Born in Mississippi, Bernice and her husband, Otha Sr., moved to Dayton in 1946. “There was always music in the house – the children would play records so loud I’d make them turn it down. I like gospel music because I grew up with it, and music like the Grand Old Opera – that’s all we could get on the radio out in the country.”
The oldest son, Otha Jr., started playing saxophone in third grade at Residence Park Elementary, “and got serious about it in high school at Roth, where he played in the band. He got together with a little group and they were invited to play at a function where they were paid, and he never stopped playing after that.”
He played with the Ohio Players and Sugarhill Gang, later with James Brown’s band, and did soundtracks – he had quite a history, but passed away in 1999, just a year before his father.
Otis, the youngest of the five sons, said that “Growing up, we’d listen to the radio, watch Dick Clark, and we all liked Motown, Funk, Black Soul, rock, country, classical and Broadway musicals, all kinds of music.”
He moved to Los Angeles 45 years ago. “The Dayton group Lakeside started in ‘69, and I joined in ‘75 when it moved to LA,” he said. “1978-85 were our best days, and I left in ‘86, but in 2012, when the singer who did my songs died, I came back.
“The group’s spread all over the country now, but we come together for gigs – in New Orleans, Atlanta, wherever. Six are original members, and five are new, but they’re all from Dayton.”
When he’s not singing, Otis is writing, playing guitar, and producing. Although he’s included in the Funk Music Hall of Fame, he says he does all kinds of music. “Fantastic Voyage is probably Lakeside’s most famous song.”
Arthur “Hakim,” who’s still in Dayton, sings with Motown Sounds of Touch and Platypus, co-wrote two songs for Michael Jackson’s Ben album and I’m Glad it Rained for the Jackson Five. He’s also a producer, does bookings, is working on a film project with his son and released an album with his cousins.
“All of us boys went into music – our two sisters, Doris Knight and Diane Williams, went into gospel singing,” he said. “Our brother Ralph (who was also with Lakeside) is an accountant and does our finances, and Frank is our business advisor.
“When we all get together for Mom’s birthday celebrations, we have a lot of fun and laughs. She’s received proclamations from mayors at each; this year, Mayor Jeff Mims will be out of town, but a city commissioner will be there.”
Although spread around the country, Bernice’s children plan her celebrations – the first on her 80th, the second on her 90th. She’s anticipating the excitement and crowd of 50-60 invited guests this year. “I don’t have to cook, there’s plenty of music and always a program — it’s so upbeat. I stayed up until 2 a.m. at the last one. I can do that and recuperate the next day. When Otis sang with Lakeside at Levitt Pavilion in September, we stayed up and talked until he had to catch his early morning flight.
“I guess I’m not usual for my age – I walk a mile three times a week, only take one prescribed pill a day, and get to travel to visit my children, which I couldn’t do when I was younger. The Lord has been good to me.”
Contact this writer at virgburroughs@gmail.com.
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