Known for the synth-funk hit "Don't Stop the Music", Yarbrough & Peoples is an American R&B and funk duo formed in Dallas, Texas, consisting of Cavin Yarbrough (keyboards, vocals) and Alisa Peoples (vocals). Childhood friends who grew up in the same church, they began performing together locally when their career took a decisive turn in the late 1970s when they were spotted by Lonnie Simmons, founder of Total Experience Records in Los Angeles. In 1980, they signed with the label and released their debut single "Don't Stop the Music", which became a huge hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart and #19 on the Billboard Hot 100. The track, which became a post-disco funk classic, was taken from their gold-selling debut album The Two of Us (1980). The duo followed this up with the albums Heartbeats (1983), Be a Winner (1984) and Guilty (1986), all released under Total Experience. Other notable titles include "Heartbeats", "Don't Waste Your Time" (1984, #1 R&B), "Be a Winner" and "Guilty". Although their fame waned in the late 1980s, their influence endured in funk and R&B culture, and their music was frequently sampled in hip-hop. After retiring from the active music scene, Yarbrough & Peoples married, returned to Dallas and founded Yarbrough & Peoples Productions to produce and mentor young artists. The duo remains associated with the golden age of funk and R&B in the 1980s, thanks to their distinctive grooves, warm vocal harmonies and iconic hits that continue to resonate in clubs, on the airwaves and in the collective memory.
