Sugarfoot's OHIO PLAYERS are a funky-pop-R&B blend of master musicians surrounding the exuberant and soulful “Sugarfoot”, the signature Voice and personification of the original OHIO PLAYERS. With virtuoso bassist Trae Pierce, a second generation OP member, now returning to the band again, as Musical Director, Sugarfoot’s OHIO PLAYERS perform all the #1 “Sugar” hits everyone expects from an OHIO PLAYERS concert. Pierce utilizes a gifted stage band to deliver a monster bottom-heavy and horn-stabbing funk sound to rival the legend of the OHIO PLAYERS live show and honor the tradition of their music to support Sugarfoot.

The group that eventually became the 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 group evolved and emerged with a GOLD debut #21 album, “Pain”, and Top 30 R&B title-track single in 1971. The follow up album “Pleasure” went all the way to #4, and dropped a #1 Black 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 PLATINUM blow out. The #1 Album “Skin Tight” delivered a #2 R&B / #13 Pop title-track single and a #6 R&B single “Jive Turkey”. The next PLATINUM album, “Fire”, was a back-to-back, double-chart #1 album, at R&B and Pop, but this time out Sugarfoot sported a double-chart #1 title track single, too. “Fire” proved to be their hottest and still most requested radio smash. The album also featured the #6 R&B single “I Want To Be Free”, a social commentary. The album “Honey” continued the PLATINUM studio album tradition charting #1 R&B / #2 Pop. It also brought “Sweet Sticky Thing” hitting #1 R&B / #33 Pop Singles, “FOPP” hitting #9 R&B / #30 Pop, 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 hit #1, selling GOLD. Released in 1976 was their fourth #1 album and included another #1 R&B hit “Who’d She Coo?”, which also went #18 Pop. Mercury capped the dizzy run of #1 hit albums and singles at Christmas 1976 with the greatest hits album “Gold” that sold GOLD. They continued to sell and chart well with albums into the 80’s, but their #1’s run defined their sound and legacy. Along the way, amid a staggering string of hits straddling both R&B and Pop charts, the OHIO PLAYERS melded together elements of jazz, soul, funk, and pop to coalesce their signature sound. In all they racked up four #1 Albums, seven #1 chartings on Singles, three Platinum and three GOLD albums, and very many more Top 10-20-30 & Top 40 hit singles.

On top of their hot music, the OHIO PLAYERS were also well known for their steamy album covers (“Honey” being the most controversial) with sensual females engaged in provocative artwork and suggestive poses. 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.

Sugarfoot has also been an inspiration to many, including the character “Uncle Bobby” on the animated show “The Proud Family”. Recording Artist D’Angelo has re-recorded “Heaven Must Be Like This” on his new album “The Best So Far” released on Virgin Records in June 2008. The Red Hot Chili Peppers perform “Love Rollercoaster” and “FOPP” during their concerts, and recorded “Love Rollercoaster” for the “Beavus and Butthead” movie soundtrack.

Today, after taking a break from the road, 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, Derwin Daniels, David Grant, Courtney Girlie, Emmanuel Cook, and Earl Fleming. 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 become a three-time Grammy award winner. 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.