Years active 1972–1980 Active from 1972 | Active until 1980 | |
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Origin Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States Genres Pop music, Rock music, Rhythm and blues, Funk Associated acts Morris Day, Jellybean Johnson, Monte Moir, Cynthia Johnson Members Alexander O'Neal, Jellybean Johnson, Monte Moir, Cynthia Johnson, David Eiland Similar The Time (band), The Family (band), Lipps Inc. | ||
Flyte Tyme was a funk/R&B band from Minneapolis which launched the careers of vocalists Cynthia Johnson, Alexander O'Neal and producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
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History
Flyte Tyme began as a Minneapolis funk/R&B unit, taking its name from "Flight Time", a 1973 Donald Byrd song. The group was first known as "Wars of Armageddon", then "Soul Vaccination" before becoming Flyt Tyme. The spelling of the name was later changed to "Flyte Tyme."
The group featured Cynthia Johnson on lead vocals and on saxophone, Garry "Jellybean" Johnson on drums, Tony Johnson on lead guitar, Monte Moir and Jimmy "Jam" Harris on keyboards, and Terry Lewis on bass. The band's horn section was occasionally expanded by David Eiland on saxophone. Many of the group's musicians would later work with Prince.
After Cynthia Johnson's departure, Alexander O'Neal was her replacement; Johnson later gained fame as the voice of Lipps Inc's worldwide No. 1 song, "Funkytown." Flyte Tyme became The Time in 1981 when Prince created the act around his friends' band, adding guitarist Jesse Johnson and childhood friend and drummer Morris Day from "Enterprise", another local group. Morris Day also became the group's frontman, replacing O'Neal. Jam & Lewis left The Time in 1983 to pursue an independent writing and producing career, resurrecting the Flyte Tyme name for their production company and later, their record label.
Discography
Two unreleased songs, "I Got You On My Mind" and "It's The Things That You Do", were released in 2013 on the Purple Snow - Forecasting the Minneapolis Sound compilation.