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**Kool & The Gang Bio** Kool & The Gang was formed in the mid-1960s by Robert "Kool" Bell, his brother Ronald Bell, and a group of their teenage friends from New Jersey, initially known as the Jazziacs. The group started by playing traditional jazz in regional venues and gradually evolved their style to incorporate funk influences from artists like Sly and the Family Stone and James Brown. They signed with the De-Lite label in the early '70s and gained a loyal following, particularly with their 1971 release, *Live at the Sex Machine*. Their major breakthrough came in 1974 with the album *Wild and Peaceful*, which featured hits like "Funky Stuff," "Hollywood Swinging," and "Jungle Boogie." Despite this success, the group struggled to maintain their prominence as the music scene shifted in the late '70s. In 1979, they brought in lead singer James J.T. Taylor and producer Eumir Deodato, resulting in the successful album *Ladies Night*, which produced hits such as the title track and "Too Hot." This marked the beginning of a prolific period for the group, making them the top-selling soul group of the '80s. Following *Ladies Night*, Kool & The Gang released the even more successful *Celebration*, which became an anthem for sports teams and remains one of the most-played songs. The group continued to produce hits throughout the '80s

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