Sweet Thunder

Who said you can't get discovered by mailing out a tape? That's how Sweet Thunder, a four man band from Youngstown, OH landed their deal with Philadelphia's WMOT Productions in 1976. The members, all born in either 1955 or 56, were Charles Buie (vocals/lead guitar), Rudell Alexander (bass), Booker Newberry (vocals/keyboards), and John Aaron (drums). They didn't have a name when they submitted their tape to WMOT, an executive at the company came up with the Sweet Thunder moniker. WMOT released the band's first album Sweet Thunder two years after signing them; Atlantic Records distributed the album which has since been licensed to Fantasy Records. WMOT spent money on print promotion, but not much anywhere else, and the album died despite showing promise. A second release Horizons dropped quietly in 1979 and went virtually unnoticed. Buie and Alexander continued in music as session musicians and vocalists, Aaron became a producer, Newberry left the business for more easily obtainable goals.
© Andrew Hamilton /TiVo