Arlester Christian. How the first Funk star kept fit

Date of birth: June 13, 1943

Date of death: March 13, 1971 (Aged 27)

Full name: Arlester Dyke Christain

Nickname:  Dyke

Birth Place: Buffalo, New York, USA

Height: Unknown

Weight: 166 lbs (75 kg) approximately

Hair color: Black

Eyes color: Dark brown

Arlester Christian, popularly known as Dyke was the first to raise much furor that brown brought about the funk movement when he released the song Funky Broadway through improvising.

Up till Arlester was 17, not much was heard about his life but we can assume that during those years he had learned to play the bass and build himself in music as he began playing with Carl La Rue and His crew. As the band played in various clubs and local bands, they released a single Please Don’t Drive Me Away in 1963.

In 1965, the band fell apart but that did not hinder the passion-driven Arlester. He went ahead with some other members of the band while recruiting other musicians and created the legendary Dyke and the Blazers becoming the lead vocalist, bassist and songwriter of the band.

His career began to blossom when he released Funky Broadway which took him to a higher level of success selling close to a million records. The kind of fame this song exposed him and his band to, caused them to constantly be on tour playing at major events.

Despite the pressure and tight schedule of his band, Arlester still ensured that between events and rehearsals the band was still writing and recording new music.

Juggling in between tours, writing, rehearsing and recording fresh music, Arlester still found it possible to keep himself in good shape.

However, at the peak of young Arlester’s career, an unfortunate gunshot claimed the life of such a legendary musician at the age of 27 causing Dyke and the Blazers to fold up.

Decades after his death, Arlester’s most popular hits including How You Like Me Know, Let a Woman be a Woman, Funky Broadway and much more are still been featured in movies like Storks, Pain & Gain, Tyler Perry’s witness protection program and numerous others.

Though he lived a short life, yet he left his mark.