Sometimes known as The Bar-Kays, (the hyphen has occasionally dropped from their name at various times for contractual reasons). This long running black Southern Soul Funk band's 40+ year career started in Memphis Tennessee in the late 60's on the legendary Stax label. The group went from backing Otis Redding to eventually producing 27 albums (5 gold and 1 platinum), 37 singles (28 in the upper charts) and membership in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. The band tragically lost much of it's origi...
Sometimes known as The Bar-Kays, (the hyphen has occasionally dropped from their name at various times for contractual reasons).
This long running black Southern Soul Funk band's 40+ year career started in Memphis Tennessee in the late 60's on the legendary Stax label. The group went from backing Otis Redding to eventually producing 27 albums (5 gold and 1 platinum), 37 singles (28 in the upper charts) and membership in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. The band tragically lost much of it's original lineup after Redding's infamous 1967 plane crash took out the singer and the lives of Barkays' Jimmy King (guitar), Ronnie Caldwell (organ), Phalon Jones (saxophone), and Carl Cunningham (drums).
Bassist and sole remaining original member James Alexander missed the flight due to a rental car return hassle. Alexander reformed the band with crash survivor & trumpeter Ben Cauley and they took the group to new heights in the 1970's.
The new lineup included Harvey Henderson (sax), Michael Toles(guitar), Ronnie Gorden (organ), Willie Hall {drums),Larry Dodson (lead vocals), and later keyboardist Winston Stewart. They backed up Isaac Hayes on his "Hot Buttered Soul" and "Shaft" albums, appeared in the Wattstax concert film in 1972, and performed the lead track of a Shaft sequel.
Their most successful & funkiest phase was the 12 years between their signing with Mercury Records in 1976 and their temporary breakup in 1988. Lineup changes in the Mercury years saw the additions of Lloyd Smith, new drummer Michael Beard, and trombonist Frank Thompson.
Utilizing synthesizers, they churned out a new brand of danceable electro-funk, producing some of their biggest hits like 1979's "Move Your Boogie Body" and 1984's "Freakshow On The Dancefloor".
By 1987, only Larry Dodson, Harvey Henderson, and Winston Stewart remained, and the hits dried up, with Mercury dropping the band.
Lead singer Larry Dodson and bassist James Alexander rekindled the group in the 1990s. Their release of "The Real Thing" in 2003 showed promise for a Barkays resurgence, and they continue performing and trying new things into the 21st century.
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