The Hues Corporation
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
The Hues Corporation was a pop and soul trio formed at Santa Monica California in 1969. They are best known for their 1974 hit, "Rock the Boat". Before their success they were the opening act for some stars including Frank Sinatra, Milton Berle, Nancy Sinatra, and Glen Campbell. The original band had a line up of three singers and three sidemen. The sidemen were Joey Rivera from the Checkmates, Monti Lawston, and Bob "Bullet" Bailey formerly of the Leaves. Before the group had a hit single they performed as an opening act for Flash Cadillac, Ike Turner, and Delaney Bramlett of Delaney Bonnie and Friends fame. Bailey, Rivera, and Lawston left the band to form Goodstuff.
The group's name was a pun on the Hughes Corporation, with the 'hue' being the group's African-American heritage. The band's members were St. Clair Lee (born Bernard St. Clair Lee, 24 April 1944, San Francisco, California), Flemming Williams and Ann Kelley. The original choice for the group's name was The Children of Howard Hughes, which their record label turned down.
The group's first big break came in 1972 when they were invited to appear in the blaxploitation film, Blacula, starring William Marshall. They were also asked to record three songs for the film's soundtrack; "There He Is Again", "What The World Knows" and "I'm Gonna Catch You". Shortly after, RCA signed the group and their first single, "Freedom For The Stallion", from the album of the same name, became a moderate hit, reaching #63 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The follow-up single, "Rock the Boat," became a #1 hit on the Billboard chart and the group's signature song. "Rock the Boat" was written by W. Holmes, and released in the U.S. in February 1974 and in the UK in July that year. It went to #1 for one week in the U.S. and #5 for two weeks in the UK, staying for 20 weeks in the U.S. chart with a gold disc awarded by the R.I.A.A. on 24 June 1974. The track sold well over two million copies. The song is considered one of the earliest disco songs. Some authorities proclaim it to be the first disco song to hit #1, while others grant that distinction to "Love's Theme" by Love Unlimited Orchestra, a chart-topper from earlier in 1974.
After the success of "Rock the Boat" the Hues Corporation's other charted singles on the Billboard Hot 100 included "Rockin' Soul" (1974, #18), "Love Corporation" (1975, #62), and "I Caught Your Act" (1977, #92).
Despite their initial success, the group was unable to duplicate the success of their earlier hits and disbanded in 1978. But with renewed interest in disco music throughout the 1990s, the group reunited for tour dates and special events, including the PBS special Get Down Tonight: The Disco Explosion.
See also
- List of number-one hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart
