DYKE & THE BLAZERS

Dyke & The Blazers did the original “Funky Broadway” and were precursors to the 1970s funk explosion.

Arlester Christian (nicknamed “Dyke” for unknown reasons) was born in Buffalo, New York, on June 13, 1943. In the early ‘60s, he played bass with a local band, Carl LaRue & His Crew. In 1964, the band was invited by Eddie O’Jay, a disc jockey in Phoenix, to work in Arizona providing back-up for the O’Jays, the vocal group he managed. By 1965, Eddie O’Jay and his group had moved on, after which Carl LaRue & His Crew dissolved. Dyke and two other band members were too broke to return to Buffalo and so remained in Phoenix. They merged with another band and rechristened themselves Dyke & The Blazers.

The group developed a riff-based number that became their debut single, “Funky Broadway.” In the summer of 1966, they obtained a manager, Art Barrett, who had them record it. Barrett released the two-part single on his Artco label. The song became a local hit in Phoenix, prompting Art Laboe of Los Angeles to distribute it nationally on his Original Sound Records.

In early 1967, “Funky Broadway” entered the Billboard charts, peaking at #17 on its R&B survey in a remarkable 24-week run. On the pop chart, it reached #65. Wilson Pickett remade “Funky Broadway” for Atlantic Records later that year, taking it to #1 R&B and #8 pop.

That summer, Dyke & The Blazers played a series of gigs at Harlem’s Apollo Theater, but the stress of doing so caused the band to break up. Dyke returned to Buffalo and put together a new touring band, which gradually dissolved by 1969. From then on, he recorded in Los Angeles as Dyke & The Blazers with various studio musicians (including future members of Earth, Wind & Fire).

In 1969, Dyke & The Blazers had two top forty pop hits: “We Got More Soul” and “Let a Woman Be a Woman—Let a Man Be a Man.” The latter proved especially influential, having been sampled on three separate recordings: Tupac’s “If My Homie Calls,” Stetsasonic’s “Sally,” and The Heavy’s “How You Like Me Now?” Prince referenced it in his 1991 recording, “Gett Off.” The song also turned up in the 2011 movie, Friends With Benefits.

Arlester “Dyke” Christian, 27, was shot to death on Buckeye Road in Phoenix on March 13, 1971. It was reported that the murder was tied to drug dealing, but this was never proven. At the time of his death, Dyke was preparing for a British concert tour and a recording date with Barry White.

Dyke & The Blazers were later inducted into the Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame.

Rock critic Dave Marsh included both "Funky Broadway" and "We Got More Soul" in his 1989 book, The Heart of Rock and Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made.

Charted singles:

“Funky Broadway, Part 1” (1967) R&B #17, Pop #65
“So Sharp” (1967) R&B #41
“Funky Walk, Part 1” (1968) R&B #22, Pop #68
“We Got More Soul” (1969) R&B #7, Pop #35
“Let a Woman Be a Woman—Let a Man Be a Man” (1969) R&B #4, Pop #36
“Uhh” (1970) R&B #20
“You Are My Sunshine” (1970) R&B #30
“Runaway People” (1970) R&B #32