King Floyd

Biography

King Floyd (February 13, 1945 – March 6, 2006) was a New Orleans soul singer, best known for his top 10 hit from 1970, "Groove Me".

Early career

King Floyd III was born in New Orleans in 1945. His musical career started as a singer at the Sho-Bar on Bourbon Street. Following a stint in the army, Floyd went to California, where he joined up with record producer Harold Battiste. His debut album, A Man in Love×A Man in Love1967 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Times Have Changed2:57A2Together We Can Do Anything2:20A3Heartaches2:40A4You've Been Good to Me, Thank You2:16A5Take the Place of a Dying Man2:37B1This Is Our Last Night Together2:38B2You Got the Love I Need2:30B3Love Ain't What It Used to Be2:31B4I Can't Get Enough of Your Love2:36B5Groov-A-Lin2:30, featuring songs co-written with Dr. John, failed to make an impact on the charts. Floyd returned to New Orleans in 1969 and worked for the Post Office.

Recording success

In 1970, Wardell Quezergue, an arranger of R&B scores, persuaded Floyd to record "Groove Me" with Malaco Records in Jackson, Mississippi. Jean Knight recorded her hit, "Mr. Big Stuff," in the same sessions.
At first, "Groove Me" was a B-side to another Floyd song, "What Our Love Needs." New Orleans radio DJs started playing "Groove Me" and the song became a local hit. Atlantic Records picked up national distribution of "Groove Me," which topped the United States R&B chart and reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. This disc sold over one million copies, and received a gold disc awarded by the R.I.A.A. in December 1970. Floyd quit his job at the post office to perform a U.S. tour. His follow-up single, "Baby Let Me Kiss You" climbed up to number 29 on the Billboard top 40 charts in 1971.
Differences with Quezergue emerged and his 1973 follow-up album, Think About It×Think About ItApril 1973 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1My Girl6:33A2Here It Is3:19A3Do Your Feeling3:03A4It’s Not What You Say2:45A5Woman Don’t Go Astray2:25B1Think About It3:18B2Thank You3:22B3Hard to Handle2:29B4You’ve Got Me3:43B5Everybody Needs Somebody2:40, failed to make a commercial impact. However, Atlantic released a song from the album, "Woman Don't Go Astray," as a single. His 1975 album, Well Done×Well Done1975 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Movin' So Strong3:062So True3:553I Really Love You3:024Can't Give It Up2:535That's Why I Love You3:586I Feel Like Dynamite3:167Try Me2:448I'm Gonna Fall In Love With You3:009If I Lie To You3:3210I'm For Real4:0811I Don't Think I Could Face It3:4412Very Well4:16, was released through TK Records with Atlantic distributing. "I Feel Like Dynamite" from the album, written by Larry Hamilton, was released as its single. Reviewing the album in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981), Robert Christgau said, "Floyd's quiet, chocolatey voice—cf. Lee Dorsey, Aaron Neville—is prized by seekers after the New Orleans dispensation, but he's never grooved me without skipping like a cheap bootleg. So I'm pleased to report that side one of his fourth LP, climaxing with the neglected regional hit "I Feel Like Dynamite", provides songs as winsome as the straight-ahead Caribbeanisms (even some reggae) of the New Orleans R&B behind. Location of studio: Jackson, Mississippi."

Subsequent career

None of Floyd's subsequent songs achieved the same success, as disco dominated the charts for the remainder of the 1970s. However, Floyd had credits for "Boombastic," recorded in 1995 by Shaggy, which became a big hit. Floyd reunited with Malaco Records in 2000 for the Old Skool Funk album, but it failed to make an impact. However, his song "Don't Leave Me Lonely" was prominently sampled by the Wu-Tang Clan for the song "For Heaven's Sake" on the album Wu-Tang Forever.

Personal life

Floyd died on March 6, 2006, of complications of a stroke and diabetes. He was survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren.