Fat Larry's Band

Group Members:

Art Capehart (trumpet, flute)
Jimmy Lee (trombone, saxophone)
Doug Jones (saxophone)
Erskine Williams (keyboards)
Ted Cohen (guitar)
Larry LaBes (bass)
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Fat Larry's Band was an R&B/funk band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who were most successful in the 1980s.

Formed by overweight drummer and vocalist "Fat" Larry James (born August 2, 1949 in Philadelphia) in 1977, band members included trumpeter/flutist Art Capehart, saxophonist Doug Jones, trombonist/alto saxophonist Jimmy Lee, guitarist Ted Cohen, percussionist Darryl Grant, bassist Larry La Bes, and keyboardist Erskine Williams. They had two moderate hits in the UK: "Center City" and "Boogie Town". The band's biggest hits were "Act Like You Know" (1982), which appeared on the soundtrack for Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and "Zoom", which managed to make number two in the UK singles chart in October 1982. James died on December 5, 1987, causing the groups demise.

The opening drum break from "Down On The Avenue", from the band's first album, Feel It (Stax 1977), has been sampled by many hip-hop artists, including NWA, Ice T, Jungle Brothers, and Run-DMC.

Discography:

    * Feel It (1977)
    * Off The Wall (1978)
    * Stand Up (1980)
    * Breakin' Out (1982)
    * Tune Me Up (1983)
    * Straight From The Heart (1983)
    * Nice (1986)
    * The Best Of Fat Larry's Band (1994)
    * Fat Larry's Band - Greatest Hits (1995)