Con Funk Shun

Biography

Con Funk Shun, an influential R&B and funk band, originated in Vallejo, California, in 1969 as Project Soul, formed by high school classmates Louis A. McCall (drums) and Michael V. Cooper (lead vocals, lead guitar), along with Karl 'Deacon' Fuller (trumpet), Paul 'Maceo' Harrell (saxophone/flute), Cedric Martin (bass), Danny 'Sweet Man' Thomas (keyboards), and Felton 'Slyde Clyde' Pilate II (trombone/lead vocals).[1][3] The group relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, in the early 1970s, serving as a backup band for Stax Records artists like The Soul Children and Rufus Thomas at events such as the Wattstax concert, while recording singles on Estelle Axton's Fretone label and performing across the mid-South and Japan.[1][3] Renaming themselves Confunkshun (later stylized Con Funk Shun) due to label concerns over 'soul,' they signed with Mercury Records in 1976, releasing 11 albums over a decade, five achieving gold status, with hits like 'Ffun' (#1 on Billboard Top Soul Singles in 1977), 'Love's Train,' 'Chase Me,' and 'Shake & Dance With Me.'[1][3]

Their musical style blended high-energy funk with smooth quiet storm ballads, characterized by tight horn sections, groovy basslines, and dual lead vocals from Cooper and Pilate, who handled most songwriting in their home studios.[1][2] Internal tensions over creative control and publishing led to the band's 1986 disbandment after their final Mercury album; Cooper pursued a solo career with modest hits, while Pilate became a producer for M.C. Hammer, and McCall worked as a consultant for artists like Eminem and Diddy before his unsolved murder in 1997.[1] In the 1990s, Cooper and Pilate revived performances under the name with sidemen and occasional original brass players, cementing their legacy as funk pioneers whose work endures, notably with Silk Sonic's 2021 #1 remake of 'Love's Train.'[1][3]

Fun Facts

• The band's name 'Con Funk Shun' originated from a song by NiteLiters (also known as Night Riders), adopted after labels rejected 'Project Soul' due to aversion to the word 'soul.'[1][2][3]
• Co-founders Michael Cooper and Felton Pilate were among the first musicians to own home studios, enabling them to write most of the band's material independently.[1][2]
• Their biggest hit 'Love's Train' was an album track never released as a single on 'To the Max' (1982), yet achieved gold status and was later remade by Silk Sonic to #1 fame 40 years later.[3]
• Tragically, co-founder Louis McCall was murdered in an unsolved 1997 home invasion robbery in Stone Mountain, Georgia.[1]

Members

• Felton C. Pilate II

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• NiteLiters - Stylistic name inspiration (Song 'Confunkshun') [early 1970s]

Key Collaborators

• The Soul Children - Backup band for Stax artists (Live performances and recordings) [early 1970s]
• Rufus Thomas - Background band (Wattstax Benefit Concert) [mid-1970s]
• M.C. Hammer - Felton Pilate as producer/musical director (Production work) [late 1980s-1990s]
• Louis McCall - Co-founder and band member (drums) (All early albums) [1969-1980s]
• Michael Cooper - Co-founder, lead vocalist/guitarist (All albums, songwriting) [1969-present (revivals)]
• Felton Pilate - Co-founder, trombone/lead vocals, primary songwriter (All albums, home studio production) [1969-present (revivals)]

Artists Influenced

• Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak) - Remade hit single leading to #1 chart success and BET Award ('Love's Train' remake on 'An Evening with Silk Sonic') [2021]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Love's Train (To The Max (Expanded Edition))
2. Straight From The Heart (Con Funk Shun - 7)
3. Ffun (Secrets)
4. Love's Train
5. Got To Be Enough (Spirit Of Love)
6. Baby I'm Hooked (Right Into Your Love) (Fever)
7. By Your Side (Spirit Of Love)
8. Too Tight
9. Chase Me (Candy)
10. I'm Leaving Baby (Electric Lady)

External Links

• Spotify
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #funk, #r&b, #soul