Sidney Barnes recalls his Rotary Connection days

Songwriter Sidney Barnes built a concept around the voice of Chess receptionist Minnie Ripperton that became Rotary Connection.

Now how badass were we in 1969. Rotary Connection, a little up-and-coming psychedelic soul band from Chicago on Chess Records, our weapons were the amazing voice of a 19 year old Chicago cutie named Minnie Riperton. With very little stage experience her looks and voice captivated young hippies. And me (Sidney Barnes) fresh off of a venture of writing and producing records in Detroit with George Clinton and The Funk Brothers. I brought along my years of touring one nighters on the famous "Chitterling Circuit" with Little Richard and other Soul stars, and helping young acts like The Dramatics, and Funkadelic "I was seasoned." 

The Rotary musicians (guitar player, organ player, drummer, bass player) called themselves "The Proper Strangers" and had only done local gigs for their neighborhood friends , nothing professional. Chess Records gave us a finished album to promote, with all of us singing on it, and very little money and said 'Sidney. do what you do best.' By 1969, after adding and changing various band members, what started officially in 1966 as a wild innovative recording project turned into the very first successful Soul/Rock band on the entire East Coast. 

We ended up with Minnie being called an up & coming Rock Diva, as she and I both suddenly became considered Chicago's very first black crossover artist of the 60's. Suddenly we were opening shows for Janis Joplin, The Rolling Stones, The Moody Blues, B.B. King, Led Zeppelin, Sly, Jefferson Airplane and  all the other rock legends of that era, at The famed Fillmore East and other legendary Rock venues. When my buddies George and Maurice saw what we were doing they were directly inspired to build on their Parliament/Funkadelic & Earth Wind & Fire concepts. So Rotary Connection wasn't only just a weird concept that some how worked, it helped to create something far greater than itself. Man the fun I've had, "WOW"  – Sidney Barnes