Group
Tower of Power
US R&B-based horn section & band
- From
- Oakland, United States
- Since
- 1967–present
- Releases
- 47
- funk
- soul
- jazz-funk
- pop soul
About
Tower of Power is an American R&B and funk band and horn section, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing since 1968. The band has had a number of lead vocalists, the best-known being Lenny Williams, who fronted the band between early 1973 and late 1974, the period of their greatest commercial success. They have had eight songs on the Billboard Hot 100; their highest-charting songs include "You're Still a Young Man", "So Very Hard to Go", "What Is Hip?", and "Don't Change Horses (in the Middle of a Stream)".
Members
-
Jerry Cortez lead vocals, acoustic guitar
-
Emilio Castillo tenor saxophone
-
David Garibaldi drums (drum set)
-
Greg Adams trumpet
-
Richard Elliot saxophone
-
Mic Gillette brass
-
Carmen Grillo guitar
-
Ellis Hall keyboard, lead vocals
-
Chester Thompson keyboard
-
Lenny Williams lead vocals
-
Rocco Prestia bass guitar
-
Ken Balzell trumpet
-
Rufus Miller lead vocals
-
David Padron trumpet
-
Hubert Tubbs lead vocals
-
Jeff Tamelier guitar
Discography
Albums
-
East Bay Grease Apple Music
-
Bump City Apple Music
-
Tower of Power Apple Music
-
Back to Oakland Apple Music
-
In the Slot Apple Music
-
Urban Renewal Apple Music
-
Ain’t Nothin’ Stoppin’ Us Now
-
We Came to Play Apple Music
-
Back on the Streets Apple Music
-
Direct
-
Power
-
Monster on a Leash Apple Music
-
T.O.P. Apple Music
-
Souled Out Apple Music
-
Rhythm & Business Apple Music
-
Oakland Zone Apple Music
-
Great American Soulbook Apple Music
-
Soul Side of Town Apple Music
-
Step Up Apple Music
-
It's Christmas Apple Music
Singles
Live
-
1973-06-03: Record Plant, Sausalito, CA
-
50 Years of Funk & Soul: Live at the Fox Theater – Oakland
-
Hipper Than Hip
-
40th Anniversary: The Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco
-
The East Bay Archive, Volume 1
-
Soul Vaccination: Live
-
Live and in Living Color Apple Music
-
Live - Ultrasonic Studios
-
1998: Stockton, Ca, Usa
Compilations
-
You Ought to Be Havin' Fun: The Columbia/Epic Anthology
-
East Bay Grease / Bump City
-
Original Album Series
-
Original Album Classics
-
What Is Hip? Apple Music
-
Havin' Fun
-
Soul With a Capital "S"
-
The Very Best of Tower of Power: The Warner Years Apple Music
-
Dinosaur Tracks
-
What Is Hip?: The Tower of Power Anthology
-
Ain't Nothin' Stoppin' Us Now / Back on the Streets
Links
Listen
Official
Concerts
Buy
Instrumental supporting musician
Subgroup
Tags
- rhythm & blues
Identifiers
- MusicBrainz
- 6c4d81f8-8a34-4cda-9a4b-538c539b50f4
- ISNI
- 0000000110113090
Data from MusicBrainz, saved 10 Nov 2026. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, covers from the Cover Art Archive and Apple Music.