Graham Central Station

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Graham Central Station


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Origin = San Francisco, California, U.S.
Genre = R&B, funk, soul
Years_active = 1973–1979, 1998
Label = Warner Bros., WEA, Star Maker, P-Vine, Rhino
Associated_acts = Sly & the Family Stone
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Past_members = Larry Graham David Vega Hershall Kennedy Willie Sparks Patrice Banks

Graham Central Station was a funk band named after founder Larry Graham (formerly of Sly & the Family Stone) and is a pun on New York City's Grand Central Station.

The band's origins date from when Santana guitarist Neal Schon formed the band Azteca along with Larry Graham (bass guitar) and Gregg Errico (drums), both from Sly & the Family Stone, and Pete Sears (keyboards), from Hot Tuna and Jefferson Starship. Santana bass guitar player Tom Rutley would move into to the bass spot with Azteca. That band, like Santana with heavy Latin influences, would eventually morph into Graham Central Station, while Schon would find Journey.

Graham Central Station's biggest hit was "Your Love", which charted at number 9 in 1975. The group also integrated gospel music into their repertoire, and played with the dichotomy between the funk/rock star image and the "sanctified" gospel group image. Some of their recordings feature the Tower of Power horn section.

Members

* Larry Graham – Vocals, bass, guitar, clavinet, organ, piano, drums, percussion
* Patryce Banks – vocals, electric funk box, tambourine
* Hershall Kennedy – vocals, clavinet, trumpet
* Robert Sam – vocals, piano, organ
* David Vega – vocals, guitar
* Willie Sparks – vocals, drums
* P. CaboOse – tenor saxophone
* Milt Holland – percussion
* Lenny Williams – vocals
* Freddie Stone – guitar
* Noel Closson – drums
* Gaylord Birch – drums
* Tina Graham – vocals, electric funk box
* Gail Muldrow – vocals, guitar, electric funk box
* Gemi Taylor – guitar
* George Johnson – vocals, guitar
* Jerry Martini – saxophone
* Rose Stone – vocals, organ, electric funk box
* Cynthia Robinson – trumpet
* Wilton Rabb – guitar

Discography

Albums

* "Graham Central Station" (1973), Warner Bros.
* "Release Yourself" (1974), Warner Bros.
* "Ain't No 'Bout-A-Doubt It" (1975), Warner Bros.
* "Mirror" (1976), Warner Bros.
* "Now Do U Wanta Dance" (1977), Warner Bros.
* "My Radio Sure Sounds Good to Me" (1978), WEA
* "Star Walk" (1979), Warner Bros.
* "Live In Japan '92" (1992), Star Maker - manufactured by PIA Corporation & Edoya Records Inc. ( Tokyo,Japan )
* "The Best of Larry Graham and Graham Central Station, Vol. 1" (1996), Warner Bros.
* "By Popular Demand" (1997), P-Vine
* "Graham Central Station 2000" (1998), NPG - produced with Prince
* "The Jam: The Larry Graham & Graham Central Station Anthology" (2001), Rhino
* "Greatest Hits" (2003), Rhino Flashback

External links

* [http://crawdaddy.wolfgangsvault.com/Article.aspx?id=2700 Review of "Mirror"] at "Crawdaddy!"
*MusicBrainz artist |id=e11c5e9a-8b3a-44c2-9a71-b7a00b5fb8d5|name=Graham Central Station
*cite web | title=Graham Central Station | work=Soulwalking | url=http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Graham%20Central%20Station.html | accessdate=October 5 | accessyear=2007