Honky was a British disco/funk band which scored a UK singles chart hit in 1977.

Honky
OriginSouthampton, Hampshire
GenresFunk, disco
Years active1974–79
LabelCreole Records

History

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The group was formed in Southampton in 1974 by bassist Cliff Barks; by mid-1976, having gone through 15 different musicians,[1] the band reached a stable line-up of Barks, vocalist Ray Othen, drummer Bob White, guitarist Trevor "TC" Cummins, and saxophonists Ron Taylor, Clark Newton, and Malcolm Baggott.[2]

Honky was signed to Creole Records in 1977, and released two singles, "Join The Party" (written by Cummins)[3] and "Give All You Got" (written by Othen), and an eponymous album;[4] only "Join The Party" was a hit, reaching number 28 in the charts in June 1977.[5] It also reached number 9 in the Record Mirror disco charts,[6] and this minor success earned the band a place on Top Of The Pops.

Ray Othen died on 3 April 2016, aged 59.[7]

References

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  1. "Soul mates". Southern Daily Echo: 41. 17 March 1977.
  2. Betts, Graham (2004). Complete UK Hit Singles 1952–2004. Hammersmith, London: Collins. pp. 361–2.
  3. Erroneously rendered as "Cummings"
  4. "Honky (3)". Discogs. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  5. "Honky". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 April 2026. The Official Charts Company has conflated Honky with a 1990s duo.
  6. "A full list of all Record Mirror UK Disco Chart entries, 1975-1979". James Hamilton Disco Page. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  7. "Deaths". Southern Daily Echo: 52. 15 April 2016.
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