SOS Band
The SOS Band was originally founded in Atlanta (Georgia, USA), in 1977. The group originally consisted of Mary Davis (vocals/keyboards), Jason "T.C." Bryant (keyboards), Billy R. Ellis (saxophone) and James Earl Jones III (drums). They performed regularly, as Sounds Of Santa Monica, at Lamar's Regal Room in Atlanta where they where they were discoverd by Milton Lamar, the club's owner, who later became their manager.
The group were signed to the independent Tabu Records and soon added new members: Willie "Sonny" Killebrew (saxophone/flute), John Simpson III (bass/keyboards) and Bruno Speight (guitar). When their manager (at that time) Bunny Ransom introduced them to the Tabu Records boss Clarence Avant, he was immediately interested, but the band's name had to be changed and so it changed into S.O.S., The Sounds Of Success.
Avant suggested that the band work with songwriter/producer Sigidi Adullah. Adullah produced and co-wrote "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" with Harold Clayton, which went platinum, parking at number one R&B for five weeks and peaking at number three pop on Billboard's charts in spring 1980. The debut LP, SOS, went gold, selling over 800,000 copies and holding the number two R&B spot for three weeks. While the band was on its world tour, trumpeter/vocalist/percussionist Abdul Ra'oof joined them.
Their second album, Too, went to number 30 R&B in summer 1981. On the band's third LP, SOS III, they worked with producer Leon Sylvers III and the Time's Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The breaking single, "High Hopes," hit number 25 R&B in the fall of 1982 while the album went to number 27 R&B in late 1982.
On their fourth LP, On the Rise, Jam and Lewis took over the production chores. Scoring with the slammin' number two hit "Just Be Good to Me" and the number five beatbox ballad "Tell Me If You Still Care," On the Rise became their second gold album hitting number seven R&B in summer 1983.
The formula continued working: Just the Way You Like It went to number six R&B in fall 1984 (included the number six R&B single "Just the Way You Like It") and Sands of Time went gold and hit number four R&B in spring 1986 (included the number two R&B hit "The Finest").
Many of these releases as well as the sound of early releases of Chicago-born house music helped to popularize the now-classic sound of Roland drum machine, the TR-808.
In 1987, vocalist Mary Davis left the group to pursue a solo career. The band recorded two more albums, Diamonds in the Raw (number 43 R&B in fall 1989) produced by Eban Kelly and Jimi Randolph and One of Many Nights produced by Curtis Williams.
Albums
S.O.S (1980)
Too (1981)
S.O.S Band III (1982)
On The Rise (1983)
Just The Way You Like It (1984)
Sands Of Time (1985)
Diamonds In the Raw (1989)
One Of Many Nights (1991)
Tracks currently playing/played on the station
Take your time (Do it right)
What's Wrong With Our Love Affair ?
High hopes
Just be good to me
Just the way you like it
No one's gonna love you
Tell me if you still care
Borrowed love
Finest (Extended 12 inch mix)
Nothing but the best
Even when you sleep
Sands of time
I'm still missing your love
No Lies
Two Time Lover
The Megamix
SOS Band Album info
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