The Commodores (Photo courtesy 21st Century Artists)
The Commodores, started by Tuskegee University classmates in 1968, were one of Motown Records’ flagship groups in the ’70s. The band delivered a string of hits, such as “Brick House,” a funky ode to full figures; the mellow ballads “Easy”; and “Three Times a Lady,” reinvigorating the label for the new decade.
Singer and saxophonist Lionel Richie left the group for a solo career in 1982, and other members departed later, but the band plays on. In 1985, their song “Nightshift” (a tribute to fallen soul singers Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye) won a Grammy. Today, the group consists of three members from their heyday, backed by a five-piece band called The Mean Machine.
The Commodores perform at 6 p.m. at Meadow Event Park on Thursday, Aug. 26. Tickets are $26 to $99.
