There have been many important contributions to the world of music, mainly disco, funk, and R&B in the late 70s and early to mid 80s, whose contributing artists sported magnificant Jheri Curls.

  Michael Jackson is the first to come to mind for most people, and he may have been the most popular dance music superstar to “grease it up”.  The cover of his Thriller album shows his Jheri Curl at it’s prime. 

But what about the others?  I thought this was a topic that was deserving of an all time list.  Keeping in mind the equal importance of Jheri Curl awesomeness and the actual music, here goes the rest of the top ten (in no particular order):

Prince-Prince was perhaps the most innovative musician of the last 30 years.  He brought us the songs Kiss, Little Red Corvette, When Doves Cry, 1999, and countless immortal others.  Always the stylist hipster, Prince sported a more glammed out Jheri curl.  This When The Doves Cry picture sleeve 7″ is a good example.

James Brown-God rest his funky soul.  His was more of a variation, more straight than curly.  But still cool.  JB may have commanded the most respect of any musician ever, known as Mr. Brown to those around him.  The hair helped.  This Ain’t It Funky Now 45 shows him on the King label, not the best example, but his LPs sell as soon as we get them, and we’re out at the moment.

Kevin Rowland (& Dexy’s Midnight Runners)-Kevin had a pretty sweet Jheri Curl for a white boy.  C’mon Eileen-check it out.

Rick James-Rick James actually had a dread-Jheri hybrid.  This picture of his Throwin’ Down LP is bad, but you get the idea.

Morris Day (and The Time)-The Oak Tree 45 shows it off, but a better example is the classic Time album, What Time Is It?  His may have the most awesome of all time.

Durell Coleman-An obscure choice here, but a neccesary one.  Durell and his fantastic Jheri Curl was the first ever winner of Star Search.  He went on to record one LP and a few 7″ers around 1985; I once found a still sealed copy of his r&B love album, and it is priceless.  I recommend the song, Somebody Took My Love.  He now fronts the Durell Coleman Band, the self proclaimed America’s Premiere Party Band who played at Shaq’s wedding.  Some guy’s got it for sale for $2.99 on eBay; if I were you I’d snach it up.

Dazz Band-One of those 80s dance funk groups where the whole band sported Jheri Curls.  You gotta love that one white guy in the band-did he have Jheri Curl envy?

Lee Osler-Although I can’t confirm this due to a lack of a photo, I would bet my house that Lee had a Jheri Curl.  If he didn’t, he would still make the list due to his Back To Ypsilanti song.  We do know that his mustasche inspired the name of the label of that 45.

Little Richard-Little Richard had a Jheri Curl way back in the 50s, when he began his journey as perhaps the greatest ever contributer to rhythm and blues and rock n roll.  Coincidence?  Perhaps…

Honorable mention: Kool and the Gang, Easy E, Jermaine Jackson, Lionel Richie. 

There you have it.  I am sure I have left off some well-deserving names.