Hamilton Frederick Bohannon (born March 7, 1942), often credited and known professionally simply as Bohannon, is an American percussionist, band leader, songwriter and record producer, who was one of the leading figures in 1970s disco music.
Drummer Hamilton Bohannon (born March 7, 1942) was among the top bandleaders, percussionists, and producers in '70s disco/dance music. Bohannon grew up in Newnan, GA, and was drumming in a high school band while an elementary school student. After earning a music degree from Atlanta's Clark College, he was hired as a drummer by Stevie Wonder and moved to Detroit, where he was a bandleader and arranger for Motown tours until he joined Dakar/Brunswick in 1972. Bohannon perfected his formula of heavy, thudding bass accents and aggressive rhythms while recording for Dakar.
He had several songs that were successful club records, but only mild R&B hits, among them "South African Man," "Foot Stompin' Music," "Disco Stomp," and "Bohannon's Beat." He moved to Mercury in the late '70s and scored a major hit with "Let's Start the Dance" in 1978, Bohannon's only Top Ten R&B release. The song featured vocalist Carolyn Crawford.
He subsequently produced Crawford's solo release, "Coming on Strong," that same year and continued working with her into the '80s. Bohannon kept recording for Mercury, though barely getting light chart action in 1979 and 1980. He started Phase II Records in 1980 and recorded there until 1984.
The songwriting is sketchier than ever: three more remakes of "Start The Dance," and two each of "A Happy Song For You" and the familiar funk jam "Take The Country To New York City" ( featuring Maceo Brown and Fred Wesley regurgitating horn charts originally written for P-Funk). So you'll almost literally not hear anything you haven't heard before, but on those terms it's fairly decent: "Let's Start II Dance Again" is livened up with frantic rhythm guitar, female vocals, and a rap from Dr. Perri Johnson. The instrumental version of the pleasantly dippy "A Happy Song For You" spotlights an endless trumpet solo, and the ballad "You're The One" features unpredictable vocalizing from Lands.
Tracklist
1. Let's Start The Dance Part II (6:40)
2. Take The Country To New York City (5:49)
Arranged By [Horns] - Fred Wesley , Maceo Parker
Mixed By - Joe Neil
3. Let's Start II Dance Again (7:34)
Engineer, Remix - Tom Race
Rap, Written-By - Perri Johnson
Remix - Jonathan Fearing
Remix, Edited By - Hamilton Bohannon
4. A Happy Song For You Part I (4:52)
Mixed By - Joe Neil
5. You're The One (5:51)
6. Take The Country To New York City (Instrumental) (4:31)
Arranged By [Horns] - Fred Wesley , Maceo Parker
Mixed By - Joe Neil
7. A Happy Song For You Part II (4:46)
Mixed By - Joe Neil
8. Start The Dance (Inserts) (2:15)
Credits
He had several songs that were successful club records, but only mild R&B hits, among them "South African Man," "Foot Stompin' Music," "Disco Stomp," and "Bohannon's Beat." He moved to Mercury in the late '70s and scored a major hit with "Let's Start the Dance" in 1978, Bohannon's only Top Ten R&B release. The song featured vocalist Carolyn Crawford.
He subsequently produced Crawford's solo release, "Coming on Strong," that same year and continued working with her into the '80s. Bohannon kept recording for Mercury, though barely getting light chart action in 1979 and 1980. He started Phase II Records in 1980 and recorded there until 1984.
The songwriting is sketchier than ever: three more remakes of "Start The Dance," and two each of "A Happy Song For You" and the familiar funk jam "Take The Country To New York City" ( featuring Maceo Brown and Fred Wesley regurgitating horn charts originally written for P-Funk). So you'll almost literally not hear anything you haven't heard before, but on those terms it's fairly decent: "Let's Start II Dance Again" is livened up with frantic rhythm guitar, female vocals, and a rap from Dr. Perri Johnson. The instrumental version of the pleasantly dippy "A Happy Song For You" spotlights an endless trumpet solo, and the ballad "You're The One" features unpredictable vocalizing from Lands.
Tracklist
1. Let's Start The Dance Part II (6:40)
2. Take The Country To New York City (5:49)
Arranged By [Horns] - Fred Wesley , Maceo Parker
Mixed By - Joe Neil
3. Let's Start II Dance Again (7:34)
Engineer, Remix - Tom Race
Rap, Written-By - Perri Johnson
Remix - Jonathan Fearing
Remix, Edited By - Hamilton Bohannon
4. A Happy Song For You Part I (4:52)
Mixed By - Joe Neil
5. You're The One (5:51)
6. Take The Country To New York City (Instrumental) (4:31)
Arranged By [Horns] - Fred Wesley , Maceo Parker
Mixed By - Joe Neil
7. A Happy Song For You Part II (4:46)
Mixed By - Joe Neil
8. Start The Dance (Inserts) (2:15)
Credits
- Bass – Ronnie Harville
- Engineer – George "The Greek" Pappos, Tom Wright
- Featuring – Lalura White, Odell George, Primis James
- Guitar – Leroy Emmanuel, Wah-Wah Watson, Rick Rouse
- Keyboards – Mose Davis, Rod Lumpkin
- Piano – Jimmy Jackson, Oliver Wells
- Producer, Arranged By, Written-By – Hamilton Bohannon
- Trumpet – Louis Smith
- Vocals – Jean Carn, Keisa Brown, Liz Lands, Louise Freeman, Teresa Hightower
Notes
Released:1981
Genre: Funk / Soul
Style: Funk, Disco
Length: 42:03
This album was recorded at Axis and Cheshire Recording Studios, Atlanta, Georgia
"I dedicate this album to two of my brothers, Clarence and Bobby Bohannon"
Track 2 contains the often heard vocal sample "New York Is Red Hot"
"I dedicate this album to two of my brothers, Clarence and Bobby Bohannon"
Track 2 contains the often heard vocal sample "New York Is Red Hot"
Label: Phase II Records Ltd.
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