Rose Royce

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Rose Royce in concert at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, California in 2005.

Rose Royce was a soul, funk, and disco band, formed by Motown writer/producer Norman Whitfield - previously most famous for his work with the Temptations - and featuring singer Gwen Dickey AKA Rose Norwalt. The backing group was comprised of members of Total Concept Limited and Magic Wand, both backing bands for Motown artists such as Edwin Starr, The Undisputed Truth, and The Temptations. When Whitfield left Motown in 1975 to create Whitfield Records, he took the band members with him and Rose Royce was created.

The group turned out three hit albums during the late-1970s, including the platinum-selling soundtrack to the movie Car Wash. One song, "Wishing On a Star", only peaked at #52 on the R&B charts and failed to grace the Billboard Hot 100 despite it going on to be a major classic in their repertoire, enlivened again by acts such as the Latin freestyle music girl group Cover Girls who scored a #9 pop hit with it in 1992. Nevertheless, before the 80s, the group scored five classics in five years: "I'm Going Down", "I Wanna Get Next To You", "Wishing On a Star", "Love Don't Live Here Anymore", and "Car Wash". "Car Wash" has become a disco and funk classic, and both "Wishing On a Star" and "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" were also popular at after-night disco clubs along with Peaches & Herb's "Reunited".

Their 1979 album Rainbow Connection IV did not sell as well, but is still rated highly by disco/funk aficionados. The group had limited success after 1980 and the decline of disco. Their 1981 album Golden Touch, featuring Richee Benson in the place of Norwalt, was also not a success.

[edit] Singles

Title (Year)	Position US Charts	Position UK Charts	Position R&B/Soul Charts	Position Disco/Club Charts
"Car Wash" * (1976)	#1	#9	#1	#3
"I Wanna Get Next To You" ** (1977)	#10	#14	#3
"Do Your Dance (Part I)" (1977)	#39	#30	#4	#20
"I'm Going Down" (1977)	#70		#10
"Wishing On a Star" (1978)		#3	#52
"It Makes You Feel Like Dancin'" (1978)		#16
"Ooh Boy" (1978)	#72		#3
"I'm In Love (And I Love the Feeling)" (1978)			#5
"Love Don't Live Here Anymore" (1979)	#32	#2	#5
"Is It Love You're After?" (1979)		#13	#31
"First Come, First Serve" (1979)			#65
"Pop Your Fingers" (1980)			#60
"Golden Touch" (1981)			#56
"RR Express" (1981)				#8
"Best Love" (1982)			#64
"Lonely Road" (1987)			#45
"Doesn't Have To Be This Way" (1987)			#22
"Car Wash '98" (1998)		#18
"Car Wash b/w Is It Love You're After?" *** (1998)		#20