Lyte Funky Ones

LFO (an acronym for Lyte Funkie Ones) are an American pop and hip hop band formed in 1995 and consisted of singers Brad Fischetti (born September 11, 1975), Rich Cronin (August 30, 1974 – September 8, 2010), and Brian "Brizz" Gillis (January 19, 1975 – March 29, 2023). In 1998, Gillis left the group and was replaced by Devin Lima (born Harold Lima; March 18, 1977 – November 21, 2018). The group disbanded after Cronin's death in 2010 but briefly reunited (with Fischetti and Lima as a duo) in 2017 before Lima's death a year later.

LFO's single " Summer Girls" reached number 3 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and the band has sold over four million records worldwide.

History

1995–1998: Origins and Gillis's departure

In 1995, New Bedford, Massachusetts, Rich Cronin and Brad Fischetti met Brian "Brizz" Gillis. LFO had marginal success with the remake of the Yvonne Elliman song "If I Can't Have You", which missed the Top 40, reaching No. 54 on the UK Singles Chart. In 1997, they released a cover of the 1990 New Kids on the Block hit " Step By Step" as a single. In 1999, Gillis left the group to pursue a solo career. Gillis died of undisclosed causes on March 29, 2023, at age 48.

2000–2002: ''Life Is Good'' and first split

They appeared on ''The Amanda Show'' as guest stars, singing a song while Amanda Bynes danced in the background with the show's signature "dancing lobsters". At the end, LFO described Amanda as "the most beautiful girl in the world".

In the summer of 2001, the group released their sophomore and final album, '' Life Is Good'', with the release of only two singles, "Life Is Good" and " Every Other Time", which was the only commercial release from the album.

After lackluster record sales of the album and the late-1990s/early-2000s boyband trend nearing its end, LFO parted ways in February 2002. Brad Fischetti recalled years later that the band didn't initially end on good terms. "When we walked out of the room in 2002, it was like a weight was lifted off of our shoulders."

2002–2009: Initial breakup

In an attempt to form a pop group without it being labeled as a boy band, Cronin founded Bad Mood Mike in 2003. The project failed, as it never produced an album, and ended after a few months. Cronin was later in a group called Loose Cannons, with Doug Ray. He was also part of the TV show '' Mission: Man Band'', which aired on VH1.

In March 2005, Cronin sought treatment for constant headaches, and was diagnosed with leukemia. He underwent chemotherapy in Boston, and by January 2006, his leukemia was in remission. In 2008, Cronin launched his first solo studio album, entitled ''Billion Dollar Sound''.

Lima released his first solo track back in 2006, it being a cover of the Sly & the Family Stone song “ If You Want Me to Stay” for the tribute album ''Different Strokes by Different Folks''. This led to him performing as part of a tribute to Sly Stone, on the 2006 Grammy Awards, alongside Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Maroon 5, Joss Stone, John Legend and will.i.am.

Lima formed a new band, The Cadbury Diesel, and released their debut record, ''Mozart Popart'', in July 2008. Cadbury Diesel performed a song entitled "Rocky Road" for the film ''American Pie Presents Beta House'' (2007). Lima later performed music under the alias Live From Orlando.

Brad Fischetti has since become an anti-abortion activist. During a 2012 religious group protest he was live tweeting from outside an abortion clinic. Included in his tweets were the doctor's name, and an apparent quote from a nurse claiming financial motives for the services offered there. In a statement to E! News, Fischetti denied harassing any women outside the clinic, but adamantly stood by his views and said he regrets not speaking out more when LFO was at the height of its fame. He is also the music director for a church.

2009–2010: Reunion and Cronin's death

On June 3, 2009, LFO posted a blog entitled "LFO is Back" on their unofficial MySpace page which announced that they had reunited and were going on the Malcolm Douglas Tribute tour beginning September 23, 2009, with Rookie of the Year, Go Crash Audio, and Kiernan McMullan. A new song, titled "Summer of My Life," was also announced in association with the reunion.

However, the reunion was short-lived. Rich Cronin died, at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, on September 8, 2010, after battling leukemia. He was 36. On September 28, 2009, LFO announced through their YouTube page LFOVIDEOS that they had permanently disbanded. The remaining two members of the band planned to continue making music with their various side projects.

2017–2018: Second reunion, new single, and Lima's death

In late 2013, Lima formed a group with electronic artists DJ Shakka and Ayj as The Mack Pack, releasing two singles in 2014. The group later changed its name to Rogue Cherry with the addition of Alexandra Foster and produced a posthumous album, Harold Lima: Rockwell.

In July 2017, LFO released their first new song after 15 years and the only song as a duo and without Cronin, titled "Perfect 10". It featured then-surviving members Lima and Fischetti. On the reunion, Fischetti told ''Entertainment Weekly'' that "We're sincerely thankful and excited to have the opportunity to create new music and tour again. We miss the presence of our late great brother bandmate Rich Cronin. We will do our best to make him proud, carry on his legacy, and to usher LFO into the future."

In October 2017, Devin Lima was diagnosed with stage four adrenal cancer and had one kidney removed. The news was confirmed by Fischetti. Lima died of his cancer on November 21, 2018, at age 41.

2019–present: O-Town reunion, Y2K Tour

The final living member, Brad Fischetti, began touring with pop group O-Town in a series of dates during the Y2K tour. He performed LFO songs in memory of Cronin and Lima, and vowed to keep the LFO legacy alive.

Members

Current

* Brad Fischetti (1995–2002, 2009, 2017–2018; 2024–present)

Former

* Rich Cronin (1995–2002, 2009; died 2010)
* Brian Gillis (1995–1998; died 2023)
* Devin Lima (1999–2002, 2009, 2017–2018; died 2018)

Discography

Albums

Singles

Music videos

Notes

* A "(Sex U Up) The Way You Like It" did not enter the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, but peaked at number 3 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, which acts as a 25-song extension to the Hot 100.

References

External links

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How "Summer Girls" Explains a Bunch of Hits—and the Music of 1999

Pop 2000 Tour w/LFO

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American boy bands
American pop music groups
Vocal trios
Pop-rap groups
Musical groups established in 1995
Musical groups disestablished in 2002
Musical groups reestablished in 2009
Musical groups disestablished in 2010
Musical groups reestablished in 2017
Musical groups disestablished in 2018
Arista Records artists
J Records artists
1995 establishments in Massachusetts
2018 disestablishments in Massachusetts