The Gap Band III  by The Gap Band

The Gap Band III, released in December 1980, is the album that catapulted the Wilson brothers (Charlie, Ronnie, and Robert) to the top of the funk/soul scene, establishing them as truly "big names" of the era. Despite its title, it was actually their fifth studio album.

The recording took place at Total Experience Recording Studios in Hollywood. Sound engineer Jack Rouben recalls that the recording was done in a large open room where all the musicians played together to "capture" the right vibe. Noteworthy was the use of the synthesizer by Cavin Yarbrough, which gave that futuristic sound to the bass. The songs were mainly written by the band members (Charlie, Ronnie, Robert Wilson) in collaboration with Lonnie Simmons (who also had duties as the album's producer), Rudy Taylor, and Oliver Scott. The Wilson brothers also arranged the horn sections. The album spawned three significant singles that dominated the charts: Burn Rubber On Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me), the ultimate funk anthem with the characteristic "tire screech" at the beginning, which reached No.1 on the R&B charts, Yearning For Your Love, a classic soul ballad that reached No.5 on the R&B charts, and Humpin', a dance track that reached No.60 on the R&B chart.

The Gap Band III was the commercial breakthrough for The Gap Band. The album reached No.1 on the Billboard R&B Albums chart and No.16 on the Billboard 200. It was their first album to go platinum in the U.S., surpassing 1,000,000 copies in sales.