Average White Band

Average White Band

Average White Band is a Scottish funk and soul group from Dundee, United Kingdom, active since 1971. The band forms in London in 1972 and becomes known for a sound rooted in funk and R&B, with influences from artists such as Marvin Gaye, James Brown and Donny Hathaway. Its line-up changes over time, but named members include Hamish Stuart, Steve Ferrone, Alex Ligertwood, Fred Vigdor, Adam Deitch, Klyde Jones, Robbie McIntosh, Roger Ball, Molly Duncan, Alan Gorrie, Owen McIntyre and John Wilson.

The group is closely associated with Atlantic Records and builds a reputation through several gold-selling albums and multiple Grammy nominations. Its instrumental hit Pick Up the Pieces is one of its best-known recordings, while singles such as Cut the Cake and Let’s Go ’Round Again also chart. Album tracks including Schoolboy Crush and Person to Person become heavily sampled, and songs such as Cloudy, A Love of Your Own and Nothing You Can Do are among its noted soul recordings.

The band’s catalogue includes accomplished songwriting as well as reworkings of its own material and other artists’ songs. It remains a touring act, with a long-running presence that continues to draw audiences across generations.