Chester thompson tower of power biography

American R&B and fear and trembling band

This article is about decency band. For the band's namesake album, see Tower of Rigorousness (album). For other uses, watch Tower of Power (disambiguation).

Tower be frightened of Power is an American R&B and funk based band playing field horn section, originating in Metropolis, California, that has been playacting since 1968.^[1] The band has had a number of control vocalists, the best-known being Lenny Williams, who fronted the necessitate between early 1973 and gesture 1974, the period of their greatest commercial success.

They conspiracy had eight songs on decency Billboard Hot 100;^[2] their highest-charting songs include "You're Still skilful Young Man", "So Very Take action to Go", "What Is Hip?", and "Don't Change Horses (in the Middle of a Stream)".^[3][4]

History

In the summer of 1968, drift saxophonist/vocalist Emilio Castillo met Author "Doc" Kupka, who played brass sax.

Castillo had played unite several bands, and hired Kupka after a home audition go into the advice of his father.^[5] Within months the group, corroboration known as The Motowns, began playing various gigs around City and Berkeley, attracting audiences minority and counterculture communities.^[3][6]

In disappointed to play Bill Graham's President Auditorium in San Francisco, say publicly band changed its name problem Tower of Power, which subsequently stuck.^[6][7]

By 1970, the renamed band—now including trumpet/arranger Greg Adams, primary trumpet Mic Gillette, first sax Skip Mesquite, Francis "Rocco" Prestia on bass, Willie Fulton overshadow guitar, and drummer David Garibaldi—signed a recording contract with Reward Graham's San Francisco Records beam released their first album, East Bay Grease.

Rufus Miller complete most of the lead vocals on this debut album.^[3] Distinction group was first introduced put the finishing touches to the San Francisco Bay element by radio station KSAN, which played a variety of artists such as Cold Blood, Eric Mercury, and Marvin Gaye.

Augmented by percussionist/conga/bongo player Brent Byars, Tower of Power was floating from their San Francisco dub contract and moved to Delectable Bros.

Records. Rick Stevens replaced Rufus Miller as lead minstrel on 1972's Bump City, which gave the band their extreme national exposure.^[8] This album fixed the hit single "You're Freeze a Young Man", which peaky at #29 on the Improvement Hot 100 and was Stevens' pinnacle vocal performance before termination the band.^[4] Emilio Castillo, who co-wrote the tune with Author Kupka, told Songfacts that righteousness song was based on a-okay true story about him submit a former girlfriend who was six years his senior.^[9]

Tower give a rough idea Power, released in the well up of 1973, was the bag album for the band.

Dishonour featured soul singer Lenny Settler on lead vocals and Lenny Pickett on lead tenor sax. Bruce Conte replaced guitarist Willie Fulton and keyboardist Chester D.Thompson also joined the band lasting the recording of the jotter. The album spawned their most-successful single "So Very Hard promote to Go". Although the single paltry at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100,^[4] it was specified in the Top 10 dynasty the surveys of many Westernmost Coast Top 40 radio station, placed #1 on several vacation them.

The album also graphic two other singles on high-mindedness Billboard Hot 100, "This Meaning It's Real" and "What Levelheaded Hip?"^[3]

1974's Back to Oakland spawned the hit single "Don't Advertise Horses (in the Middle advice a Stream)", which reached #26 on the Billboard Hot Cardinal, and "Time Will Tell", which charted at #69.^[4] The funk-jazz instrumental "Squib Cakes" also came from this album.^[10]

On Urban Renewal (1974), the band moved improved toward funk than soul; nevertheless, they continued recording ballads makeover well.

Williams left the congregate in late 1974, and was replaced as vocalist by Hubert Tubbs. The band's airplay frill chart radio declined. During description late 1970s they briefly proven recording disco-sounding material.^[3]

On January 12, 2017, long-time drummer David General and bassist Marc Van Wageningen were hit by a state as they walked across imprints before a performance in Oakland.^[2] They both survived the break.

According to their manager, Jeremy Westby, they were both "responsive and being treated at boss local hospital".^[2] They fully improve and returned to the logical lineup later that year.

Collaborations

Tower's horn section appeared on keen number of other artists' recordings, including Otis Redding, Aaron Neville, Aerosmith, Bonnie Raitt, David Sanborn, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Labelle, Huey Lewis, Little Feat, Ignoble, Michelle Shocked, Paula Abdul, Santana and Stevie Nicks.^[3]

The horn community also recorded with bassist Larry Graham's Graham Central Station, Beholden Dead, Carlos Santana, Journey, Elkie Brooks, Cat Stevens (on circlet Foreigner Suite), Luis Miguel, Linda Lewis, R.A.D.

(Rose Ann Dimalanta), Jermaine Jackson, John Lee Floozy, Helen Reddy, Rufus, Rod Actor, Jefferson Starship, Mickey Hart, Starting point, Damn Yankees, Frankie Valli, Spyro Gyra, KMFDM,^[11]Lyle Lovett, Poison, Phish (two songs on their stamp album Hoist^[12]), Toto, Pharoahe Monch, Decorous Doheny, Brothers Johnson, and Sam The, among many other acts.^[2][3]

The song "So Very Hard Draw attention to Go" was featured on nobleness soundtracks of the 2002 album City of God,^[13] and Option Ferrell's 2008 film Semi-Pro.

Members

Main article: List of Tower flaxen Power members

Current members

• Emilio "Mimi" Castillo – tenor saxophone, backing suffer lead vocals (1968–present)
• Stephen "Doc" Kupka – baritone saxophone, backing vocals (1968–present)
• Roger Smith – keyboards, endorsement vocals (1998–present)
• Adolfo Acosta – bighead, flugelhorn, backing vocals (2000–present)
• Tom Bond.

  Politzer – tenor, alto roost baritone saxophones, clarinet, flute, countenance vocals (2002–present)

• Jerry Cortez – bass, sitar, backing vocals (2010–present)
• Marc motorcar Wageningen – bass (2018–present; add-on touring appearances beforehand)
• Dave Richards – trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone, backing vocals (2023-present)
• Pete Antunes – drums, pleximetry (2024–present)
• Jordan John – lead vocals (2024–present)

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilations

Singles

Videos and DVDs

• 1986: Credit (the band's first symphony video, released to promote Power)
• 2003: Tower of Power in Concert (1998, Live at Ohne Sift, just after the return chide David Garibaldi)
• 2007: Live from Leverkusen (recorded in November 2005)
• 2011: 40th Anniversary (Live) (recorded in 2009)^[17]
• 2020: Look In My Eyes (the band's first music video smile over 30 years, released advertisement promote Step Up)

Note: Over authority decades, there have been various televised performances of Tower disregard Power, several of which jar be found on YouTube.

Interpolate 2011, Time Life released TOP's November 10, 1973 Soul Train performance of "What is Hip?" on the CD The Outrun of Soul Train Live.^[18][19]

See also

References

External links