Steve Arrington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Steve Arrington
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| Birth name | Steven Ralph Arrington |
| Born | March 5, 1956 |
| Origin | Dayton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Genres | Funk, soul, R&B, gospel, pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, drummer, producer, engineer, minister |
| Years active | 1979–1990, 2009–present |
| Labels | Stones Throw, Tummy Touch, Atlantic, Manhattan, God Factor Records |
| Associated acts | Slave, Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame, 7 Days of Funk (Dâm-Funk and Snoopzilla) |
Steven Ralph Arrington (born March 5, 1956) is an American singer, songwriter, drummer, record producer, engineer, and minister. He grew up in Dayton, Ohio.
Contents
Steve Arrington's Early Music Career
Steve Arrington started his music journey playing in local bands. In 1975, he joined a band called The Murphys and toured with them. A year later, he moved to San Francisco, California. There, he learned to play Latin percussion and drums. He also played with famous musicians like Coke Escovedo, Pete Escovedo, and Sheila E.
Joining the Funk Band Slave
In 1978, Steve joined the funk group Slave. He joined them for their third album, The Concept. At first, he played percussion for the band. Later, he became their main drummer and a backing singer. Eventually, Steve Arrington became the lead singer for Slave. He sang on their popular songs like "Just a Touch of Love" and "Watching You." The song "Watching You" was even used by Snoop Dogg in his own music.
Steve Arrington's Solo Success
Steve Arrington's most successful album was his solo work from 1985. It was called Dancin' in the Key of Life. The main song from this album, also called "Dancin' in the Key of Life," became a top ten R&B hit. This song was also very popular on dance charts, staying at number two for three weeks. Another song from the album, "Feel So Real," reached number 5 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1985.
A New Path and Return to Music
In 1984, Steve Arrington had a religious experience. He later became a licensed minister. In 1990, he decided to take a break from pop music. He returned to music in October 2009. He released a new album called Pure Thang, which featured R&B, Funk, and spiritual songs.
In September 2010, the record label Stones Throw Records announced that Steve was working on a new album. He was working with producer Dâm-Funk. In 2011, Steve shared that his new album, "Love, Peace and Funky Beatz," would be released later that year.
On August 6, 2013, Stones Throw Records released "Higher," a collaboration between Steve Arrington and Dâm-Funk. In September 2014, another album called "Way Out (80–84)" was released. This album included songs from his earlier works and some new, unfinished material.
On September 18, 2020, Steve Arrington released a new solo album. It was called Down to the Lowest Terms: The Soul Sessions. The album included the single "Keep Dreamin'." This album was made with the help of many talented new producers.
Steve Arrington's Music Albums
Albums with Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame
| Year | Album | Chart positions | Record label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B |
|||
| 1983 | Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame, Vol.1 | 101 | 12 | Atlantic |
| 1984 | Positive Power | 141 | 36 | |
Solo Albums
| Year | Album | Chart positions | Record label | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B |
UK |
|||
| 1985 | Dancin' in the Key of Life | 185 | 32 | 41 | Atlantic |
| 1986 | The Jammin' National Anthem | — | — | — | |
| 1987 | Jam Packed | — | 50 | — | Manhattan |
| 2009 | Pure Thang | — | — | — | God Factor Records |
| 2013 | Steve Arrington & Dãm-Funk (Higher) | — | — | — | Stones Throw |
| 2020 | Down to the Lowest Terms: The Soul Sessions | — | — | — | Stones Throw |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | |||||
Steve Arrington's Music Singles
Singles with Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B |
US Dance |
|||
| "Way Out" | 1982 | — | — | |
| "Pocket Full of Air" | — | — | ||
| "Weak at the Knees" | 1983 | 33 | — | |
| "Way Out" (re-release) | 68 | 49 | ||
| "Nobody Can Be You" | 18 | 23 | ||
| "Mellow as a Cello" | 1984 | — | — | |
| "15 Rounds" | 85 | — | ||
| "Hump to the Bump" | 25 | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | ||||
Solo Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK |
US |
US Dance |
US R&B |
BEL |
GER |
NLD |
NZ |
||||||||
| "Summertime Lovin'" | 1980 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| "Feel So Real" | 1985 | 5 | 104 | 5 | 17 | 7 | 16 | 13 | 42 | ||||||
| "Dancin' in the Key of Life" | 21 | 68 | 2 | 8 | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| "Turn Up the Love" | — | — | — | 80 | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| "She Just Don't Know" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| "The Jammin' National Anthem" | 1986 | — | — | — | 42 | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| "Homeboy" | — | — | — | 28 | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| "Stone Love" | 1987 | — | — | — | 33 | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| "Lost and Found (You Can Find Me Present)" | 1988 | — | — | — | 90 | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| "No Reason" | 1990 | — | — | — | 89 | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| "Goin' Hard" | 2011 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| "The Joys of Love" | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| "Keep Dreamin'" | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | |||||||||||||||
Compilation Albums
| Year | Album | Chart positions | Record label | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B |
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| 1994 | Stellar Fungk: The Best of Slave featuring Steve Arrington | 44 | Atlantic | |||
| 2003 | Party Lights' | — | ||||
| 2006 | Slave: The Definitive Collection | — | ||||
| "—" denotes the album failed to chart | ||||||
