The Ohio Players’ musical legacy lives on. They ramped up the bassline and were and are on “the one.”
I’d tell them that the Ohio Players formed in Dayton made an undeniable impact on the American music known as rock. I wish there were some sort of fire alarm I could pull or siren I could ignite. I certainly do not know what could get the attention of the 30 or so members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation nominating committee based in New York. The Ohio Players’ manager James “Diamond” Williams, one of Rolling Stone magazine’s greatest 100 drummers of all-time, still performs with the band, but many of the band’s core members have died. Explore Dayton drummer makes Rolling Stone top 100 list The Ohio Players ― the granddaddies of ‘em all ― have seen their songs sampled or remade by Snoop Dogg, Puff Daddy, Russ, Jay-Z, Salt-N-Pepa, Soundgarden, Action Bronson, A Tribe Called Quest, Mary J. James Diamond Williams, born and raised in Dayton, joined the Ohio Players in 1972 and remained with them while they churned out many top 40 hits. Their influence can be heard in hip-hop, house and other musical forms popular today through sampling, covers and remixes. In the 1970s and 1980s, southwestern Ohio ― particularly Dayton’s West Side ― was known for its stable of funk bands that included Zapp and Roger, Faze-O, Heatwave, Sun, Slave and Lakeside. Explore Ohio Players Way? Locals seek to honor Dayton funk pioneersĭon’t get me wrong, there are many great bands, but I argue that few had the lasting impact of the Ohio Players. More than that, they were musicians with Afros envied by the gods. “They also scored 14 gold and platinum records with three consecutive platinum albums (a feat unparalleled for funk bands).” 1 pop albums at a time when the greatest collection of modern music legends performed, such as The Beatles, Queen, Stevie Wonder, Elvis Presley, Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Jackson 5, Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra and many others.
“Their illustrious career has produced 14 Top 20 hits, with six No. Yet with this rich legacy and genre molding influence, they have not been inducted into the prestigious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. “The Ohio Players began as ‘The Ohio Untouchables’ in 1959 and have thus made music for 61 years and still scheduled to tour in 2021. The Players were a big deal as the petition signed by 2,500 people explains.