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The Total Experience was often described as an R&B equivalent of the Roxy (a well-known club on West Hollywood's Sunset Strip), and like the Roxy, Simmons' venue tended to book artists who weren't big enough to headline the Inglewood Forum or the Long Beach Arena, but could still attract several hundred people on a given night. His debut album, Call Me Goodie, peaked at #31 R&B. The Total Experience was a legendary night spot on Crenshaw Blvd in Los Angeles from 1972 -1990. 2 in early 1986. [2] Eventually he invested in a recording studio by purchasing the property previously occupied by Sound Recorders Studios on the corner of Yucca St. and Argyle Ave. in Hollywood. Lonnie Henry Simmons Obituary With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Lonnie Henry Simmons (Charlotte, North Carolina), who passed away on May 8, 2021 at the age of 84. The Gap Band's 1983 release, Gap Band V: Jammin' (#2 R&B, #28 Billboard 200), saw Simmons take a reduced writing/producing role; he co-wrote only one song. DJd at Total Experience. 96 kHz / 24-bit PCM - Mercury Records Studio Masters Tracks 1-8 . 1 on the soul album chart. Lonnie had a recording studio in the building and produced hits on The Gap Band, Yarbrough and Peoples, Switch and more. My friend for over 40 years has passed away. In 1978, he signed a little-known R&B act, the Greenwood, Archer and Pine Street Band, (shortened in 1973 by a typo to the Gap Band) to his production company, and secured a record deal with Mercury Records. As a composer, he co-wrote several #1 R&B songs for his label's major acts, The Gap Band and Yarbrough and Peoples. But thanks to Simmons, the Gap Band's fortunes improved considerably in 1979, when Total Experience Records put out the group's third album. Lonnie had a recording studio in the building and produced hits on The Gap Band, Yarbrough and Peoples, Switch and more. 1. For instance, Oops Up Side Your Head! was sampled in 41 different songs, according to the website whosampled.com; most notably in the No. All rights reserved. 101 pop), Shake Gap Band (1979); (No. A p indicates a writer/producer who also performed at least one song on the label. 0: 0-Private player. Following a short and ultimately disappointing time at Leon Russell's Shelter Records, the band found initial success on Mercury before transferring to Lonnie Simmons' Total Experience label with the release of 1982's Gap Band IV . That year, Simmons co-wrote two songs which peaked on the R&B charts at #1 back-to-back: "Burn Rubber on Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)", which was released on The Gap Band III, and "Don't Stop the Music", which was released on Yarbrough & Peoples' debut album, The Two of Us. Spencer Dinwiddie continues to play pretty well, I don't love the matchup but he's going to look like a nice mid-range point guard option in this one. ), an eight-minute, straight-up funk jam that, in 1980, matched the No. ADDITIONAL LINKS 48 peak). After a brief audition, Simmons exchanged contact information with them. As a composer, he cowrote several 1 RB songs for his label's major acts, The Gap Band and Yarbrough and Peoples. An m indicates the group released multiple full-length albums on Total Experience. 3 on the soul chart in the summer of 83, and Gap Band V Jammin would be the groups last gold-certified release. 1 and crossing over to the top 20 (No. (February 7, 2019) EURWeb has reported that legendary producer, songwriter and record label executive Lonnie Simmons, best known for his role in the emergence of The Gap Band, has died, causes unknown. We use cookies to improve your experience on our website. Their first Total Experience-produced single, 1979's "Shake", went to #4 on the R&B charts. 60 on the pop chart (and No. Robert was just 14 when the band gained acclaim in Tulsa, Oklahoma. . This left the Gap Band as the label's sole act by 1986. One of the label's first signings was the Gap Band, who Simmons met through soul singer DJ Rogers (known for his 1975 smash, "Say You Love Me"). The Total Experience was often described as an R&B equivalent of the Roxy (a well-known club on West Hollywoods Sunset Strip), and like the Roxy, Simmons venue tended to book artists who werent big enough to headline the Inglewood Forum or the Long Beach Arena, but could still attract several hundred people on a given night. The success of Gap Band IV, Robert "Goodie" Whitfield's debut album Call Me Goodie (also released in 1982), 1983's Gap Band V: Jammin' and Yarbrough and Peoples' Heartbeats resulted in a lucrative distribution deal with RCA Records in early 1984. Welcome Guest! The KDAY Mixmaster. Rogers signed with Lonnie Simmons' Total Experience Records (the Gap Band, Yarbrough and Peoples) and the LP Love, Music & Life was issued in 1977. The duo Yarborough & Peoples were also produced by Lonnie Simmons and recorded his songs on the Total Experience label. In fact, Curry, KD, Reggie Miller, Harden, Charles Barkley, and Adrian Dantley are the only players with a career TS% greater than 60% Lonnie Simmons, Rudy Taylor, Charlie Wilson: Producent (er) Lonnie Simmons: The Gap Band singler . At 75 years old, Lonnie Simmons height not available right now. I saw with my OWN eyes what he did to him and how he manipulated Charlie when Charlie was fighting for his life and career. In 1984, the label changed its distribution from PolyGram to RCA Records. There are 30+ professionals named "Lonnie Simmons", who use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. Listen Add a photo or a video The Los Angeles resident started making a name for himself in the R&B world in the '70s, when he operated a South Central L.A. nightclub called the Total Experience (which was located on Crenshaw Boulevard, one of the most famous thoroughfares in L.A.'s African-American community). He took all their money and credit for songs!! (The club made several appearances in movies like Dolemite and Black Fist. From its inception in 1981 to late 1983, Total Experience was a subsidiary label of Mercury's parent company, PolyGram. It was the first album producer Lonnie Simmons released directly on his label, Total Experience Records. Who said funk music couldnt be funny and funky at the same time? *We have sad news to report on one of the black music industrys pioneers. Charlie Wilson, Lonnie Simmons, Malvin Dino Vice: The Gap Band II (1979) 5:47: 13. Lonnie J Simmons, 60 Resides in Watertown, SD Lived In Henry SD, Sioux Falls SD, Worthing SD, Corpus Christi TX Related To Brittany Simmons, Curtis Simmons, Yolanda Simmons, Howard Simmons, J Simmons Also known as Jerald L Simmons, Janet L Simmons Includes Address (13) Phone (6) Email (8) See Results Lonnie E Simmons, 45 Resides in Milwaukee, WI Lonnie Simmons operated an LA nightclub in the mid-1970s called The Total Experience. 1290 Finnie Simmons Rd, Woodbury, TN 37190. Thank you for a great first year! While we share the sadness of many in hearing of his death, we also celebrate a decade of incredible music that Simmons helped give to music fans around the world. This was immediately following the Gap Band #1 R&B song "Burn Rubber on Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)". 2 or better on the Billboard soul list, with Early In The Morning and Outstanding both hitting No. Lonnie Simmons A tribute to the music pioneer behind the Gap Band who put the Fun in Funk, Quick reaction: Maroon 5s Super Bowl LIII Halftime Show, Dont Stop The Music Yarbrough and Peoples (1981); (No. 1 hits now eluding them, this alternation of No. That formula had worked for Total Experience and the Gap Band for three years and wasnt about to end now. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution . Indhold. Lonnie Paige Simmons With profound sorrow, we join the Simmons Family in announcing the death of Lonnie Paige Simmons, 93, of the Belgrade Community, Maysville, who departed this life on Monday, January 17, 2022. 2 soul, 4 weeks; No. 2 later in 1986. Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade, What Happens Now? One of the. 1? Its follow-up single, the funk ballad Yearning For Your Love, contributed to the growing success, peaking at No. Its two major acts were The Gap Band and Yarbrough & Peoples. Because Simmons was a successful, R&B-oriented entrepreneur and label owner, there were those who compared him to Dick Griffey (president of Solar Records) and the Kenneth Gamble/Leon Huff team (who founded the '70s gold mine known as Philadelphia International Records). But Simmons changed their (and his) fortunes forever with their third release. Simmons also owned a recording studio in the '70s, and by the end of the decade, he founded Total Experience Records (which landed a distribution deal with Mercury/Polygram). At the tail-end of 1984, A Total Experience Christmas was released, featuring songs by five of the label's acts, as well as two of the label's writers.[4]. From 1983-1988, he served as a personal clerk for West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Thomas B. Miller. programed hip-hop format, currently known as KDAY 93.5 FM. I have 30 years experience in the practice of law, including representation of clients in Traffic Court. Lonnie Simmons first came up in the industry in the early 1970s by way of his South Central L.A. nightclub that bore the Total Experience moniker that would later become the name of his production company, recording studio and record label. It originally began in 1977 as a production company whose albums were released by Mercury Records before becoming a label in 1981. As a composer, he co-wrote several #1 R&B songs for his label's major acts, The Gap Band and Yarbrough and Peoples. 4 soul, No. 1 single, All Of My Love, in 1989. ) (1980); (No. Before meeting Simmons, the Gap Band had been struggling; their first two albums, which came out in 1974 and 1977, received little attention. Get peer reviews and client ratings averaging 3.9 of 5.0. Yes, he took advantage of the GAP Band especially Charlie. Lonnie signed a plethora of new acts in 1984-85 and two established acts: Switch and Billy Paul. The signing hit immediate pay dirt with the 1979 hit Shake. The Gap Band followed later that same year with the top smash Oops Upside Your Head, which Simmons co-wrote, and which had a bit of a second life a couple years ago, when Simmons and company received co-writing credits on the Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars hit Uptown Funk, for that songs similarity to Oops., With The Gap Band driving Total Experience forward, Simmons then signed the duo Yarbrough and Peoples, who went on to a successful recording career and the #1 hit Dont Stop the Music. Through the first half of the 1980s, it seemed that Total Experience could do no wrong, as The Gap Band and Simmons teamed for hit after hit such as Outstanding, You Dropped A Bomb On Me, and Early In the Morning. Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. 2 soul, 1 week), Party Train Gap Band (1983); (No. By the end of the decade, Total Experience shut down, but not before staking its claim as one of the truly great funk labels of the 80s. Lonnie Simmons,founder of the label Total Experience 'one of the truly great funk labels of the 80s', thin - 4 years ago @bradweis: #obitpatrol Who died? 6 soul, No. What memories do you have? Gap Band IV was released in early 1982 and spawned three singles, which all peaked in the top-40 on the dance charts and top-2 on the R&B songs: #1 "Early in the Morning", #2 "You Dropped a Bomb on Me" (both of which Simmons helped write), and #1 "Outstanding", the first two of which Simmons wrote. Find your friends on Facebook. It originally began in 1977 as a production company whose artists recorded for Mercury Records before becoming a label in 1981. He was founder and president of the now-defunct Total Experience Records. 1 soul, 1 week; No. 4eabbb977ef511.19851452.pdf - Trevor J. Simmons Page 2 PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Research Post-Doctoral Researcher, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY Corporate - Home - Simmons & Simmons.ashx He was founder and president of the now-defunct Total Experience Records. Unfortunately, after being closed for years, the club burned to the ground on January 20, 2021, 2 years after Lonnies death. But two things would happen later that year that would propel Simmons and his top group to higher heights than even they couldve imagined. One of the labels first signings was the Gap Band, who Simmons met through soul singer DJ Rogers (known for his 1975 smash, Say You Love Me). In the 1970s, Lonnie Simmons operated a club on Crenshaw Boulvevard in South Central Los Angeles called The Total Experience, similar to the West-Hollywood Roxy Theatre. Lonnie will be forever cherished by: two sons, Ervin and Calvin Simmons; Grandchildren; Great-Grandchildren; Great-Great . Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now! Former Boston Celtic Paul Pierce to Pay SEC $1.4M After He Chris Brown Catches it for Mocking Disabled People At A Berlin Judge Says Brian Flores Lawsuit Against NFL Can Proceed | Video. In the late 1970s he founded Total Experience Records, which got a distribution deal with Mercury/Polygram, and he signed up the Gap Band who he had met through DJ Rogers. The band, consisting of twelve members, was reduced officially to the three Wilson brothers. Lonnie Simmons operated an LA night The Gap Band's final hurrah with Total Experience, Straight from the Heart, got a top-40 song from the title track but failed to sell, causing the Gap Band to leave for Capitol Records. It included Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me), another funk anthem Simmons co-wrote that would become their first No. Simmons founded the influential R&B label Total Experience in the 70s, and hit the ground running by signing the Tulsa, Oklahoma act, The Gap Band, featuring the three Wilson brothers. Simmons had co-written only one song on The Gap Band but co-wrote six of The Gap Band II's seven tracks. 1 song of 2015, Uptown Funk, by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars. Simmons' skills as a composer, however, would take the Gap Band to the next level. 1 soul, 5 weeks; No. Gap Band IV was released in early 1982 and spawned three singles, which all peaked in the top-40 on the dance charts and top-2 on the R&B songs: #1 "Early in the Morning", #2 "You Dropped a Bomb on Me" (both of which Simmons helped write), and #1 "Outstanding", the first two of which Simmons wrote. 2005: Simmons played in Lonnie Simmons (72) Defensive Lineman - 2006: Simmons moved to defense and spent the season as a reserve defensive lineman. He formed Total Experience Records and had major hits throughout the 80s before turning his efforts into film and video production. While at RCA she promoted at radio artist from the subsidiary labels such as Dick Griffy's Solar Records who lead the charts as well as had a heavy dance presence on the West Coast and Lonnie Simmons Total Experience, Gap Band as well as Richard Perry's Planet Records where Lygia broke The Pointer Sisters out of the West Coast. So, how much is Lonnie Simmons worth at the age of 75 years old? Simmons went on to work in movie production, with a much quieter public profile. By the middle of 1980, with Oops Up SideYour Head being a club and radio mainstay, The Gap Band were now bonafide hitmakers. Lonnie Simmons good fortunes continued into 1983 with the Gap Bands next release, Gap Band V Jammin, which included another funk classic co-written by their talented producer, Party Train.. Omg you give Lonnie too much credit! by Ed Hogan Billy Paul's sole effort for Lonnie Simmons ' Total Experience records (the Gap Band, Yarbrough and Peoples) saw the jazzy Philly soul singer slide smoothly from a live band/orchestra backing as on his sides for Gamble & Huff 's Philadelphia International Records to a synth/keyboard-based musical backdrop. 1 on the soul chart in February 1983 between the No. 19) on the Billboard pop chart, while selling a million copies in the process. Shake was the first of many smashes that the Gap Band recorded for Simmons label; in 1979 and the early- to mid-80s, the trio was huge thanks to a string of major hits that also included I Dont Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops), Steppin Out, Burn Rubber, Humpin, You Dropped a Bomb on Me, Early in the Morning, Outstanding, and Party Train.. Burn Rubber on Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Total_Experience_Records&oldid=1034261231, Articles with MusicBrainz label identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 1977 as Total Experience Productions, label launched in 1981, This page was last edited on 18 July 2021, at 20:43. Gap Band IV, released in early 1982, was the first Total Experience album release. After using his clubs earnings to buy a Los Angeles recording studio in the late 70s, Simmons fortunes changed forever when he met an unknown group from Tulsa, Oklahoma named the Greenwood, Archer and Pine Band (named after three of the citys famous streets). 24 on the pop chart. Later in 1982, he signed Robert "Goodie" Whitfield to the label. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. That trivial tidbit aside, to this day, Outstanding is best known as one of the Gap Bands signature songs. 1 singles by different artists on the soul chart. The arc of Simmons success turned in the late 80s, as other Total Experience signings were less successful and as The Gap Band hits slowed down. (The club made several appearances in movies like Dolemite and Black Fist.) Legendary producer, songwriter and record label executive Lonnie Simmons, best known for his role in the emergence of The Gap Band, has died, causes unknown. He almost singlehandedly filled a void in uptempo black music that had been created by discos 1979 demise, and kept it fun and funky in the process. With those credentials, its safe to say that Simmons mark on funk music and on black music in general is indelible. With no acts remaining, Lonnie dropped out of music, and his company turned to motion picture and video production. The signing hit immediate pay dirt with the 1979 hit Shake. The Gap Band followed later that same year with the top smash Oops Upside The Head, which Simmons co-wrote, and which had a bit of a second life a couple years ago, when Simmons and company received co-writing credits on the Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars hit Uptown Funk, for that songs similarity to Oops., With The Gap Band driving Total Experience forward, Simmons then signed the duo Yarbrough and Peoples, who went on to a successful recording career and the #1 hit Dont Stop the Music., Through the first half of the 1980s, it seemed that Total Experience could do no wrong, as The Gap Band and Simmons teamed for hit after hit such as Outstanding, You Dropped A Bomb On Me, and Early In the Morning. Not a single one of the newcomers released more than one album with Total Experience (two of them only produced one song) and none of them scored any hits. The arc of Simmons' success turned in the late 80s, as other Total Experience signings were less successful and as The Gap Band hits slowed down. With Total Experience CEO Lonnie Simmons directing them, Y&P became one of the top duos of the early 80s, consistently hitting the top 10 with songs like "Heartbeats," "I Wouldn't Lie," "Guilty" and the #1 smash "Don't Waste Your Time." Even as they were achieving fame and radio success, the duo complained that they weren't . He is a member of famous Soundtrack with the age 75 years old group. Simmons founded the influential R&B label Total Experience in the 70s, and hit the ground running by signing the Tulsa, Oklahoma act, The Gap Band, featuring the three Wilson brothers. Simmons also owned a recording studio in the '70s, and by the end of the decade, he founded Total Experience Records (which landed a distribution deal with Mercury/Polygram). After a brief audition, Simmons exchanged contact information with them. From its inception in 1981 to late 1983, Total Experience was a subsidiary label of Mercury's parent company, PolyGram. Later in 1984, the Gap Band released Gap Band VI, which included Simmons co-penned hit Beep A Freak, another gimmick-filled song (with lots of beeps) that peaked at No. For the last fifteen years, Mr. Simmons has been actively engaged in practicing law, mostly on behalf of injured plaintiffs. Vegas Total: 228.5 Vegas Spread: Bos -11.0 Starting with the Nets, Ben Simmons will be out in this one, but he's essentially their third-string center right now, so I don't think it entirely matters. Random stat: out of the top 50 players in total points all-time, Stephen Curry is the only player with a career TS% greater than 62%. My friend for over 40 years has passed away. Heres a ranking of the biggest hits of Lonnie Simmons career as producer, writer, or label owner, based on the songs performances on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart (now called the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart): Also, please see this touching personal tribute by the man who created the Total Experience logo, Mohammed Mubarak. Yearning For Your Love was sampled in SWVs Youre Always On My Mind plus songs by Nas, the Pharcyde and Will Smith. Simmons came to Hollywood in the late '60s after graduating from North Texas State University. Naast de single release, werd het nummer vermeld op het album Gap Band IV van de band uit 1982 . MORE Lonnie Simmonss income source is mostly from being a successful Soundtrack. He then transferred the Gap Band and Yarbrough & Peoples (who were already signed to his production company) to the Total Experience label. Secondly, the Gap Band recorded its third album under Simmons The Gap Band III which would become their first No. His debut album, Call Me Goodie, peaked at #31 R&B. P. Simmons . The latter album went gold, while the former went platinum, selling over a million copies. Rogers signed with Lonnie Simmons' Total Experience Records (the Gap Band, Yarbrough and Peoples) and the LP Love, Music & Life was issued in 1977. 2 soul, 2 weeks; No. He then transferred the Gap Band and Yarbrough & Peoples (who were already signed to his production company) to the Total Experience label. 1 and reaching No. 84 pop), Outstanding Gap Band (1983); (No. The singles all reached No. 31 pop), Beep A Freak Gap Band (1985); (No. Brooklyn Nets @ Boston Celtics. Without him, we likely would have never known the Gap Band and later Charlie Wilson and the many classics theyve given us. In keeping with the gimmicky sound effects Simmons had used on the Gap Bands previous top hits like the revving car engine and screeching tires on Burn Rubber, a crowing rooster on Early In The Morning and the high-pitched shrill of bombs dropping on You Dropped A Bomb On Me he employed a whistle-blowing choo-choo train to begin Party Train, whose shuffling beat resembled that of a locomotive anyway. Its two major acts were The Gap Band and Yarbrough & Peoples. At this point, we dont have any details regarding his health before his death, but Simmons was said to be in his mid -70s. The album went gold, headlined by the only Simmons co-penned single, "Party Train", which went to #3 on the R&B charts. He is from . I worked for Lonnie back in the early 80s. 2 soul, 1 wk), Going In Circles Gap Band (1986); (No. There is no more complete source for urban news than the Electronic Urban Report. #livinglegendsfoundation #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackMusic365 #BlackNightclubs #TotalExperience. We are continuously working to improve the accessibility of our web experience for everyone, and we welcome feedback and . And for that, he will surely be missed. While in Texas in 197 7, Gap Band leader Charlie Wilson discovered Alisa Peoples & Calvin Yarbrough, who were performing as part of the band, Grand Theft. However, Total Experience Records didn't have as large a roster as Motown, Philly International, or Solar, and Simmons didn't oversee a stable of multi-platinum stars -- the Gap Band was the only Total Experience act that had at least ten major hits. Lonnie Simmons (December 12, 1944 - February 6, 2019) was an American record producer from Los Angeles, California. But thanks to Simmons, the Gap Bands fortunes improved considerably in 1979, when Total Experience Records put out the groups third album. well it may be true but after 1974/1977 Lonnie brought my IDOL FAVORITE PERSON CHARLIE WILSON and THE GAP BAND from 1977-1988 and I applaud and respect Lonnie for that .When they went to capitol they lost their FUNK roots . Early In The Morning, with its famous rooster-crowing intro, was essentially a continuation of Burn Rubber, with the lyrics lamenting the jilted guy from a year earlier now having to pick up the pieces, get a fresh start and find himself another lover. Total Experience Records was a record label founded by Lonnie Simmons.Its two major acts were The Gap Band and Yarbrough & Peoples.It originally began in 1977 as a production company whose albums were released by Mercury Records before becoming a label in 1981. As a composer, he co-wrote several #1 R&B songs for his label's major acts, The Gap Band and Yarbrough and Peoples. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. Robert n Charlie was Funky!!! Lonnie Simmons background Via AllMusic.com: The Total Experience was often described as an R&B equivalent of the Roxy (a well-known club on West Hollywoods Sunset Strip), and like the Roxy, Simmons venue tended to book artists who werent big enough to headline the Inglewood Forum or the Long Beach Arena, but could still attract several hundred people on a given night. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. For those of us who grew up listening to the Gap Band in the 1980s, there was usually one name wed see on all of their records. Con su experiencia . Get the rest of this backgrounder on Lonnie Simmons atAllMusic.com. By browsing this website, you agree to our use of cookies. 84 on the Hot 100), but yielded bigger fruit by propelling its parent album to platinum status. Lonnie Simmons and The Total Experience This mural on Crenshaw and 43rd included positive affirmations and listed natural herbs and plants used to heal the body. In 1984, it was Yarbrough and Peoples who would return to the top of the charts. In 1984, Total Experience began a new distribution deal with RCA Records. COPYRIGHT 2022 EURweb.com/Rabercom Enterprises, SINQUA WALLS, KELLY PRICE SHARE SOUL TRAIN MEMORIES AT THE PREMIERE OF AMERICAN SOUL, Do You Lego?? Id love to hear more of your perspective from having worked with him. Boasting the smash hit "Shake," that self-titled LP made the Gap Band superstars. "Shake" was the first of many smashes that the Gap Band recorded for Simmons' label; in 1979 and the early- to mid-'80s, the trio was huge thanks to a string of major hits that also included "I Don't Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops)," "Steppin' Out," "Burn Rubber," "Humpin'," "You Dropped a Bomb on Me," "Early in the Morning," "Outstanding, and "Party Train." Total Experience Records was a record label founded by Lonnie Simmons. The Gap Band's subsequent releases, Gap Band VII and Gap Band 8, received chart success due to heavy radio airplay but sold few actual copies. Questions Post Question There are no questions yet for this company. Simmons also owned a recording studio in the 70s, and by the end of the decade, he founded Total Experience Records (which landed a distribution deal with Mercury/Polygram). The first three Simmons-produced Gap Band albums, as well as Yarbrough and Peoples debut album The Two of Us were successful enough to give Simmons credibility to establish the production company as a full label, and he officially launched Total Experience Records in 1981. Unfortunately, we dont have any specific information, but what do know is that he passed away earlier today (02-06-19) in his sleep. For more than twenty years, Lonnie C. Simmons has fought on behalf of the little guys, ensuring they get their day in court. Simmons founded the influential R&B label Total Experience in the 70s, and hit the ground running by signing the Tulsa, Oklahoma act, The Gap Band, featuring the three Wilson brothers. Died on February 6, 2019. As a composer, he co-wrote several #1 R&B songs for his label's major acts, The Gap Band and Yarbrough and Peoples. The Total Experience holds a special place in the hearts of everyone who came through their doors. In 1978, he signed a little-known R&B act, the Greenwood, Archer and Pine Street Band, (shortened in 1973 by a typo to the Gap Band) to his production company, and secured a record deal with Mercury Records. Whether he was co-writer, producer or executive producer, or as founder and owner of Total Experience Productions and later Total Experience Records, Lonnies mark was all over the Gap Bands music. 06/24/22--8454 Jim Cummings Hwy, Bradyville, TN. Outstanding continued the bands penchant for slowing things down a bit to a nice mid-tempo groove that fit well into quiet storm radio formats. The Gap Band released 4 albums: Gap Band VI, Gap Band VII, Gap Band 8, and Straight from the Heart before moving on to Capitol Records in 1989.