The Steelers (music)

Last updated

The Steelers were an R&B/soul vocal group from Chicago active from the 1960s until the early 1980s.

The group consisted of members F. Allen, Leonard Truss, Wales Wallace, and brothers Alonzo Wells, George Wells and Wes Wells who was the lead singer. [1] [2] The group focused on up-tempo harmony singing. [1]

The Steelers were formed in Chicago's West Side in 1965. [1] They released their first record the same year on the Glow Star label. [1] A second single was released in 1966, but both sold poorly. [1] They then signed to local Chicago label Crash Records, but sales success continued to elude them and Crash folded in 1967. They recorded a tune written by Wes Wells and producer Al Smith entitled "Get It From the Bottom", which was released nationally by Date Records. [1] [3] This turned into a minor R&B (#46) and pop (#56) hit on the Billboard charts beginning in December 1969. [2] The Steelers had no further hit records, but continued to perform and make records until the late 1980s. [1] As the record began gaining traction on the charts, the name band's name caught the attention of the media in Pittsburgh, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers. [4]

Robert Pruter has opined that the "group never made a truly bad record." [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soul music</span> Genre of music

Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the African American community throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It has its roots in African-American gospel music and rhythm and blues. Soul music became popular for dancing and listening, where U.S. record labels such as Motown, Atlantic and Stax were influential during the Civil Rights Movement. Soul also became popular around the world, directly influencing rock music and the music of Africa. It also had a resurgence with artists like Erykah Badu under the genre neo-soul.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vee-Jay Records</span> American record label

Vee-Jay Records is an American record label founded in the 1950s, located in Chicago and specializing in blues, jazz, rhythm and blues and rock and roll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Spinners (American group)</span> American soul music vocal group

The Spinners are an American rhythm and blues vocal group that formed in Ferndale, Michigan, United States, in 1954. They enjoyed a string of hit singles and albums during the 1960s and 1970s, particularly with producer Thom Bell. The group continues to tour, with Henry Fambrough as the only original member.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyrone Davis</span> American musician

Tyrone Davis was an American blues and soul singer with a long list of hit records over more than 20 years. Davis had three number 1 hits on the Billboard R&B chart: "Can I Change My Mind" (1968), "Turn Back the Hands of Time" (1970), and "Turning Point" (1975).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Intruders (band)</span> American soul music group

The Intruders are an American soul music group most popular in the 1960s and 1970s. As one of the first groups to have hit songs under the direction of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, they were a major influence on the development of Philadelphia soul.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbara Acklin</span> American singer-songwriter

Barbara Jean Acklin was an American soul singer and songwriter, who was most successful in the 1960s and 1970s. Her biggest hit as a singer was "Love Makes a Woman" (1968). As a songwriter, she is best known for co-writing the multi-million-selling "Have You Seen Her" (1971) with Eugene Record, lead singer of the Chi-Lites.

The Soul Children was an American vocal group who recorded soul music for Stax Records in the late 1960s and early 1970s. They had three top 10 hits on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart – "The Sweeter He Is" (1969), "Hearsay" (1972), and "I'll Be the Other Woman" (1973) – all of which crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100.

Playboy Records was an American record label, based in Los Angeles, California, and a unit of Playboy Enterprises. Artists recording for the label included Al Wilson, Barbi Benton, Blue Ash, Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers, The Weapons of Peace, Brenda Patterson, Lois Fletcher, Jeanne French, Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds, Ivory, Greg Kihn, The Rubinoos, Wynn Stewart, Mickey Gilley and Joey Stec.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syl Johnson</span> American blues and soul singer (1936–2022)

Sylvester Johnson was an American blues and soul singer, musician, songwriter and record producer. His most successful records included "Different Strokes" (1967), "Is It Because I'm Black" (1969) and "Take Me to the River" (1975).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Major Lance</span> American singer

Major Lance was an American R&B singer. After a number of US hits in the 1960s, including "The Monkey Time" and "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um", he became an iconic figure in Britain in the 1970s among followers of Northern Soul. Although he stopped making records in 1982, Major Lance continued to perform at concerts and on tours until his death in 1994. His daughter, Keisha Lance Bottoms, was the 60th mayor of Atlanta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rescue Me (Fontella Bass song)</span> 1965 single by Fontella Bass

"Rescue Me" is a rhythm and blues song first recorded and released as a single by Fontella Bass in 1965. The original versions of the record, and BMI, give the songwriting credit to Raynard Miner and Carl William Smith, although many other sources also credit Bass herself as a co-writer. It would prove the biggest hit of Bass's career, reaching #1 on the R&B charts for four weeks and placing at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Rescue Me" also peaked at #11 on the UK Singles Chart.

Garland Green is an American soul singer and pianist.

Addie "Jan" Bradley is an American soul singer.

Alfred Orlando Johnson was an American R&B singer, writer, arranger and producer. He co-wrote the song "We Have Love for You" with Deniece Williams from her 1977 album Songbird.

Ruby Andrews is an American soul singer. Her best known songs include "Casonova " (1967), "You Made A Believer " (1969), and "Everybody Saw You" (1970).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Chi-Lites</span> American R&B/soul vocal group from Chicago, Illinois

The Chi-Lites are an American R&B/soul vocal quartet from Chicago, Illinois, United States. Forming at Chicago's Hyde Park High School in 1959, The group's original lineup consisted of singers Robert Lester, Eugene Record, Creadel Jones, Clarence Johnson, Burt Bowen, Eddie Reed and Marshall Thompson.

The Lovelites were an American vocal group, based in Chicago, originally composed of the sisters Patti Hamilton and Rozena Petty plus their friend, Barbara Peterman. In 1967, the trio recorded for the local Chicago record label, Bandera Records. In 1968, Peterman left the group, and was replaced by Ardell McDaniel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter Jackson (singer)</span> American singer

Walter Jackson was an American soul ballad singer who had a string of hits on the US R&B chart between the mid-1960s and early 1980s. His biggest successes included "It's All Over" in 1964, "It's An Uphill Climb to the Bottom" in 1966 and "Feelings", a cover of the Morris Albert pop hit, in 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Artistics</span>

The Artistics were an American R&B vocal group in the 1960s and early 1970s. Their biggest hit was "I'm Gonna Miss You", recorded in 1966.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Is It Because I'm Black</span> 1969 single by Syl Johnson

"Is It Because I'm Black" is a song recorded in 1969 by blues and soul singer Syl Johnson. It was co-written by Johnson, record producer Jimmy Jones, and Glenn Watts. The recording, issued on the Twinight label in September 1969, reached number 11 on the Billboard R&B chart, and number 68 on the Hot 100.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pruter, Robert (1991). Chicago Soul. University of Illinois Press. pp. 173–174. ISBN   0-252-06259-0.
  2. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (1996). Top R&B Singles 1942-1995. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 419. ISBN   0-89820-115-2.
  3. Büttner, Armin; Campbell, Robert; Pruter, Robert (May 25, 2020). "Al Smith discography part II". Red Saunders Research Foundation. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  4. Abrams, Al (November 22, 1969). "Sidelights on Sports". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 8 via newspapers.com.