Wild Cherry formed back in 1970 – but 1976 was the year they broke through with the autobiographical song Play That Funky Music.  The song reached #1 on Billboard’s RB and Pop chart and #2 in Canada.

They might be labelled by some as a “one hit wonder,” but what a song and what a legacy. In 2018, Rolling Stone listed it at #93 on its list of the All Time Top 100 songs.

The band was never able to match the success of their debut single. After releasing four more singles and three more albums, the band split in 1979.  Lead singer Rob Parissi eventually began working in smooth jazz. Check out his smooth jazz cover of Play That Funky Music:

This is my interview with Rob that dates back to 2013. Feel free to like, comment, and/or share.

Copyright Peter J. Maurin, The Vinyl Professor. Published under Creative Commons License: Attribution/Non-Commercial Use.