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KOOL AND THE GANG
The New Jersey-based funk band Kool and the Gang was one of the most enduring and popular urban music groups of the past quarter century, selling millions of albums during their 20-plus year history.
First formed in Jersey City, N.J. in 1964 by bassist/keyboardist Robert "Kool" Bell, Kool and the Gang signed with De Lite Records in 1969 and recorded a string of highly successful horn-driven funk/dance albums throughout the 1970s, finally reaching No. 1 in 1979 with "Ladies Light." Under the leadership of vocalist J.T. Taylor, the band continued their commercial success in the 1980s, shifting from danceable funk-disco to smooth, soulful pop over a string of successful albums. Hits like "Celebration," "Cherish," and "Joanna" made Kool and the Gang one of the most popular lite rock acts of the '80s, but after the departure of J.T. Taylor in 1988 the group fell apart.
In 1995 Kool and the Gang reunited, with J.T. at the helm, and released a comeback album, State of Affairs. To date Kool and the Gang has earned 27 gold and platinum albums and scored 25 R&B Top 10 hits.
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