Photo Credit: Vickie Ford for Okayplayer/Sneakshot
Watch D'Angelo & The Vanguard Perform Heatwave's Funk Epic "Star of a Story" Live in NYC
Photo Credit: Victoria Ford for Sneakshot and Okayplayer
In memory of the late Wilder Brothers and hit-heavy producer, Rod Temperton
This morning we learned that Keith Wilder, co-founder of legendary disco outfit Heatwave, passed over the weekend at age 68.
HEAR: In Hip-Hop and Beyond: Heatwave [Playlist]
We've already tracked the band's influence on hip-hop via the greatest producers to ever do it (Marley Marl, J Dilla, Hi-Tek and more.) But the crate-digging sorts weren' the only ones touched by Heatwave's soaring and mellifluous funk. As late as just last year, D'Angelo could be seen and heard touring a (not-just) knee-deep cover of the group's Central Heating epic, "Star of The Story." with The Vanguard.
READ:D'Angelo & The Vanguard to Embark on European Tour in Spring 2018
So as we look forward to the modern funk and soul titan's return to the stage in 2018, there's no better time to revisit his performance of the track at the Second Coming tour started in NYC, all the way back in 2015, just months after the release of his long-awaited third studio album, Black Messiah. Those in attendance (this writer included) were treated to an electrifying and spiritual evening, just short of three hours. With a little digging, we excavated a fan-shot video of his Heatwave cover, available for you to see below.