Wild Cherry (band) - Wikipedia. Wild Cherry was an American funk rock band best known for their song . Parissi graduated from Mingo High School in 1. Rob formed the band Wild Cherry in 1. Steubenville, Ohio, one mile (1.
Mingo Junction along the Ohio River. The original lineup included: Ben Difabbio (drums and vocals), Louie Osso (guitar, lead and background vocals) from Steubenville, Ohio, Larry Brown (bass, lead and background vocals) from Weirton, West Virginia, Larry Mader (keyboards, lead and background vocals) from East Springfield, Ohio.
Over time, the band members changed, with Osso, Brown, and Mader leaving the band, replaced by Rob's cousin, Coogie Stoddart (guitar, lead and background vocals) and Joe Buchmelter (bass). Buchmelter was soon replaced by Bucky Lusk. Several records before . The music at this stage was pure rock music, not funk. Wild Cherry eventually gained a record contract with Brown Bag Records, owned and operated by the late Terry Knight of Terry Knight And The Pack fame, who later on without Terry became Grand Funk Railroad, who Terry also produced at the time for Capitol records. Several demos and singles on Knight's Brown Bag label distributed by United Artists were produced including .
Rob quickly realized that the steakhouse gig was not going to cut it. As his enthusiasm for the music eventually returned, Rob decided to give the business one last shot. The new lineup consisted of Bryan Bassett (guitar/vocals), Ron Beitle (drums) (both from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), and Allen Wentz (bass guitar/synthesizer/vocals), who hailed from Detroit, Michigan. As the quartet began to perform non- stop and build a huge, devoted following in the Pittsburgh area, they were repeatedly asked by listeners to play more dance music. Disco was beginning its rule on the radio and the dance floor.
Wild Cherry Funky Music
At the 1. 97. 1 Club in Pittsburgh, a table full of black fans kept coming to the stage and teasing: . The song took a total of 5 minutes to write. When the band went into the studio to record the song, studio engineer Ken Hamann was blown away by the potential hit and brought the band to the attention of Sweet City Records, distributed by Epic/CBS, which then immediately signed the group. Parissi had intended to record the song as the B- side to a cover version of the Commodores' . Both the single and Wild Cherry's self- titled debut album went platinum. Billboard charts for 3 weeks.
The band was named Best Pop Group of the Year by Billboard, and received an American Music Award for Top R& B Single of the Year, as well as a pair of Grammy nominations for Best New Vocal Group and Best R& B Performance by a Group or Duo that year, adding to their success. Parissi did not attend the AMA awards and radio personality Wolfman Jack accepted the award on the band's behalf. Keyboardist. Mark Avsec, who had played on the band's self- titled 1. Electrified Funk. Donnie was credited on their fourth and final album. Mark Avsec partnered up with Donnie following the demise of Wild Cherry to form Donnie Iris and The Cruisers, who had a successful career of their own. Early bandmember Coogie Stoddart returned to perform with Wild Cherry beginning with the tour to support Electrified Funk.
Coogie recorded the third album, I Love My Music, with the band. On that album is recorded one of Coogie's original songs, . One of his compositions, .
Avsec would later team up with fellow Cruiser Kevin Valentine to record under the moniker Cellarful of Noise in 1. In addition to continuing his musical pursuits, Avsec has since become a copyright lawyer. Allen Wentz moved to NYC after leaving the band and became a session synthesist, playing on many records and jingles. He has produced a number of indie projects over the years, scored a few indie films, and has had some song placements. He still composes and records under different aliases, as well as under his own name.
Over the years he has worked with artists ranging from Luther Vandross and Roberta Flack, to Cyndi Lauper. Guitarist Bryan Bassett went on to a successful producing/engineering career at King Snake Studio in Sanford, FL working with many great blues artists. His guitar playing easily earned him a spot with Foghat and Molly Hatchet in the '9. He continues to tour with Foghat and work in his studio as a freelance engineer/producer.
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Bryan Bassett has also served as a Board Governor and Board Advisor for the Florida Chapter of NARAS. Rob Parissi moved to Miami in 1. Wild Cherry disbanded, met Bobby Caldwell there, and they worked together forming a band for Caldwell to tour Japan and the United States.
In 1. 98. 0, Parissi moved to New York City, met members of Billy Squier's band, and did recording sessions with them and at the same time, also met Ellie Greenwich and together with Jeff Kent, they wrote songs, one of which was recorded by Ellen Foley (. He also was a co- producer along with Gary U. S. Bonds and Bruce Springsteen on Gary's Dedication album in 1.
Play That Funky Music This song is by Wild Cherry and appears Watch videos & listen free to Wild Cherry: Play That Funky Music, Play That Funky Music - Single Version & more. Rob Parissi (lead vocals & guitar) was raised in the tough, diverse steel mill town of Mingo Junction. Lyrics of PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC by Wild Cherry: (They shouted play that funky music) Play that funky music, (Play that funky music) Got to keep on play that. Listen to 'Play That Funky Music' by Wild Cherry. Discover song lyrics from your favorite artists and albums on Shazam! Find a Wild Cherry - Play That Funky Music first pressing or reissue. Complete your Wild Cherry collection.
In early 1. 98. 2, Rob moved back to his home town of Mingo Junction, Ohio to be close to his family and in the late 1. Z- 1. 07, which changed formats while there, and switched to Eagle 1. During the 1. 98. Rob played at several venues in the Steubenville/Pittsburgh area. He now resides between homes in Tampa and St. Petersburg, Florida, and is currently writing and recording in the Smooth Jazz genre, as well as vocal projects. His last CD is The Real Deal, which is an all vocal set.
On August 1. 1, 2. Mingo Junction, Ohio, renamed the longest street there as Rob Parissi Boulevard, and declared August 1. Rob Parissi day. He and his wife Ilona established a scholarship endowment for his former consolidated high school, now named Indian Creek high school, and he returns every year around August 1. Drummer Ron Beitle went on to join and perform with several other rock bands following the dissolution of Wild Cherry.
He continues to be active in the music industry and in 2. In particular the whole of the first album was available published as one book. Bassett was with the funk- rock group Wild Cherry. Retrieved 2. 4 April 2. Nielsen Business Media.
Retrieved 2. 0 November 2. Retrieved February 1, 2.
Discography Wild Cherry. Retrieved February 1, 2. Discografie Wild Cherry (in Dutch).
Retrieved February 1, 2. Suche nach Wild Cherry (in German). Retrieved February 1, 2. Discography Wild Cherry. Retrieved February 1, 2.