The Gap Band is an American funk band who rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s with their heavily-charged dance anthems and their sentimental and ethereal love songs. Comprising brothers Charlie, Ronnie and Robert Wilson, the band first formed as the Greenwood, Archer and Pine Street Band in 1967 in their hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The group shortened its name to The Gap Band in 1979.
In 1979, the group changed its name to The Gap Band, and found success with the groundbreaking single “I Don’t Believe You Wanna Get Up and Dance (Oops!)”. During the next decade the group found their biggest success, with songs like “Burn Rubber On Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)”, “Humpin’ “, “Yearning For Your Love”, In 1979, the group changed its name to The Gap Band, and found success with the groundbreaking single “I Don’t Believe You Wanna Get Up and Dance (Oops!)”. During the next decade the group found their biggest success, with songs like “Burn Rubber On Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)”, “Humpin’ “, “Yearning For Your Love”, “Outstanding”, “You Dropped a Bomb on Me”, “I Found My Baby”, “Early In the Morning”, and “Party Train” that established the group as icons. The group found their greatest success in the UK when their 1987 single “Big Fun” reached #4 in the UK chart (“Oops Upside Your Head” had also reached #6 there in 1980).
Four of the band’s albums, The Gap Band II, The Gap Band III, Gap Band IV, and Gap Band V – Jammin, achieved platinum selling status, and four of their singles (“All Of My Love”, “Outstanding”, “Burn Rubber On Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)”, and “Early in the Morning”) reached the #1 spot on the Billboard R&B charts. Raymond Calhoun (writer “Outstanding”), Oliver Scott (co-writer “Yearning For Your Love), and arranger/producer Malvin Dino Vice (co-writer “Boys Are Back in Town”), were members of the backing band and major contributors to the Gap Band’s successful recordings.
“Outstanding”, “You Dropped a Bomb on Me”, “I Found My Baby”, “Early In the Morning”, and “Party Train” that established the group as icons. The group found their greatest success in the UK when their 1987 single “Big Fun” reached #4 in the UK chart (“Oops Upside Your Head” had also reached #6 there in 1980).
Four of the band’s albums, The Gap Band II, The Gap Band III, Gap Band IV, and Gap Band V – Jammin, achieved platinum selling status, and four of their singles (“All Of My Love”, “Outstanding”, “Burn Rubber On Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)”, and “Early in the Morning”) reached the #1 spot on the Billboard R&B charts. Raymond Calhoun (writer “Outstanding”), Oliver Scott (co-writer “Yearning For Your Love), and arranger/producer Malvin Dino Vice (co-writer “Boys Are Back in Town”), were members of the backing band and major contributors to the Gap Band’s successful recordings.
