12th Annual Scholarship Masked Ball

Sugarfoot's OHIO PLAYERS is a blend of master musicians surrounding the exuberant and soulful “Sugarfoot”, the Original Player and signature voice of the Ohio Players. With virtuoso bassist, four-time Grammy winner, Trae Pierce, now serves as Musical Director of Sugarfoot’s Ohio Players.

The group that eventually became Ohio Players formed in Dayton, Ohio, in 1959, as the Ohio Untouchables. With a name change and the addition of Leroy “Sugarfoot” Bonner as lead-vocal front man, the new group, Ohio Players, emerged, and later delivered a Gold debut album, “Pain”, and Top 30 R&B title-track single in 1971. The follow up album “Pleasure” went all the way to #4, and with the single, “Funky Worm”, which also rose to #4 Pop. Their next release charted up to #12 Black with title track “Ecstasy”, while the album charted to #19.

Then in 1974 came the #1 Album “Skin Tight” delivered the single “Jive Turkey”. The next Platinum album, “Fire. The album also featured the #6 R&B single “I Want To Be Free”, “Honey” “Sweet Sticky Thing” and another huge evergreen hit, “Love Rollercoaster”, doubling at #1 R&B / #1 Pop. At Radio, this proved to be their biggest album with these three smast hits. “Contradiction” followed the chart trend and went Gold. Released in 1976 was their fourth #1 album and included a “Who’d She Cool?” They continued to sell and chart well with albums into the 80’s, but their #1’s run defined their sound and legacy.

In the 1985 Sugarfoot briefly left the OHIO PLAYERS for a solo album delivered on Warner Brothers and produced by the late great, legendary Roger “Zapp” Troutman. Sugarfoot was also featured on Herbie Hancock’s album “Vibe Alive”. Returning to the fold in 1988 resulted in the album “Back”, and the band returned to the stage to the joy of fans far and wide.

In 1999, the OHIO PLAYERS were inducted into Dayton’s “Walk of Fame” to celebrate their incomparable accomplishments. Noted at the time was the passing of founding member Clarence “Satch” Satchell and original member Ralph “PeeWee” Middlebrooks. There are only two remaining original members, Leroy Bonner and and Marshall Jones, who were on hand when the band transitioned from Ohio Untouchables to OHIO PLAYERS. In recent years, their “street funk” continues to open doors for young hip hop artists and DJ’s who sample “Ol’ School”, building new songs and new traditions on top of their original hit tracks.

Today, after taking a break from theroad, Sugarfoot is back putting his stamp on the next chapter in the history of the OHIO PLAYERS with his own Sugarfoot’s OHIO PLAYERS, satisfying the demand for The Voice. Sugarfoot has “reignited” the original OHIO PLAYERS sound, with Trae Pierce and a well credited group of players including Calvin Loatman, Earl Fleming, Derwin Daniels, Ahmad Rasberry, Marcus Lewis, Courtney Girlie, and EmmanuelCook. They are also back in the studio. Sugarfoot’s OHIO PLAYERS are recording new music mixed with both classic and new influences,produced by Sugarfoot and Trae Pierce.

Having played bass with the OHIO PLAYERS, in the 80's, Trae moved on to win five Grammy’s with the Blind Boys of Alabama. He has performed, produced and recorded with Phil Collins, The Blind Boys of Alabama, George Clinton, Chaka Khan, Dr. Hook, Jodeci, Peter Gabriel, The Mighty Clouds of Joy, Randy Travis, and has movie credits such as “The Fighting Temptations” with Cuba Gooding and Beyonce Knowles. Guitarist Loatman has performed with Kirk Franklin, Patti LaBelle and CeCe Winans, and has recorded with Kenny G, Rick James and Ludacris. As Sugarfoot’s OHIO PLAYERS regain their legacy stature with a hot new show and steamy new tracks, the fans are in for the thrill of a life time, again.

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