The S.O.S. Band

Formed in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, in 1977, the S.O.S. Band enjoyed a long run of hits on the US R&B charts during the '80s. The group originally consisted of Mary Davis (vocals/keyboards), Jason ‘T.C.’ Bryant (keyboards), Billy R. Ellis (saxophone) and James Earl Jones, III (drums). They performed regularly, as Sounds Of Santa Monica, at Lamar's Regal Room in Atlanta where they were discovered by Milton Lamar, the club's owner, who later became their manager. The group were signed to the independent Tabu Records and soon added new members Willie ‘Sonny’ Killebrew (saxophone/flute), John Simpson, III (bass/keyboards) and Bruno Speight (guitar). The group then changed its name to the S.O.S. Band. Performing in the then popular funk style, the band began to amass a catalogue of US hits in 1980, with Take Your Time (Do It Right) Part 1 rising to number 1 on the R&B chart and number 3 national pop chart. They returned to the pop singles chart four more times throughout their career, but never rose close to that initial position again. On the R&B chart, however, they were mainstays through 1987, returning to the Top 10 four more times: in 1983 with Just be Good To Me (number 2) and Tell Me If You Still Care (number 5), in 1984 with Just The Way You Like It (number 6), and in 1986 with The Finest (number 2). Five S.O.S. Band albums also charted in the US, the debut, S.O.S., faring the best at number 12. There were a number of personnel changes throughout the decade, with vocalist Davis leaving for a solo career in 1987. The S.O.S. Band was still recording for Tabu and performing at the end of the '80s.