Jesse's Gang

Based in Chicago in the '80s, Jesse's Gang was an urban contemporary/house trio that was led by producer/songwriter/vocalist Jesse Saunders. Jesse's Gang, included Saunders on lead vocals and keyboards, Duane Buford on keyboards and drum machines, and Twala Dawn on lead vocals. In 1986, Jesse's Gang had a local hit with the urban contemporary single "Real Love," which sold about 35,000 copies in and around Chicago. The group soon came to the attention of Geffen Records, which released its debut album Center of Attraction in 1987. Although Chicagoan's associated Saunders with house music most of the songs on the album are mindful of what urban contemporary stations were playing in 1987 and don't have a house beat. But as radio-friendly as it was, Center of Attraction didn't get very far commercially. Jesse's Gang was dropped by Geffen, and the threesome broke up in 1988 without ever providing a second album.