I didn't know they had a "downturn" in the late '70s. "Open Sesame" was a pretty huge club hit, and "Ladies' Night" signaled the great crossover.
"Hollywood Swingin" is so great.
R.I.P. Claydes Charles Smith - Kool & the Gang founder
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Kool & the Gang co-founder dead
Claydes Charles Smith co-wrote 'Celebration,' 'Jungle Boogie'
Friday, June 23, 2006; Posted: 8:38 a.m. EDT (12:38 GMT)
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Claydes Charles Smith, a co-founder and lead guitarist of the group Kool & the Gang, has died. He was 57.
Smith died Tuesday in Maplewood, New Jersey, after a long illness, his publicist said.
Kool & the Gang grew from jazz roots in the 1960s to become one of the major groups of the 1970s, blending jazz, funk, R&B and pop. After a downturn, the group enjoyed a return to stardom in the '80s.
Smith wrote the hits "Joanna" and "Take My Heart," and was a co-writer of others, including "Celebration," "Hollywood Swinging" and "Jungle Boogie."
Smith was introduced to jazz guitar by his father in the early 1960s.
Later in that decade, he was in a group of New Jersey jazz musicians, including Ronald Bell (later Khalis Bayyan), Robert "Kool" Bell, George Brown, Dennis Thomas and Robert "Spike" Mickens, who became Kool & the Gang. Other members would include lead singer James "JT" Taylor.
Claydes Charles Smith co-wrote 'Celebration,' 'Jungle Boogie'
Friday, June 23, 2006; Posted: 8:38 a.m. EDT (12:38 GMT)
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Claydes Charles Smith, a co-founder and lead guitarist of the group Kool & the Gang, has died. He was 57.
Smith died Tuesday in Maplewood, New Jersey, after a long illness, his publicist said.
Kool & the Gang grew from jazz roots in the 1960s to become one of the major groups of the 1970s, blending jazz, funk, R&B and pop. After a downturn, the group enjoyed a return to stardom in the '80s.
Smith wrote the hits "Joanna" and "Take My Heart," and was a co-writer of others, including "Celebration," "Hollywood Swinging" and "Jungle Boogie."
Smith was introduced to jazz guitar by his father in the early 1960s.
Later in that decade, he was in a group of New Jersey jazz musicians, including Ronald Bell (later Khalis Bayyan), Robert "Kool" Bell, George Brown, Dennis Thomas and Robert "Spike" Mickens, who became Kool & the Gang. Other members would include lead singer James "JT" Taylor.
"What the hell?"
Win Butler
Win Butler