AccuRadio Song Of The Day-A Taste Of Honey

Artist:A Taste Of Honey
Song:Boogie Oogie Oogie
Album:Classic Masters





So this 1978 number one hit is perceived as a one hit wonder representing the excess of the disco era. But A Taste Of Honey had another top five hit so they weren't a one hit wonder. And group leader Janice Marie Johnson hated being labelled as disco. But they did win the 1978 Best New Artist Grammy and then faded by the early 80s mostly because of personnel changes and a less than supportive record company. It was also very unusual for women to lead a band in those days. Bassist and lead singer Janice Marie Johnson was the daughter of a musician and started out playing bass in Los Angeles jazz clubs. In 1971, she met keyboard player Percy Kibble at a Princess Cruise Lines audition and they decided to form a band. It was named after the Herb Alpert hit A Taste Of Honey. Other members were drummer Donald Johnson and lead singer Greg Walker. When Walker left to join Santana, guitarist Hazel Payne was brought in and Janice became lead vocalist. They met with producers Fonce and Larry Mizell and signed with Capitol Records. Fonce was part of The Corporation that produced The Jackson 5 and he also produced Donald Byrd and The Blackbyrds for Capitol's Blue Note label. They recorded their 1978 debut album and Boogie Oogie Oogie topped the Billboard Hot 100. The album went Platinum. The song Boogie Oogie Oogie came out of this assumption that hot chicks can't play instruments. And as you will see in the video, Janice and Hazel could really play. So Janice was annoyed at an audience one night when she improvised the Boogie Oogie Oogie bass riff and the words to the song. That's right. She made up a number one hit on the spot. A Taste Of Honey's other top five hit was their 1981 cover of Kyu Sakamoto's Sukiyaki. They split up in 1983. You can get all their hits on this budget comp. Janice Marie Johnson recorded a solo album in 1984. But Capitol didn't promote it and it didn't sell. She was actually a limo driver for a few years. Percy Kibble and Donald Johnson moved to Calgary to play blues in local clubs. Kibble died in 1999. Johnson still records blues CDs. Janice Marie Johnson and Hazel Payne reunited for a 2004 PBS special. Here's A Taste Of Honey performing Boogie Oogie Oogie on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert 1978. Swing those axes, girls!

A Taste of Honey. Boogie Oogie Oogie [Live] 1978 by capitainfunkk