b. Steven Ralph Arrington, 5th March 1956, Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A.
From Ohio, Steve Arrington originally played drums with The Young Mystics.
When the group broke up, Steve moved to San Francisco while remaining members of the group combined with members of another Ohio group, Black Satin Soul, to form the funk band Slave.
With the success of Slave, Steve returned to the group in 1978, initially as a backing singer but later as lead vocalist on hits 'Just A Touch Of Love','Watching You' and 'Wait For Me'.
Politics within the group led to Steve's departure in 1983, following which he formed a new group, Steve Arrington's Hall Of Fame.
hall of fame 1 - 1983 / positive power - 1984 / dancin' in the key of life - 1985 / the jammin' national anthem - 1986
Their Atlantic Records debut was 'Steve Arrington's Hall Of Fame' on Atlantic Records in 1983.
The album made a big impact on the dancefloors, both sides of the Atlantic, mainly due to the funk tune 'Way Out', which received a great deal of radio play on many soul stations along with the tracks 'You Meet My Approval' and 'Last Night / Night Before'.
'Positive Power' followed in 1984, again on Atlantic Records and featured the popular dancer 'Mellow As A Cello'.
In 1985, Steve scored his greatest solo success with 'Feels So Real', a UK Top 5 hit taken from his album 'Dancin' In The Key Of Life', whose title track was a U K Top 25 single in 1985.
Arrington experienced a religious conversion in 1986, and began using his shows as forums for these beliefs in 1986 and 1987.
In 1986, Steve released the album 'The Jammin' National Anthem' which featured Steve and several children of different nationalities on the cover, with the title tune being released as a twelve inch single.
The album featured artistic input from Paulinho Da Costa, Vesta Williams and Patti Brooks.
jam packed - 1987 / pure thang - 2009
Steve then relocated to EMI / Manhattan in 1987 for a final album release, from this period, entitled 'Jam Packed'.
The set was produced by Steve with the tune 'Trouble' proving popular on the U.K. dancefloors.
Following that spell with EMI / Manhattan Records, Steve subsequently left pop music, and is now a minister at his own 'Amazing Love Full Gospel Church' in Kettering, Ohio, a suburb of Dayton, U.S.A., where he plays drums.
In 2009, Steve returned with a new album entitled 'Pure Thang' for the God Factor imprint.
In 2020 he released the album 'Down to the Lowest Terms: The Soul Sessions'.
Albums:
Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame, Vol. 1 (Atlantic Records 1983)
Positive Power (Atlantic Records 1984)
Dancin' in the Key of Life (Atlantic Records 1985)
The Jammin' National Anthem (Atlantic Records 1986)
Jam Packed (Manhattan Records 1987)
Pure Thang (God Factor Records 2009)
Down to the Lowest Terms: The Soul Sessions (Stones Throw Records 2020)
