Graham Central Station
Graham Central Station was an American funk band named after founder Larry Graham. The name is a pun on New York City's Grand Central Terminal, often colloquially called Grand Central Station.
Background
Origins
While still with Sly & the Family Stone, Larry Graham came into contact with Patryce Banks. They formed an ensemble called Hot Choc’let aka Hot Chocolate. According to the I Rock Jazz website, Graham intended to build a band around Banks and his role would be that of composer and producer. The band was playing a gig at a San Francisco club and towards the end of the performance, the audience encouraged Graham to do the last song with the band. Things clicked there. This led to Graham replacing the bass guitarist with himself, and the name of the band was changed from Hot Chocolate to Graham Central Station. Due to his involvement with the group, he left Sly & the Family Stone.The Graham Central Station line up was Graham, Willie Sparks, Patrice Banks, David Vega, Robert Sam, and Hershell Kennedy. According to The Virgin Encyclopedia of Seventies Music, Vega, Kennedy, Sparks and Banks were from Hot Chocolate.
Career
Highlights
In 1974, they released the single "Can You Handle It?". It peaked at number 9 on the R&B charts and number 49 on the Billboard Hot 100. Graham Central Station's biggest hit was "Your Love", which charted at number 1 on the R&B charts in 1975. The same year they issued a cover version of the Detroit Emeralds 1972 hit "Feel the Need in Me". It reached number 18 on the R&B charts and this would be the bands only hit in the UK peaking at number 53. The group also integrated gospel music into their repertoire, and played with the dichotomy between the funk/rock star image and the "sanctified" gospel group image. Some of their recordings feature the Tower of Power horn section.In 2011, Graham Central Station opened for Prince on Prince's "Welcome 2 America" tour.
Members
- Larry Graham – vocals, bass, guitar, clavinet, organ, piano, drums, percussion
- Lenny Williams – vocals
- Patryce Banks – vocals, electric funk box, tambourine
- Ashling Cole – vocals, electric funk box
- Tina Graham – vocals, electric funk box
- David Vega – vocals, guitar
- Gail Muldrow – vocals, guitar, electric funk box
- George Johnson – vocals, guitar
- Wilton Rabb – guitar
- Freddie Stone – guitar
- Gemi Taylor – guitar
- Hershall Kennedy – vocals, clavinet, trumpet
- Robert "Butch" Sam – vocals, piano, organ
- David Council – vocals, keyboards
- Jimi McKinney Jr. – vocals, keyboards
- Rose Stone – vocals, organ, electric funk box
- Cynthia Robinson – trumpet
- P. CaboOse – tenor saxophone
- Jerry Martini – saxophone
- Dennis Marcellino – saxophone
- Willie Sparks – vocals, drums
- Manuel Kellough – drums
- Noel T. Closson – drums
- Gaylord Birch – drums
- Brian Braziel – drums
- Milt Holland – percussion
Discography
Studio albums
Live albums
- Live in Japan '92' Star Maker – manufactured by PIA Corporation & Edoya Records Inc.
- Live in London – Funk24
- Can You Handle This? – Kezar Stadium – 1975, Big Fro Discs
Compilation albums
- The Best of Larry Graham and Graham Central Station, Vol. 1
- The Jam: The Larry Graham & Graham Central Station Anthology,
- ''Greatest Hits''
Singles