The R&B funk icon, Confunkshun, who has been pleasing fans for over 50 years, is at it again! While fresh off the success of Love’s Train being rerecorded by Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak) and reaching #1 on the charts, the band’s locomotive is once again rolling out with a new single, Text Me Tomorrow from the upcoming 2023 summer album release Smooth Jukebox.
Initially known as Project Soul, the R&B funk icon group we now know as Confunkshun, has been pleasing fans for over 50 years.
Originating in Vallejo, CA, founding member Michael Cooper along with high school classmates, Louis McCall, Karl Fuller, Cedric Martin, Danny Thomas, Paul “Zebulan” Harrell, and newfound talent, Felton Pilate, started this unprecedented music journey. Eventually, the group found a home in Memphis in the mid-‘70s when they booked a performance backing Stax Recording Artist, the Soul Children. Soon they were recruited as the background band for Rufus Thomas for the Golden Globe nominated Wattstax Benefit Concert/ Documentary.
While in pursuit of a recording contract, the group adopted a new name inspired by the group Nite- Liters’ song, Confunkshun. The newly re-named act attracted the attention of Mercury Records, and soon set funkateers around the world on fire with their debut album featuring their first single “Sho’ Feels Good To Me.” Confunkshun went on to release a total of 11 albums, and eight top ten Billboard hits including the No. 1 hit single “Ffun”, “Chase Me”, “Shake & Dance”, “Baby I’m Hooked” and more.
Ironically, their biggest hit was an album cut that was never released as a single. The fan favorite, Love’s Train, propelled Confunkshun’s “To the Max” album to Gold Status. But it was 40 years later that supergroup Silk Sonic’s remake of the single took it to #1 on the charts, helping the duo (Bruno Mars & Anderson Paak) win a BET Album of the Year Award.
In 2022 Michael Cooper and Felton Pilate were presented with Honorary Doctorates of Humane Letters from the Christian Bible Institute. With Confunkshun member Dr. Ron Moton earning his PH. D in 2018, Confunkshun can proudly claim to be one of the only R&B Funk bands with three doctorate members! Dr. Cooper and Dr. Pilate were also honored to receive the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Awards for their lifetime of service through music and more. This prestigious award has been awarded to a selected few Americans to recognize over 4,000 hours of extraordinary service.
Confunkshun’s current lineup includes three original members, Michael Cooper, Felton Pilate, and Karl Fuller as well as the talents of Kurt “KC” Clayton, Ron Moton, Aaron Green, Rene Escovedo, and Brian LaTour. Additional support includes the service of long-time road manager and travel agent Steve Sullivan & Master of Ceremony, Clarence Isadore. They continue to mesmerize audiences with magnetic performances on their worldwide 40-city “Love’s Train Reboarded 40th Anniversary Tour” which included stops at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley, Yoshi’s, the Blue Note, and many more sold-out venues. The group is also a frequent favorite on the Soul Train Cruise and Tom Joyner Cruise and soon to be on the upcoming Keith Sweat’s, Sweatfest in the Dominican Republic. Their contribution to R&B music was recognized in 2014 with the National R&B Music Society Lifetime Achievement Award. Confunkshun’s catalog of hits remains on worldwide radio playlists and in the hearts of their dedicated fans.
