Atlantic Starr

Atlantic Starr were a 1980s R&B band. Among their hits were "Always" and "Secret Lovers".

The group was started in 1976 in White Plains, New York by trumpeter Duke Jones (who left the band prior to their first recordings), drummer Porter Carroll Jr., bassist Clifford Archer, percussionist and flautist Joseph Phillips, and three brothers: David Lewis (vocals and guitar), Wayne Lewis (keyboards and vocals), and Johnathan Lewis (percussion and trombone). Other members of the band were lead singer Sharon Bryant (who was later replaced by Barbara Weathers), trumpeter William Sudderth, and saxophonist Damon Rentie (who was replaced by Koran Daniels). In 1977 the band came to Westwood, California and performed on the nightclub scene under the name "Newban" which was changed on their debut hit single.

Throughout the late 70s and early 80s, Atlantic Starr scored several hits on the R&B charts. However, significant crossover success (onto the pop charts) didn't come until halfway into the 80s, with the release of their As The Band Turns album, and the single "Secret Lovers." By this time, the band had pared itself down to a quintet, consisting of the three Lewis brothers, Phillips, and Weathers. In 1987, the band solidified their pop success by scoring a #1 pop hit with "Always," a slow jam off their album All In The Name Of Love. Following this success, Weathers left for a solo career, and she was replaced by Porscha Martin for the band's next album, 1988's We're Movin' Up. The band would continue to score hits on both the R&B and Pop charts into the early 90s. Their biggest hit of the 90s was the Billboard #3 hit "Masterpiece" in 1992.

Atlantic Starr's relationship with Warner Bros. ended after 1991's Love Crazy album, and in 1994, the band recorded one album for Arista: Time. That album was a commercial disappointment and the single "I'll Remember You" only made it to the fifties on Billboard's R&B and pop singles charts. Time (which was David Lewis' last album with the band) found a fifth female singer, Aisha Tanner, replacing Oliver. And when 1999's Legacy was distributed by the small, independent Street Solid label, Atlantic Starr unveiled yet another lineup--one that consisted of two Lewis Brothers (Wayne and Jonathan) as well as Oliver (who had returned and replaced Tanner) and a new male singer named DeWayne Woods. Although Legacy received very little attention, Atlantic Starr hung in there and was still performing for die-hard fans when the 21st century arrived.

From Wikipedia