CSO to Welcome The Commodores, 7/12

For three decades, the Grammy-winning, funk/soul super group The Commodores, comprised of Walter "Clyde" Orange, William "WAK" King, and James Dean "J.D." Nicholas, have remained a force in the music industry with hits including "Brick House," "Night Shift," "Three Times A Lady," "Easy," and "Lady (You Bring Me Up)."

The Columbus Symphony presents The Commodores on Saturday, July 12, at the Columbus Bicentennial Pavilion (160 S. High St.) in the Columbus Commons. Gates open at 6 pm. Concert begins at 8 pm. Tickets are $23 for adults when purchased in advance by phone at 614.469.0939, online at www.PicnicWithThePops.com or www.ticketmaster.com, in person at the CAPA Ticket Center (39 E. State St.), or at central Ohio Kroger Ticketmaster locations. Adult tickets are $25 on the day of the show. Tickets for children ages 3-14 are always $8 regardless of when or where they are purchased. Children 2 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased at the Rich Street and State Street entrances of the Columbus Commons on the night of the show.

From the beginning, while attending college at Alabama's Tuskegee Institute, the Commodores were known as "smart guys," but they were funky too. Smart and funky enough to open for the Jackson 5, be discovered by Berry Gordy in the process, and go on to sell more than 60 million records for Motown. In fact, The Commodores were Motown's largest-selling act for two decades with 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.

Co-lead vocalist Lionel Richie left the group in 1983, but The Commodores continued on and entered the studio to begin recording Commodores 13.

In 1984, before recording Night Shift, the group decided to re-establish the successful co-lead vocal formula that had catapulted them to the top of the R&B and pop charts. After interviewing more than 50 candidates, they chose James Dean "J.D." Nicholas who had been a vocalist for the British band Heat Wave that had opened for The Commodores on a previous tour. Rounded out by world renowned rhythm section the "Mean Machine," The Commodores hit the road in support of their new record, and climbed to the top of the pop charts once again.

After the release of Night Shift, the group's contract with Motown came to an end, and they entertained offers from every major record label in the business. The selected Polydor, but after two fruitless LPs in the late '80s and lack of direction at the label, The Commodores asked to be released from Polydor.

In 1991, Walter "Clyde" Orange, William "Wak" King, and James Dean "J.D." Nicholas began the mammoth undertaking of creating all-new digital recordings of The Commodores classic hits, as Motown had refused to grant master use licenses for their upcoming greatest hits CD. Recording sessions from late '91 through '92 produced enough material for four new albums.

Commodores Greatest Hits Vol. I and Commodores Greatest Hits Vol. II was the first truly comprehensive hits package available on The Commodores, and included all the band's highest-charting singles in chronological order from their early days through Night Shift and the Polydor period. Commodores Christmas covered traditional Yuletide songs plus three original songs for the season. The sessions also resulted in an album of all-new material entitled Commodores XX - No Tricks, the group's 20th studio album that also included a new musical and vocal arrangement of the smash hit "Brick House" entitled "Brick House '93."

With four records "in the can," The Commodores decided to form their own record label, Commodores Records and Entertainment, in 1992. Signing a series of domestic and international publishing, licensing, and distribution agreements through the new company, the Commodores released the four albums.

The group then recorded and filmed their 1997 US tour, resulting in a Commodores Live CD and TV special released in December of 1998. Also in that month, The Commodores released "Brick House Cuts," featuring a live version, a hip-hop-flavored dance track version, and a radio version of the classic hit 20 years after it first charted.

The Commodores are currently working on new material for their next studio CD.

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