The Bar-Kays
| The Bar-Kays | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| origin | Memphis , United States |
| Genre (s) | Wireless |
| founding | 1966 |
| Founding members | |
| James Alexander | |
| Jimmy King | |
| Carl Cunningham | |
| Ronnie Caldwell | |
| Phalon Jones | |
| Ben Cauley († 2015) | |
| Current occupation | |
singing |
Larry Dodson |
bass |
James Alexander |
| Michael Anderson | |
| Bryan Smith | |
| Curt Clayton | |
Keyboard |
Derek Dabbs |
| Tim Horton | |
| former members | |
| Ronnie Gordon | |
| Michael Toles | |
Trumpet |
Charles Allen |
Drums |
Beard |
guitar |
Larry Smith |
| Frank Thompson | |
Keyboard |
Mark Bynum |
| Sherman Guy | |
| Vernon Burch | |
Keyboard |
Winston Stewart |
| Harvey Hendersson | |
| Hubert Crawford | |
Drums |
Roy Cunningham |
| Ben jones | |
| Willie Hall | |
The Bar-Kays , also called The Barkays , is an American funk band from Memphis , Tennessee , which has been active since its formation in 1966 until today. The formation played as a studio band with Otis Redding , Isaac Hayes , The Staple Singers and Rufus Thomas . In 1967 she released her first album.
Band history
At the beginning of their career the band called themselves "The River Arrows" and "The Imperials" until they were discovered by Otis Redding . Renamed "The Bar-Kays", the group and its founding members were under contract with Stax Records in Memphis. She first started playing in the 1960s as a background band for Stax singers Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes.
In a plane crash in the American Lake Monona (near Madison) on December 10, 1967 four band members of the Bar-Kays - singers King, Caldwell, Cunningham and Jones - and Otis Redding were killed. Band member Ben Cauley survived the crash. Bassist James Alexander had missed the flight.
After the accident, bassist James Alexander re-founded the Bar-Kays and paved the way for one of the most successful funk bands in the USA. From 1968, the line-up consisted of bassist James Alexander, trombonist Ben Cauley, saxophonist Harvey Henderson, keyboardist Ronnie Gordon, guitarist Michael Toles and drummers Roy Cunningham and Willie Hall.
In 1972 he performed live at Wattstax , a kind of festival run by Stax Records in the Watts district of Los Angeles . This performance made The Bar-Kays popular across the United States, particularly through the charismatic lead singer Larry Dodson. In 1973, Lloyd Smith joined the group as lead guitarist.
Because the Stax Records label went bankrupt in 1975, the title Holy Ghost was only released three years after the recording was completed on the LP Money Talks (1978). After the label bankruptcy, The Bar-Kays switched to Mercury Records and stayed there until 1993 under contract. After a short engagement at Zoo, which belongs to BMG , the band switched to the independent label Baxis in Memphis and later to Curb Records . In 2015, Ben Cauley died.
style
The Bar-Kays originally saw themselves as a black rock band, but their musical spectrum extended across genre boundaries. The band played black rock, funk , p-funk , disco-funk, boogie, disco, soul and R'n'B and always adapted to the dance music of their time. In 2011, the group coverte even pop song Return of the Mack by Mark Morrison in 1996. Their musical style in the seventies was also Memphis Soul called or Memphis radio.
Discography
Studio albums
| year | Title music label |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 UK
|
 US
|
R&B
|
|||
| 1969 | Gotta Groove Volt 6004 |
- | - |
R&B40 (4 weeks) R&B |
First published: July 1969
Producer: Allen Jones |
| 1971 | Black Rock Volt 6011 |
- |
US90 (12 weeks) US |
R&B12 (23 weeks) R&B |
First published: February 1971
Producers: Allen Jones, Al Bell, Tom Nixon |
| 1973 | Do You See What I See? Volt 8001 |
- | - |
R&B45 (3 weeks) R&B |
First published: May 1973
Producer: Allen Jones |
| 1976 | Too Hot to Stop Mercury 1099 |
- |
US69 (22 weeks) US |
R&B8 (24 weeks) R&B |
First published: October 1976
Producer: Allen Jones |
| 1977 | Flying High on Your Love Mercury 1181 |
- |
US47  (23 weeks)US |
R&B7 (30 weeks) R&B |
First published: November 1977
Producer: Allen Jones |
| 1978 | Money Talks Stax 4106 |
- |
US72 (15 weeks) US |
R&B21 (20 weeks) R&B |
First published: October 1978
Producer: Allen Jones |
| Light of Life Mercury 3732 |
- |
US86 (17 weeks) US |
R&B15 (24 weeks) R&B |
First published: December 1978
Producer: Allen Jones |
|
| 1979 | Injoy Mercury 3781 |
- |
US35 (24 weeks)US |
R&B2 (27 weeks) R&B |
First published: October 1979
Producer: Allen Jones |
| 1980 | As One Mercury 3844 |
- |
US57 (16 weeks) US |
R&B6 (22 weeks) R&B |
First published: November 1980
Producer: Allen Jones |
| 1981 | Nightcruising Mercury 4028 |
- |
US55 (29 weeks)US |
R&B6 (35 weeks) R&B |
First published: November 1981
Producer: Allen Jones |
| 1982 | Propositions Mercury 4065 |
- |
US51 (29 weeks) US |
R&B9 (36 weeks) R&B |
First published: November 1982
Producer: Allen Jones |
| 1984 | Dangerous Mercury 818 478 |
- |
US52 (22 weeks) US |
R&B7 (44 weeks) R&B |
First published: April 1984
Producer: Allen Jones |
| 1985 | Banging the Wall Mercury 824 727 |
- |
US115 (9 weeks) US |
R&B11 (19 weeks) R&B |
First published: September 1985
Producer: Allen Jones |
| 1987 | Contagious Mercury 830 305 |
- |
US110 (14 weeks) US |
R&B25 (21 weeks) R&B |
First published: October 1987
Producers: Allen Jones, Ralph James Rice, Bar-Kays |
| 1989 | Animal Mercury 836 774 |
- | - |
R&B36 (16 weeks) R&B |
First published: February 1989
Executive Producer: Tony Prendatt |
| 2013 | Grown Folks (EP) Jea Right Now / Bungalo |
- | - |
R&B193 (1 week) R&B |
First release: October 22nd, 2012
feat. The Unknowns |
More studio albums
- 1967: Soul Finger (Volt 417; release: July 10th)
- 1974: Coldblooded (Volt 9504)
- 1994: 48 Hours (Basix Music 9308; release: November 17th)
- 2003: The Real Thing (Jea Right Now; release: November 4th)
Compilations
| year | Title music label |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
UK
|
US
|
R&B
|
|||
| 1993 | The Best of Bar-Kays Mercury 514 823 |
- | - |
R&B80 (4 weeks) R&B |
First published: May 1993
|
More compilations
- 1988: The Best of the Bar-Kays (Stax 8542)
- 1996: The Best of Bar-Kays Volume 2 (Mercury 532 407)
- 1996: Best of Barkays ( Curb 77826)
- 1998: The Ballads Collection (Mercury 558 318)
- 2000: Greatest Hits: Too Hot to Stop (Masters Music 1238)
- 2004: 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Bar-Kays (Mercury B0004345-02)
- 2007: House Party (IM / Right Now / KOCH Entertainment 4000; release: February 27th)
- 2007: R&B Soul (Direct Source; release: September 25th)
Singles
| year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
UK
|
US
|
R&B
|
Dance
|
|||
| 1967 | Soul Finger Soul Finger |
UK33 (7 weeks) UK |
US17th (15 weeks)US |
R&B3 (14 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: April 14, 1964
Instrumental authors: Ben Cauley, Jimmy King, Phalon Jones, James Alexander, Carl Cunningham, Ronnie Caldwell including a quote from the children's song Merrily We Roll Along |
| Knucklehead Soul Finger |
- |
US76 (4 weeks) US |
R&B28 (7 weeks) R&B |
- | ||
| Give Everybody Some |
- |
US91 (4 weeks) US |
R&B36 (5 weeks) R&B |
- | ||
| 1971 | Son of Shaft |
- |
US53 (10 weeks) US |
R&B10 (10 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: December 1971
Based on Isaac Hayes' Shaft Authors: Allen Jones, Homer Banks, William Brown |
| 1976 | Shake Your Rump to the Funk Too Hot to Stop |
UK41 (4 weeks) UK |
US12 (16 weeks) US |
R&B5 (23 weeks) R&B |
- |
First publication: September 1976
Authors: Bar-Kays |
| 1977 | Too Hot to Stop Too Hot to Stop |
- |
US74 (4 weeks) US |
R&B8 (13 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: February 1977
Authors: Bar-Kays |
| Spellbound Too Hot to Stop |
- | - |
R&B29 (12 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: May 1977
Authors: Henderson Thigpen, James Banks |
|
| 1978 | Let's Have Some Fun Flying High on Your Love |
- | - |
R&B11 (13 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: January 1978
Authors: Allen Jones, Bar-Kays |
| Attitudes Flying High on Your Love |
- | - |
R&B22 (15 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: April 1978
Authors: Allen Jones, Bar-Kays |
|
| Holy Ghost Money Talks |
- | - |
R&B9 (17 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: November 1978
Authors: Eddie Marion, Henderson Thigpen, James Banks |
|
| I'll Dance Light of Life |
- | - |
R&B26 (12 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: December 1978
Authors: Allen Jones, Bar-Kays |
|
| 1979 | Shine Light of Life |
- | - |
R&B14 (14 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: February 1979
Authors: Allen Jones, Bar-Kays |
| Are You Being Real Light of Life |
- | - |
R&B61 (6 weeks) R&B |
- |
B-side by Shine
Authors: Allen Jones, Bar-Kays |
|
| Move Your Boogie Body Injoy |
- |
US57 (7 weeks) US |
R&B3 (18 weeks) R&B |
Dance90 (3 weeks) Dance |
First published: October 1979
Authors: Allen Jones, Bar-Kays |
|
| 1980 | Today Is the Day Injoy |
- |
US60 (5 weeks) US |
R&B25 (14 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: January 1980
Authors: Allen Jones, Bar-Kays |
| Boogie Body Land As One |
- | - |
R&B7 (17 weeks) R&B |
Dance73 (8 weeks) Dance |
First published: November 1980
Authors: Allen Jones, Bar-Kays |
|
| 1981 | Body Fever As One |
- | - |
R&B42 (9 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: March 1981
Authors: Allen Jones, Bar-Kays |
| Hit and Run Night Cruising |
- | - |
R&B5 (19 weeks) R&B |
Dance49 (9 weeks) Dance |
First published: November 1981
Authors: Allen Jones, Bar-Kays |
|
| 1982 | Freaky Behavior Night cruising |
- | - |
R&B27 (10 weeks) R&B |
Dance60 (8 weeks) Dance |
First published: March 1982
Authors: Allen Jones, Bar-Kays, Howard Redmon |
| Do It (Let Me See You Shake) Propositions |
- | - |
R&B9 (21 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: September 1982
Authors: Allen Jones, Bar-Kays |
|
| 1983 | She Talks to Me with Her Body Propositions |
- | - |
R&B13 (15 weeks) R&B |
Dance62 (4 weeks) Dance |
First published: March 1983
Authors: Allen Jones, Bar-Kays, Michael Toles |
| 1984 | Freakshow on the Dance Floor Dangerous |
- |
US73 (8 weeks) US |
R&B2 (19 weeks) R&B |
- | |
| Dirty Dancer Dangerous |
- | - |
R&B17 (13 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: July 1984
Authors: Allen Jones, Bar-Kays |
|
| Sexomatic Dangerous |
UK51 (8 weeks) UK |
- |
R&B12 (16 weeks) R&B |
Dance15 (8 weeks) Dance |
First published: October 1984
Authors: Allen Jones, Bar-Kays |
|
| 1985 | Your Place or Mine Banging the Wall |
- | - |
R&B12 (15 weeks) R&B |
Dance44 (4 weeks) Dance |
First published: July 1985
Authors: Allen Jones, Bar-Kays |
| Banging the Walls Banging the Wall |
- | - |
R&B67 (5 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: December 1985
Authors: Allen Jones, Bar-Kays |
|
| 1987 | Certified True Contagious |
- | - |
R&B9 (14 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: August 1987
Authors: DeDe Leitta, Larry Dodson, RJ Rice |
| Don't Hang Up Contagious |
- | - |
R&B11 (13 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: November 1987
Authors: Allen Jones, Harvey Henderson, Larry Dodson, Winston Stewart |
|
| 1989 | Struck by You Animal |
- | - |
R&B11 (13 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: December 1988
Authors: Alvin Moody, Kenni Hairston, Trevor Gale |
| Animal Animal |
- | - |
R&B66 (6 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: April 1989
Authors: Chad, Kenni Hairston, Trevor Gale |
|
| 1995 | Old School Mega Mix 48 Hours |
- | - |
R&B96 (3 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: January 1995
|
| The Slide 48 Hours |
- | - |
R&B82 (7 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: April 1995
|
|
| 2012 | Grown Folks Grown Folks (EP) |
- | - |
R&B77 (9 weeks) R&B |
- |
First release: August 2012
feat. The Unknowns Authors: P. Alexander, G. Hughes, JV Sims |
gray hatching : no chart data available for this year
More singles
- 1968: A Hard Day's Night (Instrumental; Release: February)
- 1968: Copy Kat (release: October)
- 1969: Don't Stop Dancing (To the Music) (Release: March)
- 1969: Midnight Cowboy (release: July)
- 1970: Sang and Dance (release: January)
- 1970: Montego Bay (release: September)
- 1972: You're Still My Brother (released March)
- 1972: Dance, Dance, Dance (Release: July)
- 1973: It Ain't Easy (release: July)
- 1974: Coldblooded (release: November 12th)
- 1975: Holy Ghost (released November, not published)
- 1980: Running In and Out of My Life (release: November)
- 1993: Put a Little Nasty on It
- 1998: Body Fine ( split single , A-side: Rufus Thomas - Hey Rufus! )
- 2016: Do Your Thing (with Isaac Hayes ; release: November 25th)
literature
- Dave Thompson : Third Ear: Funk . Backbeat Books, San Francisco, 2001, ISBN 0-87930-629-7 .
- Rickey Vincent: Funk, the Music, the People, and the Rhythm of the One . St. Martin's Griffin, New York, 1996, ISBN 0-312-13499-1 .
Web links
- Official website
- The Bar-Kays at Allmusic (English)
- The Bar-Kays at Discogs (English)
- The Bar-Kays at 45cat.com
- The Bar-Kays at soulwalking.co.uk
Individual evidence
- ↑ Obituary ( memento of the original from September 25, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (English)
- ↑ a b c Chart sources: UK Billboard Hot 100 Billboard 200 R&B albums (from 1998) R&B songs (from 2010)
- ↑ a b c gold / platinum database 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 .
- ^ Joel Whitburn: Hot Dance / Disco 1974-2003, ISBN 978-0-89820-156-7 .
