If you close your eyes and think about the quintessential sound of 1970s funk, you aren't just hearing a beat. You’re hearing a growl. A nasal, bluesy, staccato yelp that cut through thick basslines like a hot knife through butter. That was Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner. He wasn't just a frontman; he was the kinetic energy that turned the Ohio Players from a standard R&B outfit into global superstars. Honestly, without Sugarfoot from Ohio Players, the landscape of American music would sound a lot thinner.
He had this way of sliding into a note that felt both effortless and incredibly precise. Think about the opening of "Love Rollercoaster." That scream? That wasn't just theatrics. It was a signal. He lived in the pocket of the groove. Most singers try to lead the band, but Sugarfoot rode the rhythm like a surfer.
The Man Behind the Growl
Leroy Bonner didn't start at the top. Born in Hamilton, Ohio, he was the eldest of a massive family. Life wasn't easy. He eventually ran away to Dayton, which, lucky for us, was becoming the "Funk Capital of the World." Dayton in the late 60s and early 70s was a pressure cooker of talent. You had Lakeside, Slave, Zapp, and of course, the Ohio Players.
When he joined the band, they were already talented, but they lacked that "it" factor. They were the Ohio Untouchables back then. Sugarfoot brought the guitar—a double-neck Gibson, usually—and that unmistakable voice. It’s hard to describe his vocal style to someone who hasn't heard it. It’s "nasal-funky." It’s sort of like he’s telling a joke and a secret at the exact same time.
He wasn't just a singer. People forget he was a monster on the guitar. He provided the rhythmic scratching that defined "Fire" and "Skin Tight." He understood that in funk, the space between the notes is just as important as the notes themselves. Silence is a tool. He used it better than almost anyone in the Dayton scene.
What People Get Wrong About the Ohio Players' Success
There’s a common misconception that the Ohio Players were just about the provocative album covers. You know the ones. They were legendary, often featuring model Pat Evans, and they definitely moved units. But if the music didn't slap, those covers wouldn't have mattered past 1974.
The real magic was the democracy of the band. However, Sugarfoot from Ohio Players was the undeniable focal point. He was the one who could bridge the gap between soulful ballads and hard-edged street funk.
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- He understood dynamics. He could go from a whisper to a rasping shout in four bars.
- His songwriting was grounded. He wrote about things people actually felt—being broke, being in love, the "sweet sticky thing" of life.
- The guitar work. Seriously. Listen to the solo on "Slippery When Wet." It isn't flashy in a prog-rock way; it’s rhythmic and percussive.
The band’s transition from Westbound Records to Mercury Records was the turning point. That’s when Sugarfoot’s vision really took hold. They went from regional favorites to topping the Billboard Hot 100. "Fire" stayed at number one for a reason. It’s a perfect song. The siren, the driving beat, and Sugarfoot’s commanding "Ow!"
The Mystery of the Rollercoaster Scream
We have to talk about the urban legend. You’ve probably heard it. The story goes that during the recording of "Love Rollercoaster," a woman was being murdered in the studio, and her scream was caught on tape.
It’s total nonsense.
It was actually keyboardist Billy Beck doing a high-pitched vocal effect. But the band, being savvy businessmen, didn't deny it for a long time. They let the rumor simmer because it sold records. Sugarfoot used to chuckle about it in interviews. He knew the power of a good story. That’s the thing about the 70s—the line between myth and reality was always a little blurry.
Why Sugarfoot’s Influence Still Matters in 2026
If you listen to hip-hop today, you are listening to Sugarfoot. Period. The Ohio Players are one of the most sampled bands in history. Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Puff Daddy—they all went to the school of Sugarfoot.
"Funky Worm" provided the DNA for the entire G-Funk sound of the 90s. That high-pitched synth was the lead, but Sugarfoot’s "Granny" character and his vocal interjections gave the track its personality. He taught rappers how to use their voice as a percussion instrument.
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- Sampling Gold: "Skin Tight" has been flipped dozens of times.
- Vibe: The relaxed, "cool" delivery Sugarfoot pioneered is the blueprint for modern R&B.
- The Look: He wore the flamboyant outfits, but he never let the clothes wear him. He was always the coolest guy in the room.
His death in 2013 marked the end of an era, but his influence is actually growing. As music becomes more digitized and "perfect," people are craving the grit and imperfection that Sugarfoot excelled at. He wasn't interested in being pitch-perfect. He was interested in being felt.
The Ohio Players Legacy Beyond the Hits
It’s easy to focus on "Fire" and "Love Rollercoaster," but the deep cuts are where Sugarfoot from Ohio Players really shines. Look at a track like "Sweet Sticky Thing." It’s lush. It’s sophisticated. It shows a level of musicality that many of their contemporaries couldn't touch. They were jazz-trained musicians playing street music.
They weren't just a funk band. They were a self-contained unit. They wrote, produced, and arranged everything. Sugarfoot was often the glue in the arrangement sessions. He knew how to pull a melody out of a jam session.
How to Appreciate the Sugarfoot Sound Today
If you want to really understand why he was a genius, don't just stream the Greatest Hits. Go find a vinyl copy of Honey or Fire. There is a warmth in those recordings that digital files sometimes compress away.
Listen for:
- The way he "scats" along with his guitar lines.
- The humor in his ad-libs. He didn't take himself too seriously.
- The raw power of the brass section, which he always left room for.
Sugarfoot remained active almost until the very end, performing with his version of the band, "Sugarfoot's Ohio Players." He knew the fans wanted that specific Dayton sound. He never phoned it in. He understood that funk is a service—you’re there to make people forget their troubles for ninety minutes.
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Actionable Steps for Music Lovers and Creators
To truly honor the legacy of Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner, you have to move beyond passive listening.
Study the pocket. If you are a musician, sit down with "Skin Tight" and try to play exactly what he plays on guitar. It’s harder than it sounds. It requires incredible restraint. Most modern players want to fill every gap with notes. Sugarfoot taught us that the gap is the funk.
Explore the Dayton Scene. Don't stop at the Ohio Players. Check out the "Dayton Funk Dynasty" and see how Sugarfoot influenced bands like Zapp & Roger. You can see the lineage of the talk box and the heavy synth bass directly tied back to the Ohio Players' experimentation.
Support Live Funk. There are still members of the original scene performing. The "Funk Music Hall of Fame & Exhibition Center" in Dayton is a real place—go visit it. It’s a grassroots effort to keep this history alive.
The story of Sugarfoot isn't just a nostalgia trip. It’s a lesson in how to be an authentic artist. He didn't chase trends; he created a sound so distinct that the world had to come to him. Whether he was playing a double-neck guitar or growling about a rollercoaster, he was 100% himself. That’s why we’re still talking about him. That’s why the funk will never die.
To get the full experience, curate a playlist that moves chronologically from the "Untouchables" era through the Mercury years. Pay close attention to the 1974-1976 window—it is arguably the most concentrated burst of creative energy in funk history. Observe how Sugarfoot's vocal confidence grows with each album, moving from a band member to a legitimate cultural icon. Use this as a blueprint for your own creative projects: find your unique "voice," lean into your quirks, and never be afraid to scream if the groove calls for it.