Commodores

The Commodores formed in 1968 during their freshman year at the Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama. Lionel Richie, Tom McClary and William King first met as members of a group called The Mystics. But after that group's disappointing performance at a freshman talent show, they merged members with another well-known local group called The Jays that had recently split-up. According to King, "we took a dictionary and threw it up in the air and decided that wherever it came down, we'd blind pick a word on that page." And with this game of chance, they became The Commodores. They lucked out - they were almost "The Commodes."

In 1969 The Commodores took a shot at the big time and committed their school summer vacation to gigging in New York City. Not long after their arrival they were robbed and left nearly destitute — six grown men sharing one room with one bed turned lengthwise at the Harlem YMCA. But with the help of Benny Ashburn, who would later go on to become the group's manager, the boys picked up an audition gig a little club called Small's Paradise. They called out all their old Tuskegee friends now living in NYC and the gig was a massive success, leading to a 3-week stand at the club. The Commodores returned to school in Tuskegee in the fall, but they made the 1,800-mile trek back to NYC almost every weekend thereafter to perform.

After one of their many overnight drives from Tuskegee to New York City, The Commodores arrived at Lloyd Price's Turntable Club nearly 30 minutes late with a patched flat tire and the gas tank on E. Their manager Benny Ashburn had arranged an industry showcase, and the band feared they had already blown their chances. Tired, sweaty and disoriented, the boys set up their gear and still managed to churn out a phenomenal set. A week later the phone rang, and Motown Records executive Suzanne DePasse offered The Commodores 42 dates as the opener on The Jackson Five's upcoming US tour.