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Con Funk Shun

From Alfawiki
Con Funk Shun
Company typeMusical ensemble
IndustryMusic
Founded1969 in Vallejo, California, United States
FounderLouis A. McCall Sr., Michael Cooper
Headquarters
Vallejo
,
United States
Area served
United States, internationally
ProductsMusic albums, singles, live performances
Websitewww.confunkshun.com

Con Funk Shun—initially known as Project Soul—is a funk and R&B ensemble originating from Vallejo, California, established in 1969. Drawing inspiration from artists like James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone, the group secured a contract with Mercury Records in 1976. Over the following decade, they released eleven studio albums and embarked on numerous tours across the United States and internationally before disbanding in 1986.

History

The band was founded in 1969 by Louis A. McCall Sr., who played drums, and Michael Cooper, handling rhythm guitar and lead vocals, during their high school years. The lineup expanded to include Cedric Martin on bass, Danny "Sweet Man" Thomas on keyboards, trumpeter Karl Fuller, woodwind musician Paul "Maceo" Harrell, and multi-instrumentalist Felton Pilate. Their original name was Project Soul, under which they issued a single in 1972.

By the mid-1970s, the septet adopted the name "Con-Funk-Shun," inspired by a track by the Nite-Liters. They moved to Memphis in 1973 to support the Soul Children of Stax Records, which led to Estelle Axton discovering them and signing them to her Fretone label, resulting in two single releases. Although their debut album, Organized Con Funk Shun, was recorded in 1973, it was not released until 1978. In 1975, Louis McCall's wife, Linda Lou McCall—who also managed their marketing and public relations—simplified the band's name to "Con Funk Shun." That same year, they performed live in Japan.

Upon joining Mercury Records in 1976, Con Funk Shun produced eleven albums over ten years. Several of these records—such as Secrets (1977), Loveshine (1978), Candy (1979), and Spirit of Love (1980)—earned gold status in the United States. The group achieved multiple top ten placements on Billboard’s R&B chart, including their number one hit "Ffun" in 1978. Other notable singles included "Shake and Dance with Me," "Chase Me," "Got to Be Enough," "Too Tight," "Baby, I'm Hooked (Right into Your Love)," and "Electric Lady." Only "Ffun" (peaking at #23) and "Too Tight" (#40) managed to enter the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

During the 1980s, growing internal conflicts affected the band’s dynamic; their last album, Burning Love, was produced without Felton Pilate’s involvement. Following disappointing sales figures, Mercury Records terminated their contract citing a "key member clause." Subsequently, Michael Cooper embarked on a solo path with Warner Bros., achieving an R&B hit with "To Prove My Love" in 1987. Attempts by remaining members to sustain Con Funk Shun with new frontmen were unsuccessful, culminating in the group's cessation of recording and performing activities under that name that year.

Later years

Felton Pilate transitioned into a role as an in-house producer and songwriter for M.C. Hammer’s label Bust It Records, contributing significantly to Hammer’s Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em album as well as Special Generation’s debut release Take It to the Floor in 1990. Meanwhile, lead vocalist Michael Cooper released solo albums through Warner Bros. Records and Reprise Records between 1987 and 1992.

In 1997, Louis McCall tragically lost his life during a home invasion robbery at age 45. As recently as 2013, all eleven of their Mercury Records albums alongside compilations such as Greatest Hits and Best of Con Funk Shun have been digitally remastered and re-released.

The 2015 album More Than Love featured three founding members—Michael Cooper, Felton Pilate, and Karl Fuller—who remain active touring under the Con Funk Shun name. In March 2017, they celebrated their 45th anniversary with four consecutive sold-out performances at Yoshi's located in Oakland, California.

Legacy

Louis A. McCall Sr., a native of Alameda, California, was commemorated in April 2014 when the Alameda City Planning Board designated a street in the Alameda Landing residential area in his name.

On September 21, 2014, the entire band was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the National R&B Music Society during a formal black-tie ceremony held in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The band's impact remains strong: in 1996, the R&B ensemble Dru Hill recorded a rendition of "Love's Train" for their debut album. Additionally, the track was covered by the R&B duo Silk Sonic alongside Bruno Mars in 2022.

Band members

Albums

Year Title Highest chart rankings Certifications Label
US Pop US R&B
1973 (recorded) Organized Con Funk Shun — — Pickwick
The Memphis Sessions — — Fretone
1976 Con Funk Shun — — Mercury
1977 Secrets 51 6
1978 Loveshine 32 10
1979 Candy 46 7
1980 Spirit of Love 30 7
Touch 51 7
1981 7 82 17
1982 To the Max 115 9
1983 Fever 105 12
1985 Electric Lady 62 9
1986 Burnin' Love 121 25
2015 "More Than Love" align=center | — align=center | 20 align=center | Shanachie Records

Singles

Year Title Highest chart rankings Label
"—" "—" "—" "—" "—"

Fretone |- |1976 | "Sho Feels Good to Me"

"—" "66" "—" "—" "—"

Mercury |- |rowspan=2 |1977 | "Confunkshunizeya"

"—" "31" "—" "—" "—"
"23" "1" "—" "—" "—"
"60" "5" "—" "—" "—"
"—" "28" "—" "—" "—"
"—" "24" "—" "—" "—"
"—" "4" "—" "—" "—"
"—" "60" "—" "—" "—"
"—" "27" "—" "—" "—"
"—" "8" "—" "20" "—"
"—" "87" "—" "—" "—"
      'Burnin’ Love’ '–’ '8’ '–’ '–’ '68’ |   'Throw It Up, Throw It Up’ '–’ '84’ '–’ '–’ '–’ |   'Your Night’ '–’ '–’ '21’ '–’ '–’ |   'I Miss You’ '–’ '–’ '26’ '–’ '–’ |
Year Title US Pop US R&B US AR&B US Dance UK - |rowspan=3 |1981 | "Bad Lady" | — |19 | — | — | — |
colspan=8 style=border:none; font-style:italic;"— 
indicates releases that did not chart or were unavailable in that region.


External links

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