Commodores, often billed as The Commodores, is an American funk and soul group. The group's most successful period was in the late 1970s and early 1980s when Lionel Richie was the co-lead singer.
The members of the group met as mostly freshmen at Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in 1968, and signed with Motown in November 1972, having first caught the public eye opening for the Jackson 5 while on tour.
Commodores were formed from two former student groups: the Mystics and the Jays. Richie described some members of the Mystics as "jazz buffs".[5] The new six-man band featured Lionel Richie, Thomas McClary, and William King from the Mystics, and Andre Callahan, Michael Gilbert, and Milan Williams from the Jays. They chose their present name when King flipped open a dictionary and ran his finger down the page. "We lucked out," he remarked with a laugh when telling this story to People magazine. "We almost became 'The Commodes.'"[6]
The bandmembers attended Tuskegee University in Alabama.[7] After winning the university's annual freshman talent contest, they played at fraternity parties as well as a weekend gig at the Black Forest Inn, one of a few clubs in Tuskegee that catered to college students. They performed cover tunes and some original songs with their first singer, James Ingram (not the famous solo artist).[7] Ingram, older than the rest of the band, left to serve in Vietnam, and was later replaced by drummer Walter "Clyde" Orange, who wrote or co-wrote many of their hits.[7]Lionel Richie and Orange alternated as lead singers. Orange was the lead singer on the Top 10 hits "Brick House" (1977) and "Nightshift" (1985).
The early band was managed by Benny Ashburn,[7] who brought them to his family's vacation lodge on Martha's Vineyard in 1971 and 1972. There, Ashburn test-marketed the group by having them play in parking lots and summer festivals.
The Commodores, in an early 1970s publicity photograph
"Machine Gun" (1974), the instrumental title track from the band's debut album,[7] became a staple at American sporting events,[8] and is also heard in many films, including Boogie Nights and Looking for Mr. Goodbar.[9] It reached No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974. Another 1974 song "I Feel Sanctified" has been called a "prototype" of Wild Cherry's 1976 big hit "Play That Funky Music".[10] Of the three albums released in 1975 and 1976, Caught in the Act was funk album, but Movin' On and Hot on the Tracks were pop albums. After those recordings the group developed the mellower sound hinted at in their 1976 top-ten hits, "Sweet Love" and "Just to Be Close to You".[7] In 1977, the Commodores released "Easy", which became the group's biggest hit yet, reaching No. 4 in the US, followed by funky single "Brick House", also top 5, both from their album Commodores, as was "Zoom".[7] The group reached No. 1 in 1978 with "Three Times a Lady".[7] In 1979, the Commodores scored another top-five ballad, "Sail On", before reaching the top of the charts once again with another ballad, "Still".[7] In 1981 they released two top-ten hits with "Oh No" (No. 4) and their first upbeat single in almost five years, "Lady (You Bring Me Up)" (No. 8).[7]
Commodores made a brief appearance in the 1978 film Thank God It's Friday. They performed the song "Too Hot ta Trot" during the dance contest; the songs "Brick House" and "Easy" were also played in the movie
In 1982, the group decided to take a hiatus from touring and recording, during which time Lionel Richie recorded a solo album at the suggestion of Motown and the other group members. Its success encouraged Richie to pursue a solo career,[7] and Skyler Jett replaced him as co-lead singer. Also in 1982, Ashburn died of a heart attack at the age of 54.[11]
Band performance in Florida during the 1990s
Founding member McClary left in 1984 (shortly after Richie) to pursue a solo career,[7] and to develop a gospel music company. McClary was replaced by guitarist-vocalist Sheldon Reynolds. Then LaPread left in 1986 and moved to Auckland, New Zealand. Reynolds departed for Earth, Wind & Fire in 1987, which prompted trumpeter William "WAK" King to take over primary guitar duties for live performances. Keyboardist Milan Williams exited the band in 1989 after allegedly refusing to tour South Africa.[12][13]
The group gradually abandoned its funk roots and moved into the more commercial pop arena.[7] In 1984, former Heatwave singer James Dean "J.D." Nicholas assumed co-lead vocal duties with drummer Walter Orange.[7] That line-up was hitless until 1985 when their final Motown album Nightshift, produced by Dennis Lambert (prior albums were produced by James Anthony Carmichael, who would continue to work with Richie on his albums), delivered the title track "Nightshift", a loving tribute to Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson, both of whom had died the previous year.[7] "Nightshift" hit no. 3 in the US and won the Commodores their first Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals in 1985.
In 2010 a new version was recorded, dedicated to Michael Jackson.[14] The Commodores were on a European tour performing at Wembley Arena, London, on June 25, 2009, when they walked off the stage after they were told that Michael Jackson had died. Initially the band thought it was a hoax. However, back in their dressing rooms they received confirmation and broke down in tears. The next night at Birmingham's NIA Arena, J.D. Nicholas added Jackson's name to the lyrics of the song, and henceforth the Commodores have mentioned Jackson and other deceased R&B singers. Thus came the inspiration upon the first anniversary of Jackson's death to re-record, with new lyrics, the hit song "Nightshift" as a tribute.
Commodores performing at the 25th Natchitoches Jazz and R&B Festival in 2022
In 1990, they formed Commodores Records and re-recorded their 20 greatest hits as Commodores Hits Vol. I & II. They have recorded a live album, Commodores Live, along with a DVD of the same name, and a Christmas album titled Commodores Christmas. In 2012, the band was working on new material, with some contributions written by current and former members.
Commodores as of 2020 consist of Walter "Clyde" Orange, James Dean "J.D." Nicholas, and William "WAK" King, along with their five-piece band The Mean Machine.[citation needed]They continue to perform, playing at arenas, theaters, and festivals around the world.
Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality. He rose to fame in the 1970s as a songwriter and the co-lead singer of the Motown group Commodores; writing and recording the hit singles "Easy", "Sail On", "Three Times a Lady" and "Still" with the group before his departure. In 1980, he wrote and produced the US Billboard Hot 100 number one single "Lady" for Kenny Rogers.
Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever is a 1983 television special, produced by Suzanne de Passe for Motown, to commemorate its 25th anniversary. The program was taped before a live audience at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California on March 25, 1983, and broadcast on NBC on May 16. Among its highlights were Michael Jackson's performance of "Billie Jean", Smokey Robinson's reunion with the Miracles, a Temptations / Four Tops "battle of the bands", Marvin Gaye's inspired speech about black music history and his memorable performance of "What's Going On", a Jackson 5 reunion, and an abbreviated reunion of Diana Ross & the Supremes, who performed their final #1 hit, "Someday We'll Be Together" from 1969. The show was written by Buz Kohan, Ruth Robinson, and de Passe. The broadcast was watched by over 47 million viewers.
Caught in the Act is the second studio album by The Commodores, released in 1975. Caught in the Act included the #1 R&B hit "Slippery When Wet", penned by Thomas McClary, the sextet's lead guitarist.
Commodores is the fifth studio album by the Commodores, released in 1977. The album spent eight weeks at the top of the R&B/soul albums chart, the second of their albums to do so, and was their first Top 5 pop album. There is also a previously released extended version.
Hot on the Tracks is the fourth studio album by the Commodores, released by Motown Records in 1976. It includes the Top Ten pop single "Just to Be Close to You". The album was the band's first #1 album on the R&B albums chart.
Machine Gun is the debut studio album by Commodores, released on July 22, 1974, on Motown Records.
"Three Times a Lady" is a 1978 song by American soul group Commodores for their album Natural High, written by lead singer Lionel Richie. It was produced by James Anthony Carmichael and Commodores.
"Nightshift" is a 1985 song by the Commodores and the title track from their album of the same name. The song was written by lead singer Walter Orange in collaboration with Dennis Lambert and Franne Golde as a tribute to soul/R&B singers Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye, both of whom died in 1984. The song was released as the album's first single in January 1985 by Motown Records. "Nightshift" was recorded in 1984 and became the Commodores' first hit after Lionel Richie's departure from the group. Bruce Springsteen covered the song in his 2022 studio album, Only the Strong Survive.
Midnight Magic is the seventh studio album by the musical group the Commodores, released in 1979. The album was certified Gold in the UK by the BPI. Midnight Magic was Grammy nominated in the category of Best R&B Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus.
Heroes is the eighth studio album by the Commodores, released in June 1980 by Motown Records. It has been certified platinum in the US by the RIAA.
Commodores 13 is the tenth studio album by the Commodores, released in 1983 on Motown Records. It's also the first album by the band after the departure of Lionel Richie, who began his solo career in 1982.
Nightshift is the 11th studio album by the Commodores, released by Motown Records on January 15, 1985. This album was certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.
"Too Hot ta Trot" is a song by R&B/funk band, the Commodores. The song is written in E major.
Movin' On is the third studio album by the Commodores, released by Motown Records in 1975.
In the Pocket is the ninth studio album by the American R&B/Funk group the Commodores, released by Motown Records in 1981.
Endless Love: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album to the film of the same name. The album was released worldwide by Mercury Records and PolyGram in 1981.
Tuskegee is the tenth studio album by American singer Lionel Richie, released on March 5, 2012, by Mercury Records. The album consists entirely of reinterpretations of previously released songs by Richie, each performed with a different guest artist, all of which are stars in the country music genre. Tuskegee is named after the Alabama city where Richie was born and later completed his undergraduate degree at Tuskegee Institute.
Thomas McClary is an American musician, guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer best known as the founder and lead guitarist of The Commodores. McClary is widely credited with having created the signature sound of The Commodores' original music.
James Anthony Carmichael is an American Grammy-winning musician, arranger, and record producer. At first he started off in Los Angeles as an arranger and producer for Motown acts like The Temptations and the Jackson 5. Carmichael went on to attain fame in arranging and producing artists such as the Commodores, Atlantic Starr, Diana Ross and Lionel Richie.
The Very Best of The Commodores is the seventh compilation album by American funk/soul band Commodores, released in 1995 on Motown Records. The album charted at No. 26 on the UK Pop Albums chart and at No. 39 on the New Zealand Pop Albums chart. The album has been certified Silver in the UK by the BPI.
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