THE BLACKBYRDS- enter in

from 1976. The group was inspired by trumpeter Donald Byrd and featured some of his Howard University students: Kevin Toney (keyboards), Keith Killgo (vocals, drums), Joe Hall (bass guitar), Allan Barnes (saxophone, clarinet), and Barney Perry (guitar). Orville Saunders (guitar), and Jay Jones (flute, saxophone) joined later. On "Rock Creek Park" and "Happy Music", Merry Clayton joined them on vocals.[2] They signed to Fantasy Records in 1973. Their 1975 hit "Walking in Rhythm" received a Grammy nomination and sold over one million copies by May 1975. It was later awarded a gold disc.[3] The Blackbyrds have influenced the hip-hop generation, with Gang Starr, Da Lench Mob, and Full Force sampling their music.[4] In particular, their 1975 song "Rock Creek Park" from the City Life album has been sampled numerous times by groups and artists such as MF DOOM, De La Soul, Eric B. & Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, N.W.A, Massive Attack, Ice Cube, Heavy D, Nas and Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Tone Lōc and Wiz Khalifa.[5] Founding member Allan Barnes died on July 25, 2016, aged 66