Bar-Kays

The Bar-Kays originated in Memphis in 1966 as the backing band for Otero Redding, with most original members tragically dying in the 1967 plane crash that killed Redding. Bassist James Alexander reformed the group, and by the late 1970s they had evolved into a successful funk ensemble. Their danceable sound on tracks like "Shake Your Rump to the Funk" made them staples of the late disco and early 1980s funk era.