Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings were an American

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...

and

soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...

band signed to

Daptone Records Daptone Records is a funk and soul independent record label based in Brooklyn, New York. Best known as the home of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and Charles Bradley, the label boasts a roster which includes Menahan Street Band, The Budos Ban ...

. They were part of a

revival movement Christian revival is defined as "a period of unusual blessing and activity in the life of the Christian Church". Proponents view revivals as the restoration of the Church to a vital and fervent relationship with God after a period of moral decl ...

of mid-1960s to mid-1970s style funk and soul music. They released their debut album ''Dap Dippin in 2002, the first of seven studio albums. Their 2014 album '' Give the People What They Want'' was nominated for the

Grammy Award for Best R&B Album The Grammy Award for Best R&B Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works on albums in the Contemporary R&B, R&B mus ...

. After

Sharon Jones Sharon Lafaye Jones (May 4, 1956 – November 18, 2016) was an American soul and funk singer. She was the lead singer of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, a soul and funk band based in Brooklyn, New York. Jones experienced breakthrough success ...

' death in 2016, the band released the posthumous album '' Soul of a Woman'' in 2017 and a compilation of cover songs in 2020. The Dap-Kings, the Daptone

house band A house band is a group of musicians, often centrally organized by a band leader, who regularly play at an establishment. It is widely used to refer both to the bands who work on entertainment programs on television or radio, and to bands which ...

, are notable for their collaborations with

Mark Ronson Mark Daniel Ronson (born 4 September 1975) is a British-American DJ, record producer, and songwriter. He has won nine Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year for Amy Winehouse's album '' Back to Black'' (2006), as well as two for Record ...

, including their contributions to

Amy Winehouse Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer, songwriter, musician, and businesswoman. With over 30 million records sold worldwide, she was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix ...

's ''

Back to Black ''Back to Black'' is the second and final studio album by English singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse, released on 27 October 2006 by Island Records. Winehouse predominantly based the album on her tumultuous relationship with Blake Fielder-Civil, ...

''. The band continued to work and perform together through 2018.

History

1996–2000: The early years with Desco Records

In the mid-1990s, artist

Phillip Lehman Phillip Lehman (born Philip, alternatively spelled Philippe) is a Franco-American artist, Record producer, music producer, and cave diver best known as Bando, the graffiti pioneer of France who helped popularize the medium in Europe throughout ...

and musician Gabriel Roth (also known as

Bosco Mann Gabriel Roth (born August 17, 1974), also known as Bosco Mann among other aliases, is an American record producer, musician, and co-founder of Daptone Records. He is best known as the bandleader, bass player, primary songwriter, and Record produc ...

) founded a band called the Soul Providers, and began recording an album of

James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by Honorific nick ...

-inspired instrumentals and vocal collaborations with

deep funk Deep funk is a subgenre of funk music which features a "hard, lean" sound and emphasis on groove, improvisation, and musicianship over traditional songwriting. The term is also used to describe rare funk recordings sought out by collectors and D ...

recording artist

Lee Fields Elmer Lee Fields (born April 26, 1950) is an American soul singer, sometimes nicknamed "Little JB" for his physical and vocal resemblance with James Brown. He has recorded with Kool and the Gang, Hip Huggers, O. V. Wright, Darrell Banks, and ...

. After hearing

, a

corrections officer A prison officer (PO) or corrections officer (CO), also known as a correctional law enforcement officer or less formally as a prison guard, is a uniformed law enforcement official responsible for the custody, supervision, safety, and regulation ...

turned singer, record backing vocals for a Fields track, Lehman and Roth recorded a solo track of Jones singing "Switchblade", a song which had been intended for a man's voice. This track along with another Jones solo, "The Landlord", were included on the Soul Providers debut album, ''Soul Tequila'', released in about 1996 on the now-defunct French label Pure Records. Lehman and Roth then started a new label in New York called

Desco Records DESCO is an underwater diving equipment maker which was first organized in 1937 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as Diving Equipment and Salvage Co. It was founded by: * Max Eugene Nohl, a diver who lived in Milwaukee. In the early 1930s, he had national ...

, first on the lower East Side above an umbrella store and later with a studio and distribution office in the basement of an apartment building located at 440 West 41st Street in Manhattan. They reissued ''Soul Tequila'' as a vinyl-only LP and renamed ''Gimme the Paw'', and included only one of the Jones collaborations, "Switchblade". Desco showcased its artists- The Soul Providers and Sugarman Three with shows which were revues and released their music on vinyl 45-rpm records. Jones, backed by the Soul Providers (who had become the Desco house band), released three 45s for the label. Recording dates were deliberately omitted from the labels and the records were often marketed as being released in the 1970s. Two other Soul Providers albums were released, an instrumental soundtrack to a Sam Lung kung-fu film, ''The Revenge of Mr Mopoji'', credited to Mike Jackson and the Soul Providers, and a solo album by Lee Fields, ''Let's Get a Groove On'', for which the Soul Providers provided the backing. Desco recorded, "Funky Sitar Man" by Ravi Harris and the Prophets, released on BBE Record.

2000–2003: The birth of the Dap-Kings and Daptone Records

In 2000, Lehman and Roth parted ways, and the Soul Providers disbanded. Lehman set up Soul Fire Records; Roth started

with Sugarman 3 saxophonist Neal Sugarman. The next studio location from 2000-2002 was at 340 Grand Street in Williamsburg, in the basement of Amayo's Afrospot and served as the headquarters for Daptone recording projects and the band

Antibalas Antibalas (Spanish for "bulletproof") is an American, Brooklyn-based afrobeat band founded in 1998 by Martín Perna. Initially inspired by Fela Kuti's Africa 70 band and Eddie Palmieri's Harlem River Drive Orchestra, the music generally follows ...

. A new group, the Dap-Kings, was formed, consisting of label owners Roth on bass and Neal Sugarman on saxophone, plus original Soul Providers: guitarist

Binky Griptite Franklin Stribling, professionally known as Binky Griptite, is an American guitarist, record producer, and radio DJ. He is best known as a founding member and guitarist of Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Soul Providers, and Antibalas, among other D ...

, organist Earl Maxton, saxophonist

Martin Perna Martin may refer to: Places Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Europe * Martin, Croatia, a village * Martin, Slovakia, a city * Martín del Río, Aragón, Spain * Mart ...

percussionist Fernando Velez, and trumpeter Anda Szilagyi. Joining them were two young members of The Mighty Imperials, whose album ''Thunder Chicken'' was the last release on the Desco label: tenor saxophonist

Leon Michels Leon Marcus Michels () (born 1982) is an American Record producer, music producer, Music executive, record executive, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist best known as the leader of the eclectic soul project El Michels Affair and co-founder of ...

and drummer

Homer Steinweiss Homer Steinweiss (born March 25, 1982) is an American drummer, songwriter, and producer known as a prominent drummer in the New York soul revival scene. He is a founding member and drummer of groups including Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Lee ...

, who both had also been touring members of The Soul Providers previously. The band secured a four week, 20 show engagement at La Boite, a club in

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

, Spain, and recorded an LP, ''

Dap Dippin' with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings ''Dap Dippin' with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings'' is the debut album by Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, released in 2002. It is also the first full-length release from Daptone Records. Track listing Personnel * Sharon Jones – Vocals * Bosc ...

'', in 2001. A few hundred copies were pressed, so that sales during the residency would provide financial support for what would have otherwise been a financially draining trip. Promotional copies were sent to funk DJs and reviewers, and the album was officially released as the first LP and CD on Daptone Records in 2002, and attracted an enthusiastic review from quarterly hip-hop and funk magazine ''Big Daddy''. After the album came out, three 45s not on the album were released: "What If We all Stopped Paying Taxes", released in 2002 just ahead of the U.S. election, was a militant anti-war statement denouncing the

Iraq War The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with 2003 invasion of Iraq, the invasion by a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition, which ...

. "Genuine (parts 1 & 2)" (2004) was a hard funk record. Their cover of "

Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In) "Just Dropped In To See What Condition My Condition Was In" is a psychedelic rock song written by Mickey Newbury and best known from a version by the First Edition, recorded in 1967 and released to popular success in 1968. Said to reflect the LS ...

", released in 2005, was recorded for a

KFC KFC Corporation, doing business as KFC (an abbreviation of Kentucky Fried Chicken), is an American fast food restaurant chain specializing in fried chicken and chicken sandwiches. Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, it is the world's se ...

commercial in 2002 but was never used.

2003–2006: ''Naturally'' and personnel changes

About this time Maxton and Szilagyi left the band to become members of

, a New York-based

afrobeat Afrobeat (also known as Afrofunk) is a West African music genre, fusing influences from Nigerian (such as Yoruba) and Ghanaian (such as highlife) music, with American funk, jazz, and soul influences. With a focus on chanted vocals, complex i ...

band. Trumpeter

Dave Guy David Anthony Guy (born December 9, 1978) is an American trumpet player. Since 2014, he has played with The Roots, including on ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon''. Over his more than two decade career, he has been part of the groups Shar ...

and guitarist

Thomas Brenneck Thomas "Tommy" Brenneck is an American guitarist, record producer, and engineer, best known as the leader of the Menahan Street Band and member of The Budos Band, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, and El Michels Affair. He is the founder of Dunh ...

joined in their stead. In 2003, the Daptone Recording Studio, with a sixteen-track analog tape machine, was open for business. The band intended to record two albums back-to-back, but during the final sessions of the first of these albums, Roth suffered serious eye injuries in a car crash, and only one LP and CD, '' Naturally'', was released in 2005. This album included a mix of both soul and funk influences; the production and recording values were crisper than the slightly duller "scratchy 45" sound of the first album. The band embarked on an international promotional tour.

left the band soon after the release of ''Naturally'' to help start a new label, Truth & Soul Records, and released a solo LP that was originally intended for Daptone, ''Sounding Out the City'', credited to

El Michels Affair El Michels Affair is an American cinematic soul group led by musician and producer Leon Michels. Based in New York, the group is noted for its wide-ranging influences, analog production approach, and hip hop collaborations. The group released its ...

. When Lehman closed the Soul Fire label and moved to the Bahamas, the back catalog of Soul Fire was handled by Truth & Soul Records, who, along with Soul Fire, used many of the same artists in their recordings, including Lee Fields, Steinweiss, Brenneck and Michels himself. The Dap-Kings took on

Ian Hendrickson-Smith Ian Hendrickson-Smith (born February 10, 1974) is an American jazz saxophonist. He is best known for being a former member of Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings from 2004 to 2010 and playing with The Roots on ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon''. ...

, a local saxophone player who had released several

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

albums under his own name.

2006–2015: Subsequent albums

In late 2006, the band recorded a third studio album, ''

100 Days, 100 Nights ''100 Days, 100 Nights'' is the third studio album by United States, American funk band Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings. Recorded in 2006, it was released on Daptone Records October 2, 2007. Production ''100 Days, 100 Nights'' contains influences f ...

''. A non-album funk-style single, "I'm Not Gonna Cry", was released in April 2007, and the album was released in October along with two

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph record, vinyl records and Compact cassette, cassettes, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a Single (music), single usually ...

s/bonus tracks: "Settlin' In" and "The Collection Song". Further albums included ''

I Learned the Hard Way ''I Learned the Hard Way'' is the fourth studio album by American soul and funk band Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, released April 6, 2010 on Daptone Records. Production for the album took place at the label's House of Soul Studios during 2009 to ...

'' (2010), '' Give the People What They Want'' (2014), and the holiday release ''It's a Holiday Soul Party''. Also in 2014, Jones and her band performed at Supercrawl in

Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario. Hamilton has a 2021 Canadian census, population of 569,353 (2021), and its Census Metropolitan Area, census metropolitan area, which encompasses ...

2016–2020: Jones' death and final releases

The recording process '' Soul of a Woman'' began in 2015, during which Jones was fighting

pancreatic cancer Pancreatic cancer arises when cell (biology), cells in the pancreas, a glandular organ behind the stomach, begin to multiply out of control and form a Neoplasm, mass. These cancerous cells have the malignant, ability to invade other parts of ...

; she had been first diagnosed in 2013. A film about Jones' battle with cancer, ''

Miss Sharon Jones! ''Miss Sharon Jones!'' is a 2015 documentary film about the singer Sharon Jones. The film depicts Jones' battle with cancer while continuing to perform with her group Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, the Dap-Kings. Reception ''Miss Sharon Jones!'' h ...

'', was released in 2016 with a soundtrack compilation. Jones died on November 18, 2016, at the age of 60. No specific announcement has been made regarding the band's future; however, the Dap-Kings performed at the

59th Annual Grammy Awards The 59th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on February 12, 2017. The CBS network broadcast the show live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The ceremony recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year ...

in 2017 and were the house band for ''

Joe's Pub Joe's Pub, one of the six performance spaces within The Public Theater, is a music venue and restaurant that hosts live performances across genres and arts, ranging from cabaret to modern dance to world music. It is located at 425 Lafayette Str ...

Presents: A Holiday Special'', which taped in November 2016. The Dap-Kings completed the music for the album during this time and released ''Soul of a Woman'' on the first anniversary of Jones' death in 2017. They were active as a live performing group through 2018; of note, they played a series of summer shows with

Jon Batiste Jonathan Michael Batiste (born November 11, 1986) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, composer, bandleader, and television personality. He has recorded and performed with artists including Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Prince (musician), ...

. Two years later, in September 2020, the group announced ''Just Dropped In To See What Condition My Rendition Was In'', an album compiling cover songs recorded over the years. The record was released on October 23, 2020.

Members

''Years adapted from album credits, may not be exact.'' *

– vocals (2000–2016) ‡ ;The Dap-Kings *

– guitar, vocals, MC (2000–2018) ‡ * Gabriel Roth (a.k.a.

) – bass, piano, percussion, producer, engineer (2000–2018) ‡ * Fernando "Bugaloo" Velez –

conga The conga, also known as tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba. Congas are staved like barrels and classified into three types: quinto (lead drum, highest), tres dos or tres golpes (middle), and tumba or salidor (lowest ...

bongos Bongos (Spanish language, Spanish: ''bongó'') are an Afro-Cubans, Afro-Cuban percussion instrument consisting of a pair of small open bottomed hand drums of different sizes. The pair consists of the larger ''hembra'' () and the smaller ''macho'' ...

(2000–2018) ‡ *

– drums (2000–2018) ‡ *

– trumpet (2004–2018) * Neal Sugarman –

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (whi ...

, producer (2004–2018) * Joe Crispiano – guitar (2013–2018) * Cochemea "Cheme" Gastelum – tenor saxophone,

alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgians, Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in the key of E♭ ( ...

(2013–2018; contributor: 2009–2013) *

– guitar, piano (2004–2012; contributor: 2012–2016) *

–

baritone saxophone The baritone saxophone (sometimes abbreviated to "bari sax") is a member of the saxophone family of instruments, larger (and lower-pitched) than the tenor saxophone, but smaller (and higher-pitched) than the bass saxophone, bass. It is the lowe ...

(2004–2010; contributor: 2010–2016) *

– tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone (2000–2005; contributor: 2009) ‡ *

Victor Axelrod Victor Axelrod is an American musician, producer, and audio engineer from Brooklyn, New York. Since the mid-1990s, he has worked primarily in the genres of reggae, Afrobeat and soul, recording and producing under his own name and using the alias ...

(a.k.a. Earl Maxton) – organ (2000–2003; contributor: 2006–2016) ‡ * Otis Youngblood – tenor saxophone (2000–2003) *

Martín Perna Martin Perna is an educator and multidisciplinary artist living in Berkeley, California. Music Perna founded the musical groups Antibalas and Ocote Soul Sounds, and has written for and/or recorded with TV on the Radio, Santigold, Toro y Moi ...

(a.k.a. Jack Zapata) – baritone saxophone (2000–2003) ‡ * Anda Szilagyi – trumpet (2000–2003) ‡ *Todd M. Simon – trumpet (touring c. 2000s) * Hagar Ben Ari – bass (touring 2000–2013) ‡ indicates musician who was part of/played with The Soul Providers, active from 1996 to 1999 ;The Dapettes * Saundra Williams – vocals (2010–2016) * Starr Duncan-Lowe – vocals (2010–2016) * Sharen Lafet – vocals (2013–2014)

Timeline

Collaborations

Six of the tracks on

's 2006 album ''

'' feature various members of the Dap-Kings, including two hits from the album, "

Rehab Rehabilitation or Rehab may refer to: Health * Rehabilitation (neuropsychology), therapy to regain or improve neurocognitive function that has been lost or diminished * Rehabilitation hospital, hospitals devoted to the rehabilitation of patients w ...

" and "

You Know I'm No Good "You Know I'm No Good" is a song written and performed by English singer Amy Winehouse from her second and final studio album, ''Back to Black'' (2006). "You Know I'm No Good" was released as the second single from ''Back to Black'' on 8 Januar ...

". Several tracks recorded at Daptone Studios miscredit the studio as "Dapking Studios". Various members of the band feature on all but one of the tracks on

's second album, ''

Version Version may refer to: Computing * Software version, a set of numbers that identify a unique evolution of a computer program * VERSION (CONFIG.SYS directive), a configuration directive in FreeDOS Music * Cover version * Dub version * Remix * ''V ...

'' (2007), which spawned the Amy Winehouse cover " Valerie". The Dap-Kings became the backing band for Winehouse's first U.S. tour. After Winehouse's passing, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings joined

Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air (S ...

Florence Welch Florence Leontine Mary Welch
(born 28 ...

Wanda Jackson Wanda LaVonne Jackson (born October 20, 1937) is an American retired singer and songwriter. Since the 1950s, she has recorded and released music in the genres of Rock music, rock, Country music, country and Gospel music, gospel. She was among th ...

, and

The Roots The Roots are an American Hip-hop, hip hop band formed in 1987 by singer Black Thought, Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and drummer Questlove, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Roots serve as the house band on NBC's ''T ...

in tribute to her during '' VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul''. In 2007 the Dap-Kings worked with British singer

Ben Westbeech Ben Westbeech (born 17 April 1981), also known as Breach as well as his collaborative project The Vision, is a British DJ and record producer originating from Hertfordshire who spent his formative musical years in Bristol. Trained as cellist ...

to record a new version of his song "So Good Today". Jones lends her vocals on one song, "The Way We Lived", on

Wax Tailor Jean-Christophe Le Saoût (; born on 19 July 1975), better known by the stage name Wax Tailor, is a French record producer, DJ, and talent manager. He has released six studio albums collaborating with other artists. Early career After being a h ...

's second album, '' Hope & Sorrow'', released in April 2007. Jones is also featured on releases by

They Might Be Giants They Might Be Giants, often abbreviated as TMBG, is an American alternative rock and Children's music, children's band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years, Flansburgh and Linnell frequently performed as ...

(''

The Else ''The Else'' is the twelfth studio album by rock group They Might Be Giants, released by Idlewild Recordings on May 15, 2007. The album was produced in part by the Dust Brothers, along with Pat Dillett and the band. ''The Else'' was first av ...

'') and Rufus Wainwright (''

Release the Stars ''Release the Stars'' is the fifth studio album by Canadian-American singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright, released through Geffen Records on May 15, 2007. Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant was the executive producer; the album was mixed by Record produ ...

''). Jones contributed six period numbers by

Bessie Smith Bessie Smith (April 15, 1892 – September 26, 1937) was an African-American blues singer widely renowned during the Jazz Age. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Empress of the Blues" and formerly Queen of the Blues, she was t ...

and others to the soundtrack for the film ''

The Great Debaters ''The Great Debaters'' is a 2007 American historical drama film directed by Denzel Washington from a screenplay by Robert Eisele and based on a 1997 article for '' American Legacy'' by Tony Scherman. The film follows the trials and tribulations o ...

'', recorded in the Ardent Studio in Memphis. Jones is also a featured on the Verve Records ''Baby Loves Jazz'' books/CDs and has had character books published by Penguin Books in conjunction with the series, entitled ''Ella the Elephant: Scats Like That''. Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings are featured on

Michael Bublé Michael Steven Bublé ( ; born September 9, 1975) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. Regarded as a pop icon, he is often credited for helping to renew public interest and appreciation for traditional pop standards and the Great American ...

's 2009 album, ''Crazy Love'', in the track "

Baby (You've Got What It Takes) "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" is a 1950s song written by Clyde Otis and Murray Stein. Originally titled "You've Got What It Takes", the song was first recorded by Brook Benton's sister, Dorothy Pay, in 1958, as the B-side of her single "Stro ...

". In the fall of 2009 Sharon Jones and David Guy appeared with

Phish Phish is an American rock band formed in Burlington, Vermont, in 1983. The band consists of guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike Gordon, drummer Jon Fishman, and keyboardist Page McConnell, all of whom perform vocals, with Anastasio being the ...

for their musical costume at Phish's Festival 8 in Indio California, where they covered the

Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

' '' Exile on Main St.'' The Dap-Kings horn section backed the Heavy in a 2010 appearance on the ''

Late Show with David Letterman ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by Letterman's production com ...

'', and they appeared with

Muse In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, the Muses (, ) were the Artistic inspiration, inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric p ...

on ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...

'' in 2012, providing support during their performance of " Panic Station". The Dap-Kings appear on the 2012

David Byrne David Byrne (; born May 14, 1952) is an American musician, writer, visual artist, and filmmaker. He was a founding member, principal songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist of the American New wave music, new wave band Talking Heads. Byrne has ...

and

St. Vincent Saint Vincent may refer to: People Saints * Vincent of Saragossa (died 304), a.k.a. Vincent the Deacon, deacon and martyr * Saint Vincenca, 3rd century Roman martyress, whose relics are in Blato, Croatia * Vincent, Orontius, and Victor (died 305 ...

collaboration ''

Love This Giant ''Love This Giant'' is a studio album made in collaboration between musicians David Byrne and St. Vincent, released on 4AD and Todo Mundo on September 10, 2012, in the United Kingdom and the following day in the United States. Marking Byrne's ...

''. Dap-Kings drummer Homer Steinwess appears on St. Vincent's self-titled fifth album. In 2014, the Dap-Kings horn section collaborated with the

horn section,

, and

Bruno Mars Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), known professionally as Bruno Mars, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. Regarded as a pop icon, he is known for his three-octave tenor vocal range, live performances, R ...

to record "

Uptown Funk "Uptown Funk" is a song by British record producer Mark Ronson featuring American singer Bruno Mars. It was released on 10 November 2014, as the lead single from Ronson's fourth studio album, '' Uptown Special'' (2015). "Uptown Funk" was wri ...

" and other tracks from Mark Ronson's 2015 album ''

Uptown Special ''Uptown Special'' is the fourth studio album by British producer Mark Ronson. The album was released on 13 January 2015 in the US and 19 January 2015 in the UK. It is his first album in nearly five years, following '' Record Collection'' (2010 ...

''. They also performed "Uptown Funk" together on ''

'' in November 2014. In February 2017, the Dap-Kings served as the backing band for country musician

Sturgill Simpson John Sturgill Simpson (born June 8, 1978) is an American country music singer-songwriter and actor. As of June 2024, he has released eight albums as a solo artist. Simpson's style has been met with critical favor and frequent comparisons to ou ...

's performance of his song "All Around You" at the

. In July 2017, it was revealed that the Dap-Kings Horns collaborated with

Kesha Kesha Rose Sebert (born March 1, 1987), formerly stylized as Ke$ha, is an American singer and songwriter. Her first major success came in 2009 when she was featured on rapper Flo Rida's number-one single, "Right Round". Kesha's music and ima ...

on her song "

Woman A woman is an adult female human. Before adulthood, a female child or Adolescence, adolescent is referred to as a girl. Typically, women are of the female sex and inherit a pair of X chromosomes, one from each parent, and women with functi ...

", from her album ''

Rainbow A rainbow is an optical phenomenon caused by refraction, internal reflection and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a continuous spectrum of light appearing in the sky. The rainbow takes the form of a multicoloured circular ...

''.

In media

Use in advertisements

In 2006, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings were featured in an I Love NY commercial directed by Kurt Lustgarten and set to their cover of

Woody Guthrie Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (; July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967) was an American singer, songwriter, and composer widely considered to be one of the most significant figures in American folk music. His work focused on themes of American Left, A ...

's "

This Land Is Your Land "This Land Is Your Land" is a song by American folk singer Woody Guthrie. One of the United States' most famous folk songs, its lyrics were written in 1940 in critical response to Irving Berlin's " God Bless America". Its melody is based on a ...

". The band's cover of

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...

's "

Uptight (Everything's Alright) "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder for the Tamla (Motown) label. One of his most popular early singles, "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" was the first hit single that Wonder himself co-w ...

" appeared in a

Chase Manhattan Bank JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., doing business as Chase, is an American national bank headquartered in New York City that constitutes the consumer and commercial banking subsidiary of the U.S. multinational banking and financial services holding ...

commercial that same year. In

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

, their song "Got a Thing on my Mind" featured in a 2005 commercial for

Cadbury's Cadbury, formerly Cadbury's and Cadbury Schweppes, is a British multinational corporation, multinational confectionery company owned by Mondelez International (spun off from Kraft Foods, Inc., Kraft Foods) since 2010. It is the second-largest c ...

Boost Boost, boosted or boosting may refer to: Science, technology and mathematics * Boost, positive manifold pressure in turbocharged engines * Boost (C++ libraries), a set of free peer-reviewed portable C++ libraries * Boost (material), a material b ...

Chocolate bar A chocolate bar is a confection containing chocolate, which may also contain layerings or mixtures that include nut (fruit), nuts, fruit, caramel, nougat, and wafers. A flat, easily breakable, chocolate bar is also called a tablet. In some variet ...

. In 2008 Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings worked with Tropicana on a song promoting Tropicana orange juice, titled "Sweet & Lovely."

Ziggy Marley David Nesta "Ziggy" Marley (born 17 October 1968) is a Jamaican reggae musician. He is the son of Bob Marley and Rita Marley. He led the family band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers until 2002, with whom he released eight studio albums. After ...

and

Bebel Gilberto Isabel Buarque de Hollanda Gilberto de Oliveira (born May 12, 1966), known as Bebel Gilberto, is an American-born Brazilian people, Brazilian popular singer often associated with bossa nova. She is the daughter of João Gilberto and singer Miú ...

were featured in similar projects. In 2015, the song "100 Days, 100 Nights" was used in a

FitBit Fitbit is a product lining, line of wireless-enabled wearable technology, physical fitness monitors and activity trackers such as smartwatches, pedometers and monitors for heart rate, quality of sleep, and stairs climbed as well as related soft ...

commercial. In 2016, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings appeared in a video covering the

Allman Brothers Allman may refer to: Music *The Allman Brothers Band The Allman Brothers Band was an American rock music, rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969. Its founding members were brothers Duane Allman (slide guitar, lead guitar) and Greg ...

song "Midnight Rider" for Lincoln Motors.

Soundtracks

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings' cover of

's "

", from the album ''Naturally'', plays over the opening credits of the 2009 film '' Up in the Air''. The song is also the first track on the ''Up in the Air'' soundtrack album. The same cover plays over the end credits of both the 2007 film ''

Dark Matter In astronomy, dark matter is an invisible and hypothetical form of matter that does not interact with light or other electromagnetic radiation. Dark matter is implied by gravity, gravitational effects that cannot be explained by general relat ...

'' and the '' How to Make It in America'' episode "Paper, Denim + Dollars" as well as in the end credits of

Ken Burns Kenneth Lauren Burns (born July 29, 1953) is an American filmmaker known for his documentary films and television series, many of which chronicle American history and culture. His work is often produced in association with WETA-TV or the Nati ...

' documentary film ''

Jackie Robinson Jack Roosevelt Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) was an American professional baseball player who became the first Black American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era. Robinson broke the Baseball color line, ...

''. "How Long Do I Have to Wait for You?" was featured in the first season for the television series '' Hung'' and included on the

soundtrack album A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television show. The first such album to be commercially released was Walt Disney's ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ( ...

. "Longer And Stronger", a previously unreleased track, also made an appearance on the '' For Colored Girls: Music From and Inspired by the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' in 2010. "Money", "The Reason", and "Keep On Looking" are used in the video game '' Sleeping Dogs'', which was released in August 2012. The songs can be heard on an in-game radio station called Daptone Radio. ''

Henry's Crime ''Henry's Crime'' is a 2010 American romantic comedy crime film directed by Malcolm Venville and starring Keanu Reeves, Vera Farmiga, and James Caan. The film follows Henry (Reeves), who goes to jail for a bank robbery he did not commit. Once ...

'', a 2011 movie, featured the songs "Answer Me", "100 Days 100 Nights", "Got a Thing On My Mind", "Stranded in Your Love", "Be Easy", and "Let Them Knock". The band appeared in the 2013 movie '' The Wolf of Wall Street''. They also appear performing "100 Days 100 Nights" at the end of " You Know My Steez", the 13th episode of

Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

's ''

Luke Cage Lucas "Luke" Cage, born Carl Lucas and also known as Power Man, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Archie Goodwin, George Tuska, Roy Thomas, and John Romita Sr. in 1972, he was the first Af ...

''.

Discography

Studio albums

* ''

'' (2002) * '' Naturally'' (2005) * ''

'' (2007) * ''

'' (2010) * ''

Soul Time! Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings were an American funk and soul band signed to Daptone Records. They were part of a revival movement of mid-1960s to mid-1970s style funk and soul music. They released their debut album ''Dap Dippin in 2002, the f ...

'' (2011) * '' Give the People What They Want'' (2014) * ''It's a Holiday Soul Party'' (2015) * '' Soul of a Woman'' (2017)

As backing band

Selected album credits *

– ''

'' (

Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company that is a subsidiary of Comcast ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of N ...

Island An island or isle is a piece of land, distinct from a continent, completely surrounded by water. There are continental islands, which were formed by being split from a continent by plate tectonics, and oceanic islands, which have never been ...

, 2006) * Saun & Starr – Look Closer (

Daptone Daptone Records is a funk and soul independent record label based in Brooklyn, New York. Best known as the home of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and Charles Bradley, the label boasts a roster which includes Menahan Street Band, The Budos Band ...

, 2015) *

– '' A Sailor's Guide To Earth'' (

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...

, 2016) * Elise Legrow – ''Playing Chess'' (

BMG BMG may refer to: Organizations Music publishing companies * Bertelsmann Music Group, a 1987–2008 division of Bertelsmann that was purchased by Sony on October 1, 2008 ** Sony BMG, a 2004–2008 joint venture of Bertelsmann and Sony that was pur ...

, 2018) * Various artists – ''A Change is Gonna Come'' ( Newport Folk, 2020)

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* *
"100 Days, 100 Nights"
music video on

YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...

Interview with Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings
on kevchino.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Jones and the Dap-Kings, Sharon American soul musical groups American funk musical groups Musical groups from Brooklyn Musical groups established in 1996 Musical groups disestablished in 2018 Desco Records artists Daptone Records artists 1996 establishments in New York City 2018 disestablishments in New York (state) Female-fronted musical groups Mixed-gender bands