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.
Lionel Richie ( vocals, saxophone, piano) - born on 20 June 1949, in Tuskegee, Alabama. Thomas McClary ( lead guitar) - born on 6 October 1950, in Eustis, Florida. Milan Williams ( keyboards) - born on 28 March 1948, in Mississippi. William King ( trumpet) - born on 30 January 1949, in Florida. Ronald La Pread ( bass guitar) - born on 4 September 1946, in Alabama. Walter Orange ( vocals, drums) - born on 10 December 1946, in Florida.
The group are perhaps best known for their ballads such as "Easy" & "Three Times a Lady", which are not, however, considered representative of their output. Usually, they recorded funky, driven dance floor hits including "Brick House", "Fancy Dancer", and "Slippery When Wet", amongst others. Their song "Oh No" was highlighted in the movie The Last American Virgin. Later, "Machine Gun", the instrumental title track from their debut album, become a staple at American sporting events, and has similarly been featured in many films, including Boogie Nights. Another instrumental, " Cebu" (named after an island in the Philippines) later became a sample in the Quiet Storm format. Band members typically traded lead vocal duties. After Lionel Richie left to presue a solo career, former Heatwave singer J.D. Nicholas assumed his place in the group. However, with the exception of the Grammy winning "Nightshift," the band never achieved the same level of success it enjoyed with Richie. Ironically, "Nightshift" won the Commodores their only Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals.