| Gary Byrd and the GB Experience | |
|---|---|
| Origin | United States |
| Genres | Pop music |
| Years active | 1980s |
| Labels | Motown |
| Associated acts | Stevie Wonder |
Gary Byrd and the GB Experience was an American male/female vocal/instrumental group, who had a single titled "The Crown", in the UK Singles Chart. It was released on the Motown label, entered the chart on 23 July 1983 at number 21, and rose to a high of number 6; it remained in the chart for 9 weeks.[1] It had previously been released in the US on Stevie Wonder's short-lived Wondirection label, but had not been a hit there.
"The Crown", released on 12" only, ran for 10 minutes 35 seconds, making it one of the longest tracks ever to chart in the UK. It was written by Gary Byrd and Stevie Wonder, and presented a wide-ranging historical narrative of human progress (beginning with the ancient Egyptians and continuing to the present day) with an emphasis on African heritage. It featured spoken/rapped verses by Byrd (an American DJ), with one verse sung by Wonder and Crystal Blake.