THE CHAPPARRALS WAS AN ABSOLUTELY PHENOMINAL BAND BASED IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA AND ON THE NATIONAL SCENE IN THE 1970'S AND 80'S. ORIGINATING IN A SMALL COUNTRY TOWN (WINSTON, GEORGIA) THE GROUP MOVED QUICKLY FROM PLAYING SMALL NIGHTCLUBS TO PERFORMING ON STAGES SUCH AS GARRETT COLISEUM IN MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA, LAKELAND COLISEUM IN LAKELAND, FLORIDA, AND VENUES ALL THE WAY FROM THE OMNI IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA TO THE FAMOUS RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL IN NEW YORK. WHEREVER THE CHAPPARRALS PLAYED, THE PEOPLE KNEW THAT THEY WERE IN FOR A SHOW. THIE BAND NOT ONLY PLAYED WELL, THEY HAD AN AWSOME STAGE SHOW AND THE AUDIENCE LOVED IT. THE BAND WAS SUPER CLEAN, AND BILLED ITSELF AS A DRUG-FREE, ALCOHOL-FREE, AND CIGARETTE-FREE GROUP.
SUPER ACTS SUCH AS MARVIN GAYE, THE COMMODORES, AND LARRY GRAHAM (GRAHAM CENTRAL STATION) WERE VERY COMFORTABLE SHARING THE STAGE WITH THE CHAPPARRALS BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT THE BAND WAS PROFESSIONAL, AND HAD A REPUTATION OF "TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS" WHEN IT HIT THE STAGE. WHILE TOGETHER, THE CHAPPARRALS PERFORMED WITH OVER THIRTY NATIONAL RECORDING ACTS, AND TOOK SECOND PLACE TO NO ONE WHEN IT CAME TO PERFORMING. SLY & THE FAMILY STONE WAS THE FIRST MAJOR ACT THAT THE CHAPPARRALS OPENED FOR. THE SHOW WAS AT THE MACON, GEORGIA COLISEUM. THE HUES CORPORATION AND THE OHIO PLAYERS WERE ON THAT SAME SHOW. AUDIENCES UP AND DOWN THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES GOT A TASTE OF THE CHAPPARRALS' STAGE PRESENCE AS THEY PERFORMED WITH SUCH ACTS AS THE TEMPTATIONS, TEDDY PENDERGRASS, THE ISLEY BROTHERS AND PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC. THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.
IN 1978 THE BAND RELEASED IT'S FIRST (AND ONLY) LP ENTITLED "SHAKE YOUR HEAD". THE RECORD RECEIVED EXTENSIVE AIRPLAY BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY BUT ALAS, THE BAND NEVER REALLY ENJOYED HAVING THE PLEASURE OF TRUE, NATIONAL FAME. ALTHOUGH CONTRACTS WERE ISSUED BY JOSEPH JACKSON (MICHAEL'S FATHER), FOLLOW UP NEGOTIATIONS PREVENTED THE CHAPPARRALS FROM SIGNING WITH A MAJOR RECORD LABEL.
THE AMAZING THING ABOUT THIS BAND IS, EVERY YEAR THEY STILL GET TOGETHER FOR A REUNION. NOT TO PLAY, BUT TO SHARE THEIR STORIES ABOUT BEING ON THE ROAD, LISTEN TO SOME OF THEIR ORIGINAL MUSIC, LAUGH AT OLD PHOTOGRAPHS, AND JUST HANG OUT WITH FRIENDS AND FANS THAT KNEW THEM BACK IN THE DAY.
THE ORIGINAL BAND MEMBERS CONSISTED OF CECIL SPARKS, LEAD VOCALS, LARRY POWELL, LEAD VOCALS, ANTHONY LOCKETT, LEAD GUITAR & VOCALS, SANDY ALLEN, BASS GUITAR & VOCALS, SANFORD HOLLOWAY AND LEROY DUNLAP, KEYBOARDS, TIMOTHY STEED, DRUMS, ANDREW STEPHENS, SAXOPHONE, JAY NATION, TRUMPET, HORACE HENRY, TRUMPET, TROMBONE, FLUTE & BAND LEADER. |
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