Dyke and the Blazers was an influential Americanfunkband led by Arlester Christian (June 13, 1943–March 13, 1971). The band was formed in 1965 and recorded until 1971, when Christian died. Among their most successful records were the original version of "Funky Broadway" (1966) and "Let A Woman Be A Woman, Let A Man Be A Man" (1969).
Career
Arlester Christian, nicknamed "Dyke", was born (according to most sources) in Buffalo, New York. He attended Burgard High School. In 1960, he started playing bass in a Buffalo band, Carl LaRue and his Crew, who played local bars and clubs and released a single, "Please Don't Drive Me Away", on the KKC label in about 1963. In 1964, LaRue was invited by Phoenix, Arizonadisc jockeyEddie O'Jay to take his band to that city, to provide the backing for the vocal group that he managed there, The O'Jays. By 1965, however, the O'Jays and their manager had moved elsewhere, and LaRue's band fell apart. LaRue returned to Buffalo, but Christian and two other members of the band, guitarist Alvester "Pig" Jacobs and saxophonist J.V. Hunt, had no means of traveling and stayed in Phoenix. They joined forces with an existing Phoenix group, The Three Blazers, who included tenor saxophonist Bernard Williams, and, as "Dyke and the Blazers", added local musicians Rich Cason (organ) and Rodney Brown (drums). Playing in local clubs, the group picked up on the rhythms, bass and organ innovations of James Brown's band, and through improvisation developed a riff-based song that became "Funky Broadway", the lyrics reflecting singer Dyke's memories of Broadway in Buffalo as well as Broadway Street in Phoenix.
Dyke and the Blazers - Funky Broadway Part 1 (Official Visualizer)
Dyke and The Blazers! From the digitally remastered "The Funky Broadway"
THE FUNKY BROADWAY
1 Funky Broadway Part 1
2 Funky Broadway Part 2
3 Uhh Part 1
4 Uhh Part 2
5 Broadway Combination
6 City Dump
7 The Wrong House
8 So Sharp
9 Don't Bug Me
Get Funky now at iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/funky-broadway-digitally-remastered/id691508589
Get Funky now at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/The-Funky-Broadway-Digitally-Remastered/dp/B00EQ58DFY/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_1
Additional photos courtesy of We Got More Soul and So Sharp
published: 27 Sep 2013
Dyke and the Blazers - Let A Woman Be A Woman... (Official Visualizer)
Get to know Dyke and The Blazers! From the new Dyke's Greatest Hits -- The Complete Singles release.
1 Funky Broadway Part I
2 Funky Broadway Part 2
3 So Sharp
4 Don't Bug Me
5 Funky Walk Part 1 (East)
6 Funky Walk Part 2 (West)
7 Funky Bull Part 1
8 Funky Bull Part 2
9 We Got More Soul
10 Shotgun Slim
11 Let A Woman Be A Woman - Let A Man Be A Man
12 Uhh (45 Edit)
13 You Are My Sunshine
14 City Dump
15 My Sisters' And My Brothers' Day Is Comin'
16 Runaway People
17 I'm So All Alone
18 Stuff
19 The Wobble
Available now at iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dykes-greatest-hits-complete/id704852781
Available now at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F54V1BI/ref=dm_att_alb1
Add...
published: 27 Sep 2013
Dyke and the Blazers - We Got More Soul (Official Visualizer)
Get to know Dyke and The Blazers! From the new Dyke's Greatest Hits -- The Complete Singles release.
1 Funky Broadway Part I
2 Funky Broadway Part 2
3 So Sharp
4 Don't Bug Me
5 Funky Walk Part 1 (East)
6 Funky Walk Part 2 (West)
7 Funky Bull Part 1
8 Funky Bull Part 2
9 We Got More Soul
10 Shotgun Slim
11 Let A Woman Be A Woman - Let A Man Be A Man
12 Uhh (45 Edit)
13 You Are My Sunshine
14 City Dump
15 My Sisters' And My Brothers' Day Is Comin'
16 Runaway People
17 I'm So All Alone
18 Stuff
19 The Wobble
Available now at iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dykes-greatest-hits-complete/id704852781
Available now at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F54V1BI/ref=dm_att_alb1
Add...
published: 27 Sep 2013
DYKE AND THE BLAZERS - LET A WOMAN BE A WOMAN
DYKE AND THE BLAZERS - LET A WOMAN BE A WOMAN original sound
published: 07 Nov 2009
Dyke and the Blazers - You Are My Sunshine (Live)
Dyke and The Blazers "You Are My Sunshine" from "Dyke's Greatest Hits - The Complete Singles". In the preparation for this digitally remastered release, we discovered a tape box on a closet shelf in the old Original Sound studios dated c.1970, but it was probably shot in 1969 upon the release of Original Sound 7" OS-90 "You Are My Sunshine" b/w "City Dump".
Dyke was the first artist to ever use "Funky" in a song title and was king of the regional shoutouts. His "Funky Walk" mentions at least a dozen cities where he got airplay.
Dyke was lost to a gun shot wound in Phoenix, AZ on 3/13/71.
Can be found on "Dyke's Greatest Hits - The Complete Singles"
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dykes-greatest-hits-complete/id704852781
Funky Broadway Part 1
Funky Broadway Part 2
So Sharp
Don't Bug ...
published: 05 Feb 2014
Dyke & the Blazers - Funky Bway pts 1 & 2
Dyke & the Blazers - funky bway pts 1 & 2
published: 04 Oct 2011
Dyke & The Blazers - Mini Documentary
Dive into the history of ground-breaking funk band Dyke & The Blazers.
Available for pre-order now: two career-spanning collections celebrating pioneering funk band Dyke & the Blazers - Down on Funky Broadway: Phoenix (1966–1967) and I Got a Message: Hollywood (1968–1970). Together they span the group’s short but impactful career with new stereo mixes of old favorites, a trove of previously unreleased material and audio freshly remastered by acclaimed engineer Dave Cooley.
Order here: found.ee/dykeandtheblazers-pivot-g
published: 11 Jun 2021
Dyke and the Blazers - So Sharp (Official Visualizer)
Dyke and The Blazers! From the digitally remastered "The Funky Broadway"
THE FUNKY BROADWAY
1 Funky Broadway Part 1
2 Funky Broadway Part 2
3 Uhh Part 1
4 Uhh Part 2
5 Broadway Combination
6 City Dump
7 The Wrong House
8 So Sharp
9 Don't Bug Me
Get Funky now at iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/funky-broadway-digitally-remastered/id691508589
Get Funky now at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/The-Funky-Broadway-Digitally-Remastered/dp/B00EQ58DFY/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_1
Additional photos courtesy of We Got More Soul and So Sharp
published: 27 Sep 2013
Dyke And The Blazers Funky Broadway
published: 19 Nov 2011
Funky Broadway Parts 1 & 2
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
Funky Broadway Parts 1 & 2 · Dyke & The Blazers
Rarities Volume 2 - The Funky Combinations
℗ 2013 The Bicycle Music Company
Released on: 2013-01-01
Composer Lyricist: Arlester Christian
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Dyke and The Blazers! From the digitally remastered "The Funky Broadway"
THE FUNKY BROADWAY
1 Funky Broadway Part 1
2 Funky Broadway Part 2
3 Uhh Part 1
4 ...
Dyke and The Blazers! From the digitally remastered "The Funky Broadway"
THE FUNKY BROADWAY
1 Funky Broadway Part 1
2 Funky Broadway Part 2
3 Uhh Part 1
4 Uhh Part 2
5 Broadway Combination
6 City Dump
7 The Wrong House
8 So Sharp
9 Don't Bug Me
Get Funky now at iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/funky-broadway-digitally-remastered/id691508589
Get Funky now at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/The-Funky-Broadway-Digitally-Remastered/dp/B00EQ58DFY/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_1
Additional photos courtesy of We Got More Soul and So Sharp
Dyke and The Blazers! From the digitally remastered "The Funky Broadway"
THE FUNKY BROADWAY
1 Funky Broadway Part 1
2 Funky Broadway Part 2
3 Uhh Part 1
4 Uhh Part 2
5 Broadway Combination
6 City Dump
7 The Wrong House
8 So Sharp
9 Don't Bug Me
Get Funky now at iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/funky-broadway-digitally-remastered/id691508589
Get Funky now at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/The-Funky-Broadway-Digitally-Remastered/dp/B00EQ58DFY/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_1
Additional photos courtesy of We Got More Soul and So Sharp
Get to know Dyke and The Blazers! From the new Dyke's Greatest Hits -- The Complete Singles release.
1 Funky Broadway Part I
2 Funky Broadway Part 2 ...
Get to know Dyke and The Blazers! From the new Dyke's Greatest Hits -- The Complete Singles release.
1 Funky Broadway Part I
2 Funky Broadway Part 2
3 So Sharp
4 Don't Bug Me
5 Funky Walk Part 1 (East)
6 Funky Walk Part 2 (West)
7 Funky Bull Part 1
8 Funky Bull Part 2
9 We Got More Soul
10 Shotgun Slim
11 Let A Woman Be A Woman - Let A Man Be A Man
12 Uhh (45 Edit)
13 You Are My Sunshine
14 City Dump
15 My Sisters' And My Brothers' Day Is Comin'
16 Runaway People
17 I'm So All Alone
18 Stuff
19 The Wobble
Available now at iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dykes-greatest-hits-complete/id704852781
Available now at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F54V1BI/ref=dm_att_alb1
Additional photos courtesy of We Got More Soul (ACE) and So Sharp
Get to know Dyke and The Blazers! From the new Dyke's Greatest Hits -- The Complete Singles release.
1 Funky Broadway Part I
2 Funky Broadway Part 2
3 So Sharp
4 Don't Bug Me
5 Funky Walk Part 1 (East)
6 Funky Walk Part 2 (West)
7 Funky Bull Part 1
8 Funky Bull Part 2
9 We Got More Soul
10 Shotgun Slim
11 Let A Woman Be A Woman - Let A Man Be A Man
12 Uhh (45 Edit)
13 You Are My Sunshine
14 City Dump
15 My Sisters' And My Brothers' Day Is Comin'
16 Runaway People
17 I'm So All Alone
18 Stuff
19 The Wobble
Available now at iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dykes-greatest-hits-complete/id704852781
Available now at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F54V1BI/ref=dm_att_alb1
Additional photos courtesy of We Got More Soul (ACE) and So Sharp
Get to know Dyke and The Blazers! From the new Dyke's Greatest Hits -- The Complete Singles release.
1 Funky Broadway Part I
2 Funky Broadway Part 2 ...
Get to know Dyke and The Blazers! From the new Dyke's Greatest Hits -- The Complete Singles release.
1 Funky Broadway Part I
2 Funky Broadway Part 2
3 So Sharp
4 Don't Bug Me
5 Funky Walk Part 1 (East)
6 Funky Walk Part 2 (West)
7 Funky Bull Part 1
8 Funky Bull Part 2
9 We Got More Soul
10 Shotgun Slim
11 Let A Woman Be A Woman - Let A Man Be A Man
12 Uhh (45 Edit)
13 You Are My Sunshine
14 City Dump
15 My Sisters' And My Brothers' Day Is Comin'
16 Runaway People
17 I'm So All Alone
18 Stuff
19 The Wobble
Available now at iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dykes-greatest-hits-complete/id704852781
Available now at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F54V1BI/ref=dm_att_alb1
Additional photos courtesy of We Got More Soul (ACE) and So Sharp
Get to know Dyke and The Blazers! From the new Dyke's Greatest Hits -- The Complete Singles release.
1 Funky Broadway Part I
2 Funky Broadway Part 2
3 So Sharp
4 Don't Bug Me
5 Funky Walk Part 1 (East)
6 Funky Walk Part 2 (West)
7 Funky Bull Part 1
8 Funky Bull Part 2
9 We Got More Soul
10 Shotgun Slim
11 Let A Woman Be A Woman - Let A Man Be A Man
12 Uhh (45 Edit)
13 You Are My Sunshine
14 City Dump
15 My Sisters' And My Brothers' Day Is Comin'
16 Runaway People
17 I'm So All Alone
18 Stuff
19 The Wobble
Available now at iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dykes-greatest-hits-complete/id704852781
Available now at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F54V1BI/ref=dm_att_alb1
Additional photos courtesy of We Got More Soul (ACE) and So Sharp
Dyke and The Blazers "You Are My Sunshine" from "Dyke's Greatest Hits - The Complete Singles". In the preparation for this digitally remastered release, we disc...
Dyke and The Blazers "You Are My Sunshine" from "Dyke's Greatest Hits - The Complete Singles". In the preparation for this digitally remastered release, we discovered a tape box on a closet shelf in the old Original Sound studios dated c.1970, but it was probably shot in 1969 upon the release of Original Sound 7" OS-90 "You Are My Sunshine" b/w "City Dump".
Dyke was the first artist to ever use "Funky" in a song title and was king of the regional shoutouts. His "Funky Walk" mentions at least a dozen cities where he got airplay.
Dyke was lost to a gun shot wound in Phoenix, AZ on 3/13/71.
Can be found on "Dyke's Greatest Hits - The Complete Singles"
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dykes-greatest-hits-complete/id704852781
Funky Broadway Part 1
Funky Broadway Part 2
So Sharp
Don't Bug Me
Funky Walk Part 1 (East)
Funky Walk Part 2 (West)
Funky Bull Part 1
Funky Bull Part 2
We Got More Soul
Shotgun Slim
Let a Woman Be a Woman - Let a Man Be a Man
Uhh (45 Edit)
You Are My Sunshine
City Dump
My Sisters' and My Brothers' Days Are Comin'
Runaway People
I'm so Alone
Stuff
The Wobble
The Bicycle Music Company
www.bicyclemusic.com
Dyke and The Blazers "You Are My Sunshine" from "Dyke's Greatest Hits - The Complete Singles". In the preparation for this digitally remastered release, we discovered a tape box on a closet shelf in the old Original Sound studios dated c.1970, but it was probably shot in 1969 upon the release of Original Sound 7" OS-90 "You Are My Sunshine" b/w "City Dump".
Dyke was the first artist to ever use "Funky" in a song title and was king of the regional shoutouts. His "Funky Walk" mentions at least a dozen cities where he got airplay.
Dyke was lost to a gun shot wound in Phoenix, AZ on 3/13/71.
Can be found on "Dyke's Greatest Hits - The Complete Singles"
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dykes-greatest-hits-complete/id704852781
Funky Broadway Part 1
Funky Broadway Part 2
So Sharp
Don't Bug Me
Funky Walk Part 1 (East)
Funky Walk Part 2 (West)
Funky Bull Part 1
Funky Bull Part 2
We Got More Soul
Shotgun Slim
Let a Woman Be a Woman - Let a Man Be a Man
Uhh (45 Edit)
You Are My Sunshine
City Dump
My Sisters' and My Brothers' Days Are Comin'
Runaway People
I'm so Alone
Stuff
The Wobble
The Bicycle Music Company
www.bicyclemusic.com
Dive into the history of ground-breaking funk band Dyke & The Blazers.
Available for pre-order now: two career-spanning collections celebrating pioneering fun...
Dive into the history of ground-breaking funk band Dyke & The Blazers.
Available for pre-order now: two career-spanning collections celebrating pioneering funk band Dyke & the Blazers - Down on Funky Broadway: Phoenix (1966–1967) and I Got a Message: Hollywood (1968–1970). Together they span the group’s short but impactful career with new stereo mixes of old favorites, a trove of previously unreleased material and audio freshly remastered by acclaimed engineer Dave Cooley.
Order here: found.ee/dykeandtheblazers-pivot-g
Dive into the history of ground-breaking funk band Dyke & The Blazers.
Available for pre-order now: two career-spanning collections celebrating pioneering funk band Dyke & the Blazers - Down on Funky Broadway: Phoenix (1966–1967) and I Got a Message: Hollywood (1968–1970). Together they span the group’s short but impactful career with new stereo mixes of old favorites, a trove of previously unreleased material and audio freshly remastered by acclaimed engineer Dave Cooley.
Order here: found.ee/dykeandtheblazers-pivot-g
Dyke and The Blazers! From the digitally remastered "The Funky Broadway"
THE FUNKY BROADWAY
1 Funky Broadway Part 1
2 Funky Broadway Part 2
3 Uhh Part 1
4 ...
Dyke and The Blazers! From the digitally remastered "The Funky Broadway"
THE FUNKY BROADWAY
1 Funky Broadway Part 1
2 Funky Broadway Part 2
3 Uhh Part 1
4 Uhh Part 2
5 Broadway Combination
6 City Dump
7 The Wrong House
8 So Sharp
9 Don't Bug Me
Get Funky now at iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/funky-broadway-digitally-remastered/id691508589
Get Funky now at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/The-Funky-Broadway-Digitally-Remastered/dp/B00EQ58DFY/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_1
Additional photos courtesy of We Got More Soul and So Sharp
Dyke and The Blazers! From the digitally remastered "The Funky Broadway"
THE FUNKY BROADWAY
1 Funky Broadway Part 1
2 Funky Broadway Part 2
3 Uhh Part 1
4 Uhh Part 2
5 Broadway Combination
6 City Dump
7 The Wrong House
8 So Sharp
9 Don't Bug Me
Get Funky now at iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/funky-broadway-digitally-remastered/id691508589
Get Funky now at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/The-Funky-Broadway-Digitally-Remastered/dp/B00EQ58DFY/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_1
Additional photos courtesy of We Got More Soul and So Sharp
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
Funky Broadway Parts 1 & 2 · Dyke & The Blazers
Rarities Volume 2 - The Funky Combinations
℗ 2013 The Bicycle Mu...
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
Funky Broadway Parts 1 & 2 · Dyke & The Blazers
Rarities Volume 2 - The Funky Combinations
℗ 2013 The Bicycle Music Company
Released on: 2013-01-01
Composer Lyricist: Arlester Christian
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
Funky Broadway Parts 1 & 2 · Dyke & The Blazers
Rarities Volume 2 - The Funky Combinations
℗ 2013 The Bicycle Music Company
Released on: 2013-01-01
Composer Lyricist: Arlester Christian
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Dyke and The Blazers! From the digitally remastered "The Funky Broadway"
THE FUNKY BROADWAY
1 Funky Broadway Part 1
2 Funky Broadway Part 2
3 Uhh Part 1
4 Uhh Part 2
5 Broadway Combination
6 City Dump
7 The Wrong House
8 So Sharp
9 Don't Bug Me
Get Funky now at iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/funky-broadway-digitally-remastered/id691508589
Get Funky now at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/The-Funky-Broadway-Digitally-Remastered/dp/B00EQ58DFY/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_1
Additional photos courtesy of We Got More Soul and So Sharp
Get to know Dyke and The Blazers! From the new Dyke's Greatest Hits -- The Complete Singles release.
1 Funky Broadway Part I
2 Funky Broadway Part 2
3 So Sharp
4 Don't Bug Me
5 Funky Walk Part 1 (East)
6 Funky Walk Part 2 (West)
7 Funky Bull Part 1
8 Funky Bull Part 2
9 We Got More Soul
10 Shotgun Slim
11 Let A Woman Be A Woman - Let A Man Be A Man
12 Uhh (45 Edit)
13 You Are My Sunshine
14 City Dump
15 My Sisters' And My Brothers' Day Is Comin'
16 Runaway People
17 I'm So All Alone
18 Stuff
19 The Wobble
Available now at iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dykes-greatest-hits-complete/id704852781
Available now at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F54V1BI/ref=dm_att_alb1
Additional photos courtesy of We Got More Soul (ACE) and So Sharp
Get to know Dyke and The Blazers! From the new Dyke's Greatest Hits -- The Complete Singles release.
1 Funky Broadway Part I
2 Funky Broadway Part 2
3 So Sharp
4 Don't Bug Me
5 Funky Walk Part 1 (East)
6 Funky Walk Part 2 (West)
7 Funky Bull Part 1
8 Funky Bull Part 2
9 We Got More Soul
10 Shotgun Slim
11 Let A Woman Be A Woman - Let A Man Be A Man
12 Uhh (45 Edit)
13 You Are My Sunshine
14 City Dump
15 My Sisters' And My Brothers' Day Is Comin'
16 Runaway People
17 I'm So All Alone
18 Stuff
19 The Wobble
Available now at iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dykes-greatest-hits-complete/id704852781
Available now at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F54V1BI/ref=dm_att_alb1
Additional photos courtesy of We Got More Soul (ACE) and So Sharp
Dyke and The Blazers "You Are My Sunshine" from "Dyke's Greatest Hits - The Complete Singles". In the preparation for this digitally remastered release, we discovered a tape box on a closet shelf in the old Original Sound studios dated c.1970, but it was probably shot in 1969 upon the release of Original Sound 7" OS-90 "You Are My Sunshine" b/w "City Dump".
Dyke was the first artist to ever use "Funky" in a song title and was king of the regional shoutouts. His "Funky Walk" mentions at least a dozen cities where he got airplay.
Dyke was lost to a gun shot wound in Phoenix, AZ on 3/13/71.
Can be found on "Dyke's Greatest Hits - The Complete Singles"
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dykes-greatest-hits-complete/id704852781
Funky Broadway Part 1
Funky Broadway Part 2
So Sharp
Don't Bug Me
Funky Walk Part 1 (East)
Funky Walk Part 2 (West)
Funky Bull Part 1
Funky Bull Part 2
We Got More Soul
Shotgun Slim
Let a Woman Be a Woman - Let a Man Be a Man
Uhh (45 Edit)
You Are My Sunshine
City Dump
My Sisters' and My Brothers' Days Are Comin'
Runaway People
I'm so Alone
Stuff
The Wobble
The Bicycle Music Company
www.bicyclemusic.com
Dive into the history of ground-breaking funk band Dyke & The Blazers.
Available for pre-order now: two career-spanning collections celebrating pioneering funk band Dyke & the Blazers - Down on Funky Broadway: Phoenix (1966–1967) and I Got a Message: Hollywood (1968–1970). Together they span the group’s short but impactful career with new stereo mixes of old favorites, a trove of previously unreleased material and audio freshly remastered by acclaimed engineer Dave Cooley.
Order here: found.ee/dykeandtheblazers-pivot-g
Dyke and The Blazers! From the digitally remastered "The Funky Broadway"
THE FUNKY BROADWAY
1 Funky Broadway Part 1
2 Funky Broadway Part 2
3 Uhh Part 1
4 Uhh Part 2
5 Broadway Combination
6 City Dump
7 The Wrong House
8 So Sharp
9 Don't Bug Me
Get Funky now at iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/funky-broadway-digitally-remastered/id691508589
Get Funky now at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/The-Funky-Broadway-Digitally-Remastered/dp/B00EQ58DFY/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_1
Additional photos courtesy of We Got More Soul and So Sharp
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
Funky Broadway Parts 1 & 2 · Dyke & The Blazers
Rarities Volume 2 - The Funky Combinations
℗ 2013 The Bicycle Music Company
Released on: 2013-01-01
Composer Lyricist: Arlester Christian
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Dyke and the Blazers was an influential Americanfunkband led by Arlester Christian (June 13, 1943–March 13, 1971). The band was formed in 1965 and recorded until 1971, when Christian died. Among their most successful records were the original version of "Funky Broadway" (1966) and "Let A Woman Be A Woman, Let A Man Be A Man" (1969).
Career
Arlester Christian, nicknamed "Dyke", was born (according to most sources) in Buffalo, New York. He attended Burgard High School. In 1960, he started playing bass in a Buffalo band, Carl LaRue and his Crew, who played local bars and clubs and released a single, "Please Don't Drive Me Away", on the KKC label in about 1963. In 1964, LaRue was invited by Phoenix, Arizonadisc jockeyEddie O'Jay to take his band to that city, to provide the backing for the vocal group that he managed there, The O'Jays. By 1965, however, the O'Jays and their manager had moved elsewhere, and LaRue's band fell apart. LaRue returned to Buffalo, but Christian and two other members of the band, guitarist Alvester "Pig" Jacobs and saxophonist J.V. Hunt, had no means of traveling and stayed in Phoenix. They joined forces with an existing Phoenix group, The Three Blazers, who included tenor saxophonist Bernard Williams, and, as "Dyke and the Blazers", added local musicians Rich Cason (organ) and Rodney Brown (drums). Playing in local clubs, the group picked up on the rhythms, bass and organ innovations of James Brown's band, and through improvisation developed a riff-based song that became "Funky Broadway", the lyrics reflecting singer Dyke's memories of Broadway in Buffalo as well as Broadway Street in Phoenix.