My spotlight today is on 'The Gap Band'. Composed of 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 1973. The Gap Band rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s.  The band reached a whole new level of fame in 1980's with the release of  The Gap Band III. In 1992, Charlie ventured into a solo career. Wilson's vocals were credited in part for inspiring the vocal style of new jack swing artists Guy, Aaron Hall, Keith Sweat, and R. Kelly.

On August 26, 2005, The Gap Band was honored as a BMI Icon at the 57th annual BMI Urban Awards. The honor is given to a creator who has been "a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers."Outstanding" alone remains one of the most sampled songs in history and has, astonishingly, been used by over 150 artists. After 43 years together, they retired in 2010.

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