Average White Band consists of Alan Gorrie (vocalist, bassist), Alex Ligertwood (vocalist), Onnie Mcintyre (guitarist), Roger Ball (keyboardist,saxophonist).
The Average White Band (also AWB) is a Scottish funk and R&B band who had a series of soul and disco hits between 1974 and 1980 and continue to perform in 2006.
AWB were formed in 1971 by Alan Gorrie (vocals/bass) and Malcolm Duncan (tenor saxophone), with Onnie McIntyre, Hamish Stuart, Roger Ball, and Robbie McIntosh joining them in the original line-up. Duncan and Ball studied at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art (now part of the University of Dundee), and were previously members of Mogul Thrash.
The band's breakthrough was a support slot at Eric Clapton's comeback concert in 1973 (see 1973 in music). MCA Records released their debut LP, Show Your Hand, which sold poorly. The band relocated to New York, signed to Atlantic Records and released the follow-up, AWB, better known as The White Album. This album was the first of many with renowned producer Arif Mardin, and reached #1 in the US charts.
However, tragedy struck when on September 23, 1974 (see 1974 in music), when McIntosh died of a heroin overdose; Gorrie's life was saved by Cher. McIntosh was replaced by Steve Ferrone (of Bloodstone), becoming the band's only black member.
In 1975, the single Pick Up The Pieces from the AWB album hits #1 in the US charts. The track is probably their best known today. The band follow up with LPs Cut the Cake ( 1975, see 1975 in music) and Soul Searching ( 1976, see 1976 in music), both big sellers and yielding further Top 40 singles. Their next LP, Benny & Us, was a collaboration with soul legend Ben E. King.
