The West Baltimore R&B / funk / rock band began as teenagers performing at private parties, school dances, and local battle of the band competitions. Members included Charles Gentry (guitar, vocals), Mike Taylor (bass, vocals), Steve Carter (sax, vocals), Marc Van Claggett (flute, vocals), Louis Oxley (keyboards), and Ricky (Eustaquio Ricardo) Palabon (drums, vocals). Orrin Bynum (keys – later with The Grand Jury). They performed locally at Hollywood Palace, Mother Lode’s Wild Cherry…
In 1974 their management company relocated the group to a house on First Street in Washington, D.C., where they performed at school dances and clubs. With the group members living together at the same address it allowed them plenty of time to practice and tighten their sound. Later in the year they left their D.C. management and moved back to their homes in Baltimore.
Their nationally charting 1977 LP “Just Before Dawn” (MCA 2250) consisted of original material written mostly by Taylor and Gentry.
Taylor and Carter later became members of Both Worlds. Oxley was later with the Reddings, Gap Band, and in the ‘00s continued to perform with Chuck Brown’s Bits and Pieces.
Album release by Man’s Theory:
1977 MCA 2250 Just Before Dawn
