"Wild Cherry was formed in Steubenville, Ohio in 1974 by Rob Parissi. Parissi originally formed the group in 1970, but the original lineup broke up in 1975. After spending a few years as the manager for a local steakhouse, Parissi decided to give the band another try. He pulled together a new lineup with Bryan Bassett on guitar, Allen Wentz on the bass, Mark Ausec on keyboards and Ronald Beitle on the drums. Rob Parissi was the band's singer and songwriter and also played the guitar.As the public began to shift their interest from rock to disco-style songs the Sly and the Family Stone-inspired group found themselves constantly facing demands for a more ‘funky' kind of sound. Parissi soon became inspired to write something more relevant to what the audience wanted and penned a song titled after the demands he'd been receiving. ""Play that Funky Music"" was first played during the band's usual gig at the 2001 Club and became an instant sensation. The album sold over two million copies, topped the R&B charts for two weeks running and found itself at the top of the pop charts in the autumn of '76.Unfortunately the band did not survive long after this hit. Succumbing to insufficient chart ratings, they disbanded in 1978. During their time together, however, they released a total of three albums and had two albums of their music released in 1979, a year after their breakup. Their debut album Wild Cherry featured their hit song and peaked at number one on Black Albums and at number five on Pop Albums. Their other albums, Electrified Funk and I Love My Music, barely made it into the charts at all. ""Play that Funky Music"" is still one of the most favorite club tunes today, more than 30 years after it was first performed."