Editing Fatback Band (section)

==History==
Formed in [[New York City]] in 1970, the Fatback Band was the concept of Bill Curtis, an experienced [[session musician|session]] [[drummer]], inspired to merge the "fatback" [[jazz]] beat of [[New Orleans]] into a [[funk]] band. In addition to Curtis, the band's initial line-up included guitarist Johnny King, bassist Johnny Flippin, trumpet player George Williams, saxophonist Earl Shelton, flautist George Adams, and keyboardist Gerry Thomas.<ref name="soul">{{cite web|title=The Fatback Band Page|url=http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Fatback%20Band.html|website=Soulwalking.co.uk|access-date=October 27, 2020}}</ref> The band specialized in playing "street funk". The group also later included conga player Wayne Woolford, vocalists Jayne and Gerry, [[Deborah Cooper]] saxophonist Fred Demerey, guitarist Louis Wright and George Victory.<ref name="Allmusic">{{cite web|last1=Wynn|first1=Ron|title=Artist Biography|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-fatback-band-mn0000067329/biography|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=September 23, 2020}}</ref>

The Fatback Band signed to [[Perception Records]] and had a hit single that summer with "Street Dance". The single reached the top 30 on the [[United States|US]] ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|R&B]] [[record chart|chart]], but failed to cross over to the [[Billboard Hot 100|Pop chart]], a pattern the group would follow for the rest of their career. The band released the albums ''Let's Do It Again'', ''People Music'', and ''Feel My Soul'' before signing to Event Records in 1974.<ref name="Allmusic"/>

In the mid-1970s, the band incorporated jazz elements and moved more towards a [[disco]] sound resulting in the singles, "Keep On Steppin'", "Yum, Yum (Give Me Some)", and "(Are You Ready) Do the Bus Stop". The singles proved popular in dance clubs, but did not do as well on the R&B chart until the spring of 1976 when "(Do The) Spanish Hustle" came close to the top ten.<ref name="Allmusic"/>

Now recording for Spring/Polydor, the group continued with the singles "Party Time", "The Booty", and "Double Dutch". Late 1977 brought a name change to Fatback, and in 1978 they found their first top ten single with "I Like Girls". The song "[[King Tim III (Personality Jock)]]" is often considered to be the first commercially released [[hip hop music|rap]] single, having shipped just a week before [[the Sugarhill Gang]]'s "[[Rapper's Delight]]" in October 1979.<ref name="icons">{{cite book|last1=Hess|first1=Mickey|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LldOLnIQ66cC&q=king+tim+iii+first+rap+single&pg=PR22|title=Icons of Hip Hop: An Encyclopedia of the Movement, Music, and Culture|page=p.xxii|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|date=2007|isbn=978-0-313-33903-5}}</ref>

In 1980, Fatback had a pair of their biggest hits with "Gotta Get My Hands on Some (Money)" and "Backstrokin'". Also finding the charts in the 1980s were "Take It Any Way You Want It", "[[I Found Lovin']]" and "Spread Love", with singer [[Evelyn Thomas]], in 1985. Whilst American pop success proved elusive, the group made regular appearances on the [[UK Singles Chart]], including the top ten twice with "(Do The) Spanish Hustle" and "I Found Lovin'";<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book|first=David|last=Roberts|year=2006|title=British Hit Singles & Albums|edition=19th|publisher= Guinness World Records Limited|location=London|isbn=1-904994-10-5|page=196}}</ref> the latter also covered by British disc jockey [[Steve Walsh (DJ)|Steve Walsh]], reached the top ten at the same time as the original version.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/i-found-lovin'/|title=OFFICIAL SINGLES CHART RESULTS MATCHING: I FOUND LOVIN'|website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=February 11, 2020}}</ref>

Keyboardist Gerry Thomas was simultaneously a member of [[the Jimmy Castor Bunch]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fatbackband.com/gerrythomas.html|title=Fatback band|website=Fatbackband.com|accessdate=27 June 2024}}</ref> so the band elected to remain close to the New York area instead of extensive touring. They had substantial success in UK. As recent as 2019, the Fatback Band performed at multiple concerts and festivals in London and other cities in England. Their 2020 tour was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They have a new album to be released in 2021 and have performances scheduled in July 2021.