We’ve all been there. Craning our necks around the person at the end of the aisle to catch a glimpse of the white dress. The ceremony that you couldn’t hear a word of (you’re sure it was lovely). And, of course, the never-ending line extending from the buffet. Weddings are a part of life, but thankfully – with the right band – so is the party.
Wedding receptions and wedding bands have been parodied by the likes of Adam Sandler, Vince Vaughn and Kristen Wiig; there is even a new TV show dedicated to the art. But, in reality, the amount of energy required to hype up a crowd of guests ranging from children to octogenarians on the same dance floor is truly a talent. “If you don’t already have that energy, you can’t fake it,” says drummer and vocalist Cheryl Porter from Chattanooga’s perennial party favorite “You have to love what you do; from that you are able to express and create fully.”
According to Valitus Edwards, Love, Peace and Happiness can play up to 300 songs on demand. This living and breathing jukebox lists the top 10 reception song requests as:”The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra”What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong”You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling” by the Righteous Brothers”Moondance” by Van Morrison”Brick House” by the Commodores”My Girl” by the Temptations”Shout” by the Isley Brothers”Billy Jean” by Michael Jackson”Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond”At Last” by Etta JamesFor more information visit their page at gigsalad.com.
That energy and love of performing drives Porter as well as the other five members of Love, Peace and Happiness as they fuel the party of not only wedding receptions but fundraisers, proms and other events. The band began its reign in 1975 when ML King Boulevard resembled something closer to a cultural center like Bourbon Street, according to original LP&H member Valitus Edwards. Life eventually sent the band members in various directions, but in the 1990s, life – or, in this case, Allied Arts – brought them back together to perform in Chattanooga again. “It was an accident we got back into music,” Edwards laughs. “Our fans won’t let us stop.”
In fact, Edwards says that it is not uncommon for some brides-to-be to pick their band before they even pick their man. And with good reason. Every girl dreams of her big day, and the best brides know that while the ceremony is for the happy couple, the reception is meant to show the guests a good time. Whether you measure that good time by the length of the conga line or the number of tipsy bridesmaids making their way to dance on stage, the band strikes the balance that moves the moment from a formal function to a rocking good time.
“Our aim is interaction,” says Edwards. “We set up the stage as such where people are welcome to come on up.” And up they come, though some guest performances may be more entertaining than others. On one of the band’s luckier nights, the bride came on stage and did a rendition of the worm while decked out in her white princess gown. “99.99 percent of the weddings and functions we perform at, these people make us feel like a part of the party,” says Porter.
Though Motown is at its core, Love, Peace and Happiness plays a variety of genres, from soul and jazz to rock n’ roll and rhythm and blues.
Members of the band include Ken Parks, lead vocals and piano; Valitus Edwards, lead and background vocals; Lutrell Brown, lead vocals; Flynn Pickens, bass and background vocals; Tom Johnson, lead guitar and lead vocals; and Cheryl Porter, drums and vocals.
“Music is a part of everyone’s life, there’s no escaping that. Music has made me a complete person. It’s truly a universal language.” – Tracy Ingram
Another popular local band, The Malemen Show Band, operates by similar guidelines, and according to manager and percussionist Tracy Ingram, they’ve never left a bride or groom unsatisfied. “We are not the type of band that you just sit and watch. At the end of the night, the crowd is singing right along with us. We shouldn’t see a sad face anywhere. I’ll always say, ‘We’ll get back to reality after the music stops,'” says Ingram. “We have just as much fun as the audience does, a lot of people don’t realize that. It’s not just another gig to us; it’s about making people happy.”
Founded in 1987, the original Malemen members began as a recording band in Chattanooga, but they quickly found their niche in performance and decided to perfect the art. “We are old-school musicians and we believe in entertaining. The performance gives you the longevity; records come and go,” says Ingram. The Malemen have been jamming for the past 25 years, playing everything from an inaugural ball for President George W. Bush to events in the Bahamas, but Ingram says that weddings are always near and dear to the band’s heart. The Malemen easily play 55-60 shows a year with well over a thousand weddings on their repertoire.
Lovers of what they call “old-school” music, the Malemen have roots in Motown and insist that all 11 members come as a package deal.Band members include Paul Stone, saxophone; Thomas Bumpass, trumpet; Reginald Moss, guitar; Michael Hale, drums; Darrell Kelly, drums; Stephen James, keyboard; David Anthony, keyboard and lead vocals; Tracy Ingram, percussion and manager; Vinson Canion, occasional vocalist; and Crystal Gibson, Bexy Riberro and Tammy Dismuck as vocalists.For more information visit malemenband.com.
Both bands point much of their success to the fact that they are there to please whoever is planning the event. Edwards says LP&H often starts the music early and stays on the stage late if the party is really going. The bands craft their performance after the wishes of the happy couple. “You can dream of a song that strikes your heart, but when you hear our band play it, it makes you melt,” says Ingram.
Remaining steady at the heart and soul of both bands is the love of the music, performing and the energy itself. “Music is a part of everyone’s life, there’s no escaping that. Music has made me a complete person. It’s truly a universal language,” says Ingram. “I think it’s one of those things you are born to do.”
And, admittedly, the beginning of a love story is an unforgettable thing to be a part of. “What milestone in a person’s life is better than a wedding?” asks Edwards. “To be someone special and trusted to carry out the entertainment on that day is great.”
So as you frequent the wedding circuit this year, as Edwards says to the bride and groom after they dance the night away, “We wish you bluebirds in the spring to give your hearts a song to sing. We wish you health and more than wealth – we wish you a life filled with Love, Peace and Happiness.”
And, we wish you a terrific party.