(May 24, 2020) Today we say a sad goodbye to Willie Wild Sparks, former drummer for the legendary funk band Graham Central Station, and a top tier session drummer in the 70s and 80s.
When Larry Graham left Sly and the Family Stone in 1972, he teamed with a local Oakland band (then called Hot Chocolate) and renamed it Graham Central Station, with Sparks as man with the sticks. Over the period of 1974 – 1979, Graham Central Station was extremely prolific, releasing one or more albums every year and continuously hitting the R&B charts. Sparks remained in the band for the first two albums, helping such hits as “Your Love,” “Can You Handle It?” and “Release Yourself.”
In addition to his work in Graham Central Station, Sparks became known as a top tier session musician, working with such artists as Elton John and Sly Stone.
May he rest in peace.
