Ohio Players Frontman Leroy 'Sugarfoot' Bonner Dead at 69

Posted by Roy on Monday, 01/28/2013 @ 22:41pm

These guys fused funk and rock in a way that few other acts have done before or since. They clearly influenced Rock & Roll Hall of Famers such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who covered one of their songs ("Love Rollercoaster"). They also influenced other bands who arguably should be in the Hall, such as the Commodores (who were viewed as Motown's answer to the Ohio Players at one time) and KC & The Sunshine Band.

Posted by Stan on Tuesday, 12/16/2014 @ 19:29pm

RIP Walter "Junie" Morrison

Posted by Roy on Thursday, 02/16/2017 @ 23:31pm

RIP Robert Ward

Posted by Roy on Thursday, 02/16/2017 @ 23:33pm

The Ohio Players are one of the greatest bands of all time..why aren't they in or even nominated..what's that about

Posted by Michael Stephens on Saturday, 10/19/2019 @ 10:32am

A few words about the Ohio Players for Michael, and I have to say I absolutely love the Ohio Players. They were one of the top Funk bands of the 70's, but were limited on their degree of popularity by a shortened career and lack of longevity. Still, they had 8 Top 40 Singles on Billboards Hot 100, 2 of which hit #1, Fire and Love Rollercoaster. And they had 12 Top 20 singles on Billboards R&B Chart, 5 went to #1, and a #2 with Skin Tight. From 1972 to 1976 they had 3 certified Gold albums, and a string of 3 Platinum albums in a row in '74 -'75 with Skin Tight(#11), Fire went to #1, and Honey hit #2.. On The U.S. R&B album charts,they scored 4 #1's in a row.
They were fronted by the great, flamboyant Sugarfoot Bonner, singer/guitarist, and their music influenced the G-Funk genre of Hip-Hop, having being sampled more than 30 times from 1987 to 1992, and by Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, and Snoop Dogg, and then by Jay-Z in 1996 for Brooklyn's Finest.

Personally, I do not believe 70's Funk is very well represented in the RRHOF, and this year we have Rufus w/Chaka Khan nominated, so I will be supporting them. The chances for Ohio Players would be remote for now, with other more popular Funk bands still not nominated, including Kool and the Gang, The Commodores, the Spinners, and the Pointer Sisters. A good start would be to finally get Rufus and Chaka Khan inducted..

Posted by Will N. on Saturday, 10/19/2019 @ 22:41pm

The Ohio Primary has been moved to April 28 and will be done by mail only.

Posted by Roy on Sunday, 03/29/2020 @ 15:17pm

One must ponder why trrhof doesn't join the 21st century and become The Music Hall of Fame, did they forget about the rest of the worlds music other than their own?? Very sad.

Posted by Jc on Friday, 08/21/2020 @ 08:54am

The Ohio Players are not rock n' roll. They were inducted into the Rythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2013.

Posted by Ann Williams on Wednesday, 12/16/2020 @ 00:02am

"he Ohio Players are not rock n' roll. They were inducted into the Rythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2013."

Without Rhythm & Blues, there IS NO Rock and Roll. R&B was the PROGENITOR of Rock and Roll...So, R&B Artists
DEFINITELY BELONG in the R&R HoF.

Posted by Bill G on Wednesday, 12/16/2020 @ 02:16am

Rest in Peace Greg Webster, drummer for the Ohio Players from 1964 to 1974, 1937(?)- 2022.

Posted by Joe S. on Saturday, 01/15/2022 @ 04:46am

I now that the Ohio Players was one of the best funky rock in roll bands ,to me thay are hall of gamers.

Posted by Richard Freeman on Wednesday, 09/14/2022 @ 21:49pm

Yes - but after The Spinners and Kool & the Gang.

Posted by Bookhouse on Monday, 02/20/2023 @ 08:48am

Put me down in agreement.. The OHIO PLAYERS should DEFINITELY be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in CLEVELAND. People don't get it.. they're putting in 80s synth pop stars and 90s rappers but they have really skipped through the late 60s through the 80s and the key moments in funk-rock, jazz rock, punk, electronic music. And now they CAN'T just pick one or two of these bands without someone saying "they don't belong!"... If you had a couple of induction years as you SHOULD have had years ago in the 90s where you put these funk bands in alongside white rock like Deep Purple post Gillan, Kraftwerk, Chicago and show how all of these approaches and genres were all touching each other before the retrenchment and the "Disco Sucks" balkanization of music. People were LISTENING to each other's music and coming up with lots of approaches that made for some interesting blends. Much richer a cross fertilization than we see in most of music today though there are some connoisseurs out here today enjoying global music we could only dream of then!

Posted by SucraloseFeets on Friday, 09/22/2023 @ 02:09am