Broadway (disco band)

Broadway
OriginUnited States
GenresR&B, disco
Years activeMid to late 1970s
LabelsPrelude Records
Hilltak Records
Past membersPatti Williams

Broadway was an American disco band that had three chart hits. Produced by Willie Henderson they had a national hit in 1978 with their version of the "Exile hit, "Kiss You All Over". They had another chart hit with "This Funk Is Made For Dancing"

Background

Broadway was a group that had four female singers. The lead singer was Patti Williams.[1] It was put together by Willie Henderson who had penned hits for Jackie Wilson, Tyrone Davis, Gene Chandler and Patti Labelle etc.[2]

Williams had recorded previously. In 1971, she had had a single, "Satan's Daughter" released on the Rocky Ridge label. It was a chart prediction.[3] She also performed a song at Reve Gibson's 18th annual Youth On Parade program that was held in L.A. in July, 1978. Her performance of the show's theme, "If I Can Help Somebody" was the event's highlight.[4]

They were possibly connected with an earlier group of the same name who had a hit with "You To Me Are Everything".[5]

Career

1978

As of September 1978, along with 9th Creation, Dalton & Dubarri, The Guess Who, and Lynne Hamilton, they were the first artists to come to new Hilltak label that had formed in June that year.[citation needed] Their version of "Kiss You All Over" bw "Love Bandit" was released on Hilltak 7802 in 1978. Record World called it "The inevitable disco version".[6][7] On the week ending December 2, 1978, their single debuted at #98 in the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart. The following week it was at #96.[8][9] Spending three weeks in the chart, it peaked at #92 on December 16.[10][11]

1979

According to the March 10, 1979, issue of Billboard, Broadway's album was due in late February. Patti Williams with her backing band Capt. Funk was to have an album of her own released. [12][13] The album was in Billboard's Recommended LPs section in the magazine's March 17 issue. It got a positive review. The picks were "Magic Man", "This Funk Is Made For Dancing" and "Kiss You All Over". Williams' singing the ballad "Take Me In Your Arms" was also noted.[14] Her vocals were also noted by Record World in their issue on the same date, referring to it as an "instantly appealing disco record".[15]

In April their hit "This Funk Is Made for Dancing" peaked at #83.[16]

Discography (selective)

Singles
Act Title Catalogue Year Notes #
Broadway "Kiss You All Over" / "Love Bandit" Hilltak HT 7802 1978
Broadway "This Funk Is Made For Dancing" / "Love Bandit" Hilltak HT 7805 1979
Broadway "Magic Man" / "Kiss You All Over" Hilltak HT 1979 [17]


Album
Act Title Catalogue Year Notes #
Broadway Magic Man Hilltak HT 19225 1979 [18]

References

  1. ^ Billboard, March 10, 1979 - Page 93 General News , Record Companies Rushing To Open Disco Divisions, HILLTAK
  2. ^ Cash Box, February 24, 1979 - Page 14 Personal Contact With Artists Is Hilltak Priority by Michael Glynn
  3. ^ Billboard, July 17, 1971 - Page 51 Spotlight Singles, TOP 20 SOUL, Spotlights Predicted to reach the SOUL SINGLES Chart
  4. ^ Billboard, July 22, 1978 - Page 78 Soul Sauce, Los Angeles Aretha Fete A Puzzler By JEAN WILLIAMS
  5. ^ Music VF.com - Broadway (American group) Top Songs, Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography
  6. ^ Global Dog Productions - 45 Discography for Hilltak Records
  7. ^ Record World, December 9, 1979 - Page 84 Disco File (Continued from page 16)
  8. ^ Billboard, December 9, 1978 - Page 42 Billboard Hot Soul Singles (TW 96 LW 98 Wks 2)
  9. ^ Billboard, December 2, 1978 - Page 53 Billboard Hot Soul Singles (TW 98 LW _ Wks _)
  10. ^ Billboard, December 16, 1978 - Page 58 Billboard Hot Soul Singles (TW 92 LW 96 Wks 3)
  11. ^ Billboard, December 23, 1978 - Page 44 Billboard Hot Soul Singles (TW _ LW _ Wks _)
  12. ^ Billboard, March 10, 1979 - Page 93 General News , Record Companies Rushing To Open Disco Divisions * Continued from page 16, HILLTAK
  13. ^ Billboard, March 10, 1979 - Page 100 Labels Bow To New Craze *Continued from page 93
  14. ^ Billboard, March 17, 1979 - Page 103 Billboard's Recommended LPs, disco
  15. ^ Record World, March 17, 1979 - Page 24 Record World Album Picks
  16. ^ Music VF.com - Broadway (American group) Top Songs, Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography
  17. ^ Global Dog Productions - 45 Discography for Hilltak Records
  18. ^ Record World, March 17, 1979 - Page 24 Record World Album Picks