Commodores

The Commodores were a highly successful soul/funk band in the 1970s. They met as freshmen at Tuskegee Institute, and signed to Motown having first caught the public eye supporting The Jackson Five on tour. Now they are perhaps best known f

The Commodores were a highly successful soul/funk band in the 1970s. They met as freshmen at Tuskegee Institute, and signed to Motown having first caught the public eye supporting The Jackson Five on tour. Now they are perhaps best known for the ballad "Easy", which is not considered to be representative of their output. Usually, they recorded funky, driven dance floor hits including "Brick House", "Fancy Dancer", and "Slippery When Wet", amongst others. "Machine Gun", the instrumental title track from their debut album, has become a staple at American sporting events, and has been featured in many films, including Boogie Nights.

The Commodores' original lineup was Lionel Richie (saxophone), Thomas McClary (guitar), Milan Williams (keyboards), William King (trumpet), Ronald LaPread (bass) and Walter Orange (drums). Band members typically traded lead vocal duties. After Lionel Richie left the band, former Heatwave singer J.D. Nicholas assumed his place in the group.