Holt Unlimited
Is Young-Holt Unlimited considered a jazz group?
What were their hits?
Yes, they are a Soul Jazz ensemble.
Their biggest success was “Soulful Strut,” which debuted on 1968-11-30, reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, and remained their for thirteen weeks. “Wack Wack,” recorded when they were known as the Young Holt Trio, debuted earlier, on 1966-12-17, and just made it to the Top 40, peaking at #40, staying on the chart for eight weeks. They had one other 45rpm hit, “Who’s Making Love,” debuting 1969-03-01, peaking at #57, and staying in the Top 100 for four weeks.
Young-Holt Unlimited were a soul and jazz instrumental ensemble from Chicago, Illinois.
Drummer Isaac Holt and bassist Eldee Young, formerly members of Ramsey Lewis’ jazz trio, formed a new trio called the Young-Holt Trio with pianist Don Walker in 1966. They met with modest success, including the minor hit “Wack-Wack,” which charted at number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 1968, the group renamed itself Young-Holt Unlimited, and replaced Walker with Ken Chaney. Under their new name, the group scored a number-three Hot 100 hit with “Soulful Strut,” the backing instrumental track from Barbara Acklin’s “Am I the Same Girl.” Follow-up releases would not match “Soulful Strut’s” commercial success, and the group disbanded by 1974, with Young and Holt returning to Ramsey Lewis’ group by the 1980s.
Albums discography:
1967: Wack Wack (as The Young Holt Trio)
1967: On Stage
1968: Soulful Strut
1969: Just a Melody
1970: Mellow Dreamin’
1972: Born Again
1973: Oh, Girl
1973: Young-Holt Unlimited Plays Super Fly
Soulful Strut/Young-Holt Unlimited
