The Controllers (R&B band)
Encyclopedia
The Controllers are an American
soul
and R&B
vocal group, originally from Birmingham, Alabama
, who had a series of successful recordings
in the late 1970s and the 1980s.
group, the group became four in number by the time they entered junior high school, comprising Reginald McArthur (baritone lead), Ricky Lewis (tenor lead), Larry McArthur and Leonard Brown. Their growing reputation in the Birmingham area led to an introduction to Cleveland Eaton, bassist for the Ramsey Lewis Trio. Under Eaton's guidance, The Soul Controllers, as they were then called, recorded their first single
, called "Right On Brother, Right On". It became a regional hit while they were still attending Fairfield High School.
In 1976, the group came to the attention of Juana Records
, run by Frederick Knight
, also from Birmingham. Recording at the Malaco Studios in Jackson, Mississippi
, their first single on Juana charted, but it was their second release, "Somebody's Gotta Win, Somebody's Gotta Lose", that really established them. The song, a ballad lasting over eight minutes on the album, climbed to #8 on US
Billboard
R&B
chart
, and #3 on the Cash Box soul chart in 1977. The group's on-stage performances also helped them to open for Ray Charles
, Nancy Wilson, B.B. King and The Temptations
.
A follow-up ballad, "Heaven Is Only A Step Away" climbed to #37 R&B, but despite the release of two more album
s on Juana, the group failed to find another major single success.
In 1983, the group signed with the San Francisco based manager, the now late Jimmy Bee, and got a recording contract
with MCA Records
. Their first release on the label, "Crushed" (which featured Stevie Wonder
on harmonica
) returned them to the charts, reaching #30 R&B, in 1984 and two years later, "Stay" climbed to #12. Their cover version
of the Marvin Gaye
song, "Distant Lover" also proved popular. These hits led to a series of appearances on Soul Train
and performances at the Radio City Music Hall
and Carnegie Hall
. During this time, the group also performed on MTV
, BET
's Video Soul
and on HBO.
Under the guidance of Bee, the Controllers made a move to Capitol Records
in 1989 for the album Just In Time, which failed to produce any hits but rekindled their popularity among the group's loyal following.
After a break from touring and recording, the four returned in the late 1990s, and joined Malaco Records
for their self-produced album, Clear View, which contained a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition
", and a revised "Somebody's Gotta Win".
The two remaining active Controllers, Leonard Brown and Reginald McArthur, are co-hosts of a syndicated talk show in the Southeastern United States, Inside The Juke Joint, where artists, songwriters, arrangers and musicians talk about their careers and lives.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
and R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
vocal group, originally from Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, who had a series of successful recordings
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
in the late 1970s and the 1980s.
Career
Originally part of an eight-member gospelGospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
group, the group became four in number by the time they entered junior high school, comprising Reginald McArthur (baritone lead), Ricky Lewis (tenor lead), Larry McArthur and Leonard Brown. Their growing reputation in the Birmingham area led to an introduction to Cleveland Eaton, bassist for the Ramsey Lewis Trio. Under Eaton's guidance, The Soul Controllers, as they were then called, recorded their first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, called "Right On Brother, Right On". It became a regional hit while they were still attending Fairfield High School.
In 1976, the group came to the attention of Juana Records
Juana Records
Juana Records was a record label distributed by TK Records. Its only Top 40 hit single was the Billboard #1 ranked "Ring My Bell" by Anita Ward, Juana single 3422 in 1979....
, run by Frederick Knight
Frederick Knight
Frederick Winn Knight was an English Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1841 to 1885.Knight was the son of John Knight and Hon. Jane Elizabeth Winn, daughter of George Winn, 1st Baron Headley...
, also from Birmingham. Recording at the Malaco Studios in Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
, their first single on Juana charted, but it was their second release, "Somebody's Gotta Win, Somebody's Gotta Lose", that really established them. The song, a ballad lasting over eight minutes on the album, climbed to #8 on US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
, and #3 on the Cash Box soul chart in 1977. The group's on-stage performances also helped them to open for Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
, Nancy Wilson, B.B. King and The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
.
A follow-up ballad, "Heaven Is Only A Step Away" climbed to #37 R&B, but despite the release of two more album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s on Juana, the group failed to find another major single success.
In 1983, the group signed with the San Francisco based manager, the now late Jimmy Bee, and got a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
. Their first release on the label, "Crushed" (which featured Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
on harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
) returned them to the charts, reaching #30 R&B, in 1984 and two years later, "Stay" climbed to #12. Their cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of the Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
song, "Distant Lover" also proved popular. These hits led to a series of appearances on Soul Train
Soul Train
Soul Train is an American musical variety show that aired in syndication from October 1971 to March 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists have also appeared.As a nod to Soul Trains...
and performances at the Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
and Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
. During this time, the group also performed on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, BET
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
's Video Soul
Video Soul
Video Soul was a 2-hour long American music video program that aired on BET from 1981 to 1996.-History:Video Soul premiered in June 1981 and was originally a half hour show. It was devoted to helping showcase new R&B/soul recording artists and performers...
and on HBO.
Under the guidance of Bee, the Controllers made a move to Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
in 1989 for the album Just In Time, which failed to produce any hits but rekindled their popularity among the group's loyal following.
After a break from touring and recording, the four returned in the late 1990s, and joined Malaco Records
Malaco Records
Malaco Records is an independent record label based in Jackson, Mississippi. Malaco is and has been the home of various major soul, blues and gospel acts, such as Johnnie Taylor, Bobby Bland, ZZ Hill, Denise LaSalle, Benny Latimore, Dorothy Moore, Little Milton, Shirley Brown, Marvin Sease, and the...
for their self-produced album, Clear View, which contained a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition
Superstition (song)
"Superstition" is a popular song written, produced, arranged, and performed by Stevie Wonder for Motown Records in 1972, when Wonder was 22 years old. It was the lead single for Wonder's Talking Book album, and released in many countries. It reached number one in the USA, and number one on the soul...
", and a revised "Somebody's Gotta Win".
The two remaining active Controllers, Leonard Brown and Reginald McArthur, are co-hosts of a syndicated talk show in the Southeastern United States, Inside The Juke Joint, where artists, songwriters, arrangers and musicians talk about their careers and lives.