Born: Nov 29, 1951 in Hamilton, OH
Died: Apr 25, 1999 in Dayton, OH
One of the most underrated funk groups of the 1980s, Zapp revolutionized the computer pop of electro with their trademark vocoder talk boxes and bumping grooves, with a leader in Roger Troutman who was more than efficient at polished production. The family group, with brothers Roger, Lester, Larry and Tony Troutman, grew up in Hamilton, OH, influenced by hometown heroes the Ohio Players as well as Parliament and other funk groups. Tony was the first to begin recording, with an obscure single for Gram-O-Phon Records, "I Truly Love You," which scraped the R&B charts in 1976. Joined by his brothers (Roger on vocals and guitar, Lester on drums, Larry on percussion, and himself contributing bass) and christened Zapp, the group played around the Midwest and gradually picked up backing vocalists (Bobby Glover, Janetta Boyce), keyboard players (Greg Jackson, Sherman Fleetwood) and a horn section.
Zapp's following quickly gained notices, and Bootsy Collins himself was hired on to work with the group on their debut album. Released in 1980, "Zapp" hit the Top 20 on the pop charts, thanks to the single "More Bounce to the Ounce." The following year, Roger released his solo debut album, "The Many facets of Roger". His special cover of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," complete with vocoderized talk box, pushed the album into gold territory (as "Zapp" had done). "Zapp II" appeared in 1982 and proved just as popular as the group's first, including Zapp's only number one R&B single, "Dance Floor."
"Zapp III" barely made the Top 40 pop charts upon release in 1983, and Rogers second solo album, "The Saga Continues", was also a (commercial) disappointment.
What can be considered as their best record, "The New Zapp IV U" fared slightly better after release in late 1985 (thanks to the single "Computer Love"), and in 1987, Rogers third solo album, "Unlimited!", featured the group's biggest hit yet, "I Want to Be Your Man," a chart-topper on the R&B lists and a respectable number three pop. Though Roger and/or Zapp hit the R&B charts frequently during the rest of the late '80s, the unit had effectively halted recording with the 1991 Roger LP "Bridging the Gap". Roger continued to produce and play with other artists, and it was his talk box that graced Dr. Dre & 2Pac's Top Ten 1996 single "California Love." The 1993 Roger & Zapp collection All the Greatest Hits sold well, earning the collective their first platinum record. The Zapp story ended in tragedy on April 25, 1999, when Roger was shot to death by Larry, who then turned the gun on himself.
Musician Roger Troutman Fatally Shot
The Ohio Musician Had Several Hits Including 'More Bounce To The Ounce'DAYTON, Ohio, Posted 6:45 a.m. April 26, 1999 -- R&B
recording artist musician Roger Troutman was shot to death this weekend, possibly by his brother, in an apparent murder-suicide, police said.Troutman, of the rock-funk group Roger & Zapp, was found outside his northwest Dayton recording studio around 7 a.m. Sunday. The 47-year-old Dayton resident had been shot several times in the torso and died while in surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital and Health Center, police Sgt. Gary White said.His brother, Larry Troutman, 54, was found dead in a car a few blocks away with a gunshot wound to the head, police said. A handgun was found inside the car, which matched the description of a car leaving the scene of Roger Troutman's shooting, White said."Detectives are investigating it as an apparent murder-suicide," city police Sgt. Tom Rhea said Sunday night.White said investigators could know by Tuesday whether the gun was used in both shootings."Family members have been interviewed. They can offer no reason or motive for this double shooting," White said.The brothers, natives of Hamilton, were part of the Troutman family of performers that formed the 1970s band Zapp and helped pioneer the rock-funk "Dayton sound."Zapp, whose membership evolved during the 1980s from the original all-Troutman-brother lineup, released its last album of new material in 1989.Roger & Zapp, artists with Warner Brothers, were known for the 1980 hit "More Bounce To The Ounce." The song was part of the band's self-titled debut album that hit the pop top 20 in 1980.Roger Troutman eventually went solo, recording under the name "Roger." He hit No. 1 in 1987 with the single "I Want to Be Your Man."Roger Troutman also recorded "California Love," a Grammy-nominated collaboration with hip-hop superstars Tupac Shakur and Dr. Dre. He released a greatest-hits album in 1996.Larry Troutman left performing in the mid-'80s to manage the Roger & Zapp group full time and assume the presidency of the growing Dayton-based Troutman Enterprises, which included three recording studios, real-estate ventures and contracting."Roger, he was unique," said Ohio Players drummer and leader Diamond Williams. "Very, very talented. The world has lost a truly talented entertainer by another senseless act."Cincinnati native Bootsy Collins, bass player with Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame member Parliament-Funkadelic, said he would miss his friend and former colleague.
Copyright 1999 by The Associated Press
So Ruff, So Tuff Live
.. width="425" height="350" .... width="425" height="350" .... width="425" height="350" .... width="425" height="350" .... width="425" height="350" .... width="425" height="350" .... width="425" height="350" ..More Bounce To The Ounce LIVE
.. width="425" height="350" ..Papa's Got A Brand New Bag
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Demonstration by Roger troutman!
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Discography
GOLD AND PLATINUM ALBUMS
ZAPP I
ZAPP II
ZAPP IV
ZAPP- ALL THE GREATEST HITS
ROGER - THE MANY FACETS OF ROGER
ROGER - UNLIMITED!
ROGER - ALL THE GREATEST HITS
SHIRLEY MURDOCK - SHIRLEY MURDOCK
PRODUCED BY ROGERH-TOWN - THIN LINE SOUNDTRACK PRODUCED BY ROGER TROUTMAN
NOTE: MY WORK IS FEATURED IN AN INFINITE NUMBER OF RECORDINGS AS SAMPLES, WHICH HAVE SOLD IN EXCESS OF 50 MILLION COPIES
TOURING HISTORY WITH THE GROUP ZAPP
We've Played Every Place WIth Everybody
We Play At Any Time We Have Never Missed A Show and We Always Show Up on Time
We Have A Great Show (Some Say The Greatest)
We Are Always Professional
We Respect Each Venue. Every Promoter And All Fans
HISTORY AND CREDENTIALS (cont'd.)
Recordings That Charted Top 10 on the Billboard Charts
1. More Bounce To The Ounce
2. Zapp
3. & 4. I Heard it Through The Grapevine/So Ruff So Tuff
5. Many Facets of Roger
6. Dance Floor
7. DooWaDifty
8. ZapplI
9. I Can Make You Dance
10. Heartbreaker
11. ZappIll
12. Computer Love
13. I Want To Be Your Man
14. Roger Unlimited!
15. All The Greatest Hits
16. As We Lay - Shirley Murdock (Roger Troutman. Producer)
17. A Thin Line Between Love & Hate - H-Town (Roger Troutman. Producer)
18. It's In The Mix
19. Go On Without You - Shirley Murdock (Roger Troutman, Producer)
20. Husband - Shirley Murdock (Roger Troutman. Producer)
21. In Your Eyes - Shirley Murdock (Roger Troutman, Producer)
22. California Love -
Collaboration With Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre
23. Click My Bic - With Sun
24. Shirley Murdock - Shirley Murdock
NOTE: I HAVE BEEN SIGNED TO ONE GLORIOUS RECORD COMPANY FOR 18 YEARS AND COUNTING, WARNER BROS. RECORDS.
http://www.soul-patrol.com/funk/zapp_dis.htm
Official Zapp Site
http://www.zapptown.com/
Give new Zapp merchandise
ORDER NEW CD for Christmas! New t-shirts,
coffe mugs, key chains,
ZAPP TOUR DATES & more with your favorite designs.
http://www.zapptown.com/merchandise.asp
....
Join The Fanclub!
http://www.zapptown.com/cgi-bin/zappfan.asp
New Zapp tracks
http://www.zapptown.com/sampletracks.htm
Zapp Music In Movies
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002) (VG) (song "More Bounce to the Ounce")
... aka Vice City (USA: short title)
Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001) (songs "Do U Wanna Roll (Dolittle Theme)" and "Doo Wa Ditty (Blow That Thing)")
... aka DR.2 (USA: promotional abbreviation)
... aka DR2 (USA: promotional abbreviation)
Any Given Sunday (1999) (songs "So Ruff, So Tuff", "More Bounce To The Ounce")
A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996) ... aka A Thin Line Between Love & Hate (USA: video box title)
Menace II Society (1993) (song "Computer Love")
Boyz n the Hood (1991) ... aka Boys in the Hood
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0873810/
