Wild Cherry was a rock band that had a huge hit with the funk song "Play That Funky Music" in 1976.
Singer, guitarist, and songwriter Rob Parissi was raised in the tough, ethnic melting pot "steel mill town" of Mingo Junction, Ohio[1]. Parissi graduated from Mingo High School in 1968. Rob formed his band in 1970 in Steubenville, Ohio (The hometown of Dean Martin) and located one mile north of Mingo Jct. along the Ohio River.The band's name "Wild Cherry" was selected off a box of cough drops while Rob was recuperating from a brief hospital stay. The new band played around the Ohio Valley, Northern West Virginia panhandle and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania areas. Wild Cherry eventually received a record contract with Brown Bag Records. After a time with Brown Bag without issuing any albums, the band broke up, and Parissi disappointed and disillusioned gave up the music scene and became the manager of a local steakhouse. After a very short period of time, Rob realized that the steak house "gig"...
Created by dipity
on Jan 30, 2008
Last updated: 03/05/10 at 05:56 AM
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