Average White Band

The notion that some of the ‘70s’ hottest funk tracks could be made by six Scottish men may seem far-fetched. Yet even legends like The J.B.’s gave props to Average White Band, as did the countless hip-hop acts who used their riffs and grooves as building blocks. The members met while studying and playing music in Dundee before the group coalesced in London in 1972 and found a valuable supporter in Eric Clapton. Their breakthrough came when their second album, AWB, hit No. 1 in 1974 and spawned a smash in the horn-powered instrumental “Pick Up the Pieces.” Their success continued with unstoppable party-starters like 1975’s Cut the Cake and 1976’s Soul Searching. After making the shift from funk to disco, the group ended their original run in 1983. But after reuniting six years later, Average White Band proved to be one of funk’s hardiest institutions.