From Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.
The original group comprised:
John Wilson (Sly)
Charles Still (Slick)
and
Mark Saxton (Wicked)
also
Maurice 'Sax Man' Reedus Jnr. (saxophone - b. 1953, Cleveland Ohio, U.S.A. d. 16th April 2018, Cleveland Ohio, U.S.A.)
Sly, Slick & Wicked have recorded and released over 30 songs.
Although the line-up has changed from time to time, John Wilson (Sly) can be heard on each of those sides.
Charles Still (Slick) has been on all bar one.
Sly, Slick and Wicked were formed in 1970 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Eddie 'The Spoiler' Perrell (who recorded for the Stax Records label) produced the group in Cleveland during 1970.
The resulting recordings were taken to New York, with one of the tunes, 'Stay My Love b/w 'Surely'', being picked up by the Paramount label (a division of the Paramount Motion Pictures Company).
Sly, Slick and Wicked were then signed to the label on 22nd March 1971.
Prior to the release of the single, Paramount undertook a huge marketing campaign on the group, stating that they were the 'Hottest, Newest Group' at the time.
As a result, the single went straight to the number one slot an various music charts across the States.
By 1972, Mark Saxton had left the group and was replaced by Terry Stubbs, who became the new 'Wicked' between 1972 - 1978.
Terry went on to co-write the O'Jays hit, 'Have You Had Your Love Today'.
By 1973, 'The Godfather Of Soul', James Brown, (who had previously heard the group) signed them to his People label (a division of Polydor Records) and Sly, Slick & Wicked became part of his 'Family Of Soul'.
click on the image for a larger version
The resulting single, 'Sho Nuff', was released on the label and was written by the band and produced by James Brown and Eddie Perrell.
'Sho Nuff' became a big success for the group, which led to an invitation, from Don Cornelius, to appear on the legendary music show 'Soul Train'.
used by kind permission of john wilson
1974 saw the group move to Shaker Records (owned by the soul legends, the O'Jays) and the resulting sides, 'Turn On Your Lovelight' and 'We Don't Have To Be Lovers', went on release across the globe.
The 1974 Shaker Records sides were highly successful and led to the group moving to the legendary Motown Records label.
1975 saw the group perform in front of 80,000 people at the Kansas City, Missouri, Royals Stadium at the Kool Jazz Festival.
Other acts on the bill included Count Basie, B.B.King, The Isley Brothers, The Ohio Players, New Birth, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes and Cannonball Adderly. Quite a line-up!
sly, slick and wicked - 1976
Sly, Slick and Wicked released their first album for the Motown Records label, in 1976, entitled 'Sly, Slick and Wicked'.
By 1979, the band had relocated to Epic Records.
Here they released the single, 'All I Want Is You'.
The famed music label, Polydor / Polygram records, have described Sly, Slick and Wicked as 'International Vocal Giants'.
Since 1971, Sly Slick and Wicked have performed with many international soul artists including James Brown, The O'Jays, The Dells, Heatwave, Confunkshun, Evelyn 'Champagne' King, The Dramatics, Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, The Intruders, Archie Bell & The Drells, Peabo Bryson anlong with many other accomplished international artists.
25 years since the release of their 1976 self titled album, Sly, Slick & Wicked are in the studio preparing a new 'follow up' album.
The band have been inducted into the Motown Alumni Association Hall Of Fame.
John Wilson of the group states that they are 'Celebrating 31 years of music as the 'Original Mac Daddys Of Soul' and will try to bring the audience another 31 additional years moving into the new millennium'.
In addition to his work with the group, John Wilson is a successful producer, working with various soul artists including Janet Jackson, LaToya Jackson, Walt Williams (of the O'Jays), Miki Howard as well as co-producing sides with Barry White.
There are also plans, in the pipeline, to work with Eloise Laws.
Maurice Reedus Jnr, who performed with the group in the Seventies, passed away in 2018.
I would really like to thank John Wilson, from the group, for his input on this page and the kind permission to utilise some of the images here.
John [Sly] Wilson, Charles [Slick] Still, and DaFrantz [Wicked] Forrest
Albums:
Sly, Slick & Wicked (Motown Records 1976)
