Master of the vocoder

Not sure if they would ever make it on my show but one of my favorite slow jams comes courtesy of Zapp and Roger (or just Zapp). Roger Troutman made a career out of using the vocoder, a machine that manipulates speech into electronic signals, as a vocal instrument. Supposedly, the first use of the vocoder was Kraftwerk's "Autobahn". Other easily recognizable songs with the vocoder include ELO's "Mr. Blue Sky" and "Mr. Roboto" by Styx. Neil Young infamously made an album loaded with vocoder songs called "Trans". Roger Troutman started the band Zapp with his four brothers. Bootsy Collins produced the first Zapp album which spawned the classic "More Bounce to the Ounce". Roger eventually became the face of the band with his brother Larry quitting Zapp to become Roger's manager. Zapp had several R&B hits including "Computer Love", "I Want to Be Your Man", and a cover of Marvin Gaye's "I Heard it Through the Grapevine". Roger went solo in 1991 with little success but by then Zapp songs were being heavily sampled in rap music. Roger Troutman's last big song was with 2Pac on "California Love". Sadly, in 1999 Roger was murdered over a business dispute by his brother Larry who then committed suicide.

One of the last songs recorded by Roger Troutman under the Zapp and Roger name from the "All the Greatest Hits" album--with help from Shirley Murdock on vocals-- "Slow and Easy".