The Crusaders

Band Members: Joe Sample, Stix Hooper, Wilton Felder, Wayne Henderson, Hubert Laws Hometown: Houston
Biggest Hit Single: Street Life, number five, 1979
Career Highlights: The band has produced 48 albums!

Although The Crusaders are best known for their disco classic Street Life, which spent 11 weeks in the singles chart, the group started as a traditional jazz band, complete with horns section!

They made a string of records for the LA jazz label Pacific Jazz Records throughout the 60s under the name The Jazz Crusaders.

Then 1971 they shortened their name and changed musical direction. They started playing jazz-funk and used electric bass and electric guitars to modernise their sound. The band started becoming more popular with their new poppy sound and their albums began charting in Britain and America.

In 1975, following the release of their 28th album Wayne Henderson left the group to become a music producer. The gap left behind permenantly changed the group. Then another founder member Stix Hooper left the group in 1983. Three more albums were recorded in the mid 80s, but by the 90s The Crusaders disbanded.

There have been a few revivals since though! In 2003 the original band released the album Rural Renewal, and the original members have since threatened to return on almost a yearly basis!