February 8, 1975 –
Ohio Players’ single Fire went to No. # 1 on the Billboard Charts on this date.
Prior to Fire, the group’s highest-charting Hot 100 entry was Funky Worm, an influential novelty number led by keyboardist/vocalist Junie Morrison that hit #15 in 1973. When the band left the Detroit-based Westbound label for a major deal at Mercury Records, Morrison stayed behind and, after pursuing a solo career, eventually joined up with Parliament-Funkadelic. Billy Beck replaced him on keys and Jimmy “Diamond” Williams took over on drums, forming the Ohio Players’ classic lineup. Fire, which boasted the hit title track, was the band’s second Mercury album. It was their first and only chart-topper on the US albums chart.
The Haus of Dcaligari 