Post by Rob Durkee on Jan 29, 2013 21:37:33 GMT -5
By ROCKIN' ROBIN
DAYTON -- Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner, the lead singer and guitarist of the funk-pop band the Ohio Players, died Saturday (January 26, 2013) at a Dayton suburb of cancer. He was 69.
The Ohio Players have been best remembered not just for their hit records, but also for the never-ending rumor about a murder that allegedly happened during the taping of "Love Rollercoaster." That song reached #3 on the Cash Box pop chart but #1 on another pop chart 37 years ago this coming weekend. According to Wikipedia, a scream is heard at about the 1:32 mark of the single and 2:32 mark of the album version. You can hear it for yourself with the single version…
www.youtube.com/watch?v=etebeZDt7Eo
But who did the screaming? One of the biggest rumors was that it belonged to Ester Cordet. She was a model who appeared on the cover of one of true group's albums. As one story goes, she supposedly screamed because she'd been burned by some extra-hot honey, then got stabbed to death by the band's manager. This story couldn't have happened. That's because, as of this writing, Ester Cordet is still alive.
There's other purported stories surrounding this "murder" rumor. One was that a cleaning lady was killed by an intruder. Another was that the scream was recorded earlier, then inserted into the final tape. Another is that it was actually a rabbit that was killed. Anyway, a DJ started the rumor and the band became tight-lipped when asked about it.
Group member Jimmy "Desmond" Williams recalled, "Billy Beck does one of those inhaling-type screeches like Minnie Riperton did to reach her high note (on "Loving You") or Mariah Carey does to go octaves above. A DJ made this crack and it swept the country. People were asking us, 'Did you kill this girl in the studio?' We took a vow of silence because you sell more records that way."
"Love Rollercoaster" gained a new generation of listeners when the Red Hot Chilli Peppers released a version in 1996.
The Ohio Players weren't an overnight sensation. According to writer Fred Bronson, they formed in 1959 in Dayton as the Ohio Untouchables. They provided background vocals for the 1962 soul ballad, "I Found A Love" by the Falcons, whose lead singer was a then-teenaged Wilson Pickett. It took another 11 years for the Ohio Players to score their first big top 40 hit in 1973 with their million-selling novelty record, "Funky Worm." In that unique funny record, a group member sounds like an old lady who, at the end, asks, "Do we get paid for this?" You can hear it for yourself...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEscJWErZ0I
"Funky Worm" was the first of five #1 R&B hits for the Ohio Players. The others were "Fire," "Sweet Sticky Thing," "Love Rollercoaster" and "Who'd She Coo?" The song "Fire" was the only one of the group's 13 Cash Box pop chart hits to go to #1. It sounded like this...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsLQ_TJxJjE
Some men purchased the Ohio Players vinyl albums NOT for their music. Let's just say those LP covers would feature scantily clad or even nude women...and leave it at that.
Bonner remained active musically in recent years performing with a spinoff band called Sugarfoot's Ohio Players.
DAYTON -- Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner, the lead singer and guitarist of the funk-pop band the Ohio Players, died Saturday (January 26, 2013) at a Dayton suburb of cancer. He was 69.
The Ohio Players have been best remembered not just for their hit records, but also for the never-ending rumor about a murder that allegedly happened during the taping of "Love Rollercoaster." That song reached #3 on the Cash Box pop chart but #1 on another pop chart 37 years ago this coming weekend. According to Wikipedia, a scream is heard at about the 1:32 mark of the single and 2:32 mark of the album version. You can hear it for yourself with the single version…
www.youtube.com/watch?v=etebeZDt7Eo
But who did the screaming? One of the biggest rumors was that it belonged to Ester Cordet. She was a model who appeared on the cover of one of true group's albums. As one story goes, she supposedly screamed because she'd been burned by some extra-hot honey, then got stabbed to death by the band's manager. This story couldn't have happened. That's because, as of this writing, Ester Cordet is still alive.
There's other purported stories surrounding this "murder" rumor. One was that a cleaning lady was killed by an intruder. Another was that the scream was recorded earlier, then inserted into the final tape. Another is that it was actually a rabbit that was killed. Anyway, a DJ started the rumor and the band became tight-lipped when asked about it.
Group member Jimmy "Desmond" Williams recalled, "Billy Beck does one of those inhaling-type screeches like Minnie Riperton did to reach her high note (on "Loving You") or Mariah Carey does to go octaves above. A DJ made this crack and it swept the country. People were asking us, 'Did you kill this girl in the studio?' We took a vow of silence because you sell more records that way."
"Love Rollercoaster" gained a new generation of listeners when the Red Hot Chilli Peppers released a version in 1996.
The Ohio Players weren't an overnight sensation. According to writer Fred Bronson, they formed in 1959 in Dayton as the Ohio Untouchables. They provided background vocals for the 1962 soul ballad, "I Found A Love" by the Falcons, whose lead singer was a then-teenaged Wilson Pickett. It took another 11 years for the Ohio Players to score their first big top 40 hit in 1973 with their million-selling novelty record, "Funky Worm." In that unique funny record, a group member sounds like an old lady who, at the end, asks, "Do we get paid for this?" You can hear it for yourself...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEscJWErZ0I
"Funky Worm" was the first of five #1 R&B hits for the Ohio Players. The others were "Fire," "Sweet Sticky Thing," "Love Rollercoaster" and "Who'd She Coo?" The song "Fire" was the only one of the group's 13 Cash Box pop chart hits to go to #1. It sounded like this...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsLQ_TJxJjE
Some men purchased the Ohio Players vinyl albums NOT for their music. Let's just say those LP covers would feature scantily clad or even nude women...and leave it at that.
Bonner remained active musically in recent years performing with a spinoff band called Sugarfoot's Ohio Players.
