Best known for their 1977 hit “Float On”, The Floaters was a soul and R&B vocal group formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1976. Originally a member of late 1960s / early 1970s soul group the Detroit Emeralds, James Mitchell formed the Floaters with his brother Paul Mitchell, Ralph Mitchell (unrelated), Larry Cunningham, and Charles Clark. The group signed with ABC Records and released their self-titled debut album in 1977. Fueled by the success of their hit single “Float On” (Number 1 on Billboard’s R&B Singles chart and Number 2 on the Hot 100), the album reached the top spot on the R&B Albums chart. The Floaters’ next single, “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me”, reached Number 28 on the R&B singles chart. However, the Floaters’ sophomore album, Magic (1978) didn’t fare as well on the charts, barely reaching the Top 30 on the R&B Albums chart. Moving over to MCA Records, the group released the album Float into the Future, which failed to chart. Their final album, Get Ready for the Floaters & Shu-Ga, was released in 1981. The Floaters split up although there were various versions of the group that sporadically performed throughout the 1980s and 1990s. The group’s best-known song, “Float On”, has been sampled, covered, and parodied numerous times over the years but such artists as Stetsasonic, Full Force, Cheech & Chong, the Barron Knights, Dream Warriors, and Sesame Street. Vocalist Larry Cunningham died on January 10, 2019, followed by Paul Mitchell on December 20, 2021.
