Ozone

In 1977, three ex-members of the funk outfit the Endeavors—Benny Wallace, Jimmy Stewart, and Charles Glenn—established Ozone in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. To bolster their instrumental and vocal capabilities, the trio added Thomas Bumpass, William White, Ray Woodard, Greg Hargrove, and Paul Hines. Drawing strong inspiration from the Commodores, the ensemble honed a blend of energetic dance tracks and tender ballads, leading to their 1979 signing with the mentors’ label, Motown. Initially, the company deployed Ozone in a support role for performers such as Billy Preston and Syreeta, prior to greenlighting their debut among several understated albums in 1980. Chart traction arrived early via the instrumental ‘Walk On’, yet this and later successes in Black music never translated to the pop charts.