Kleeer - The Complete Atlantic Albums (2019)

Kleeer were a New York-based funk band that placed a dozen singles on the Billboard R&B chart from 1979 through 1985. Headed by drummer, arranger, songwriter, and vocalist Woody Cunningham, the band's original form took shape in 1972 to support vocal group the Choice Four. The lineup was filled out with vocalist and percussionist Paul Crutchfield, bassist Norman Durham, and guitarist Richard Lee. Two years later, the band broke off on their own and changed their name to the Jam Band. For a brief period, they backed up Disco Tex & the Sex-O-Lettes for touring purposes, and even appeared with the group on the TV program The Midnight Special. In 1975, the Jam Band became Pipeline with a hard funk-rock edge. The Columbia label picked them up and released a single, "Gypsy Rider," which didn't fare well commercially, but Pipeline was confronted with another opportunity in 1976. Patrick Adams and Greg Carmichael, underground disco legends with skills in all departments of record-making, had released material as the Universal Robot Band, but there was no proper band. Pipeline accepted the offer to become that band and recorded and toured under the name until 1978.