Roots of N'dambi

Mother's Finest is an American funk rock band, first formed in 1970 and led by the married vocal duo of Joyce "Baby Jean" Kennedy and Glenn "Doc" Murdock. Described by Classic Rock magazine as "Sly and The Family Stone-meets-Led Zeppelin," the band gained notice in the 1970s for their interracial membership and energetic live performances opening for both funk and rock bands. While the band did not find mainstream success during their heyday, they earned belated praise as a formative influence on later bands that combined funk and rock music, such as Living Colour and Red Hot Chili Peppers. They have also been noted as originators of funk metal.

Heatwave is a funk band formed in London, England in 1975. Its most popular line-up featured Americans Johnnie Wilder Jr. and Keith Wilder (vocals) of Dayton, Ohio; Englishmen Rod Temperton (keyboards) and Roy Carter (guitar); Swiss Mario Mantese (bass); Czechoslovak Ernest "Bilbo" Berger (drums); and Jamaican Eric Johns (guitar).

Earth, Wind & Fire is an American band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1969. Their music spans multiple genres, including jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, Latin and Afro-pop. They are among the best-selling bands ever, with sales of over 90 million records worldwide.