Unlimited Touch

Unlimited Touch
OriginNew York, United States
GenresPost-disco
Years active1980–1981, 1983–1984
LabelsPrelude
Past membersAudrey Wheeler
Philip Hamilton[1]
Tony Cintron
Sandy Anderson (deceased)
Stephanie James
Lenny Underwood

Unlimited Touch was an American, New York–based post-disco group,[2] most active in the early 1980s.[2] The group's most famous song in its short lifespan was "I Hear Music in the Streets", which made number 6 on US Dance chart in 1981.[3]

Overview

The group consisted of Audrey Wheeler (lead singer), Philip Hamilton, Tony Cintron, Sandy Anderson, Stephanie James and Lenny Underwood.[1] Raymond Reid and William Anderson from New York–based band Crown Heights Affair instigated Unlimited Touch in the early 1980s,[2] but they were not part of the band.[4] The group was signed to Prelude Records (via Epic Records in the UK)[4] and released their self-titled debut album in 1981.[5] Charles Richards was the executive producer of the group. Lenny Underwood co-wrote "I Hear Music in the Streets" and "Searchin' to Find the One", which were minor hits in the US Billboard R&B chart.[3]

Due to a label and group dispute, they disbanded by the end of 1981,[4] but re-formed in 1983 with a new line-up of just three of the original members: Wheeler, Anderson, and James. They released a second album Yes We're Ready in 1983.[2] Their final single "Reach Out (Everlasting Lover)" reached number 54 on the US Dance chart in 1984,[3] but the group disbanded again not long after this.[2] In 1993, Unidisc Music issued the Searching to Find the One compilation album.[2]

In 1997, "I Hear Music in the Streets" was sampled by Rampage, along with Billie Lawrence on their song "Take It to the Streets".[6] The song has also been sampled by producer Sean Combs who sampled the bass guitar and drum breakdown for the Faith Evans song "All Night Long" in 1999.[4]

On March 31, 2020, bassist Sandy Anderson died from the COVID-19 virus.[7]

Discography

Studio albums

  • Unlimited Touch (1981)[5]
  • Yes, We're Ready (1983)[5]

Compilation albums

  • Searching to Find the One (1993)

Singles

Year Title Peak chart positions
US Dance
[3] 		US R&B
[3] 		UK
[3]
1980 "I Hear Music in the Streets" 6 33 ―
1981 "Searching to Find the One" — 29 76
"Love to Share" — — —
1983 "No One Can Love Me (Quite the Way You Do)" — — —
"Happily Ever After" — — —
"Yes, I'm Ready" — — —
1984 "Reach Out (Everlasting Lover)" 54 — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2004). Joel Whitburn Presents Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles, 1942-2004 (5th, illustrated ed.). University of California: Record Research Incorporated. p. 598. ISBN 9780898201604.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Kellman, Andy. "Unlimited Touch - Music Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Unlimited Touch Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography". Music VF. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d "Unlimited Touch Page". Soulwalking.co.uk. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c "Unlimited Touch Albums and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
  6. ^ Flick, Larry (June 28, 1997). "Reviews & Previews: Singles". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 26. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 75. ISSN 0006-2510.
  7. ^ Kantor, Justin (March 31, 2020). "Sandy Anderson of 80s group Unlimited Touch dies from COVID-19 virus". SoulTracks. Retrieved May 7, 2022.