Formed in 1975 in Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A.
Group Members:
Stephen C. Washington (a.k.a. The Fearless Leader) (trumpet, percussion, background vocals)
Mark L. Adams (a.k.a. The Hansolor - b. Mark Leslie Adams Snr., 1960, Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A. d. 5th March 2011, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A.) (bass, vocals, percussion and production)
Carter Bradley (keyboards)
Tim Dozier (a.k.a. Tiny) (drums)
Mark Hicks (a.k.a. Drac) (lead guitar and vocals) (b. Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A. d. 14th June 2011, Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A.)
Tom Lockett Jnr. (tenor and alto sax and keyboards)
Floyd Miller (a.k.a. The Brother Slide) (lead vocals, horns, percussion and production)
Danny Webster (lead vocals, lead / rhythm guitar and production. b. 1959, Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A. d. 11th September 2020, U.S.A.)
Orion Wilhoite (a.k.a. Bimmy) (alto and tenor sax) (b. Orion Wilhloite, 30th January 1957, Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A. d. 7th March 2020, U.S.A., Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A.)
and
Raye Turner (keyboards)
later:
Steve Arrington (b. Steven Ralph Arrington, 5th March 1956, Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A.) (drums and vocals)
Charles Cedell Carter (sax and production)
William P Carter (keyboards)
Keith Nash (vocals and drums)
Wayne Foote (vocals)
Eugene Jackson (vocals)
Curt Jones (vocals)
Kenny Anderson (trumpet)
Kenni Hairston (keyboards and synths)
Larry Houston
Albrey Rivers (sax)
Marvin Wheatly (keyboards and vocals)
Ronnie Cochran (drums and vocals)
Roger Parker (a.k.a. The Dodger)
Sam Carter (a.k.a. The Rapster)
Delburt C. Taylor Jnr. (a.k.a. The Big D)
Kevin Johnson (a.k.a. Monk Eye)
and
Starleana Young (vocals)
Slave were a funk band formed in Dayton, in Ohio during 1975.
They were constructed by the group's original lead member, Steve Washington, from two local bands, The Young Mystics and Black Satin Soul.
He recruited Floyd Miller, Tom Lockett, Jr., Charles Bradley, Mark Adams, Mark Hicks, Danny Webster, Orion Wilhoite, and Tim Dozier for the original line-up.
slave - 1977 / hardness of the world - 1977
Signing to the Atlantic Records subsidiary, Cotillion Records, the group achieved immediate success in 1977 with their self titled debut album, featuring the dancers 'Slide' and 'You and Me'.
The album was recorded in Century Sound Studio's in Sayreville, New Jersey.
'Hardness Of The World' followed later the same year, featuring the singles 'The Party Song' and 'Baby Sinister'.
In 1978, Steve Arrington (who originally played drums with The Young Mystics), Curt Jones and Starleana Young joined the group, with Steve Arrington later to become the lead vocalist.
the concept - 1978 / just a touch of love - 1979
Their first contributions were featured on 1978's album 'The Concept' (which featured the track 'Stellar Funk').
The follow up set, 1979's 'Just A Touch Of Love', saw the title track reaching the pop charts in the United Kingdom.
The album also featured 'Are You Ready For Love?', 'Shine' and 'Roots'.
Following that album release, Starleana Young, Steve Washington and Tom Lockett left Slave to form the vocal group Aurra, (which were later to become the group Deja).
stone jam - 1980 / showtime - 1981
'Stone Jam' was released in 1980, and saw a line-up reshuffle.
The set featured the popular dancer 'Watching You'.
'Show Time' followed in 1981, and included 'Wait For Me', 'Steal Your Heart' and 'Party Lites'.
Steve Arrington left in 1982 to setup The Hall of Fame Project.
visions of the lite - 1982 / bad enuff - 1983
That year, Slave released 'Visions Of The Lite', which featured 'I'll Be Gone'.
Slave released 'Bad Enuff' in 1983 (featuring 'Steppin' Out'), and 'New Plateau' in 1984 (featuring 'Ooohh' and 'Motorway').
new plateau - 1984 / unchained at last - 1985
make believe - 1986 / slave 88 - 1988
That year Slave departed Cotillion and relocated to the Ichiban label, which saw the release of 'Unchained At Last' (including 'Jazzy Lady') in 1985, 'Make Believe' in 1986, and 'Slave '88' that year.
In 1990, the group released 'Rebirth', which featured an unusual instrumental track, 'Andy's Ways'.
rebirth - 1991 / the funk strikes back - 1992
Slave released 'The Funk Strikes Back' in 1992, and 'Masters Of The Fungk' (a set comprising of new songs and re-worked versions of previous tracks) two years later.
masters of the fungk - 1996
Steve Arrington still continues to release solo albums (including 2009's set 'Pure Thang').
Mark Leslie Adams sadly passed away on the 5th of March 2011, followed by Mark 'Drac' Hicks on the 14th of June 2011.
danny webster
The guitarist from the group, Danny Webster, passed away in September 2020.
orion wilhoite
Orion ‘Bimmy’ Wilhoite, of the group Slave, passed away in March 2020, at the age of sixty three.
Albums:
Slave (Cotillion Records 1977)
The Hardness of the World (Cotillion Records 1977)
The Concept (Cotillion Records 1978)
Just a Touch of Love (Cotillion Records 1979)
Stone Jam (Rhino Records 1980)
Show Time (Atlantic Records 1981)
Visions of the Lite (Cotillion Records 1982)
Bad Enuff (Cotillion Records 1983)
New Plateau (Cotillion Records 1984)
Unchained At Last (Ichiban Records 1985)
Make Believe (Ichiban Records 1986)
Slave 88 (Ichiban Records 1988)
Rebirth (Ichiban Records 1991)
The Funk Strikes Back (Ichiban Records 1992)
Stellar Funk: the Best of Slave (Atlantic Records 1994)
Masters of the Fungk (Ichiban Records 1996)
Hardness of the World/The Concept (Collectables Records 2005)
The Definitive Groove Collection (Rhino Records 2007)
Original Album Series: Just a Touch of Love/Show Time/Slave/the Concept/the Hardness of the World (Rhino Records 2010)
