Simplicity is the key to life and reaching people if you're a singer/songwriter. An example is Timmy Thomas' "Why Can't We Live Together." King Sporty, author of the Bob Marley classic "Buffalo Soldier," brought Thomas, a minister's son, to Hialeah, FL-based TK Records. Owned by Henry Stone, the label had hits with Betty Wright, Clarence Reid, and Little Beaver, among others. Staff producer Steve Alaimo listened to a demo of Thomas that consisted of him singing while playing a Lowry organ and bossa nova percussion created on a cheesy rhythm machine. At first, Alaimo was going to re-cut the song with a full band, then it hit him: "it's already done." Recorded in August 1972 in Miami, Thomas' "Why Can't We Live Together" stayed at number one R&B for two weeks, reached number three pop, and by early 1973 it had sold over two million copies.