Atlantic Starr

During the 1980s Atlantic Starr stood among the foremost urban contemporary ensembles while also registering solid success on adult contemporary playlists, although the group’s foundational sound traced back to 1970s soul and funk. Several future members had previously collaborated in Newban, a funk outfit that issued the 1977 albums Newban and Newban 2 through the Guinness label. That same year Atlantic Starr coalesced in White Plains, New York, when brothers lead singer/guitarist David Lewis, lead singer/keyboardist Wayne Lewis, and trombonist/percussionist Jonathan Lewis came together; singer Sharon Bryant, trumpeter William Sudderth, saxophonist Damon Rentie (later succeeded by Koran Daniels in 1981), bassist Clifford Archer, drummer Porter Carroll, Jr., and percussionist/flutist Joseph Phillips completed the roster. Drawing inspiration from Earth, Wind & Fire, Commodores, New Birth, and L.T.D., the musicians began performing throughout the northeastern United States. After signing with A&M they teamed with Philadelphia-based producer/songwriter Bobby Eli. Eli helmed the 1978 self-titled debut, which, while falling short of blockbuster status, performed respectably and featured the funk hit “Stand Up” that reached number 16 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart. Eli also produced the follow-up Straight to the Point in 1979, yet despite its modest results A&M recognized greater commercial potential. Consequently the band enlisted James Carmichael for the 1981 album Radiant. The decision proved astute: Radiant together with the hit single “When Love Calls” cemented Atlantic Starr’s reputation as an R&B supergroup. On that release the charismatic Bryant, prominently featured on “When Love Calls,” matured noticeably as a vocalist and her lead performances proved instrumental to the group’s breakthrough. Carmichael subsequently produced 1982’s Brilliance, home to the number two R&B single “Circles,” and 1983’s Yours Forever, which included the major Bryant showcase “Touch a Four Leaf Clover.” Although Bryant never served as Atlantic Starr’s sole lead vocalist—Wayne and David Lewis contributed leads as well—she remained an essential strength, so her departure in 1984 to launch a solo career registered as a significant loss. Barbara Weathers stepped in as replacement, and the resulting 1985 release As the Band Turns, the band’s sixth album and first without Bryant, introduced a streamlined lineup comprising Weathers, the Lewis Brothers, and Phillips; Sudderth, Daniels, Archer, and Carroll had departed, yet the ensemble retained its distinctive identity. The set featured the major hit “Secret Lovers” and marked Atlantic Starr’s final A&M project. In 1987 the group transferred to Warner Bros., where All in the Name of Love yielded the smash “Always.” This syrupy adult contemporary ballad embodied the Lewis Brothers’ wish for the crossover appeal that Whitney Houston and Lionel Richie enjoyed throughout the decade; their goal materialized when “Always” ascended to number one on both the pop and R&B charts. Following All in the Name of Love, Weathers exited for solo work and was succeeded by Porscha Martin, who appeared on 1988’s We’re Movin’ Up. Martin remained several years before yielding to Rachel Oliver, Atlantic Starr’s fourth female vocalist, in the early 1990s. The Warner Bros. association concluded after 1991’s Love Crazy, prompting a 1994 one-off Arista album titled Time. That project underperformed commercially, and the single “I’ll Remember You” peaked only in the fifties on Billboard’s R&B and pop charts. Time also represented David Lewis’ final recording with the group and introduced a fifth female singer, Aisha Tanner, in place of Oliver. By 1999’s Legacy, issued on the independent Street Solid label, Atlantic Starr presented another configuration consisting of Wayne and Jonathan Lewis, returning vocalist Oliver (who had replaced Tanner), and new male singer DeWayne Woods. Although Legacy attracted minimal notice, Atlantic Starr persisted and continued performing for dedicated audiences well into the twenty-first century.