Raised on Radio #15- Shalamar

Shalamar is one of the great lost bands of the Hot Hits era. I mentioned Kool and the Gang earlier, but this group (which came together as Soul Train dancers) were one of those early 80s bands that were a big success on the R&B charts, transitioning from disco, but brought a big guitar-bass-drums sound that appealed ed to rock ears too.

There's probably three things people know about Shalamar.

- It launched Jody Watley, who ended up being even more popular than the band
- They gave us "Dancing in the Sheets" from Footloose (#17 in 1984)
- As anyone knows from watching Chappelle Show, the band in later years brought in Mikki Free, and even though he was a dude, guys thought "that b---- looks fine like a mutha----"

Shalamar had nine hits reach the Billboard Top 100, and although only three cracked the Top 40 ("Second Time Around" made it to #8 in 1979), they were consistent hitmakers on the R&B chart until 1987.

I always was a big fan of "Dead Giveaway". It reached #22, but in the era of the Jacksons, Rick James, and Prince, I thought it was as good as any of them.