Funky Friday – Episode 72: Freedom

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Airdate: 6.19.26 - 9 AM Pacific Time on KDOG & 9 PM Pacific Time on KCSM HD2

Happy Funky Friday, Renegades of Funk!

Funky Friday – Episode 72: Freedom

I started Episode 72 thinking I was making a Juneteenth episode.

That seemed simple enough.

Pick some songs. Talk about the holiday. Put together a playlist.

Then I started listening.

The first track I added was Freedom by The Isley Brothers. Then Fight the Power. Then Do Your Thing. After that came Family Reunion, Family Affair, Love Train, Move On Up, Higher Ground.

At first I was looking for songs that fit Juneteenth.

After a while I noticed I was finding different versions of the same idea.

Some of the songs were about standing your ground. Some were about moving forward. Some were about family. Some were about community. Some were about becoming the person you're supposed to be.

The playlist kept getting bigger.

The O'Jays showed up more than once. Sly & The Family Stone kept finding their way back in. Curtis Mayfield was there. Parliament was there. Earth, Wind & Fire was there. Stevie Wonder was there.

Different artists. Different records.

Yet every time I tried removing one of them, something felt missing.

At some point the artwork started taking shape.

A record.

A starburst.

Juneteenth colors.

The whole thing eventually turned into a record label, which felt appropriate because most of the ideas I was chasing were already sitting inside the music.

The more time I spent with the playlist, the less interested I became in explaining freedom.

Everybody seems to have their own definition anyway.

What caught my attention was how many different ways people sing about it.

Sometimes it sounds like a family reunion.

Sometimes it sounds like a dance floor.

Sometimes it sounds like a train leaving the station.

Sometimes it sounds like somebody trying to reach higher ground.

I kept adding songs until it felt like those conversations belonged together.

Then I took the playlist for a drive.

Funky Friday – Episode 72: Freedom

🔥 SETLIST + RENEGADE NOTES

THE ISLEY BROTHERS — FREEDOM (1976)

PERSONNEL: Ronald Isley (lead vocals), O'Kelly Isley Jr. (vocals), Rudolph Isley (vocals, guitar), Ernie Isley (guitar, drums), Marvin Isley (bass), Chris Jasper (keyboards).

RENEGADE NOTE: Released on Harvest for the World, Freedom captures The Isley Brothers at a moment when funk, soul, and social consciousness were often occupying the same space. The song became a natural starting point for this week's playlist.

THE ISLEY BROTHERS — FIGHT THE POWER (PART 1 & 2) (1975)

PERSONNEL: Ronald Isley (lead vocals), O'Kelly Isley Jr. (vocals), Rudolph Isley (vocals, guitar), Ernie Isley (guitar, drums), Marvin Isley (bass), Chris Jasper (keyboards).

RENEGADE NOTE: One of the defining statements of 1970s funk, Fight the Power demonstrated how groove could carry a message without sacrificing energy or musicianship. The record remains one of the most recognizable entries in the Isley Brothers catalog.

ISAAC HAYES — DO YOUR THING (1971)

PERSONNEL: Isaac Hayes (vocals, keyboards), The Bar-Kays, The Memphis Symphony Orchestra.

RENEGADE NOTE: Isaac Hayes built a career by refusing to stay inside established boundaries. Do Your Thing reflects that spirit, blending funk, soul, orchestral arrangements, and Hayes' unmistakable style into something entirely his own.

THE O'JAYS — FAMILY REUNION (1975)

PERSONNEL: Eddie Levert (vocals), Walter Williams (vocals), William Powell (vocals), MFSB studio musicians.

RENEGADE NOTE: Family Reunion has become part of the soundtrack for gatherings across generations. Few songs capture the feeling of community, shared history, and celebration as effectively as this O'Jays classic.

SLY & THE FAMILY STONE — FAMILY AFFAIR (1971)

PERSONNEL: Sly Stone (vocals, keyboards, guitar, bass), Kathy Silva, Rose Stone, Freddie Stone, Larry Graham, Greg Errico.

RENEGADE NOTE: Family Affair marked a turning point for Sly & The Family Stone, pairing a stripped-down groove with one of the band's most enduring recordings. More than fifty years later, the song remains instantly recognizable.

McFADDEN & WHITEHEAD — AIN'T NO STOPPIN' US NOW (1979)

PERSONNEL: Gene McFadden (vocals), John Whitehead (vocals), MFSB musicians.

RENEGADE NOTE: Originally written by two of Philadelphia International Records' most successful songwriters, Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now became an anthem of perseverance, optimism, and forward momentum.

PARLIAMENT — GIVE UP THE FUNK (TEAR THE ROOF OFF THE SUCKER) (1975)

PERSONNEL: George Clinton (vocals), Bootsy Collins (bass), Bernie Worrell (keyboards), Eddie Hazel (guitar), Garry Shider (guitar, vocals), Parliament ensemble.

RENEGADE NOTE: Parliament transformed funk into its own universe. Give Up the Funk remains one of the genre's defining recordings and helped introduce P-Funk to a mainstream audience.

EARTH, WIND & FIRE — GETAWAY (1976)

PERSONNEL: Maurice White (vocals, drums), Philip Bailey (vocals, percussion), Verdine White (bass), Al McKay (guitar), Larry Dunn (keyboards), Ralph Johnson (drums, percussion), Andrew Woolfolk (saxophone), Johnny Graham (guitar).

RENEGADE NOTE: Driven by one of the most explosive horn introductions in the Earth, Wind & Fire catalog, Getaway showcases the band's ability to combine sophisticated arrangements with pure dance-floor energy.

THE GAP BAND — OUTSTANDING (1982)

PERSONNEL: Charlie Wilson (vocals), Ronnie Wilson (bass), Robert Wilson (guitar), The Gap Band ensemble.

RENEGADE NOTE: Outstanding became one of the most sampled and celebrated R&B-funk recordings of the 1980s. Its influence continues to appear across multiple generations of music.

THE O'JAYS — LOVE TRAIN (1972)

PERSONNEL: Eddie Levert (vocals), Walter Williams (vocals), William Powell (vocals), MFSB musicians.

RENEGADE NOTE: Written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, Love Train imagined a world connected through music and shared humanity. Decades later, its message remains as relevant as ever.

CURTIS MAYFIELD — MOVE ON UP (1970)

PERSONNEL: Curtis Mayfield (vocals, guitar), The Curtom Orchestra, supporting musicians.

RENEGADE NOTE: Move On Up remains one of Curtis Mayfield's signature recordings. Built around determination, perseverance, and possibility, the song has inspired listeners for more than half a century.

SLY & THE FAMILY STONE — I WANT TO TAKE YOU HIGHER (1969)

PERSONNEL: Sly Stone (vocals, keyboards), Freddie Stone (guitar), Larry Graham (bass), Cynthia Robinson (trumpet), Jerry Martini (saxophone), Greg Errico (drums), Rose Stone (vocals, keyboards).

RENEGADE NOTE: Performed during Woodstock and countless stages afterward, I Want to Take You Higher captured the band's ability to turn a simple groove into a communal experience.

STEVIE WONDER — HIGHER GROUND (1973)

PERSONNEL: Stevie Wonder (vocals, keyboards, drums, clavinet).

RENEGADE NOTE: Recorded almost entirely by Stevie Wonder himself, Higher Ground fused funk, spirituality, and relentless groove into one of the most influential recordings of the 1970s.

🔗 Quick Links:

🎧 Listen live on KDOG 9 AM Pacific Time→ Here

🎧 Listen live on KCSM HD2 9 PM Pacific Time→ Here (On mobile, scroll down to the KCSM HD2 player)

📆 Add to Calendar — Funky Friday (Weekly):

• 9 AM KDOG

Add to Google Calendar

• 9 PM KCSM HD2

Add to Google Calendar

🎶 Catch the Replay → Comming Soon

📖 Full Episode Recaps + Setlists → Here

📂 Renegade Radio Site → Here

Funk Facts

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THE ISLEY BROTHERS — FREEDOM

Built around layered vocal harmonies, syncopated rhythm guitar, melodic bass movement, gospel-influenced phrasing, and mid-tempo funk grooves. The arrangement reflects the Isley Brothers' ability to blend social themes with accessible, groove-oriented songwriting.

THE ISLEY BROTHERS — FIGHT THE POWER (PART 1 & 2)

Driven by aggressive rhythm guitar, prominent bass lines, call-and-response vocals, and tightly locked funk rhythms. The arrangement demonstrates how 1970s funk could serve as both a dance-floor vehicle and a platform for cultural expression.

ISAAC HAYES — DO YOUR THING

Constructed from extended groove development, orchestral textures, Memphis soul instrumentation, improvisational passages, and layered rhythmic interplay. The arrangement reflects Hayes' tendency to expand traditional song structures into larger musical statements.

THE O'JAYS — FAMILY REUNION

Built around smooth vocal harmonies, steady rhythm-section performance, orchestral accents, and conversational lyrical delivery. The arrangement balances soul, funk, and Philadelphia International's polished production style while emphasizing community and togetherness.

SLY & THE FAMILY STONE — FAMILY AFFAIR

Driven by drum machine patterns, minimalist keyboard textures, layered vocals, and understated bass movement. The arrangement helped define a more stripped-down and intimate approach to funk during the early 1970s.

McFADDEN & WHITEHEAD — AIN'T NO STOPPIN' US NOW

Constructed from driving bass lines, four-on-the-floor rhythmic momentum, orchestral embellishments, and uplifting vocal harmonies. The arrangement bridges late-1970s funk and dance music while maintaining strong soul foundations.

PARLIAMENT — GIVE UP THE FUNK (TEAR THE ROOF OFF THE SUCKER)

Built around repetitive chant vocals, synthesizer textures, deep bass grooves, layered guitar parts, and collective ensemble interaction. The arrangement exemplifies the P-Funk approach of transforming simple musical ideas into large-scale communal experiences.

EARTH, WIND & FIRE — GETAWAY

Driven by powerful horn arrangements, syncopated rhythm guitar, dynamic vocal interplay, and sophisticated ensemble orchestration. The arrangement showcases Earth, Wind & Fire's ability to combine complex musicianship with immediate dance-floor appeal.

THE GAP BAND — OUTSTANDING

Constructed from drum-machine rhythms, synthesizer bass lines, spacious keyboard textures, and smooth vocal phrasing. The arrangement helped establish a blueprint for 1980s funk and R&B production that continues to influence contemporary music.

THE O'JAYS — LOVE TRAIN

Built around steady rhythmic propulsion, orchestral accompaniment, layered vocal harmonies, and memorable melodic hooks. The arrangement demonstrates Philadelphia soul's ability to combine uplifting messages with highly accessible songcraft.

CURTIS MAYFIELD — MOVE ON UP

Driven by Latin-influenced percussion, orchestral horn arrangements, guitar-based rhythmic accompaniment, and persistent rhythmic momentum. The arrangement reflects Mayfield's gift for combining optimism, sophistication, and groove within a single recording.

SLY & THE FAMILY STONE — I WANT TO TAKE YOU HIGHER

Constructed from repetitive rhythmic figures, call-and-response vocals, horn punctuations, and escalating ensemble energy. The arrangement prioritizes participation, momentum, and collective audience engagement over traditional song structure.

STEVIE WONDER — HIGHER GROUND

Built around clavinet-driven funk rhythms, layered keyboard textures, multi-tracked instrumentation, and cyclical groove development. The arrangement showcases Wonder's ability to perform and integrate multiple instrumental roles while maintaining relentless rhythmic energy.