Biography
Their self-effacing name to the contrary, Average White Band was anything but -- one of the few white groups to cross the color line and achieve success and credibility playing funk, with their tight, fiery sound also belying their Scottish heritage, evoking American R&B hotbeds like Detroit, Memphis, and Philadelphia instead. Singer/bassist Alan Gorrie, guitarists Hamish Stuart and Onnie McIntyre, tenor saxophonist Malcolm Duncan, keyboardist/saxophonist Roger Ball, and drummer Robbie McIntosh comprised the original Average White Band lineup. Veterans of numerous Scottish soul and jazz groups, they made their debut in 1973 as the opening act at Eric Clapton's Rainbow Theatre comeback gig, soon issuing their debut LP, Show Your Hand, to little notice. After adopting the abbreviated moniker AWB, a year later the band issued their self-titled sophomore effort, topping the American pop charts with the Arif Mardin-produced instrumental "Pick Up the Pieces." The record's mammoth success … » Read more
Other Entries
Group Members
- Alan Gorrie
- Roger Ball
- Onnie McIntyre
- Malcolm Duncan
- Alex Ligertwood
- Hamish Stuart
- Steve Ferrone
- Rocky Bryant
- Klyde Jones
- Fred Vigdor
- Brian Dunne
- Adam Deitch
- Robbie McIntosh
Similar Artists
- MFSB
- Dan Hartman
- Mogul Thrash
- Brian Auger
- Lenny Pickett
- Dream Police
- The Sound of Philadelphia
- B.T. Express
- Bohannon
- Brass Construction
- James Brown
- Earth, Wind & Fire
- Heatwave
- Ben E. King
- Kool & the Gang
- L.T.D.
- The Ohio Players
- Parliament
- Rufus
- Slave
See Also
Influenced By
- The Bar-Kays
- James Brown
- Earth, Wind & Fire
- Funkadelic
- Marvin Gaye
- Al Green
- The Isley Brothers
- Mandrill
- Curtis Mayfield
- Sly & the Family Stone
- The Temptations
- King Curtis
- The O'Jays
- Stevie Wonder
Followed
- Level 42
- Blue Number Nine
- Soulive
- The Brand New Heavies
- Galactic
- N'Dea Davenport
- Compton's Most Wanted
