Biography of Dyke & the Blazers

An exuberant late-'60s soul unit featuring the spirited leads of Arlester "Dyke" Christian, a Brooklyn vocalist, they became Dyke & the Blazers in the mid-'60s, and were assisted by the O'Jays' backing band at one point. They made a string of crackling singles for Original Sound, starting with "Funky Broadway" in 1967. Their biggest hits were "We Got More Soul" and "Let a Woman Be a Woman - Let a Man Be a Man," both of which were Top Ten R&B singles in 1969. "Uhh" also did well in 1970, but "You Are My Sunshine" and "Runaway People" were only moderate successes. Things ended for the group when Christian was shot and killed in 1971. ~ Ron Wynn