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.



Related articles

• Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player!
• Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player #1 Bootsy Collins
• Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player #2 Mark Adams
• Album Review: Larry Graham & Graham Central Station "Raise Up"
• Larry Graham & Graham Central Station: Raise Up (Review)
• THE 162nd MIX FOR F.S.V.B

BARRY WHITE Part 8 (and Final)

It was 3 Years since Barry Whites last Studio Album release (Put Me In Your Mix) in 1991, This 1994 Release for Barry White was his 19th and Last Album for A&M Records "The Icon Is Love" and as it Turned out, it was His Biggest Selling Album of all Time!

The 11 Track Album was Produced by several Different People including, BW, Jam and Lewis,   Chuckii Booker and Gerald Levert.

It was the Biggest Selling Album that Barry White had ever had, it Attained Double Platinum Sales in US and his First Chart entry in UK for 16 Years, and it was Generally Cited as BW's Best Ever Album!

The Chart Postitons were as follows: US Pop number 20, US R&B number 1 and UK number 44.

The Album contained 5 Single Releases with "Practice What You Preach" Reaching Number 1 in US, but the other 4 Releases did not do to well!

Love Is The Icon, Come On, I Only Want To Be With You and There It Is.

In July of 1999, 5 Years after his Last Album,  B.W released his First Album for "Private Music" it was His 20th and Final Studio Album of All Time!

It was called "Staying Power" and it again attained Gold Status and with Chart Positions as Follows: 43 on US Pop Charts and Number 13 on US R&B Charts!

It was Produced by B.W and Jack Perry.

Only 1 Single was ever Released "Staying Power" which Reached Number 45 on US R&B Chart.

A couple things were a bit different for B.W on this Album, he had a Couple of Duets with "Chaka Khan" and "Lisa Stansfield" He had only ever  Duetted with Former Wife "Glodean White" before! and He Recorded a Couple of Cover Versions from other Artists, including  "Low Rider" by War and "Thank You" by Sly Stone.

The Following Year of 2000, B.W won a Couple of Grammy's for " Best R&B Vocal Performance" and "Best Traditional R&B Performance"

After His Last Album Barry White had been Unwell for a long while,(in fact while on tour in 1999, he had to cancel several Dates through Illness)  He had Chronically High Blood Pressure, brought on through his Size and Weight, this Resulted in Kidney Failure in the Autumn of 2002, about 8 Months later he suffered a Stroke!

From May in 2003, Barry White Retired from Public Life and Sadly on the 4th of July 2003, He Died (from Complete Renal Failure) at the "Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre" in Los Angeles!

Barry White was Cremated and On 20th September 2004, his Ashes were Scattered at Sea, off the California Coast by his Family and Friends.

Barry White (Born Barry Lee) was 58, when he Died, he had Fathered 8 Kids and Sold Over 100 Millions Record Sales!

Barry White had made a lot of  Great Music in his time and made a lot of People Very Happy Listening to it, (including 

Our Friend George)............
and he was a True Legend of Soul Music!

 PHOTO EDIT DONE BY MY GRAND-DAUGHTER -JESSICA

DOWNLOAD SOME BARRY WHITE!

THE ISLEY BROTHERS 3+3 part 2

As I said in previous post The Isley Brothers left Motown in late 1960's!

There first Post Motown Album was "Its Our Thing" in early 1969, it contained some Great Tracks including "Its Your Thing" "I know who you're been socking it to" and "Give the women what they want"

This Album was described at the time as "Somewhere Between, James Brown and Sly Stone!

The following Album also released in late 1969 and called "The Brothers: Isley" the Singles were " Was It Good To You" and "I Turned You On" but neither was very successful!

The Best Track on the Album Was " Blacker The Berrie"

This was the First Album that really included the 3+3, but younger Brothers, Marvin & Ernie and Cousin, Chris Jasper, were only in the background, so they didnt get alot of credit on the Album notes!

1970 saw the release of " Get Into Something" the First Album to include the 3+3 Brothers!

The opening and Title Track of the Album was over 7 minutes long , unusual for that time!

This was also the first Album which The Isleys tackled Social Issues with their Music.

1971 saw the release of " Giving It Back" it contained several Cover Versions of Songs including "Cold Bologna" a Bill Withers Song and the Best Track on Album "Love The One You're With" a Stephen Stills song!

Isley Brothers Music!