From TVOne.tv
The Ohio Players are one of the most successful funk outfits of all time, scoring monster crossover hits in the 1970’s like “Fire” and “Love Rollercoaster.” They took funk into uncharted territory, bringing a jazzy, free form feel to chart toppers like “Skin Tight,” “Heaven Must Be Like This,” and”Sweet Sticky Thing.” Along the way, The Players, with monikers like Sugarfoot, Diamond, and Rock – lived up to their names, with super sexy album covers that got nearly as much attention as their songs, and by lifestyle excess that led to a major drug bust; not to mention a notoriety so extreme that the group was rumored to have killed someone during a recording session that included the dying screams in the grooves of a song. Ultimately, it was the I.R.S., and funky financial dealings among the Players themselves that brought the group down. But not before they scored 3 platinum albums and 18 Top 40 hits over an 8-year span, and left and indelible mark on the history and evolution of funk. Original airdate: July 4, 2011.