The Atlanta Funk Society is a high-powered brigade of the area’s finest musicians, dedicated to the faithful execution of songs from the heyday of funk, soul, and R&B. The band was formed in 2011 by bassist Kevin Scott and singer/guitarist Rob Lane. The two had just finished a gig at The 5 Spot, a legendary (now defunct) Atlanta music venue, and were sitting in “the conspiracy oven,” the club’s unventilated office. Itunes was on shuffle and they suddenly heard Chaka Khan’s Whatcha Gonna Do For Me. A “nobody plays this stuff” conversation ensued and by the end of it, the club owner had offered them weekly gigs to get the project going.

In the years since, the band’s line-up, song list, and following have all gotten bigger and better. They can perform as a lean-and-mean quartet (rhythm section with vocals), or as a funky 13-piece army with a full compliment of horns, back-up singers and percussion. They are dedicated practitioners of the funk, R&B, and Soul hits of the 60s, 70s and 80s, but also the deep cuts and B-sides that have resided in obscurity for too long. Among their audiences, the uninitiated groove to hits by Stevie Wonder, James Brown, and Sly & The Family Stone, while connoisseurs of the funky arts are joyfully surprised to hear favorites by Parliament Funkadelic, The Meters, and The Isley Brothers.

The Atlanta Funk Society has appeared at many of the region’s best venues and festivals, including Terminal West, Venkman’s, Smith’s Olde Bar, Elliot Street Pub, The Earl, The Kirkwood Spring Fling, The Atlanta Street Food & Music Festival, The Cherry Blossom Festival, and The Bear Creek Bayou Music Festival. For many years running, A.F.S. has joined forces with The ATL Collective on annual performances of James Brown’s Funky Christmas. The event has featured special guest appearances by James Brown alumni such as trombonist Fred Wesley and drummers Bernard Purdie and John “Jabo” Starks. A.F.S. also books private events through East Coast Music.