1977: Superpack (2 LPs; Trip 3506)
1980: Young and Ready (Accord 7102)
1993: Orgasm: The Very Best of the Westbound Years (Westbound 062)
1995: Funk on Fire: The Mercury Anthology (Mercury 28102)
1997: The Best Of ( Polygram Special Markets 314 520 384-2)
1999: Backtracks (Renaissance 00609)
2000: The Best of Ohio Players (Mercury 314 542 268-2)
2002: Ohio Players (BCI Music 568)
2005: Love Rollercoaster: Anthology (Goldenlane 1563)
2007: The Essential Ohio Players (Mastercuts 20)
2008: Gold (2 CDs; Mercury B0010821-02)

Singles

year	Title album	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes)		Remarks
year	Title album	US	R&B	Remarks
1968	Trespassin ' First Impressions	-	R&B50 (2 weeks) R&B	First published: December 1967 Authors: Ohio Players
1971	Pain (Part I) Pain	US64 (8 weeks) US	R&B35 (13 weeks) R&B	First publication: November 1971 was already in July B-side of Proud Mary Authors: Ohio Players
1972	Got Pleasure Pleasure	-	R&B45 (4 weeks) R&B	First published: June 1972 Authors: Ohio Players
1973	Funky Worm Pleasure	US15 (19 weeks) US	R&B1 (13 weeks) R&B	First published: January 1973 Authors: Ohio Players
1973	Ecstasy Ecstasy	US31 (15 weeks) US	R&B12 (16 weeks) R&B	First published: August 1973 Authors: Ohio Players
1974	Jive Turkey (Part 1) Skin Tight	US47 (11 weeks) US	R&B6 (15 weeks) R&B	First published: April 1974 Authors: Ohio Players
	Skin tight Skin tight	US13 (11 weeks) US	R&B2 (15 weeks) R&B	First published: July 1974 Authors: Ohio Players
	Fire Fire	US1 (17 weeks) US	R&B1 (18 weeks) R&B	First published: November 1974 Authors: Ohio Players
1975	I want to be free fire	US44 (7 weeks) US	R&B6 (12 weeks) R&B	First published: March 1975 Authors: Ohio Players
	Sweet Sticky Thing Honey	US33 (8 weeks) US	R&B1 (11 weeks) R&B	First published: September 1975 Authors: Ohio Players
	Love Rollercoaster Honey	US1 (16 weeks) US	R&B1 (15 weeks) R&B	First published: October 1975 Authors: Ohio Players
1976	Rattlesnake Rattlesnake	US90 (4 weeks) US	R&B69 (4 weeks) R&B	First published: February 1976 Authors: Belda Baine, Louis Crane
	Fopp honey	US30 (11 weeks) US	R&B9 (12 weeks) R&B	First published: February 1976 Authors: Ohio Players
	Who'd She Coo? Contradiction	US18 (16 weeks) US	R&B1 (17 weeks) R&B	First published: August 1976 Authors: Ohio Players
	Far East Mississippi Contradiction	-	R&B26 (11 weeks) R&B	First published: May 1976 Authors: Ohio Players
1977	Feel the Beat (Everybody Disco) Ohio Players Gold	US61 (5 weeks) US	R&B31 (9 weeks) R&B	First published: January 1977 Authors: Ohio Players
	Body Vibes Angel	-	R&B19 (9 weeks) R&B	First published: May 1977 Authors: Ohio Players
	OHIO Angel	US45 (12 weeks) US	R&B9 (18 weeks) R&B	First published: June 1977 Authors: Ohio Players
	Merry Go Round Angel	-	R&B77 (5 weeks) R&B	First published: November 1977 Authors: Ohio Players
	Good Luck Charm Mr. Mean	-	R&B51 (10 weeks) R&B	First published: December 1977 from the soundtrack of the movie Mr. Mean Writer: Ohio Players
1978	Magic trick Mr. Mean	-	R&B93 (4 weeks) R&B	First published: March 1978 from the soundtrack of the film Mr. Mean. Authors: Ohio Players
	Funk-O-Nots Jass-ay-lay-dee	-	R&B27 (13 weeks) R&B	First published: July 1978 Authors: Ohio Players
	Time Slips Away Jass-ay-lay-dee	-	R&B53 (6 weeks) R&B	First published: October 1978 Authors: Ohio Players
1979	Everybody Up Everybody Up	-	R&B33 (9 weeks) R&B	First published: May 1979 Authors: Ohio Players
1981	Try a Little Tenderness Tenderness	-	R&B40 (10 weeks) R&B	First published: March 1981 Authors: Harold Woods, Jimmy Campbell, Reginald Connelly Original: Ray Noble and His Orchestra , 1933
1981	Skinny tenderness	-	R&B46 (10 weeks) R&B	First published: May 1981 Authors: Ohio Players
1984	Sight for Sore Eyes Graduation	-	R&B83 (5 weeks) R&B	First published: May 1984 Authors: Billy Beck, George Roebuck, Marshall Jones
1988	Sweat back	-	R&B50 (9 weeks) R&B	First published: May 1988 Authors: Ohio Players
1988	Let's Play (From Now On) Back	-	R&B33 (11 weeks) R&B	First published: August 1988 Authors: Ohio Players

More singles

1967: A Thing Called Love (released September)
1968: It's a Crying Shame (released May)
1969: Here Today and Gone Tomorrow (released January)
1969: Over the Rainbow (release: July)
1971: Proud Mary / Pain (release: July)
1972: Walt's First Trip (release: October)
1974: Sleep Talk (release: August)
1975: Happy Holidays (release: December)
1979: Don't Say Goodbye (release: August)
1984: Follow Me
1997: Don't You Know I Care

Other chart placements

year	Title album	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes)		Remarks
year	Title album	UK	Dance	Remarks
1975	Fire Fire	-	Dance10 (3 weeks) Dance	First published: November 1974
1976	Who'd She Coo Contradictio	UK43 (4 weeks) UK	-	First published (UK): June 18, 1976

statistics

	US	R&B
Number one albums	US1US	R&B4thR&B
Top 10 albums	US2US	R&B8thR&B
Albums in the charts	US16US	R&B19thR&B

	UK	US	R&B	Dance
Number one singles	UK-UK	US2US	R&B4thR&B	Dance-Dance
Top 10 singles	UK-UK	US2US	R&B10R&B	Dance1Dance
Singles in the charts	UK1UK	US14thUS	R&B29R&B	Dance1Dance

swell

↑ ^a ^b ^c Chart sources: US
^ ^A ^b Joel Whitburn : Top R&B Albums 1965–1998, ISBN 0-89820-134-9
^ Joel Whitburn : Hot R&B Songs 1942–2010: 6th Edition, ISBN 978-0-89820-186-4 .
↑ Chart data UK
^ Joel Whitburn : Hot Dance / Disco 1974-2003, ISBN 978-0-89820-156-7 .

Web links

Ohio Players at Allmusic (English)
Ohio Players at Discogs (English)
Ohio Players at 45cat.com

[charts-1] Chart sources: US

[R&B-2] A ^b Joel Whitburn : Top R&B Albums 1965–1998, ISBN 0-89820-134-9

[3] Joel Whitburn : Hot R&B Songs 1942–2010: 6th Edition, ISBN 978-0-89820-186-4 .

[charts2-4] Chart data UK

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

Ohio Players
General information
Genre (s)	R&B , soul , funk
founding	1959
resolution	2002
Founding members
Vocals , guitar	Robert Ward († 2008)
bass	Marshal Jones († 2016)
Saxophone , guitar	Clarence Satchell († 1995)
Drums	Cornelius Johnson
Trumpet , trombone	Ralph Middlebrooks († 1997)
former members
Keyboard	Walter Morrison († 2017)
guitar	Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner († 2013)
percussion	Robert Jones
Keyboard	Billy Beck
guitar	Wes Boatman
trombone	Mervin Pierce
bass	Jimmy Sampson
guitar	Vincent Thomas
Drums	James Williams
Trumpet	Bruce Napier
guitar	Andrew Noland
singing	Bobby Lee Fears
singing	Dutch Robinson
singing	Dale Allen