Wild Cherry was an American funk rock band, which was active between 1970 and 1979. The band is best known for their song "Play That Funky Music."
Content[]
History[Edit][]
Wild Cherry was founded by Rob Parissi in 1970. The name was submitted by a box of cough sweets that Parissi had gotten when he lay in the hospital . In the original line-up Wild Cherry in Ben Difabbio (drums and vocals), Louie Osso (guitar, vocals), Larry Brown (bass, vocals), Larry Mader (keyboards, vocals) and Rob Parissi (lead singer and guitarist).
During the early 1970s brought Wild Cherry single plates on its own account, including You Can Be High (But Lay Low), and Something Special On Your Mind. At this time was their music pure rock music rather than funk. Wild Cherry eventually knew to get a record deal at Brown Bag Records, owned by Terry Knight (known from Terry Knight And The Pack). Some demos and singles by Wild Cherry recorded at Brown Bag were released by United Artists .
The band disbanded when Parissi left the group to manager of a Steak House, but soon realized that music was his calling more. That's why he blew new life into the band with Bryan Bassett (guitar/vocals), Ron Beitle (drums), and Allen Wentz (bass guitar/synthesizer/vocals). In this new formation got Wild Cherry soon success in Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas. Also Parissi decided after some appearances in nightclubs in a new direction to save Wild Cherry with funk rock.
In 1976 broke through internationally with the Wild Cherry song "Play That Funky Music". Parissi wrote this song following a group discussion in which he had set to play in future funk rock. The song was picked up bySweet City Records, who immediately offered a contract Wild Cherry. "Play That Funky Music" took the first place in the Billboard R & B and poplijsten. Both the single and the album reached Platinum status. Billboard called Wild Cherry even out to best pop group of the year. The band also won an American Music Award for best rhythm-and-blues-single of the year, and was nominated for multiple Grammy Awards.
Wild Cherry knew the success of "Play That Funky Music", however, no longer to match. Their next two albums, Electrified Funk and I Love My Music, brought no top 20 hits, and their album Only the Wild Survive not even a top 100 hit. The single Baby Don't You Know did it in relative terms, is still the best, with the 43rd place in the Billboard top 100. The song "1 2 3 Kind Of Love" was not a great success, but did find following in the beach music clubs in North and South Carolina. The song is still popular.
In 1979 it was decided to remove the band. Rob Parissi later moved to Miami, learned there Bobby Caldwell, and founded with him a band for a tour of Japan and the United States. Allen Wentz moved to New York City and became a synthesist who went to focus on jingles and guest appearances. Guitarist Bryan Bassett began a successful career as a producer at the King Snake Studio in Sanford.
Play That Funky Music was in the years after Wild Cherry collapsed, still covered, including multiple times by the rock group ROXANNE in 1988 and by Vanilla Ice in 1990. The song still stands 73rd on Billboards list of 100 best songs ever.
Discography[Edit][]
Albums[Edit][]
| Album (s) with any charts in the
the Dutch Album Top 100 |
Date of
appear |
Date of
entry |
Highest
position |
Number Of
weeks |
Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Cherry | 1976 | 30-11-1976 | 17 | 13 | |
| Electrified funk | 1977 | - | |||
| I love my music | 1978 | - | |||
| Only the wild survive | 1979 | - | |||
| Play the funk | 2000 | - | Compilation album | ||
| Super hits | 2002 | - | Compilation album |
Singles[Edit][]
| Single (s) with any charts in the
the Dutch Top 40 |
Date of
appear |
Date of
entry |
Highest
position |
Number Of
weeks |
Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Get down/Livin' & lovin' | 1972 | - | |||
| Show me your badge/Bring back the fire | 1973 | - | |||
| Play that funky music | 1976 | 02-11-1976 | 4 | 12 | # 4 in the Single Top 100 / Alarm drive |
| I feel sanctified | 1976 | - | |||
| Baby don't you know | 1977 | - | |||
| Hold on (With strings) | 1977 | - | |||
| Hot to trot | 1977 | - | |||
| 123 Child of love | 1978 | - | |||
| This old heart of mine | 1978 | - | |||
| Don't wait too long/Try a piece of my love | 1979 | - |
Radio 2 Top 2000[Edit][]
| Number (s) with markings
in the Radio 2 Top 2000 |
' 99 | ' 00 | ' 01 | ' 02 | ' 03 | ' 04 | ' 05 | ' 06 | ' 07 | ' 08 | ' 09 | ' 10 | ' 11 | ' 12 | ' 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Play that funky music | 1259 | 1518 | 1433 | 1652 | 1575 | 1588 | 1802 | 1913 | 1814 | 1710 | - | 1916 | 1985 | 1944 | 1790 |
Band Members[Edit][]
- Rob Parissi-lead vocals, guitar(1970 – 1979)
- All Wentz – bass guitar (1975 – 1978)
- Bryan Bassett-guitar (1975 – 1978)
- Ronald Beitle-drums, percussion instrument (1975 – 1979)
- Mark Grace – keyboards (1975 – 1979)
- Coogie Stoddart-guitar, vocals (1973-1975) and (1977 – 78)
- Donnie Iris -guitar, vocals (1978-1979)