Con Funk Shun was formerly known as Project Soul. The American R&B band gained its fame in the mid-70s and 80s. It was active from 1969-1986 and 1993 till date.
The band was formed by high school classmates Louis A. McCall Sr. and Michael Cooper in Vallejo, California. The two later invited bassist Cedric Martin, keyboardist Danny sweet man Thomas, trumpeter Karl Fuller, and Paul Maceo Harrell.
The band was first as a backup band for Soul Children before they struggled to stand on their own.
The band has had numerous hit singles and has received quite a number of awards and recognition.
Meet all the members of the band
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Louis A. McCall Sr.
Louis A. McCall Sr. was not just a singer-songwriter but also a drummer and event planner. After he left Con Funk Shun in 1986, he started an artist management company in Washington with his wife.
He was also a successful event planner before he passed. He was murdered outside a friend’s home in Stone Mountain, Georgia during a home invasion robbery on June 25, 1997.
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Michael Cooper
Michael Cooper played rhythm guitar and lead vocals for the band. He moved to his solo carrier with Warner Bros. He had a successful career after he released his solo debut album love is such a funny game on warner bros records in 1987 and the others followed accordingly.
He is still the lead vocalist and guitarist for the band.
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Felton Pilate II
Felton Pilate II is a multi-instrumentalist and also record producer. He developed an interest in music from a tender age.
He also took trumpet and piano lessons while he taught himself how to play the guitar and the trombone.
Pilate II formed a band while he was in high school and they performed locally. Later on, when Michael Cooper formed his band, he asked him to join the band.
He began his career as a Project Soul member. He acted as the co-record producer and songwriter for the band.
Felton Pilate II left the band in 1984 and opened his recording studio.
Pilate II later collaborated and recorded with a rapper MC Hammer. Their joint project has now produced five-diamond which have been sold over 30 million albums from 1989 to 1992. He became the in-house record producer and songwriter for M.C. Hammer and his record label Bust It Records.
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Cedric Martin
Cedric Martin is the original bass player of Con Funk Shun. He also has worked in different fields. He worked as a licensed pilot, certified gliding instructor, and computer/IT specialist.
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Paul “Maceo” Harrell
Paul “Maceo” Harrell was a woodwinds player. There is no much information about him.
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Karl Fuller
The trumpeter of the band, Karl Fuller sometimes performs with the original members at old school concerts and festivals.
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Danny Thomas
Danny “Sweet Man” Thomas is the president of moonstruck records in the Bay Area, California, a subsidiary non-profit “Stop the Violence” organization.
He was born in Vallejo, California, and has a love for jazz since the days he started listening to Jimmy Smith, Miles Davis, George Duke, and many others.
Thomas stopped performing after the band disbanded in 1986. He spent 10 years working as a musical director with several artists and worked as a minister of music in several churches.
He also supported the Obama campaign in 2008.
Con Funk Shun’s Best Songs
The band recorded so many songs but the ones below are considered the band’s hit songs.
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Ffun
The song was written by Michael Cooper and it was produced by Skip Scarborough. It was in the album Secrets and it spent 2 weeks at No.1 on the R&B singles chart in January 1978. The song was also at No.23 on the billboard hot 100.
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Shake and Dance With Me
The song on U.S Billboard black singles chart in 1978 at No. 5. It was recorded in the band’s 1978 album Loveshine.
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Chase me
Chase me by Con Funk Shun was also well received. It was on the U.S. Billboard black singles chart in 1979 on No.4.
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Got to be enough
This song topped the Billboard chart in 1980 at No. 8 and No.20 on the U.S dance chart.
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Too tight
Con Funk Shun released too tight in 1981 under the mercury label. The song topped 8 on the U.S Billboard
- Baby, I’m Hooked (Right Into Your Love)
This song was released in the album Fever in 1984. The song topped No. 5 in the U.S Billboard and also No. 76 in U.S Pop chart.
Here are 7 fast facts about Con Funk Shun
1. The Con Funk Shun had a decade of success in its musical journey
In 1976, Con Funk Shun had a successful decade with their songs. It was both in national and overseas tours. They also had songs topping eleven charts and numerous hit singles.
2. How the band was named
In 1971, the band was named “Con-Funk-Shun” by their producer then, Ted Sturges. He named the band after one of their instruments.
The name was officially changed to Con Funk Shun in 1974.
3. The band was signed to Mercury Records
Con Funk Shun was signed to Mercury Records in 1976. The band recorded 13 albums with Mercury with five of them achieving gold album status with the record label.
4. Con Funk Shun celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2017
In March the band celebrated their 45th anniversary in Yoshi’s in Oakland, California with four sold-out shows.
5. The band members were honored by the national R&B Music Society
The seven band members received a lifetime achievement award by the National R&B Music Society at a black-tie dinner and award ceremony in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
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6. Louis A. McCall Sr.’s name was chosen to be used as a street name in his hometown
The late Louis A McCall Sr.’s name was chosen in April 2014 to be used for one of the street names in the proposed residential community, Alameda Landing by the Alameda City Planning Board. McCall was born in the same town.
7. The Con Funk Shun band members were always at loggerheads with each other.
Before the band disbanded, the band began to experience poor reception and support from their record company.
The co-founders McCall and Cooper did not always agree. McCall was always chosen as the group leader by his band members. The band officially disbanded in 1986 after their last album with Mercury before the later got back but not all the original lineup.
