King Floyd
| King Floyd | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | King Floyd III |
| Born |
February 13, 1945 New Orleans, Louisiana, United States |
| Died | March 6, 2006 (aged 61) |
| Genres | Soul |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 1970-2000 |
| Labels | Malaco, Atlantic, Chess, TK |
King Floyd (February 13, 1945 – March 6, 2006)[1][2] was a New Orleans soul singer and songwriter, best known for his Top 10 hit from 1970, "Groove Me".
Early career
King Floyd III was born in New Orleans in 1945.[1][3] His musical career started as a singer at the Sho-Bar on Bourbon Street. Following a stint in the army, Floyd went to California, where he joined up with record producer Harold Battiste. His debut album, A Man In Love, featuring songs co-written with Dr. John, failed to make an impact on the charts. Floyd returned to New Orleans in 1969 and worked for the Post Office.
Recording success
In 1970, Wardell Quezergue, an arranger of R&B scores, persuaded Floyd to record "Groove Me" with Malaco Records in Jackson, Mississippi. Jean Knight recorded her hit, "Mr. Big Stuff," in the same sessions.
At first, "Groove Me" was a B-side to another Floyd song, "What Our Love Needs." New Orleans radio DJs started playing "Groove Me" and the song became a local hit. Atlantic Records picked up national distribution of "Groove Me," which topped the United States R&B chart and reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100[4] and went to #41 in Britain. This disc sold over one million copies, and received a gold disc awarded by the R.I.A.A. in December 1970.[3] Floyd quit his job at the post office to perform a U.S. tour. His follow-up single, "Baby Let Me Kiss You" climbed up to number 29 on the Billboard Top 40 charts in 1971.
However, differences with Quezergue soon emerged and his 1973 follow-up album, Think About It, failed to make a commercial impact. However, Atlantic released a song from the album, "Woman Don't Go Astray," as a single. His 1975 album, Well Done, was released through TK Records with Atlantic distributing. "I Feel Like Dynamite" from the album, written by Larry Hamilton,[5] became a minor hit.
Subsequent career
None of his subsequent songs achieved the same, as disco dominated the charts for the remainder of the 1970s.[6] However, Floyd had credits for "Boombastic," recorded in 1995 by Shaggy, which became a big hit.[7] Floyd reunited with Malaco Records in 2000 for the Old Skool Funk album, but it failed to make an impact. However, his song "Don't Leave Me Lonely" was prominently sampled by the Wu-Tang Clan for the song "For Heaven's Sake" off their album Wu-Tang Forever.
Personal life
He died on March 6, 2006 from complications of a stroke and diabetes.[1] He is survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren.
References
- 1 2 3 "2006 January to June". The Dead Rock Stars Club. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
- ↑ Wang, Oliver (29 March 2006). "King Floyd Is Gone, but 'Groove Me' Lives On". NPR. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
- 1 2 Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 279. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ↑ "King Floyd - Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
- ↑ "Larry Hamilton biography by Richard Skelly". Allmusic.com. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
- ↑ Perrone, Pierre (17 April 2006). "King Floyd: Singer of 'Groove Me'". The Independent. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
- ↑ "King Floyd". Allmusic. Retrieved 8 July 2013.