People's Choice (band)
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1971 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Founder | Frank Brunson, David Thompson |
| Defunct | 1985 |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia , United States |
| Products | Funk music, soul music, disco music |
People's Choice was a funk ensemble originating from Philadelphia in 1971, founded by Frank Brunson and David Thompson. While the group included multiple vocalists, their most notable successes were predominantly instrumental compositions.
Career
Their initial release, "I Likes To Do It," came out on Phil-L.A. of Soul Records and climbed to #9 on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart and reached #38 on the Billboard Hot 100. Soon after, Leon Huff witnessed a performance by People's Choice and showed interest in signing them to Philadelphia International Records. The band joined Huff's label in 1974, which led to their breakthrough hit "Do It Any Way You Wanna," now regarded as a classic in Philly dance music. This single achieved sales exceeding one million copies within just three months and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in November 1975. Additionally, the track appeared in the 1976 film Death Journey, starring Fred Williamson.
Frank Brunson died on November 24, 2007, following a long illness.
David Thompson passed away on June 3, 2025.
Former members
- Frank Brunson – keyboards, vocals (deceased November 24, 2007, aged 78)
- David Thomson – drums (April 6, 1945 – June 3, 2025)
- Guy Fiske – guitar
- Roger Andrews – bass
- Marc Reed – vocals
- Clifton Gamble – piano, synthesizer
- Johnnie Hightower – guitar
- Bill Rodgers – piano, synthesizer
- Darnell Jordan – guitar
- Stanley Thomas – bass, vocals
- Valerie Brown – vocals
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Highest chart rankings | Label | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 |
US R&B |
SWE | ||||||||||||
| 1975 | Boogie Down U.S.A. | 56 | 7 | 45 | TSOP | |||||||||
| 1976 | We Got the Rhythm | 174 | 38 | — | TSOP | |||||||||
| 1978 | Turn Me Loose | — | — | — | Philadelphia International | |||||||||
| 1980 | People's Choice | — | — | — | Casablanca | |||||||||
| 1982 | Still in Love with You | — | — | — | TPC | |||||||||
| 1984 | Strikin' | — | — | — | Mercury | |||||||||
| "—" indicates albums that did not chart or were not released in that country. | ||||||||||||||
Compilation albums
- Golden Classics (1996, Collectables Records)
- I Likes to Do It (2000, Jamie Records)
- Any Way You Wanna - People's Choice Anthology 1971-1981 (2017, BBR)
Singles
External links
- Profile on AllMusic
- Artist page on Discogs
- soulfulkindamusic.net – Frankie Brunson / The Fashions
- Biography of Frankie Brunson at Answers.com
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 |
US R&B |
US Dance |
BEL Top 30 | CAN RPM | NLD MegaCharts | UK Singles Chart | ||
| 1971 | "I Likes to Do It" | 38 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1972 | "The Wootie-T-Woo" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1972 | "Magic" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1973 | "Let Me Do My Thing" | — | 45 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1974 | "Love Shop" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1974 | "Party Is a Groovy Thing" | — | 45 | — | — | — | 14 | — |
| 1975 | "Do It Any Way You Wanna" | 11 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 34 | 2 | 36 |
| 1975 | "Nursery Rhymes (Part I)" | 93 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1976 | "Here We Go Again" | — | 52 | 13 | — | — | — | — |
| 1976 | "Movin' in All Directions" | — | 52 | — | — | — | — | |
- Musical groups based in Philadelphia
- Disco groups from the United States
- Funk bands from America
- Soul music groups from the United States
- Musical ensembles formed in 1971
- Musical ensembles disbanded in 1985
- Artists signed to Philadelphia International Records
- 1971 establishments in Pennsylvania
- 1985 disestablishments in Pennsylvania
- Musical groups disestablished in 1985