Mac Band

Hailing from Dallas after earlier roots in Flint, Michigan, the McCampbell brothers assembled the Mac Band once they reached Los Angeles. Their first album, The Mac Band featuring the McCampbell Brothers, appeared on MCA in 1988 and generated swift R&B traction. “Roses Are Red” reached the summit of the R&B charts, leaving the Mac Band in the uncommon position of scoring a number one hit on what proved to be their lone major outing. No later single ever approached comparable commercial impact. The lineup featured the four McCampbell brothers—Ray, Derrick, Charles, and Kelvin—supported by bassist Ray Flippin, keyboardist Rodney Frazier, guitarist Mark Harper, and drummer Steve Fuller. L.A. and Babyface joined Atlantic Starr’s David and Wayne Lewis in using the Mac Band’s debut sessions to sharpen their production abilities. Gary Taylor wrote and produced most of the material for the 1990 follow-up Luv U 2 the Limit, an effort that failed to regain earlier momentum. Rodney Frazier later appeared on recordings by Atlantic Starr as well.