Flyte Tyme
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music, entertainment |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Founder | David Eiland, Cynthia Johnson, Jimmie L. Anderson, Garry "Jellybean" Johnson, Tony Johnson, Jimmy "Jam" Harris, Terry Lewis, Monte Moir |
| Defunct | 1981 |
| Headquarters | Minneapolis , United States |
| Products | Funk music |
Flyte Tyme was a funk ensemble originating from Minneapolis, notable for launching the professional journeys of vocalists Cynthia Johnson, Alexander O'Neal, and producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Several members later worked closely with Prince. The band's name is a creative variation of the phrase "flight time."
History
The group began as a Minneapolis-based funk and R&B collective, taking its name from "Flight Time," a track released in 1973 by Donald Byrd. Initially performing under the names Wars of Armageddon and Soul Vaccination, they eventually adopted the moniker Flyt Tyme before finalizing it as Flyte Tyme.
Founding members featured David Eiland on saxophone, lead vocalist and saxophonist Cynthia Johnson, saxophonist Jimmie L. Anderson, drummer Garry "Jellybean" Johnson, lead guitarist Tony Johnson, keyboardist Jimmy "Jam" Harris, bassist Terry Lewis, and Monte Moir.
Following Cynthia Johnson's departure, she was succeeded by Alexander O'Neal as lead singer. Johnson later achieved recognition as the distinctive voice on Lipps Inc.'s international hit "Funkytown," while O'Neal embarked on a solo path with production support from Jam & Lewis.
In 1981, Flyte Tyme transformed into the Time after Prince incorporated drummer Morris Day and guitarist Jesse Johnson into the lineup. Day assumed the role of frontman, replacing O'Neal.
Jam & Lewis exited the Time in 1983 to dedicate themselves to songwriting and producing independently. They revived the Flyte Tyme name for their production enterprise and subsequently for their second record label.
Discography
In 2013, two previously unreleased songs, "I Got You on My Mind" and "It's the Things That You Do," were released on the compilation Purple Snow: Forecasting the Minneapolis Sound.
External links
- Official website of Cynthia Johnson
- Photos of Flyte Tyme – Minnesota Historical Society
- Purple Snow - Forecasting the Minneapolis Sound
- "School of Funk" – City Pages
- Photo gallery of Flyte Tyme – cynthiajohnson.net