Virtua Gala 2019

From the beginning at Tuskegee Institute in 1968, the Commodores were known as ‘smart guys,’ but they were funky, too. Smart and funky enough to open for the Jackson 5, to be discovered by Berry Gordy in the process, and to sell more than 60 million records for Motown. They were its largest selling act for two decades in the 70s and 80s. The Commodores racked up a string of hits including “Machine Gun,” “Brick House,” “Easy,” “Three Times A Lady,” “Sail On,” “Oh No,” “Slippery When Wet,” “Too Hot Ta Trot,” and many others that literally moved an entire generation. Success, however, was not enough to save them from the changes in the music scene, or, most especially, the music business. The departure in 1983 of their friend and comrade, Lionel Richie, co-lead vocalist along with Walter “Clyde” Orange, might have sunk a lesser group. The Commodores continued onward, and entered the studio to begin recording “Commodores 13.” In 1984, the Commodores decided to re-establish the co-lead vocal formula that had catapulted them to the top of the R & B and pop charts in the past. After interviewing over fifty candidates, the Commodores chose J.D. Nicholas. J.D. was a vocalist for the British band Heat Wave, the Commodores opening act on their previous European tour. The match was perfect. Featured Entertainment The Commodores Rounded out by the world- renowned rhythm section the “Mean Machine,” the Commodores hit the road in support of their new record. The tour had sold out shows with both new and old fans singing and dancing on their feet to new Commodores songs and classic hits. The Commodores had silenced the critics and climbed to the top of the pop charts. For three decades, the Commodores have remained a force in the music industry. The Commodores aren’t just any group; they have staying power. Just like their hit song “Brick House,” they have created a foundation that just won’t budge. After churning out hit after hit in the Motown days, the Commodores achieved Grammy recognition in 1986 when they released “Night Shift.” Unlike many other groups, they haven’t rested on their early hits and have continued to put out quality work. The successful Commodores of the present have produced six new albums, embarked upon a worldwide tour and have created their own record label, Commodores Records and Entertainment. Today the Commodores stand, not only as talented and successful musicians, but as artists determined to continue their success into the future. The Commodores have maintained their place among the most successful entertainers in the world. Their new careers as entrepreneurs, as well as performers, bring the boys from Tuskegee full circle. With three decades of talent and experience in writing, producing, and performing hit music to a whole new generation of fans, the Commodores have proved once again that their future is as bright as their past.