Flyte Tyme

Flyte Tyme was a funk band from Minneapolis whose most prominent band members were Lipps, Inc.´s vocalist Cynthia Johnson (lead vocals) and Grammy winning producer duo Jimmy Jam (keys) and Terry Lewis (bass). Flyte Tyme began life as a Minneapolis funk unit, taking its name from the Donald Byrd song. Before becoming Flyte Tyme, they were known as "Wars of Armageddon". The group featured Cynthia Johnson on lead vocals, Jellybean Johnson on drums, Tony Johnson on lead guitar, Jimmy "Jam" Harris and Monte Moir on keyboards, and Terry Lewis on bass. It also had a horn section, with David Eiland on saxophone. When Cynthia Johnson (who later became well known as the lead singer of the number one hit Funkytown) left the band after 7 years, Alexander O'Neal took her place. When Prince decided to form a side project, he recruited guitarist Jesse Johnson and childhood friend Morris Day as lead vocalist (Day and Johnson had both come from another local band called "Enterprise"). Flyte Tyme was a competitive moretet that provided a vehicle for dozens of Twin Cities musicians throughout the ’70s and early ’80s, including Prince. Flyte Tyme is also considered as the precursor to The Time, Prince´s band. Flyte Tyme ceased to exist before The Time evolved. When Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis (today Grammy winning producer duo) left the group, they resurrected the Flyte Tyme name for their production company, and later, their record label.