Born 83 Years Ago Today in the Windy City, the Drummer Whose Band Went From the Top 5 to Making Commercials for Coca-Cola and the US Navy

Lee Graziano, born in Chicago on 9 November 1943, became the drummer for The American Breed, whose 1967 hit “Bend Me, Shape Me” reached the US and Canadian top 10. The band’s success also extended to advertising jingles, showing how pop groups could find work beyond chart releases.

Graziano joined the group after a weekend stand-in gig, and it signed with Acta Records in 1967 after changing its name from Gary and the Knight Lights. “Step Out of Your Mind” reached No. 24 on the US Hot 100, while “Bend Me, Shape Me” peaked at No. 5; later, the band recorded advertising music for Coca-Cola, telephone companies and American Airlines. The group split before the end of the decade, and Graziano later left the band that evolved into Rufus before Chaka Khan joined.