Top-40 rock soul funk disco band featuring dual lead vocals of Marty Thompson and Marty Lanzino (ex-Friends, Blazek), with Dave Fultz (guitar, banjo ex-2nd Coming, 5th Wheel), C.B. Carper (bass), Benny Cellitto (B-3 organ, clavinet ex-Concords…), and Mark Thompson (drums ex-Upper Echelon). Lanzino was later replaced with Dave Gable (ex-Coyote, Class…).
Represented by agent Roy Gunther, he fitted the group with three-piece suits and began booking them immediately upon formation. Hot Property played the dance hits of the era by Commodores, Brothers Johnson, Foreigner, Lou Rawls, KC & Sunshine Band, etc…
“We fit right into the disco scene” recalled Thompson, “we had a very unique floor show where we did a Motown medley. Ben would momentarily disappear while Marty and I did a duet of “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling” and ended that portion of the show with The Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose’s “Treat Her Like a Lady.” Ben would reappear in a red dress as Sister Rose and carry me off the stage over his shoulder, which would allow Dave Fultz to switch from guitar to tenor banjo and do his banjo act which really got the crowd riled up. On breaks Fultz played banjo bluegrass tunes including the “Deliverance” theme.
“However, after about a year Marty Lanzino left the group and in stepped Dave Gable. As soon as Dave joined us, we started doing all the Bee Gee’s hits like “Stayin Alive,” “More Than a Woman,” “Night Fever” etc. The band carried on until September of 1976 when Dave Gable and Mark left the band and Teddy Bell joined us on alto sax and Danny Sapanero on drums and we opened at Dave Hutchinson’s Lighthouse in Essex. The band lasted until New Years Eve of 1976 and then just broke up.”
Hot Property performed full time throughout the dance/show band club circuit including the Redwood Inn, Johnny Walker’s, the Capricorn, Golden Horn, Red Rooster, Bojangles Too, Babylon’s, Ventuno’s (D.C.), Rabbit’s Foot Two (Frederick), The Loft (Hagerstown), The Hurricane and the Ship’s Café in Ocean City… “We played Bourbon Street in Williamsport, PA where we opened for the Village People, and many other local clubs that I can’t recall anymore. We also played clubs in South Carolina and in Pittsburgh.”
Cellitto later with City Lights… Fultz and Marty Thompson later formed Diamond Gear…
Photos courtesy of Mark Thompson
