freddi/henchi and the soulsetters

Biography

Freddi/henchi and the Soulsetters – later known simply as the Freddi‑Henchi Band – emerged in the mid‑1960s from Phoenix, Arizona, where singer Freddi “Love” Gowdy first joined an existing local group called the Soul Setters after being encouraged by his high‑school choir teacher to pursue music.[3][2] Under the guidance of Phoenix DJ and promoter Hadley Murrell, the band developed a fun‑loving recording persona and began cutting singles, blending raw desert‑city R&B with an increasingly funky sound that highlighted Gowdy’s clear, high‑voiced leads and the charismatic dancing and vocals of Marvin “Henchi” Graves.[2][1] By 1965–67 they were performing around Arizona and Texas and issuing 45s such as “Biscuits and Buttermilk,” released under variants of the name Freddie and Henchi & the S.S. Revue and Freddy‑Henchi & the Soulsetters, while establishing a reputation as an electrifying live act.[4]

Chasing bigger opportunities, the group relocated to Los Angeles, signed a series of label deals, and eventually landed with Warner/Reprise, which released their key 1970s funk LP Dance and singles like “Funky to the Bone,” solidifying their identity as the self‑styled “Crown Princes of Funk.”[5][4] From that base they hit the college and club circuit across the western United States, then gravitated to Colorado in the late 1960s and early 1970s, settling in Boulder and Denver and becoming one of the state’s definitive party bands, known for groove‑heavy, dual‑lead vocal funk, tight horns, and choreographed stage moves at venues such as Fort Collins’ Clancy’s, Denver’s Shapes, and Boulder’s Skunk Creek Inn and Basin’s Up.[4][2][3] Their sound—described by the Colorado Music Hall of Fame as a “groove‑laced, falsetto dual‑lead‑vocal” style—anticipated elements later popularized by national funk acts, and they shared stages with artists like Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, James Brown, Steely Dan, Elton John, and Tina Turner while recording in Southern California and touring widely.[1][3][5]

Although the original Soulsetters lineup evolved over time and the band experienced periods of inactivity in the early 1990s, the Freddi‑Henchi name endured in Colorado’s musical life, with Gowdy later co‑fronting Chris Daniels & The Kings and carrying forward the high‑energy funk spirit he had pioneered with Henchi.[6][3] Marvin “Henchi” Graves died of cancer on June 12, 2009, but the group’s regional impact was formally recognized when Freddi & Henchi were inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame in 2019, celebrated for a three‑decade run as Boulder‑based crowd‑pleasers and for helping to introduce a distinctly funky, show‑driven R&B style to the Mountain West.[1][2][4] Their legacy survives in reissues such as the box‑set pairing of “Funky to the Bone” and “I Want to Dance, Dance, Dance,” the posthumous collection Crown Prince of Funk: The Last Set, and in the memories of audiences who experienced what local writers still describe as one of the funkiest live bands ever to work the Colorado circuit.[4][5]

Fun Facts

• Marvin “Henchi” Graves’ nickname came from his days as a collegiate wrestler; it is a shortened form of “Henchman,” reflecting his physical prowess before he became known for his dance moves onstage.[1]
• Freddi‑Henchi were dubbed Colorado’s “Crown Princes of Funk” and were so dominant on the state’s college circuit that they became known as the ultimate Boulder‑based party band for more than three decades.[2][5]
• The band’s live résumé included opening slots and shared bills with legends such as Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, James Brown, Steely Dan, Elton John, and Tina Turner, often in relatively intimate club settings before some of those artists reached stadium‑level fame.[3][5]
• Their single “Funky to the Bone” was later reissued in a limited‑edition 45‑rpm box‑set by Reprise/Rhino, pairing it with “I Want To Dance, Dance, Dance” and helping introduce their 1970s funk to new collectors decades after its original release.[4]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Hadley Murrell - Phoenix DJ/producer who guided the band’s early recording career and helped shape their fun-loving funk identity as the “Crown Princes of Funk.” (Early Soulsetters singles and studio sessions in Phoenix during the mid‑1960s) [mid–1960s]
• Mrs. Light - High‑school choir teacher who recognized Freddi Gowdy’s vocal talent and encouraged him to continue with music, leading to his audition for the Soul Setters. (High‑school choir training, no commercial recordings) [early 1960s (pre‑band)]

Key Collaborators

• Marvin “Henchi” Graves - Co‑frontman, vocalist, and dancer whose showmanship and partnership with Freddi defined the band’s dual‑lead vocal funk style. (Singles such as “Biscuits and Buttermilk,” “Folsom Prison,” “Funky to the Bone,” album Dance and extensive live performances as Freddi/henchi and the Soulsetters / Freddi‑Henchi Band) [mid‑1960s–late 1970s (with later reunions)]
• Bob Yeazel - Guitarist (later of Sugarloaf and Beast) who played in Freddi‑Henchi, contributing to their late‑1960s Colorado period and recordings. (Live work with Freddi‑Henchi; associated period including late‑1960s singles and club dates) [late 1960s–early 1970s]
• Chris Daniels - Colorado bandleader deeply inspired by Freddi‑Henchi who later partnered with Freddi Gowdy as co‑frontman in Chris Daniels & The Kings. (Live performances and recordings with Chris Daniels & The Kings (post‑Soulsetters era), building on the funk and R&B foundation of Freddi‑Henchi.) [from the 1980s onward]
• Larry Wilkins, Jerry Krenzer, Harold Lee, Chuck Reeder, Rich Guess and other band members - Core instrumentalists (guitars, bass, sax, keys, drums, percussion) who formed the backbone of Freddi‑Henchi’s live and studio sound. (Touring and recordings including 45s on Mo Soul, Tower, Reprise, DJM, and the LP The Prophets of Funk.) [mid‑1960s–1970s]

Artists Influenced

• Earth, Wind & Fire (stylistic parallel, as described by Hall of Fame) - Colorado Music Hall of Fame notes that Freddi‑Henchi’s groove‑laced, falsetto dual‑lead vocal style was later used by Earth, Wind & Fire and other 1970s funk acts, indicating they were part of the stylistic wave that those bands popularized. (Comparison is stylistic rather than tied to a single work; relates to EWF’s 1970s falsetto funk sound.) [1970s (national funk era following Freddi‑Henchi’s mid‑1960s origins)]
• Chris Daniels - Colorado musician who credits Freddi‑Henchi’s shows with shaping his sense of stagecraft and funk/R&B performance before he went on to front his own long‑running band. (Approach to live performance and horn‑driven R&B in Chris Daniels & The Kings, inspired by seeing Freddi‑Henchi in the early 1970s.) [inspired in early 1970s; career impact from late 1970s onward]

External Links

• Spotify