♫ Jazzapedia

AFO Executives

Biography

The AFO Executives were a backing band formed in the early 1960s as part of the All For One (AFO) Records collective in New Orleans. Founded by Harold Battiste Jr., the group consisted of elite New Orleans studio musicians including Harold Battiste (arranger/composer), Red Tyler (saxophone), Roy Montrell (guitar), Peter "Chuck" Badie (bass), John Boudreaux (drums), and Melvin Lastie (cornet). These musicians were already established as the house band for AFO Records, where they had contributed to the label's breakout hit "I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)" by Barbara George in 1961, which reached #3 on the Hot 100 chart.

In 1963, when Battiste and other AFO collective members relocated to Los Angeles seeking greater commercial success, the AFO Executives took on a pivotal new role as the backup band for Sam Cooke and other artists on his SAR Records label. This collaboration lasted until Cooke's death in 1964, with the band contributing to significant recordings including "Tennessee Waltz" and "A Change Is Gonna Come." During their Los Angeles period, the group also supported vocalist Tami Lynn, who had recorded the album "Compendium" with AFO Records. The AFO Executives represented a musicians' collective built on the principle that "New Orleans musicians that make the music should make the money," rather than out-of-town record companies.

Following Sam Cooke's death, the collective gradually dissolved as members pursued individual projects. Battiste went on to become musical director for "The Sonny & Cher Show" and produced all of the duo's gold records, while Melvin Lastie continued producing hits like "(Going to the) Chapel of Love" for the Dixie Cups and worked with Willie Bobo. The AFO Executives' legacy lies in their role as pioneering African American musician-owned enterprise and their contribution to the distinctive New Orleans sound that influenced R&B and soul music in the 1960s.

Fun Facts

  • The AFO Executives were formed from the first African American musician-owned record label in the United States, AFO Records, founded in 1961.
  • Their very first production as the AFO Records house band, Barbara George's 'I Know (You Don't Love Me No More),' reached #1 on the R&B chart and #3 on the Hot 100, selling over a million copies.
  • Melvin Lastie wrote the standout cornet solo on 'I Know' that helped make it a hit, showcasing the collaborative creative process within the group.
  • After Sam Cooke's death in 1964, members went on to remarkable individual careers, with Harold Battiste becoming the first Black musical director of a nationally televised weekly music variety program and producing all of Sonny & Cher's gold records.

Musical Connections

Key Collaborators

  • Harold Battiste Jr. - Founder, arranger, and leader of the AFO Executives (AFO Records productions, Sam Cooke backing band, Barbara George's 'I Know') [1961-1964]
  • Sam Cooke - Primary artist the AFO Executives backed for SAR Records (Tennessee Waltz, A Change Is Gonna Come) [1963-1964]
  • Melvin Lastie - Cornet player and founding member of AFO Executives (I Know (You Don't Love Me No More), AFO Records productions) [1961-1963]
  • Red Tyler - Saxophonist and founding member of AFO collective (AFO Records house band sessions) [1961-1963]
  • Tami Lynn - Vocalist who performed with the AFO Executives (A Compendium album) [Early 1960s]
  • Barbara George - Singer whose hit record featured AFO musicians (I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)) [1961]

Connection Network

Current Artist
Collaborators
Influenced
Mentors
Has Page
No Page

Discography

Top Tracks

  1. Wyld (More Gumbo Stew)
  2. Olde Wine (Gumbo Stew)
  3. Nancy (Still Spicy Gumbo Stew)
  4. Money (That's What I Want) (Still Spicy Gumbo Stew)
  5. Olde Wine (Gumbo Stew)
  6. Olde Wine (Gumbo Stew)
  7. Money (That's What I Want) (Still Spicy Gumbo Stew)
  8. Nancy (Still Spicy Gumbo Stew)
  9. Wyld (More Gumbo Stew)
  10. Money (That's What I Want) (Still Spicy Gumbo Stew)

References

  1. thehistorymakers.org
  2. acloserwalknola.com
  3. afofoundation.org
  4. afofoundation.org

Heard on WWOZ

AFO Executives has been played 5 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.

DateTimeTitleShowSpotify
Nov 27, 202506:54Old Wynefrom AFO ExecutivesThe Morning Setw/ Scott Borne
Nov 15, 202511:28Old WyneNew Orleans Music Show - Saturday
Oct 20, 202507:57One Naughty Flatfrom CompendiumThe Morning Setw/ Stuart Hall
Sep 25, 202511:57Mojo Hannafrom CompendiumNew Orleans Music Showw/ Michael Dominici
Sep 25, 202506:33Moneyfrom CompendiumThe Morning Setw/ Scott Borne