T.S.U. Toronados

Alternately referred to as the TSU Tornadoes and, more regularly, the TSU Toronadoes, this frequently instrumental soul/funk combo was most widely known for supplying the backing in Archie Bell & the Drells’ much-imitated dance smash “SHRINK.” The group was produced at Tx Southern School (hence the very first section of their name) in Houston by guitarist/sometime business lead vocalist Cal Thomas, who’d previously performed within an R&B music group known as the Arabian Knights. Signing up for him had been fellow learners Will Thomas (also Cal’s sibling) on electric guitar and vocals, Jerry Jenkins on bass, Dwight Uses up on drums, Robert Sanders on body organ, Darryl Busby on sax, Clarence “Creeper” Harper on trumpet, and Leroy Lewis and Nelson Mills on horns. The Toronados constructed an area name for themselves by burning numerous R&B performers transferring through Houston on tour, and in addition performed on campus and around the membership scene. Disk jockey Skipper Lee Frazier agreed upon the group to his brand-new regional label Ovide, plus they wound getting the primary home music group. It was within this capacity which the group supported some studio periods by way of a vocal group from Houston known as Archie Bell & the Drells. Bell and his partner Billy Butler established lyrics to some funky riff the Toronados have been playing on the club schedules, and the effect was “SHRINK,” lots one smash in 1968. However, none from the Toronados received writer’s credit, nor do they obtain credited for “ONE THOUSAND Wonders,” that was included on the Drells’ associated LP and handed off like a Drells tune (Bell’s armed service service had led to a lack of materials). Nevertheless, this behind-the-scenes achievement do pique the eye of Atlantic Information, which found their singles “Obtaining the Edges” b/w “What Great Am I” and “The Goose” for distribution in 1969; both had been somewhat successful, using the former achieving the R&B Best 40. In past due 1969, Volt released the harder funk of “My Thing Is really a Shifting Thing,” that was adopted in 1970 by “Play the Music Toronados.” Nevertheless, neither was a considerable hit, as well as the Toronados came back to Ovide for just one last solitary in 1971 prior to the label was turn off. Jenkins, Mills, and Busby remaining the group to keep touring, as the Thomas brothers held the TSU Toronados name and documented a few more edges for Frazier’s fresh Rampart Road label, that have been never released due to a dispute over posting privileges. The group officially disbanded from then on, even though Thomases re-formed it through the ’80s to execute locally. A few of their function continues to be reissued from the Tuff Town subsidiary Funky Delicacies.