An exuberant mid-'70s funk group,
Graham Central Station made some fine singles for Warner Bros. Former
Sly & the Family Stone bassist
Larry Graham renamed Hot Chocolate (not the British group)
Graham Central Station after he moved from producing the group to playing with it. The group included
Graham, guitarist
David Vega, keyboardists
Robert Sam and
Hershall Kennedy, percussionist
Patrice Banks, and drummer Willie Sparks. They utilized the identical funk cum rock and soul formula of Sly, though in not quite as imaginative a fashion. Their debut single, "Can You Handle It," reached number nine on the R&B charts, and they landed a number one record in 1975 with "Your Love." They recorded as
Graham Central Station from 1974 to 1977, then as
Larry Graham & Graham Central Station in 1978, and during their final year were called
Larry Graham with Graham Central Station. ~ Ron Wynn