All Photos courtesy of Felton Pilate/ConFunkShun


Felton Pilate is best known as the lead singer of Con Funk Shun, an R&B Old School band created in 1974, while in Memphis, TN.

Pilate was born in Jackson Mississippi to Felton Pilate Sr., a naval physician, and Benita Akines Pilate, a music major and social worker. After many military assignments, The Pilate family’s last move would be a move to Vallejo, CA, where Felton Jr. would spend his formative years.

Pilate knew from a very young age that music would be an important part of his life. He took trumpet and piano lessons very early and self-taught himself to play guitar and trombone. In high school, he created a band and performed locally while honing his craft.

Michael Cooper, who had another local band, asked him to join his group during their final high school years and with no hesitation, Felton said yes. That was the beginning of his career as a member of Project Soul who went on the road with Stax recording artists, The Soul Children, and moved to Memphis, TN.  Project Soul got a record deal and were asked to change their name. The band chose Con Funk Shun and the rest, as they say, is history.

The band went on to record hit after hit in the 70’s & 80’s where Pilate served as co-producer and songwriter. He still performs with Con Funk Shun to date and proudly proclaims that the music business has been his only income since 1972.

ConFunkShun

Photo courtesy of ConFunkShun

Pilate’s accolades include Record Producer, Songwriter & Recording Artist with (USA) Diamond Platinum Sales Status and numerous Gold, Platinum, Multi-Platinum, and Mega-Platinum selling albums; participated in and contributed to numerous Grammy winning and nominated recording projects; Recording Engineer, Mixer, and Mastering Engineer. Pilate has 45+ years touring history as an internationally recognized R&B artist principal, recording studio owner and manager having trained numerous other eventual Grammy winning record producers.

Pilate gained his greatest world-wide acclaim for production/writing with rap phenom M.C. Hammer. The Hammer-Pilate joint effort staggers the imagination with sales from ‘89 to ‘92 alone, of 30 million, including “Please Hammer Don’t Hurt Em” the #2 all-time selling R&B LP. Other landmarks in Pilate’s Capital records days include his film and TV soundtrack work, such as his Oscar-nominated “Addams Groove” (Addams Family Movie theme) and “Hammerman” (Hammerman cartoon show). Pilate has many other accolades to his credit including his 2010 contribution of “I Wanna Play For You” to the Grammy award winning “The Stanley Clarke Band” album. Pilate has produced artists in other genres, such as Country, Rock, and Gospel.

When Pilate began touring, his soulful falsetto voice, sexy, romantic lyrics and his guitar, keyboards and trombone skills immediately gathered a loyal fan base that has remained with him for almost 50 years. His style of music is not just limited to R&B but is also influenced by many other music genres. His melodic mix creates a distinctive sound that intrigues and transports his listeners, and his larger-than-life persona on stage penetrates his fans hearts and souls.

In 2004, Pilate released a fantastic solo LP entitled, “Nothing But Love Spoken Here”. He provided all the production, vocals, and instrumental tracks and most of the songwriting. A Taste of Honey’s Janice Marie Johnson duets with him on it, and on “Only For You“, which is about that elusive quality: Devotion.

Pilate exquisitely demonstrates his many talents in the recording booth and at the mixing console too. During Covid, he released two singles, “We’re Still Here” and “Waiting Just to Dance” and is currently in the studio working on finishing the album. Both songs are doing extremely well on the charts worldwide. As for Con Funk Shun, Felton and Michael Cooper fine tuned Con Funk Shun’s new Christmas album, “Home For Christmas” released in the fall of 2022, and a new R&B album set for release in early summer 2023.

Pilate has a gift of perfecting and creating multiple projects at one time and is extremely busy with his music as well as writing, editing, and creating a soundtrack for a new TV pilot. Over the last two years, he has also developed several stage shows including “Everybody Dance!“, a tribute to Nile Rodgers and Chic, “I Love Music!”, a tribute to the Philly Sound, and “Rock Steady!”, a tribute to Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds.

In Pilate’s spare time, he loves to show off his magician skills to friends and family. He also enjoys taking photos, recording videos, and editing them, cooking, watching movies, and traveling!

Pilate resides in the Atlanta area with his wife Jennifer and loves spending time with their children, family, and friends.

GO BANG! Magazine: It is a pleasure and an honor for GO BANG! Magazine to have this opportunity to interview you Sir. When you were developing your talent in the early years of your life, who was your inspiration then and who do you admire now?

Felton Pilate: There’s been a piano in my home as far back as I can remember. My first inspiration was my mother, who was a music major and a very accomplished singer and pianist. Latter inspiration came from music I heard around the house. If my mother got to the “hi-fi” first, it was classical music, and if my father got to it first, it was the jazz masters of the day, like Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, etc.

GO BANG! Magazine: March of 2020 is when the world went on lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The world opened back up in 2022. How did you cope during the pandemic?

Felton Pilate: It was a difficult year for Con Funk Shun performing live. We did a quarter of the gigs that we would have normally done. However, on the creative side, it gave me a lot of time and opportunity to work on the songs for the Christmas album that we just released within the last 30 days. It’s called “Home for Christmas” and has five original songs on it. We had a chance to perform four of the songs in front of our Bay Area audience when we performed at Yoshi’s this past weekend.

Home For Christmas – ConFunkShun

Video Courtesy of YouTube/ConFunkShun Band

ConFunkShun – Love’s Train – LIVE

Video courtesy of YouTube/LiveLikeItShows

GO BANG! Magazine: Things are getting a lil better now and a “new normal” is here, which means live concerts are returning. Are there any concert tours planned for Con Funk Shun and for you as a solo artist, any time soon? If so, when?

Felton Pilate: Silk Sonic’s release of “Loves Train” this year just happened to coincide with the song being released on the “To The Max” LP, 40 years ago. Although it’s been one of our most popular songs, the newfound interest allowed us to tour even more this year. We’ll have one more concert before the end of year that will be the end of the “Loves Train 40 Year Anniversary Tour.” We already have 20 or more gigs lined up for next year and are talking to promoters about us possibly touring Europe after the first of the year.

(L to R) Felton Pilate, Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Michael Cooper

GO BANG! Magazine: As you just said, Love Train was recently revived and covered by Silk Sonic on the 2022 Billboard Awards show this past spring in May. What did you think about their performance of your song, and have you had a chance to speak with them and provide any feedback to them? If so, what did you say and how did they respond?

Felton Pilate: Mike (Cooper) and I had a chance to fly to Las Vegas, meet with them, and thank them personally for recording the song. We were invited backstage at their performance at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. After 10 minutes of waiting in the reception room, Bruno Mars, followed closely by Anderson .Paak, burst through the door, dropped to his knees, and did his best Michael Cooper imitation singing “If by chance…“!! We spent the next few minutes talking music in general and learned that Silk Sonic initially had concerns about doing the song justice. Bruno asked did they do ok…

Silk Sonic Billboard Music Awards 2022 Performance “Love’s Train”

Video courtesy of YouTube/Bruno Mars

Puh-leezzzzz!!!! I think they did a magnificent job! They managed to keep the emotional intensity of the original recording, while adding their own signature flourishes. We didn’t know in advance that they were going to be recording it. Mike and I both found out on February 14th and the first time I heard it, I was blown away!

GO BANG! Magazine: Congratulations are in order for you as a producer, songwriter and Grammy award nominee and winning recording artist. Who are some of today’s producers, songwriters and recording artists that you admire?

Felton Pilate: I’ve been a Bruno Mars fan since he first came out. I will have to admit that I knew nothing about Anderson .Paak until the last two years, but I have recently come to really like what he does as a writer and producer. Artists such as Neyo, Kem, and Khalid are on my playlists and I’ve been paying close attention to producer, Ian Kirkpatrick.

GO BANG! Magazine: In that same vein as my previous question, are there any creatives that you would love to work with that you haven’t thus far? If so, who are some of them?

Felton Pilate: In addition to everyone I’ve mentioned, I would have loved to work with Quincy Jones. I still may get a chance to work with Babyface and Teddy Riley.

GO BANG! Magazine: You are a survivor in the music industry, with over 45 years of successful international performing and touring. While others have faded away. You have withstood the test of time. What is the secret to your longevity?

Felton Pilate: Well, I wouldn’t call it a “secret”, but I actually try to create with the word “longevity” in mind. There’s a reason why songs such as Lionel Richie’s “Endless Love“, Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You“, and Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You“, have survived over the decades and will be around and loved for decades to come. I believe it is entirely possible to stay relevant without having to completely depend on whatever the current musical trends are.

GO BANG! Magazine: Besides being a legendary artist, you have something else up your sleeve. We here at GO BANG! Magazine are fans of magic, and we heard that you are quite the magician. How did you get started in magic and are you really that good?

Felton Pilate: My mother bought me a magic set one Christmas when I was young and I’ve dabbled in it ever since.  Nothing elaborate, just spur of the moment stuff with cards, rope, coins, etc.

GO BANG! Magazine: What’s your most popular, and, what’s your most favorite magic trick that you like to perform?

Felton Pilate: My best one so far was done decades ago (before cell phones). I had my girlfriend randomly select a card from a deck and put it into her back pocket. No one left the room and everyone stayed in plain sight. A few moments later her home phone rang and a mysterious voice told her what the card was. Everyone was quite impressed!

GO BANG! Magazine: What other hidden talents do you have, that our readers may not be aware of?

Felton Pilate: I take my cooking VERY seriously! I’m a big fan of Asian food of all kinds. I’ve got a wok and I’m not afraid to use it! I also have a salmon salad with sundried tomato pesto that’s quite popular.

GO BANG! Magazine: Felton, I want to give you your flowers while you’re still alive. You are blessed, talented and your music has touched the world and made it a better place to live. Your music has been the soundtrack to millions of people’s lives. Thank you! In conclusion, what would you like to say to all the GO BANG! Magazine readers, aka the BANGERS, around the world?

Felton Pilate: I have been blessed to have my music be my only source of income for over 50 years and I’m honored for my songs to have been a special part of people’s lives. Thank you, BANGERS, for allowing that to happen!

Stay tuned… there’s more to come! Happy Holidays!!!

GO BANG! Magazine: HAPPY HOLIDAYS Felton Pilate. You have now been BANGED!!!

You can follow Felton Pilate on social media @Felton Pilate and check out his website.

Pierre A. Evans is a freelance writer of Entertainment, Music, Art, Culture, Fashion and Current Events, and previously for SoulTrain.com, NDigo.com, ChicagoDefender.com, EmpireRadioMagazine.com, and UrbanMuseMag.com, an author, singer/songwriter, actor, model, poet, dancer, and DJ. He is also the Owner of Pinnacle Entertainment Productions and the Owner/Publisher of GO BANG! Magazine. Follow him on Facebook @Pierre Andre Evans, Twitter @Playerre, and on Instagram @Pierre_Andre_Evans.

We are saddened to announce the passing of Chuck TheVoice Roberts, the vocalist on the House song “IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS JACK!” He will definitely be remembered as THE VOICE of House. We at GO BANG! Magazine had the honor of interviewing Chuck. In honor of his life legacy, we at GO BANG! Magazine are reprinting our interview with him that we conducted with him in August, 2020.  I had recently spoken to him and he had soooooooo many upcoming and future plans.  DAMN, HE WILL TRULY BE MISSED! – Pierre Andre’ Evans….friend of Chuck <3  Rest in Peace homie…. #Respect #Legacy #InTheBeginningThere WasJack #ChuckTheVoiceRoberts

“In The Beginning There Was Jack and Jack had a Groove” The House music gospel, The Preacher’s Anthem are just a few of the descriptions given to the now famous speech. Fans of House, Dance and other genres of music for that matter can most certainly finish the rest of the verse that Chuck “THE ORIGINAL VOICE OF HOUSE MUSIC ” Roberts so eloquently spoke on one of House Music’s most defining recordings. This is evident by the millions of YouTube plays and samples by all genres of DJ’s. This is proof of the power of those spoken words.

How it all started:

When: The year 1987
Who: “Jack”
Where: A heavenly studio on the West side of Chicago
What: Chuck explained to his people spoken in a godly voice straight from the House Book of Genesis in omniscient detail of how house music was born and the impact on it has on your body and soul. Then Jack disappeared back into the heavens only to be heard all over the world but never seen. For you see in Jack’s realm there is no time. Since then House Heads have anticipated his return for 30 years to come into the presence of more knowledge and wisdom of Jack’s House.

Little did they know it was written for the year 2018 we would see the return of Jack and his soul stirring words of musical edification. “In The Beginning There Was Jack” was released on Ultra Music in 2018. Produced by Terry Hunter and also featuring Monique Bingham. This is a refreshed version of the original classic “My House”. Here are just a few of what the media articles and music industry Tastemakers have to say about the most prolific and iconic messages in dance music:

DJ Wayne Williams Sr. VP of A&R at RCA Records and world famous House Music DJ and Gatekeeper states “Chuck’s acapella is arguably the most important recording in house music history next to Marshall Jefferson’s “Move Your Body!”

With his proud voice as strong as ever, he is once again calling on audiences around the world to unite in a time of unthinkable struggles. His new 2020 inspirational track ‘I Choose To Live’ boldly states his refusal to bow down in fear, choosing instead to embrace life to the fullest. The rhythms are vibrant and hypnotic, filled with colorful melodies that remind us all that better times are on the way. No one knows when we will be able to dance together again, but as long as Chuck Roberts is making music, house fans all over the globe have something to unite around.

JACK’S HOUSE:
“IN THE BEGINNING, THERE WAS JACK, AND JACK HAD A GROOVE,
And from this groove came the groove of all grooves,
And while one day viciously throwing down on his box, Jack boldy declared,
“Let there be HOUSE!”and house music was born.
“I am, you see, I am the creator, and this is my house!
And, in my house there is ONLY house music.
But, I am not so selfish because once you enter my house it then becomes OUR house and OUR house music!”
And, you see, no one man owns house because house music is a universal language, spoken and understood by all.
You see, house is a feeling that no one can understand really unless you’re deep into the vibe of house.
House Music is an uncontrollable desire to jack your body.
And, as I told you before, this is our house and our house music.
And in every house, you understand, there is a keeper.
And, in this house, the keeper is Jack.
Now some of you who might be wondering,
“Who is Jack, and what is it that Jack does?”
Jack is the one who gives you the power to jack your body!
Jack is the one who gives you the power to do the snake.
Jack is the one who gives you the key to the wiggly worm.
Jack is the one who learns you how to walk your body.
Jack is the one that can bring nations and nations of all Jackers together under one house.
You may be black, you may be white; you may be Jew or Gentile. It don’t make a difference in OUR House.
And this is fresh!”
Lyrics: Rhythm Control – “My House” (vocal by Chuck Roberts) Catch A Beat Records ©1987

GO BANG! Magazine: Where are you from, where did you spend your childhood and where do you presently call home?

Chuck ‘The Voice’ Roberts: The West side of Chicago, IL and I currently reside in the Western Suburbs of Illinois.

GO BANG! Magazine: How did you receive vocal training as a child growing up, when did you first learn that your voice was distinct and unique, and when did you decide that you were interested in the music industry professionally?

Chuck ‘The Voice’ Roberts: At about six or seven my parents would take me around to sing in church! Then in the 7th grade, I joined the choir in school. Very few people knew that I could sing however, I ended up getting the solo lead for a school assembly. It was the theme song from the Broadway musical “Aquarius” and the song was “Let The Sun Shine In.” After that, I joined my first band at about 13 and we patterned ourselves after the Jackson Five and performed around the city. As fate would have it, we lost our rehearsal space, so my Dad gave us space at the church to use until we did the unthinkable. He thought we were practicing gospel music, but we made the mistake of playing “Black Magic Woman” by a Rock group named Santana!! Needless to say, that didn’t end well!

I went on to be a part of a Funk band called “Mister” which had some local fame with the record “I Wanna Thank You.” We later changed our name to The Verdict.

GO BANG! Magazine: When making “My House” who wrote those famous words that you “preached”, did you know at the time that those words would go down in House culture history, and how does it feel to be known as THE VOICE?

Chuck ‘The Voice’ Roberts: I wrote the words, but I actually spoke them before I wrote them. We did it in about five takes. At the time, I had no idea they would help define this genre of music we call “House.” I just wrote what I saw and felt was going on at the time throughout the city and in clubs like “Factory” on the West Side where I actually worked.
It’s very humbling to be called “The Voice” of House music. I had no idea it would lead to this.

GO BANG! Magazine: Many may think that they know your strong, powerful vocal sound, but they would be surprised to learn that your falsetto game is strong too. When do you plan to present THAT OTHER voice to the world?

Chuck ‘The Voice’ Roberts: Well, I have a current song out now on Ultra Records called “I Choose To Live” in which I showcase it. Additionally, I will have more music released in the very near future where I will show this side of me as well.

GO BANG! Magazine: Many people know that you are a singer, but many may not know that you are also a songwriter and producer. Can you please tell our readers about your musical background?

Chuck ‘The Voice’ Roberts: Yes, I have been on the writing and production side for many years. I directed choirs for many years, as well as helped develop many artists, most notably Danny Boy from Death Row Records, among others.

GO BANG! Magazine: We all know that you weren’t born House as a child, so what other types of music do you perform/produce, that prepared you for who you are today?

Chuck ‘The Voice’ Roberts: You are correct. I came on the scene during the Funk band era, so R&B and Gospel were my main focus for many years.

GO BANG! Magazine: I’m sure you’ve had a chance to perform overseas and in other countries. How are you received by foreign audiences and is there any difference than the love you get from U.S. audiences?

Chuck ‘The Voice’ Roberts: Yes, I have performed all over Europe and in Canada. My reception is great here in the U.S., however overseas it’s on a whole different level. They really embraced the “My House” speech and incorporated it in their everyday lives. It’s surreal because it often brings people to tears when they see me in person performing the speech. It’s very humbling. It’s still hard to believe the impact those words has had on people spanning over the past 30 plus years.

GO BANG! Magazine: I know you’re currently working on new music. One of those new songs is “All 4 One.” I’ve had the chance to sample it, as well as others, and they’re ALL HOT! Please tell our readers about that song, as well as any others that we should be on the lookout for.

Chuck ‘The Voice’ Roberts: “All 4 One” is a rally cry song for everyone, as it will take a collective effort to get through these trying times, now and in the future.

You should also be on the lookout for “Not The House That Jack Built” which will drop on August 7th. It’s a song produced by ATFC featuring yours truly. Again, it’s a song of inclusion and emphasizes that “it takes a village to get things done.” We are all in this together and it will take us all to get through.

As you know Chicago is also home of R&B Steppin’ music. I have a project coming soon in which I believe will be well received by the Steppin’ community.

GO BANG! Magazine: For our worldwide readers, many of whom are House here in Chicago the home of House music, how would you describe your style of music and how has the House culture influenced your sound?

Chuck ‘The Voice’ Roberts: I would best describe my style as inspirational and feel good music. In fact, this is the only type of music you will hear from me regardless of what genre it falls in. Music and my voice in particular is a gift from God and I must use it to uplift and encourage in every way I can. The House culture is very spiritual and uplifting for the most part, so yes this can’t help but surface in my recordings.

GO BANG! Magazine: As a multi-talented artist that can sing, write, and produce, I’m quite sure that you have other talents that you haven’t exposed to the public. What other artistic gifts are you blessed with?

Chuck ‘The Voice’ Roberts: Actually, I am an ordained minister and I can play the Congo’s.

GO BANG! Magazine: If you could work with anyone living or dead, who would it be?

Chuck ‘The Voice’ Roberts: Michael Jackson

GO BANG! Magazine: What are you working on now bro?

Chuck ‘The Voice’ Roberts: I have records currently out in multiple genres of House production. However, I’m working on a soulful house project at the moment.

GO BANG! Magazine: The COVID-19 pandemic has caught the world off guard. How are you personally dealing with it?

Chuck ‘The Voice’ Roberts: Well to be totally honest, I’ve fared pretty well. While lots of people were unsure about the future, my focus was a little different. I know that if I continue to live according to the word of God, I already know how my story ends and what the future holds! SO I’M STRAIGHT!

GO BANG! Magazine: Lastly, on May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during an arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, knelt on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed and lying face down, begging for his life and repeatedly saying “I can’t breathe.” This incident has caused civil unrest and massive protests across the world. How do you feel about this unfortunate situation and call for police reform due to the horrible treatment of minorities by the police?

Chuck ‘The Voice’ Roberts: I believe that anytime anyone who loses their life in such a manor, all parties involved should be held accountable. Those who are guilty of the crime should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law!

Our community is not anti-police we are anti-bad police. Cultural sensitivity training and new de-escalation tactics must be taught. Also, we live in the age of technology. So, there is no way we should not have better technology to take down or subdue without killing them, if the police feel they are being threatened.


You can find Chuck’s music on ALL streaming platforms.

Follow Chuck on Instagram @inthebeginning_chuckroberts

You should also be on the lookout for “Not The House That Jack Built” which will drop on August 7th. It’s a song produced by ATFC featuring Chuck. It’s a song of inclusion and emphasizes that “it takes a village to get things done.”

Check out Chuck performing his famous speech in Malmo Sweden: https://vimeo.com/373876799?fbclid=IwAR3RWz4tHlOBo4YJMX_Ub7me53x_JlXCa1QISeHBC_nUD4Y1dbv2nPDJhbI

Pierre A. Evans is a freelance writer of Entertainment, Music, Art, Culture, Fashion and Current Events, and previously for SoulTrain.com, NDigo.com, ChicagoDefender.com, EmpireRadioMagazine.com, and UrbanMuseMag.com, an author, singer/songwriter, actor, model, poet, dancer, and DJ. He is also the owner of Pinnacle Entertainment Productions. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and on Instagram