As a composer, he cowrote several 1 RB songs for his label's major acts, The Gap Band and Yarbrough and Peoples. . Career [ edit] Simmons was a true innovator and creator and a music force to be reckoned with. ) (1980); (No. My friend for over 40 years has passed away. Do your research!! Lonnie Simmons (72) Defensive Lineman - 2006: Simmons moved to defense and spent the season as a reserve defensive lineman. Lonnie Simmons is an American record producer from Los Angeles, California. )Simmons' nightclub booked R&B-oriented musical acts, and Simmons' interest in music led him to buy a recording studio.In 1978, he signed a little-known R&B act, the Greenwood, Archer and Pine Street Band, (shortened in 1973 by . During this year's WVU visit, Attorney Lonnie C. Simmons argued a case before the West Virginia Supreme Court. 2 in early 1986. View the profiles of professionals named "Lonnie Simmons" on LinkedIn. As a composer, he co-wrote several #1 R&B songs for his label's major acts, The Gap Band and Yarbrough and Peoples. The Gap Band wasn't the only well-known act that recorded for Simmons' label in the '80s; Total Experience Records was also the home of the male/female duo Yarbrough & Peoples, who weren't as big as the Gap Band but did enjoy major hits with "Don't Stop the Music" in 1980, "Don't Waste Your Time" in 1984, and "Guilty" in 1985. He was founder and president of the now-defunct Total Experience Records. He almost singlehandedly filled a void in uptempo black music that had been created by discos 1979 demise, and kept it fun and funky in the process. SoulTracks is a registered trademark of SoulTracks, LLC. Vegas Total: 228.5 Vegas Spread: Bos -11.0 Starting with the Nets, Ben Simmons will be out in this one, but he's essentially their third-string center right now, so I don't think it entirely matters. . An s indicates the performer either only released one full-length album on Total Experience, or released multiple singles and no album at all. Brooklyn Nets @ Boston Celtics. An m indicates the group released multiple full-length albums on Total Experience. Read Full Biography. From its inception in 1981 to late 1983, Total Experience was a subsidiary label of Mercury's parent company, PolyGram. RIP brother. Total Experience Records was a record label founded by Lonnie Simmons. Not to be confused with jazz saxophonist Lonnie Simmons (who played with well-known improvisers like Fats Waller and Ella Fitzgerald), the Lonnie Simmons profiled here is a funk/soul/urban contemporary producer/manager/label owner who is best-known for his work with the Gap Band. Lonnie Simmons, who remained in the entertainment industry by doing motion picture and video production, continued to reap the rewards of his earlier successes from his songs being sampled on hundreds of future R&B and hip-hop songs. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 12 December. Long time Angelenos may be familiar with the site from when it housed The Total Experience, a high profile nightclub fronted by music impresario Lonnie Simmons, who produced the Gap Band and other chart-topping acts. It originally began in 1977 as a production company whose artists recorded for Mercury Records before becoming a label in 1981. As a composer, he co-wrote several #1 R&B songs for his label's major acts, The Gap Band and Yarbrough and Peoples. In his last year of law school he dropped out and started one of the first unisex clothing stores at . 1 soul, 1 week; No. I always think its funny when people lay out baseless claims without providing any credible evidence and then accuse someone else of not doing the research. Yarbrough and Peoples had left the label in 1986 to return to Texas where they got married, never to be heard from again, musically speaking. Indhold. 0: 0-Private player. This was immediately following the Gap Band #1 R&B song "Burn Rubber on Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)". Simmons also owned a recording studio in the '70s, and by the end of the decade, he founded Total Experience Records (which landed a distribution deal with Mercury/Polygram). 9.97 ACRES. By the end of the decade, Total Experience shut down, but not before staking its claim as one of the truly great funk labels of the 80s. Former Boston Celtic Paul Pierce to Pay SEC $1.4M After He Chris Brown Catches it for Mocking Disabled People At A Berlin Judge Says Brian Flores Lawsuit Against NFL Can Proceed | Video. He was founder and president of the now-defunct Total Experience Records. There is no more complete source for urban news than the Electronic Urban Report. That trivial tidbit aside, to this day, Outstanding is best known as one of the Gap Bands signature songs. Gap Band Recordings Baby Baba Boogie (Lonnie . Who said funk music couldnt be funny and funky at the same time? It was Simmons own Dont Stop The Music, making him one of very few people to ever write and produce consecutive No. Simmons had co-written only one song on The Gap Band but co-wrote six of The Gap Band II's seven tracks. @Boucaud1: R.I.E.P. Simmons had co-written only one song on The Gap Band but co-wrote six of The Gap Band II's seven tracks. None of these acts managed to have any success with Total Experience. The album was later reissued on CD in 1994 by Mercury Records. The first three Simmons-produced Gap Band albums, as well as Yarbrough and Peoples debut album The Two of Us were successful enough to give Simmons credibility to establish the production company as a full label, and he officially launched Total Experience Records in 1981. 5 soul; No. And for that, he will surely be missed. We Publish News 24/7. 1 singles by different artists on the soul chart. Lonnie Paige Simmons With profound sorrow, we join the Simmons Family in announcing the death of Lonnie Paige Simmons, 93, of the Belgrade Community, Maysville, who departed this life on Monday, January 17, 2022. Lonnie Simmons Profile: Producer, songwriter and record label executive, founded the influential R&B label Total Experience Records in the 70s. After a brief audition, Simmons exchanged contact information with them. Last edited on 17 September 2022, at 03:58, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Burn Rubber on Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me), "Lonnie Simmons: The Man Who Discovered The Gap Band Has Died", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lonnie_Simmons&oldid=1110720171, This page was last edited on 17 September 2022, at 03:58. Died on February 6, 2019. Yarbrough and Peoples left the label in 1986, and moved back to Texas, where they married in 1987. Later in 1982, he signed Robert "Goodie" Whitfield to the label. The funk outfit was revitalized on IV, with three of the album's eight songs scoring mightily on the U.S. R&B chart. He is not dating anyone. . Shake was the first of many smashes that the Gap Band recorded for Simmons label; in 1979 and the early- to mid-80s, the trio was huge thanks to a string of major hits that also included I Dont Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops), Steppin Out, Burn Rubber, Humpin, You Dropped a Bomb on Me, Early in the Morning, Outstanding, and Party Train.. Yarbrough and Peoples released Heartbeats that year, and it peaked at #25 R&B, and the title track went to #10 R&B. As a composer, he co-wrote several #1 R&B songs for his label's major acts, The Gap Band and Yarbrough and Peoples. 1,770 Customers Can't Be Wrong! Lonnie Simmons background Via AllMusic.com: The Total Experience was often described as an R&B equivalent of the Roxy (a well-known club on West Hollywoods Sunset Strip), and like the Roxy, Simmons venue tended to book artists who werent big enough to headline the Inglewood Forum or the Long Beach Arena, but could still attract several hundred people on a given night. Unfortunately, after being closed for years, the club burned to the ground on January 20, 2021, 2 years after Lonnies death. His debut album, Call Me Goodie, peaked at #31 R&B. (1983) " You Dropped a Bomb on Me" er en sang fremfrt af Gap Band, udgivet i 1982 p producer Lonnie Simmons 'label, Total Experience Records. That formula had worked for Total Experience and the Gap Band for three years and wasnt about to end now. Shake was the first of many smashes that the Gap Band recorded for Simmons label; in 1979 and the early- to mid-80s, the trio was huge thanks to a string of major hits that also included I Dont Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops), Steppin Out, Burn Rubber, Humpin, You Dropped a Bomb on Me, Early in the Morning, Outstanding, and Party Train.. Get the rest of this backgrounder on Lonnie Simmons at AllMusic.com. Lonnie Simmons operated an LA night By the end of the decade, Total Experience shut down, but not before staking its claim as one of the truly great funk labels of the 80s. Lonnie Simmons background Via AllMusic.com: The Los Angeles resident started making a name for himself in the R&B world in the 70s, when he operated a South Central L.A. nightclub called the Total Experience (which was located on Crenshaw Boulevard, one of the most famous thoroughfares in L.A.s African-American community). Lonnie Simmons, Rudy Taylor, Charlie Wilson: Producent (er) Lonnie Simmons: The Gap Band singler . In 1984, Total Experience began a new distribution deal with RCA Records. Rogers signed with Lonnie Simmons' Total Experience Records (the Gap Band, Yarbrough and Peoples) and the LP Love, Music & Life was issued in 1977. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. Impressed with their talents, Simmons signed them to his production company and had them record their first hit, which he co-wrote a funky mid-tempo groove entitled Dont Stop The Music (how many readers remember that inescapable chorus sung by a nasally Cavin Yarbrough dont you stop it, dont you stop, dont stop the music?). Career 93 pop), Big Fun Gap Band (1987); (No. Simmons then launched his production company, and met the Gap Band through a friend, singer D. J. Rogers. Questions Post Question There are no questions yet for this company. 1 song of 2015, Uptown Funk, by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars. That year, Simmons co-wrote two songs which peaked on the R&B charts at #1 back-to-back: "Burn Rubber on Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)", which was released on The Gap Band III, and "Don't Stop the Music", which was released on Yarbrough & Peoples' debut album, The Two of Us. Find your friends on Facebook. R.I.P. Lonnie Simmons first came up in the industry in the early 1970s by way of his South Central L.A. nightclub that bore the Total Experience moniker that would later become the name of his production company, recording studio and record label. Baby Baba Boogie(Lonnie Simmons/CharlieWilson) 102 pop), Yearning For Your Love Gap Band (1981); (No. In Groups: The Gap Band Variations: Viewing All | Lonnie Simmons Random stat: out of the top 50 players in total points all-time, Stephen Curry is the only player with a career TS% greater than 62%. In the late 1970s he founded Total Experience Records, which got a distribution deal with Mercury/Polygram, and he signed up the Gap Band who he had met through DJ Rogers. In 1984, the label changed its distribution from PolyGram to RCA Records. Boasting the smash hit Shake, that self-titled LP made the Gap Band superstars. Simmons came to Hollywood in the late '60s after graduating from North Texas State University. Secondly, the Gap Band recorded its third album under Simmons The Gap Band III which would become their first No. Experienceat [], SANDRA AFLOAREI, BRADY BEDARD, JON BORRIS, TOBY RUSSELL, [], NIELSEN AUDIO JANUARY '23 Ratings for [], Happy Birthday wishes on FRIDAY (3/3), to ATLANTIC [], 2023 Living Legends Foundation. Parte fundamental de Total Experience. Ud over singleudgivelsen blev sangen omtalt p bandets album fra 1982 Gap Band IV. The arc of Simmons success turned in the late 80s, as other Total Experience signings were less successful and as The Gap Band hits slowed down. Heres what his friend, singer Howard Huntsberry, posted onFacebook: My heart is heavy right now. He started his legal career as a writ clerk at the West Virginia Supreme Court in 1982, before spending five years as a personal clerk for West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Thomas B. Miller. The duo Yarborough & Peoples were also produced by Lonnie Simmons and recorded his songs on the Total Experience label. He graduated from UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN / HOSPITAL AND CLINICS in 2002. This left the Gap Band as the label's sole act by 1986. The signing hit immediate pay dirt with the 1979 hit Shake. The Gap Band followed later that same year with the top smash Oops Upside The Head, which Simmons co-wrote, and which had a bit of a second life a couple years ago, when Simmons and company received co-writing credits on the Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars hit Uptown Funk, for that songs similarity to Oops., With The Gap Band driving Total Experience forward, Simmons then signed the duo Yarbrough and Peoples, who went on to a successful recording career and the #1 hit Dont Stop the Music., Through the first half of the 1980s, it seemed that Total Experience could do no wrong, as The Gap Band and Simmons teamed for hit after hit such as Outstanding, You Dropped A Bomb On Me, and Early In the Morning. 96 kHz / 24-bit PCM - Mercury Records Studio Masters Tracks 1-8 . With No. One of the. A year later, Yarbrough and Peoples would match Beep with Guilty, a song they took to No. 1 single, Dont Waste Your Time, topped the soul list in May of that year and nearly returned them to the top 40 of the pop chart as well (No. 4 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart that June (ranked just behind huge disco classics like We Are Family, Ring My Bell and Boogie Wonderland). Robert was just 14 when the band gained acclaim in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It was painted on what was once the Total Experience Club, owned by Lonnie Simmons. Unfortunately, we dont have any specific information, but what do know is that he passed away earlier today (02-06-19) in his sleep. At this point, we dont have any details regarding his health before his death, but Simmons was said to be in his mid -70s. Super producer Lonnie Simmons.. 1 on the soul album chart. 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He then had the idea to reduce the official lineup of the group from twelve members to its sibling trio of Ronnie, Charlie and Robert Wilson. He was founder and president of the now-defunct Total Experience Records. He was founder and president of the now-defunct Total Experience Records. Simmons went on to work in movie production, with a much quieter public profile. Yes, he took advantage of the GAP Band especially Charlie. Lonnie Simmons A tribute to the music pioneer behind the Gap Band who put the Fun in Funk, Quick reaction: Maroon 5s Super Bowl LIII Halftime Show, Dont Stop The Music Yarbrough and Peoples (1981); (No. ADDITIONAL LINKS 2005: Simmons played in Lonnie Simmons (72) Defensive Lineman - 2006: Simmons moved to defense and spent the season as a reserve defensive lineman. Their second (and final) No. Find Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok profiles, images and more on IDCrawl - free people search website. The Journal of Steffanie Jay-Zs Shock in Running Into Kelly Rowland Is Your WATCH LIVE! It originally began in 1977 as a production company whose albums were released by Mercury Records before becoming a label in 1981. Burn Rubber on Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Total_Experience_Records&oldid=1034261231, Articles with MusicBrainz label identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 1977 as Total Experience Productions, label launched in 1981, This page was last edited on 18 July 2021, at 20:43. The label's post 1984 holdings now belong to Minder Music, while its PolyGram-distributed holdings, and the complete catalogues of Yarbrough & Peoples and the Gap Band belong to Universal Music Enterprises. By the early '80s it had a number of. Later in 1984, the Gap Band released Gap Band VI, which included Simmons co-penned hit Beep A Freak, another gimmick-filled song (with lots of beeps) that peaked at No. Even though his two major acts produced hits well into the mid-80s, Total Experience began to falter. 60 on the pop chart (and No. 101 pop), I Dont Believe You Want To Get Up and Dance (Oops! Lonnie Simmons's net worth Its two major acts were The Gap Band and Yarbrough & Peoples. well CHARLIE WILSON often said his producer was bankrolling him and his brothers during his solo career and said Charlie was nothing without him .and drove him poor. after they did IM GONNA GIT YOU SUCKA SDK in 1988 it wasnt the same so yeah DJ Rob I agree with to have more evidence for backup but in my opinion CHARLIE WILSON was TOTAL EXPERIENCES ultimate star and breadwinner and Lonnie Simmons CREATED THE GAP BAND into the FUNKIEST R&B Stars of the 80s HUMPIN is what got me into the The Gap band at 8 years old with Lonnie taking producing credit partially . Outstanding continued the bands penchant for slowing things down a bit to a nice mid-tempo groove that fit well into quiet storm radio formats. He is affiliated with Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center. 1 soul, 2 weeks; No. Lonnie J Simmons, 60 Resides in Watertown, SD Lived In Henry SD, Sioux Falls SD, Worthing SD, Corpus Christi TX Related To Brittany Simmons, Curtis Simmons, Yolanda Simmons, Howard Simmons, J Simmons Also known as Jerald L Simmons, Janet L Simmons Includes Address (13) Phone (6) Email (8) See Results Lonnie E Simmons, 45 Resides in Milwaukee, WI The Gap Band's subsequent releases, Gap Band VII and Gap Band 8, received chart success due to heavy radio airplay but sold few actual copies. P. Simmons . Simmons' skills as a composer, however, would take the Gap Band to the next level. A p indicates a writer/producer who also performed at least one song on the label. I help clients deal with traffic tickets on a weekly basis. In fact, Curry, KD, Reggie Miller, Harden, Charles Barkley, and Adrian Dantley are the only players with a career TS% greater than 60% forever GAPPER 1974-1988. Kodak Black Caught Having Sex in White Teacher Hits The Jerk as Students Go Wild Are AKAs Too Insecure? Who did you see there? Southern California Institute Of Technology. Their first Total Experience-produced single, 1979's "Shake", went to #4 on the R&B charts. 2 soul, 1 week), Party Train Gap Band (1983); (No. Simmons also owned a recording studio in the '70s, and by the end of the decade, he founded Total Experience Records (which landed a distribution deal with Mercury/Polygram). Lonnie Simmons (December 12, 1944 - February 6, 2019) was an American record producer from Los Angeles, California. The Total Experience nightclub was wildly successful, with big name acts like Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, Rufus & Chaka Khan, the Main Ingredient, the Dells, Johnnie Taylor, the Manhattans, and even the Spinners performing there when they couldnt fill bigger venues. 2.28. The singles all reached No. No gossip, just news. The latest stories in entertainment and lifestyle, with exclusive celebrity interviews. 24 on the pop chart. 4 soul, No. En una ciudad en plena ebullicin creativa y musical, era cuestin de tiempo que Lonnie se animara a ampliar su Total Experiencie Club a la industria de la msica. The latter album went gold, while the former went platinum, selling over a million copies. With no acts remaining, Lonnie dropped out of music, and his company turned to motion picture and video production. . As a composer, he co-wrote several #1 R&B songs for his label's major acts, The Gap Band and Yarbrough and Peoples. He is founder and president of the nowdefunct Total Experience Records. RealTracs MLS as distributed by MLS GRID. 84 pop), Outstanding Gap Band (1983); (No. 1: 0: Total 4 9; Player Statistics . Get notified about exclusive offers every week! 3 on the soul chart in the summer of 83, and Gap Band V Jammin would be the groups last gold-certified release. From its inception in 1981 to late 1983, Total Experience was a subsidiary label of Mercury's parent company, PolyGram. Total Experience Records was a record label founded by Lonnie Simmons.Its two major acts were The Gap Band and Yarbrough & Peoples.It originally began in 1977 as a production company whose albums were released by Mercury Records before becoming a label in 1981. Lonnie Simmons (December 12, 1944 - February 6, 2019) was an American record producer from Los Angeles, California. 48 peak). In 1978, he signed a little-known R&B act, the Greenwood, Archer and Pine Street Band, (shortened in 1973 by a typo to the Gap Band) to his production company, and secured a record deal with Mercury Records. There have been some disputes as to his legacy in terms of the creation of Gap Bands and others hits. Lonnie Simmons and The Total Experience This mural on Crenshaw and 43rd included positive affirmations and listed natural herbs and plants used to heal the body. 4eabbb977ef511.19851452.pdf - Trevor J. Simmons Page 2 PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Research Post-Doctoral Researcher, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY Corporate - Home - Simmons & Simmons.ashx Listen Add a photo or a video . "Shake" was the first of many smashes that the Gap Band recorded for Simmons' label; in 1979 and the early- to mid-'80s, the trio was huge thanks to a string of major hits that also included "I Don't Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops)," "Steppin' Out," "Burn Rubber," "Humpin'," "You Dropped a Bomb on Me," "Early in the Morning," "Outstanding, and "Party Train." First, Charlie Wilson lead singer of the Gap Band introduced Simmons to two new singers hed met on a trip to Dallas: Cavin Yarbrough and Alisa Peoples. But two things would happen later that year that would propel Simmons and his top group to higher heights than even they couldve imagined. Lonnie Simmons operated an LA nightclub in the mid-1970s called The Total Experience. Texas Reality Check - College for All Texans - Generation TX - Apply Texas - Financial Aid. However, Total Experience Records didn't have as large a roster as Motown, Philly International, or Solar, and Simmons didn't oversee a stable of multi-platinum stars -- the Gap Band was the only Total Experience act that had at least ten major hits. programed hip-hop format, currently known as KDAY 93.5 FM. For instance, Oops Up Side Your Head! was sampled in 41 different songs, according to the website whosampled.com; most notably in the No. The Gap Band's final hurrah with Total Experience, Straight from the Heart, got a top-40 song from the title track but failed to sell, causing the Gap Band to leave for Capitol Records. After using his clubs earnings to buy a Los Angeles recording studio in the late 70s, Simmons fortunes changed forever when he met an unknown group from Tulsa, Oklahoma named the Greenwood, Archer and Pine Band (named after three of the citys famous streets). Gap Band Recordings When they showed up in LA, he suggested they record a demo with the label's other producer, who also served as their songwriter. Its two major acts were The Gap Band and Yarbrough & Peoples. Dont Miss A Story. Several reports have surfaced regarding the passing of legendary producer, songwriter and record label executive Lonnie Simmons, best known for his role in the emergence of The Gap Band, has died, causes unknown. (The club made several appearances in movies like Dolemite and Black Fist.) The Los Angeles resident started making a name for himself in the R&B world in the '70s, when he operated a South Central L.A. nightclub called the Total Experience (which was located on Crenshaw Boulevard, one of the most famous thoroughfares in L.A.'s African-American community). Theme: Newsup by Themeansar. Not to be confused with jazz saxophonist Lonnie Simmons (who played with well-known improvisers like Fats Waller and Ella Fitzgerald), the Lonnie Simmons profiled here is a funk/soul/urban contemporary Proudly powered by WordPress 2 soul, 1 wk), Going In Circles Gap Band (1986); (No. Simmon's winning streak continued in 1981, when he formed Total Experience Records and convinced Mercury's parent company PolyGram to distribute the label's recordings. In the late 1970s he founded Total Experience Records, which got a distribution deal with Mercury/Polygram, and he signed up the Gap Band who he had met through DJ Rogers. 1,770 Customers Can't Be Wrong! The album went gold, headlined by the only Simmons co-penned single, "Party Train", which went to #3 on the R&B charts. He formed Total Experience Records and had major hits throughout the 80s before turning his efforts into film and video production. As a composer, he co-wrote several #1 R&B songs for his label's major acts, The Gap Band and Yarbrough and Peoples . He was founder and president of the now-defunct Total Experience Records. 1 on the soul singles chart (exactly 38 years ago this week; February 14, 1981). In 1984, it was Yarbrough and Peoples who would return to the top of the charts. Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame (PICS), Beasley Media Group Fayettevilles WKML-FM Studio Named in Honor Danny Highsmith, De La Soul Performs at The DA.I.S.Y. Its two major acts were The Gap Band and Yarbrough & Peoples. My friend for over 40 years has passed away. Simmons went on to work in movie production, with a much quieter public profile. I hear ya! Lonnie Henry Simmons Obituary With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Lonnie Henry Simmons (Charlotte, North Carolina), who passed away on May 8, 2021 at the age of 84. There are 30+ professionals named "Lonnie Simmons", who use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. With Total Experience CEO Lonnie Simmons directing them, Y&P became one of the top duos of the early 80s, consistently hitting the top 10 with songs like "Heartbeats," "I Wouldn't Lie," "Guilty" and the #1 smash "Don't Waste Your Time." Even as they were achieving fame and radio success, the duo complained that they weren't . 1 rankings of the first two Thriller singles, The Girl Is Mine and Billie Jean.. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. By that time, Simmons had inked a major label contract with Mercury Records and the Gap Bands first single under the deal, Shake, became a national hit, reaching No.