The Controllers

Alabama soul belters the Controllers originated under the name the Epics back in 1965 before adopting the Soul Controllers moniker in 1970 and shortening it to their final title. The core lineup of Reginald McArthur, Larry McArthur, Lenard Brown, and Ricky Lewis proved especially adept at rendering heartache ballads yet handled capable up-tempo dance tracks as well. In the late 1970s the quartet shifted base to Miami and signed with Juana Records, where Frederick Knight oversaw several sessions, among them their 1977 debut album Somebody's Gotta Win, Somebody's Gotta Lose. Additional Juana singles and albums brought modest commercial traction, though the standout cuts "Heaven Is Only One Step Away" and "We Don't" showcased their finest work. The move to MCA came in 1984; Stevie Wonder contributed harmonica to the label's first single, "Crushed," which climbed to number 30 on the R&B charts. Their strongest MCA release proved to be "Stay," reaching number 12 two years later. By 1988 the group had transferred to Capitol and released the album Just in Time.