Play That Hit and Vanish: The Wild Cherry Story
Rob Parissi formed his rock band, Wild Cherry, in Ohio during the early ’70s.
Initially releasing albums on their own label and rotating band members along the way, they eventually signed with Brown Bag Records and started dropping singles in 1973.
When none of the tunes caught on, the band dissolved—only to reform again in 1975 with Parissi as the sole original member.
By then, disco was taking over and rock music wasn’t in demand. After being constantly asked to play more dance music, one of the band members recalled an audience member shouting, “Are you white boys gonna play some funky music?”
That line (and possibly hearing Superstition on the radio) sparked Rob’s inspiration for the tune that would define the band—and allow him to retire early.
After recording Play That Funky Music, they contacted Epic/CBS, who signed them based on the strength of that single.
As Play That Funky Music hit #1 in the U.S., selling 2.5 million copies in the process, Wild Cherry became a household name.
The self-titled album also included Nowhere To Run (originally by Martha and the Vandellas) and sold 1 million copies.
In my humble opinion, the band’s legacy isn’t just about scoring a mid-’70s hit—it’s about how Play That Funky Music has since become a staple for every covers band on the planet.
No other singles emerged from that album or any of the follow-ups: Electrified Funk (1976), I Love My Music (1978), and Only the Wild Survive (1979).
After nearly a decade, the band called it quits for good, and Rob Parissi retired to play instrumental jazz, drive sports cars, and go fishing on his boat in Florida.
Wild Cherry Tunes | Related Pages
Nowhere To Run | Chords + Lyrics
You can learn how to play Nowhere To Run by Martha and The Vandellas using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| G7 | F C | G7 | F C |
Nowhere to run to, baby. Nowhere to hide…
Play That Funky Music | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Play That Funky Music by Wild Cherry using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| E9 (Eb9 E6) | E9 (Eb9 Eb6 E6) |
Hey, once I was a boogie singer…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Play That Funky Music (Wild Cherry) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Wild Cherry on the web
