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Kool and the Gang music biography continued...

Bayyan (AKA Ronald Bell) and his brother, Robert "Kool" Bell, joined Jersey City neighborhood friends Robert "Spike" Mickens, Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, Ricky Westfield, George Brown, and Charles Smith to create a unique musical blend of jazz, soul and funk. At first calling themselves the Jazziacs, they went through various names - The New Dimensions, The Soul Town Band, Kool & The Flames - before settling on their moniker. Over the Next few years they worked their way up through the East Coast music scene, eventually opening for acts like Richie Havens and Richard Pryor. Their self-titled 1969 debut album introduced their signature instrumental sound and fierce horn arrangements, and spawned their first Billboard R&B charted single, Kool and the Gang. In 1970, their bold sophomore set Live At The Sex Machine peaked at #6 on Billboard's R&B chart and spawned three hit singles: Funky Man, Who's Gonna Take The Weight and I Want To Take You Higher. Next came The Best Of Kool & The Gang Featuring The Penguin, Kool & The Gang Live at PJ's, Music Is The Message, and Good Times, all of which helped solidify a sound that wowed not only fans but fellow musicians.



Kool & The Gang's stature grew with each new release, even as they experimented with their sound to reflect the changing times. By 2004, owing to songs like Celebration, Cherish, Jungle Boogie, Too Hot and Joanna, they'd earned two Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, 25 Top Ten R&B hits, nine Top Ten Pop hits, and 31 gold and platinum albums. Kool & The Gang has performed continuously for the past 35 years, longer than any R&B group in history. Today, their distinctive brand of funk and tough, jazzy arrangements have also made them the most sampled band of all time. In 2006, Kool & The Gang received the NARM (National Association of Recording Merchandisers) Chairman Award for lifetime achievement in record sales. They released another studio album the following year, continuing to entertain and inspire at every musical turn.