THE 190TH MIX FOR FSVB

Here's the 190th Mix Selection for F.S.V.B, it Called "Raw Soul & Flying Funk Mix"  its been Mixed by DJ Cman and it Features some Great Old Soul and Funk Tracks from Around the 60's and  70's  Including Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, The Rance Allen Group, Willie Hutch, Sly & the Family, Maceo Parker and George Benson, amongst Others!  

For Full Track Listing, see DJ Cmans Soundcloud Page! 

THE 175th MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 175th Mix Selection for F.S.V.B, it Called "Hit it and Quit it!" and contains Various Funk Artists and Bands from the 70's & 80's, Its been Mixed by HeavySoulBrutha , and it Features some Great Tracks by amongst others: Curtis Mayfield, Funkadelic, Sly and the Family Stone, Bootsy Collins, Johnny "Guitar" Watson and James Brown amongst others!

For a Full Track Listing and Download from HeavySoulBruthas Site Go Here!

Hit It And Quit It! by Heavysoulbrutha on Mixcloud

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WHO'S THE GREATEST FUNK BASS PLAYER # 3 LARRY GRAHAM

In this Series of Posts, I will Writing about the Artist's who are in My "Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player" Poll. 

The Poll is over to the Right of the Blog, it has been Running for a Few Week's, so if You haven't already Voted, Please do so!

In these Post's, I will write a few Facts, Figures, Stats and Interesting Stuff on the Artist in Question, I will also include a Playlist of their Greatest Songs.

I will Write a Post on Each Artist, One Every Other Week! 

ARTIST NUMBER 3..............LARRY GRAHAM 

This Week's Bass Player is my Second Favorite Player of All-Time...Larry Graham, not only a Great Bass Player of Funk Record's but he also Recorded One of the All-Time Great Soul Ballads!  

Larry Graham Jr was Born on the 14th August 1946, in Beaumont Texas USA, He is a Musician, Songwriter and Record Producer, as well as Playing the Bass, he Plays the Keyboards, and also a Great Singer!

He Moved to California when he was 3 Years Old, to be Raised by his GrandMother, as his Mother was an  Piano Player in a Band, who were Touring the World!

Not to long later he was Moved again with his Family to Hawaii, again a few Years Later, he was Re-United with his Mother and they Moved to Oakland, California.

In 1961 he Joined his Mother in her Band, she was also Teaching him how to Sing, in the Early Days, Larry Graham used to Cover Ballads, by the Likes of Billy Eckstein and Tony Bennett. 

He Joined Sly and the Family Stone, after a Request from Sly Stone in 1966!

The First Album (on Epic Records) from Sly and the Family Stone was Released in 1967, and Called "A Whole New Thing" it was Not a Big Seller!

It was the Following Year on 27th April 1968 that Sly and the Family Stone had their Break Through Album, it was called "Dance To The Music" and the Title Track was a Hit in the USA, both Pop and R&B Charts!

Larry Graham Featured on a Total Of 5 Albums with Sly and the Family Stone, before Leaving in late 1972!

The following Year of '73, Larry Graham was Producing an Album for a Band named "Hot Chocolate" (Not the English Band) he was asked to Join the Band and they had a Name Change to "Graham Central Station" 

GCS Released their Debut Album in 1974, it was Called "Graham Central Station" the Album reached the Top 20 on the US R&B Chart!

Larry Graham and GCS went on to Release a Total Of 7 Albums up until 1979, before Larry Graham Decided to go Solo and put GCS on the Back Burner for a Few Years!

By 1980 Larry Graham Released his First Solo Album, on Warner Brother Records, it was entitled "One in a Million You" it was a big Hit in the US, Reaching Number 1 on the R&B Chart and Number 9 on the Hot 100 Chart!

The Biggest Single on the Album was the Great "Sam Dees" Track, "One in a Million You" it Reached Number 1 on the US R&B Chart and Number 9 on the US Pop 100 Chart.

This is One of my Favorite All-Time Tracks!

Larry Graham went on to Release a further 4 Albums on Warner Brothers Records.

By the Early 1990's he was back Touring with Graham Central Station.

In 1998 GCS Released their First Album in 10 Years, on NPG Record Label (New Power Generation), which was Owned By Prince, who also Co-Produced with Larry Graham.

Larry Graham and GCS are still Recording, with their Latest Album being Released in September of this Year entitled "Raise Up" again Featuring "Prince" a Great Comeback Album!

Larry Graham describes his Bass playing as Thumpin' and Pluckin' check out these Great Videos, on how to Play the Bass, and the Great Record "One in a MillionYou"







A few Great Tracks from Larry Graham and GCS.



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TOUR DE FRANCE & LARRY GRAHAM

After working a couple of Months in the Town Center Co-op Butchery in Mid 1982, I was offered another Position in the company, it was being a Relief- Butcher, i.e going around the other Branches of the Co-op in my area, this I had done before when I worked for Dewhurst's Butchers, anyway I jumped at the chance, as I did not like my Butchery Manager too much!


After a couple of weeks, I was asked to work in a near by Town Butcher's, the Town was called Caister, I said "Yes" but when I thought about it, as I was still Biking to work, I thought I would get the Bus to work, this turned out to be a Nightmare, we were Living in the far end of Gorleston and Caister was about 7/8 Miles away!


As I started work at 8am in the Morning, I left home about 7am, firstly I had to get to Yarmouth, then get another Bus to Caister, the first day at the New Place, I was Late, then after about an 9 hour shift, I had to do the Bus rides all again, if I remember correctly it was gone 7pm before I got home that first night!


I liked working at the New Shop, the Shop Manager was a Chap by the name of Derrick, he was about 50 years old, if I remember right, there was an Assistant Manager, I cant remember his name, but he was a few years younger than me, he was alright as well, & they had a Saturday Boy, he was Derricks son!


The following week I was asked to go to the Caister Shop again, I remembered the Bus Rides and thought Sod that!  my only other way of getting there was on my Bike, so I did, it used to take nearly 1 hour to get there, as I said it was about 7/8 miles away!

When I finally got Home that night, I thought I had done a Days ride in the Tour De France!


Little did I know then, in a few Weeks time, biking to Caister was going to become a Regular thing!


As for Music around this Period, I would like to go back a Couple of Years to 1980, and one of the Best Bass Players Ever  "Larry Graham" had a Great Single out, it was called "One In A million You" it was from his Debut Solo Album of the same name.


This was a change from his usual Music (check out the second Video), with "Sly & the Family Stone" and "Graham Central Station" this was a love Ballad written by Sam Dees, it made Number One in the US R&B Charts and Number 9 in US Pop Chart!


Larry Graham has a Great Voice and this was a Great song. I remember Buying the Single and the Album, and of course I have the Cd now!







Listen to "One in a Million You" by Larry Graham. 

Love had played its games on me so long
I started to believe I'd never find anyone
Doubt had tried to convince me to give in
Said you can't win

But one day the sun it came shinin' through
The rain had stopped and the skies were blue
And oh, what a revelation to see
Someone was saying "I love you" to me

A one in a million, chance of a lifetime
And life showed compassion
And sent to me a stroke of love called you
A one in a million you

I was a lonely man with empty arms to fill
Then I found a piece of happiness to call my own
And life is worth living, again
For to love you, to me, is to live

A one in a million, chance of a lifetime
And life showed compassion
And sent to me, a stroke of love, called you
A one in a million you

A one in a million, chance of a lifetime
And life, showed compassion
And sent to me, a stroke of love called you
A one in a million you, a one in a million you

 ONE IN A MILLION YOU LYRICS  BY SAM DEES