Cameo (band)

Last updated

Cameo
OriginNew York City, U.S.
Genres
Discography Cameo discography
Years active
  • 1974–2001
  • 2016–present
Labels
Members
  • Larry Blackmon
  • Anthony Lockett
  • Aaron Mills
  • Jeff Nelson
  • Kevin Kendrick
  • Willie Morris
Past members
  • Tomi Jenkins
  • Nathan Leftenant
  • Jeryl Bright
  • Gregory B. Johnson
  • Arnett Leftenant
  • Charlie Singleton
  • Robert Branch
  • Kenni Hairston
  • Michael Burnett
  • Thomas Campbell
  • Wayne Cooper
  • Merve de Peyer
  • Gary Dow
  • Eric Durham
  • Gregory Johnson
  • Kurt Jeter
  • John Kellogg
  • Kevin Kendrick
  • Damon Mendes
  • Stephen Moore
  • William Morris
  • Eric Nelson
  • William Revis
  • Charles Sampson
  • Robert L. Smith
  • Melvin Wells
  • Paul Andrews
  • Azza Meah
  • Arnold Ramsey
  • Dominic Christie
  • Harold Gander
  • Pat Buchanan
Website cameonation.com

Cameo is an American funk band that formed in 1974. [1] Cameo was initially a 14-member group known as the New York City Players; [1] this name was later changed to Cameo.

Contents

As of the first half of 2009, some of the original members continued to perform together. Two other original members were hired by the hip hop group Outkast. [2] In 2015, Cameo announced a new residency show at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, opening in March 2016. [3] On February 20, 2019, Larry Blackmon of Cameo announced "El Passo", the first new single from the band in 19 years. [4] [5] [6]

Career

1974–1979: Formation and early years

Formed by Larry Blackmon in 1974 as the New York City Players [1] the band was signed by Casablanca Records to its Chocolate City imprint in 1975 as the Players. However, according to original band member Nathan Leftenant, the group soon changed its name after the threat of legal action by Mercury Records due to the name "the Players" being too similar to Ohio Players, who recorded for Mercury at the time. The name Cameo was derived from a brand of cigarettes sold in Canada that the band saw during a visit to that country. Prior to this, Blackmon, keyboardist Gregory Johnson, and Gwen Guthrie formed the band East Coast, together with James Wheeler (alto saxophone), Melvin Whay (bass), Michael Harris (percussion), and Haras Fyre (also known as Pat Grant) on trombone. They released one self-titled album in 1973 on the independent label Encounter.

Cameo started with a deep, funk sound, but it was obvious from the start their sights were set on the dance floor. Their first album was Cardiac Arrest which featured its first hit single, "Rigor Mortis". Follow up albums We All Know Who We Are , Ugly Ego and Secret Omen contained dance floor songs such as "I Just Want to Be" and "It's Serious", the latter of which was used for a dance contest scene in the 1978 film Thank God It's Friday . The band's debut single "Find My Way" was a disco song that was also used in the film, and was included on the Thank God It's Friday soundtrack. ("Find My Way" was their cover of a 1972 Three Degrees and a 1969 Tymes tune.)

Bassist Aaron Mills joined the band in 1978, after a stint in Donald Byrd's jazz-funk collective N.C.C.U., which toured with Cameo. Mills impressed Blackmon with his bass playing, and Blackmon invited him to join Cameo. [7]

1979–1992: Mainstream breakthrough

The 1979 single "I Just Want to Be" was Cameo's breakthrough hit. It reached number 3 on the Billboard magazine Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and along with the follow-up single, the top 10 R&B ballad "Sparkle", pushed the album Secret Omen to gold status with sales of over 500,000 copies, the band's first album to achieve this status. Their next album, Cameosis , came out in 1980 and also achieved gold status thanks in large part to the funk classic "Shake Your Pants", the mid-tempo single "We're Goin' Out Tonight", and the ballad "Why Have I Lost You" (a re-recording of a song from their 1978 album We All Know Who We Are). It reached number 1 on the Billboard R&B chart and number 25 on the Billboard 200 chart. Their second album of 1980, Feel Me , 1981's Knights of the Sound Table and 1982's Alligator Woman also went gold and saw the band playing up their eclectic style. Band members Aaron Mills, Thomas "TC" Campbell and Jeryl Bright briefly left the band in 1983 to form a spinoff group called MCB. [7] The band released She's Strange in 1984, which performed well and hit number 1 on the Billboard R&B chart and 26 on the Billboard 200. The album's title track, eponymous single became the band's first number 1 R&B hit, as well as their first charting pop single; reaching number 47 on the Billboard Hot 100.

1985's album Single Life , featuring the title track and "Attack Me with Your Love", hit number 2 on the Top R&B chart and continued the band's momentum, paving the way for what was to come the following year. The single "Word Up!" was released in 1986 and reached number 1 on the Billboard R&B chart, plus number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's biggest single on the pop chart. The follow-up single "Candy" reached number 1 R&B and 21 pop, while their next release, "Back and Forth", went to number 3 R&B and number 50 pop. Meanwhile, the accompanying album also hit numbers 8 and 1 on the Billboard 200 and Top R&B charts respectively, becoming their highest-charting album. [1]

Two years later, Cameo released Machismo to mixed critical reviews and dropped to chart at numbers 10 and 56 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Billboard 200 charts respectively. Cameo then followed up with 1990's Real Men... Wear Black and 1992's Emotional Violence . The previous release was followed by two compilation albums in between the time of their next recording. [1]

1994–2000: Later years

In 1994, In the Face of Funk was released on the band's independent label and hit 10 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. This album was then followed by a six-year unofficial hiatus with several compilation releases, until the next album Sexy Sweet Thing in 2000. The album hit 64 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and is their most recent charting release.

2000–2016: Inactivity/unofficial hiatus

In 2001, a sample from the band's single "Candy" was used in the Mariah Carey single "Loverboy". [8] The song hit number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Blackmon was given a co-songwriting credit.

These years saw a great period of inactivity and unofficial hiatus, in which time six compilation albums were released. The compilation albums released in this period were, in chronological order: The Hits Collection (2000), 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Cameo (2001), Anthology (2002), Classic Cameo (2003), The Best of Cameo (2004), Gold (2005) and The Definitive Collection (2006).

2016–present: Recent years

In March 2016, Cameo began a year-long Las Vegas residency show at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino. [3] In 2019, their single "Candy" was interpolated by Beyoncé for her cover of fellow R&B group Maze's song "Before I Let Go", featured in her film and accompanying live album Homecoming .

Associated members

Kevin Kendrick, Jeff Nelson, Willie Morris, Anthony Lockett and Aaron Mills continue to tour with Cameo as well as other artists. Kevin Kendrick and Aaron Mills have both worked with Outkast, playing on their singles "Ms. Jackson" (2000) and "Prototype" (2003), among other tracks. Ex-Cameo vocalist John Kellogg became an entertainment lawyer, representing such artists as the O'Jays, Gerald Levert and LSG. He also pursued a career in music industry higher education, becoming Assistant Chair of the Music Business/Management department at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Gregory B. Johnson has released two CDs on his own label, Allspice Record Co.—in 2007 A New Hip, which is a smooth Jazz CD, and in 2012 Funk Funk (Just for a Little Time), an urban funk CD.

Style

Cameo began as a horn-oriented funk band in the 1970s, influenced by Parliament-Funkadelic. By the 1980s, Cameo expanded their sound with influences from pop, hip hop, rock and reggae, and placed more emphasis on keyboards and drum machines. [9] [10] [11]

Discography

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Word Up!</i> (album) 1986 studio album by Cameo

Word Up! is the 13th studio album by American funk group Cameo, released in 1986. The album reached number 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, number 8 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart, and was certified Platinum by the RIAA for sales of over 1 million copies. It took Cameo to their highest level of popularity, and solidified them as one of the most successful bands of the 1980s. The album includes three of their biggest hit singles, "Word Up!", "Candy", and "Back and Forth".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mint Condition</span> American R&B band

Mint Condition is an American R&B band from Minneapolis, Minnesota. The band is focused on diverse genres such as jazz, hip hop, funk and dance. Mint Condition has also been nominated for one Grammy and three Soul Train Awards. The group is credited with being one of the last major funk bands to chart before hip-hop and new jack swing dominated black music in the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lean on Me (song)</span> 1972 single by Bill Withers

"Lean on Me" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Bill Withers. It was released in April 1972 as the first single from his second album, Still Bill. It was a number one single on both the soul and Billboard Hot 100 charts, the latter chart for three weeks in July 1972. Billboard ranked it as the No. 7 song of 1972. It was ranked number 208 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2010. Numerous other versions have been recorded, and it is one of only nine songs to have reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with versions recorded by two different artists. In 2007, the 1972 recording of the song by Bill Withers on Sussex Records was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. 1970s Glam Rock band 'MUD' recorded a cover of the song in 1976 that became a chart hit in the UK the same year.

<i>Single Life</i> 1985 studio album by Cameo

Single Life is a 1985 album by the funk group Cameo. The album reached No. 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 58 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart. It contained the hit singles "Attack Me With Your Love", which reached No. 3 R&B, and the title track, "Single Life", which reached No. 2 R&B. "Urban Warrior" was the group's foray into the emerging Hip-hop scene. The videos for both singles included appearances from popular television soap opera actors and were tied together by a particular storyline; with the title track’s video being a continuation of the story that started in the "Attack Me With Your Love" video. The album was Cameo’s seventh to be certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of over 500,000 copies.

<i>Cardiac Arrest</i> (album) 1977 studio album by Cameo

Cardiac Arrest is the debut album by American funk band Cameo.

<i>Ugly Ego</i> 1978 studio album by Cameo

Ugly Ego is the third studio album by American funk band Cameo, released in September 1978.

<i>We All Know Who We Are</i> 1978 studio album by Cameo

We All Know Who We Are is the second studio album by American funk band Cameo, released in January 1978.

<i>Secret Omen</i> 1979 studio album by Cameo

Secret Omen is the fourth studio album by American funk band Cameo, released in June 1979. It was their first of nine albums, and the first of five consecutive albums to be certified gold in the US for sales of over 500,000 copies.

<i>Cameosis</i> 1980 studio album by Cameo

Cameosis is the fifth studio album by American funk band Cameo, released in April 1980.

<i>Feel Me</i> (album) 1980 studio album by Cameo

Feel Me is the sixth album by the funk band Cameo, released in 1980.

<i>Knights of the Sound Table</i> 1981 studio album by Cameo

Knights of the Sound Table is the seventh album by the funk band Cameo, released in 1981. It reached number 2 for 3 weeks on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, number 44 on the Billboard 200 chart), and was the band’s fourth consecutive album to be certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of over 500,000 copies. The album spawned two hit singles: "Freaky Dancin'" and "I Like It" (which reached number 25 R&B. The track “Don’t Be So Cool” featured a guest appearance by former Labelle member Nona Hendryx and also received airplay on R&B stations at the time. Hendryx joined Cameo for a performance of the song on Soul Train that first aired on June 20, 1981.

<i>Alligator Woman</i> 1982 studio album by Cameo

Alligator Woman is a 1982 album by the American funk band Cameo, released by Casablanca Records. It is the group's eighth studio album, and the first released after group leader Larry Blackmon reduced the band from 11 members to 5 (himself, Tomi Jenkins, Nathan Leftenant, Charlie Singleton, and Gregory Johnson. Alligator Woman combined Cameo’s traditional funk with elements of rock and new wave, and was the band’s fifth consecutive album to be certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of over 500,000 copies. The cover artwork model is the Canadian singer/model Vanity.

<i>Shes Strange</i> 1984 studio album by Cameo

She's Strange is the tenth album by the funk band Cameo, released in 1984. It reached number 1 on the Billboard R&B Albums chart, number 27 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart, and was certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of over 500,000 copies.

<i>Sexy Sweet Thing</i> 2000 studio album by Cameo

Sexy Sweet Thing is a 2000 album released by the funk group Cameo. This 13-track release was Cameo's first full album of new material since In the Face of Funk in 1994, and peaked June 24, 2000, at #64 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. To date, this has been the last album released by Cameo; Sexy Sweet Thing was followed up by the single "El Passo" in 2019, which did not chart, making this record their latest to enter any charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Word Up! (song)</span> 1986 single by Cameo

"Word Up!" is a funk and R&B song originally recorded by American funk band Cameo in 1986. It was released as the first single from their thirteenth album of the same name. The song was written by band members Larry Blackmon and Tomi Jenkins. Its frequent airing on American dance, R&B, and contemporary hit radio, as well as its MTV music video, helped the single become the band's best known hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweet Thing (Rufus song)</span> 1975 song by Rufus featuring Chaka Khan

"Sweet Thing" is a song performed by American funk and R&B band Rufus with vocals by band member Chaka Khan. As a single, it peaked number five on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1976. Mary J. Blige recorded her version, which charted in the United States and New Zealand in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hell Yeah (Ginuwine song)</span> 2003 single by Ginuwine

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blame It</span> 2009 single by Jamie Foxx featuring T-Pain

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"She's Strange" is a song by American funk band Cameo, released in 1984 as a single from their tenth studio album, She's Strange. The single was their first to top the R&B chart, hitting number one for four weeks in April 1984. The single was the band's first to reach the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart, peaking at number forty-seven.

"Back and Forth" is a song by American funk band Cameo, released on February 24, 1987 as the third single from their 1986 album Word Up!.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Larkin, Colin, ed. (2003). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 95. ISBN   1-85227-969-9.
  2. ↑ Griffith, Spencer (May 27, 2009). "Bassist Aaron Mills' best years may be ahead of him". Indy Week . Archived from the original on January 26, 2012. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
  3. 1 2 Weatherford, Mike (March 3, 2016). "Match made in heaven? Cabaret women, G-string guys". Las Vegas Review-Journal . Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  4. ↑ ""El Passo" Announcement from Larry Blackmon". YouTube. March 20, 2019. Archived from the original on September 2, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  5. ↑ "El Passo | Larry Blackmon / CAMEO's New Single". Cameo Nation. Archived from the original on March 22, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  6. ↑ Tunis, Walter (April 24, 2019). "Derby week is about more than horses: Great music is at the gate". Lexington Herald-Leader . Archived from the original on April 24, 2019. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  7. 1 2 Grant, Johnnie (August 13, 2018). "A Homeboy is Coming Back Home". The Urban News. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  8. ↑ Loverboy Retrieved 29 June 2024
  9. ↑ Hanson, Amy. "Alligator Woman Review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 5, 2022. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  10. ↑ Henderson, Alex. "Style Review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 5, 2022. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  11. ↑ Henderson, Alex. "She's Strange Review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 5, 2022. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
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