A biography of Con Funk Shun

Con Funk Shun is an American funk and R&B band that were mainly active in the 1970s and 1980s and were essential to the evolution of funk. Having produced numerous hit records and eleven albums with Mercury Records, Con Funk Shun have a rich, sometimes poignant, yet unquestionably entertaining history. This brief article will trace them from their roots in California to their establishment as a leading band in the funk movement.

Origins and early days

Con Funk Shun were formed in Vallejo, California in 1969 by high-school classmates Louis A. McCall and Michael V. Cooper, who specialised in drums and lead vocals/guitar respectively. The group soon grew to include Karl Fuller, Paul Harrell, Cedric Martin, Danny Thomas and Felton Pilate. Initially known as 'Project Soul', the group started out as a support act for The Soul Children in the early 1970s, before deciding to rename themselves as 'Con Funk Shun' after an instrumental tune by The Nite-Liters. Having moved to Memphis in 1973, the group supported themselves by performing throughout clubs, festivals and colleges and grew to become one of the most popular unsigned bands in the South.

Mercury records and mainstream success

In July 1976, Con Funk Shun finally signed a major recording contract with Mercury Records, releasing their first album with the label later that year.The band's second album at Mercury ('Secrets') was released to critical and commercial success, with the single "Fun" being named "#1 With A Bullet" on Billboard magazine's Top Soul Singles chart in July 1977. Over ten years, Con Funk Shun recorded 11 albums with Mercury, with five of them achieving gold status. The band had numerous top 40 hits including "Chase Me", "Love's Train" and "Straight From The Heart".

Later years and tragedy

In the 1980s, new genres and poor support from Mercury began to cause tension between the band. As the men grew older, there were many differences in opinion in terms of artistic and business decisions, making a break inevitable. 'Burning Love', Con Funk Shun's last album with Mercury Records was recorded without Pilate, who left the group in 1986 and was replaced by Melvin Carter. The same year, the inevitable split happened, with Cooper deciding to leave for a solo career. Cooper released a few solo albums with Warner Bros. and Pilate went on to become a highly successful producer and musical director for M.C. Hammer. In 1997, McCall was tragically murdered in a home-invasion robbery in Stone Mountain, Georgia. It would be a full ten years before a suspect would be indicted in 2007 in connection with the murder. Despite this poignant end to such a talented musician, the reconstituted band continue to perform and still retain a proud legacy.