Soul Train Gang

In the first ’70s, the dancers on Don Cornelius’ hit television plan Soul Teach were referred to as the Soul Teach Gang. However they became the Spirit Teach Dancers in 1975, when Cornelius and Dick Griffey co-founded Spirit Teach Information — which progressed into Solar Information, house to Lakeside, Shalamar, the Whispers among others — and made a decision to name an R&B vocal quintet the Spirit Teach Gang. Comprising Gerald Dark brown, Terry Dark brown, Judy Jones, Patricia Williamson (changed by Denise Smith in 1976) and Hollis Pippin, the Spirit Teach Gang documented its debut recording, Don Cornelius Presents the Spirit Teach Gang, in 1975. Made by Cornelius and Griffey, the LP included “Spirit Teach ’75,” among the many styles from Spirit Teach. (The prior theme got previously been MFSP’s popular “TSOP” on Philadelphia International.) In 1976, the Spirit Teach Gang documented its second recording, The Spirit Teach Gang, that was made by Norman Harris and documented mainly in Philadelphia. And in addition, Cornelius and Griffey hoped they might use Spirit Train’s popularity to help make the Spirit Teach Gang popular. But while both albums had been decent types of ’70s spirit and funk, neither produced the Spirit Teach Gang a large name within the R&B globe. Following the quintet’s separation in 1977, Dark brown went on to become listed on Shalamar the next year, replacing unique Shalamar member Gary Mumford. Dark brown made an appearance on Shalamar’s second recording, Shalamar Disco Landscapes, as well as the strike single “Consider That to the lender” before becoming changed by Howard Hewett in 1979.