Con Funk Shun

Biography

Con Funk Shun (formerly known as Project Soul) is an American R&B and funk band from Vallejo, California, formed in 1969. They were influenced by funk progenitors James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone. Signed to Mercury Records in 1976, the band had numerous successful national and overseas tours, eleven albums, and a number of hit singles. The group formally disbanded in 1986.

History

The band began in 1969 as Project Soul, formed by Louis A. McCall Sr. (drums/percussion/vocals) and Michael Cooper (rhythm guitar/lead vocals), both of whom were high school students in Vallejo, California. By 1971, the band also included bassist Cedric Martin, keyboardist Danny "Sweet Man" Thomas, trumpeter Karl Fuller, and woodwinds player Paul "Maceo" Harrell. Soon thereafter, this fledgling group's classic lineup became complete when lead vocals/multi-instrumentalist Felton Pilate came on board. Project Soul released a lone single in 1972.
In the mid-1970s, the seven musicians formed a new band, calling themselves "Con-Funk-Shun", after a song by the instrumental ensemble the Nite-Liters. They relocated to Memphis, Tennessee in 1973 when they were hired to back up Stax Records artists the Soul Children. There, they came to the attention of Estelle Axton who signed them to her Fretone Records label, where they released 2 singles. Their début album, Organized Con Funk Shun×Organized Con Funk Shun1978 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1Time2:272Get Down With It5:453Do You Really Know What Love Is For3:084Sure Feels Good to Me2:365Love in Me1:156Seascape (instrumental)8:457Funky Things on Your Mind3:16, was recorded in 1973 but remained unreleased until 1978. (More Memphis Sessions from this era remained unreleased until 1980.) In 1975 the band’s name was altered from "Confunkshun" to "Con Funk Shun" by Louis’ wife Linda Lou McCall who also handled the marketing and public relations. They went to Japan for performance in 1975.
In 1976, Con Funk Shun signed to Mercury Records, and then went on to release eleven albums over a span of ten years. The band's 1977 album, Secrets×Secrets1977 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracksA1DooWhaChaWannaDoo3:24A2Who Has the Time4:42A3Indian Summer Love (interlude)0:40A4Tears in My Eyes4:01A5Ffun4:08B1Secrets4:15B2ConFunkShunizeYa4:24B3I'll Set You Out O.K.4:10B4Indian Summer Love (instrumental)4:52, was certified gold in the United States, as were the 1978 album Loveshine×Loveshine15 May 1978 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1So Easy4:302Magic Woman4:143Shake and Dance With Me3:494Make It Last5:025Love Shine4:456When the Feeling's Right5:357I Think I Found the Answer4:308Wanna Be There4:219Can't Go Away3:57, the 1979 album Candy×Candy25 April 1979 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Fire When Ready1:432Chase Me5:393Not Ready5:164Da Lady3:515Candy5:136(Let Me Put) Love on Your Mind6:087Main Slice4:118Images2:40, and the 1980 album Spirit of Love×Spirit of Love21 March 1980 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Got to Be Enough5:47A2By Your Side4:07A3Curtain Call3:57A4Early Morning Sunshine3:10A5Spirit of Love4:21B1Happy Face3:53B2All Up to You5:32B3Juicy2:55B4Honey Wild4:11B5Lovestruck 19803:58. They scored a string of top ten hit songs on the U.S. Billboard black singles chart, including "Ffun" (No. 1 in 1978), "Shake and Dance with Me" (No. 5 in 1978), "Chase Me" (No. 4 in 1979), "Got to Be Enough" (No. 8 in 1980), "Too Tight" (No. 8 in 1981), "Baby, I'm Hooked (Right into Your Love)" (No. 5 in 1983), and "Electric Lady×Electric Lady15 April 1985 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Turn the Music Up4:382Rock It All Night4:223I'm Leaving Baby5:434Tell Me What You're Gonna Do3:585Electric Lady3:516Don't Go (I Want You Back)4:487Circle of Love4:158Pretty Lady4:57" (No. 4 in 1985). "Ffun" (#23) and "Too Tight" (#40) were the group's only songs that crossed over onto the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100; 2 others did make the chart, while 4 of their songs hit the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.
Tensions from within the group built over the 1980s, and the band's final album, Burning Love, was recorded without multi instrument-vocalist and songwriter Felton Pilate. After disappointing album sales, Mercury invoked its "key member clause" and dropped the band from the label. Michael Cooper then moved on to a solo run with Warner Bros. Cooper had an R&B hit with "To Prove My Love" in 1987. The remaining original members tried to continue, but repeated efforts with new lead singers fell short, and they ceased performing and recording as Con Funk Shun in 1987.

Later years

Pilate became the in-house record producer and songwriter for M.C. Hammer and his record label Bust It Records. He worked on several albums for the company, including Hammer's Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em album, as well as the bulk of Special Generation's 1990 début album, Take It to the Floor. Lead singer Michael Cooper embarked on a successful career as a solo artist, releasing his solo début album Love Is Such a Funny Game on Warner Bros. Records in 1987, and releasing the 1989 album Just What I Like and the 1992 album Get Closer on Warner Bros.' sister label Reprise Records.
In 1997 Louis McCall was shot and killed in a home invasion robbery. Age 45. As recently as 2013, their eleven Mercury Records albums, along with their Greatest Hits and Best of Con Funk Shun albums, continue to be remastered and released digitally.
In 2015, the More Than Love album was released. Three of the original band members, Michael Cooper, Felton Pilate and Karl Fuller, currently tour as Con Funk Shun. In March 2017, they celebrated their 45th anniversary as a band with four sold-out shows at Yoshi's in Oakland, California.

Legacy

As the late Louis A. McCall Sr. was born in Alameda, California, his name was chosen in April 2014 by the Alameda City Planning Board to be used for one of the street names in the proposed residential community, Alameda Landing.
On September 21, 2014, the seven band members were honored by the National R&B Music Society with a Lifetime Achievement Award, at a black tie dinner and award ceremony in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
In 1996, the R&B group Dru Hill covered Con Funk Shun's "Love's Train" for their eponymous debut album. The song was also covered in February 2022 by R&B duo Silk Sonic. Bruno Mars also released a cover of "Love's Train" in 2022.

Band members

Michael Cooper
Louis A. McCall Sr. (deceased)
Felton Pilate
Cedric Martin
Dale Chung
Karl Fuller
Paul "Zebulon" Harrell
Danny "Sweet Man" Thomas
Eric "EQ" Young
Ron Moton
Melvin Carter
Aaron Green