Commodores

Commodores were a highly successful soul/funk band in the 1970s and 1980s. They met as freshmen at Tuskegee Institute (now called Tuskegee University) in 1968, and signed to Motown having first caught the public eye supporting The Jackson 5 on tour.

==Original Band Personnel=

• Lionel Richie (vocals, saxophone, piano) - born on 20 June, 1949, in Tuskegee, Alabama.
• Thomas McClary? (lead guitar) - born on 6 October, 1950, in Eustis, Florida.
• Milan Williams (keyboards) - born on March 28, 1948 in Okolona, Mississippi, died of cancer on July 9, 2006 in Houston, Texas.
• William King (trumpet) - born on 30 January, 1949, in Florida.
• Ronald La Pread (bass guitar) - born on 4 September, 1946, in Alabama.
• Walter Orange (vocals, drums) - born on 10 December, 1946, in Florida.

The group are perhaps best known for their ballads such as "Easy" & "Three Times a Lady", which are not, however, considered representative of their output. Usually, they recorded funky, driven dance floor hits including &quo...