# Ace Spectrum
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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ace_Spectrum
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{{Short description|American soul musical group}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Ace Spectrum
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| birth_name =
| alias =
| origin = [New York City](/source/New_York_City), [New York](/source/New_York_(state)), U.S.
| instrument =
| genre = {{flatlist|
*[Soul](/source/Soul_music)
*[R&B](/source/Rhythm_and_blues)
*[disco](/source/disco)
}}
| occupation =
| years_active = 1966–76
| label = [Atlantic](/source/Atlantic_Records)
| website =
| current_members =
| past_members = Rudy Gay
Elliot Isaac
Aubrey Johnson
Henry Zant
}}
'''Ace Spectrum''' was an American [R&B](/source/R%26B), [soul](/source/Soul_music) and [disco](/source/disco) musical group that was popular in the mid-1970s.
==History==
Based in New York City,[{{cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |title=Top Pop Singles 1955–1999|year=2000 |publisher=Record Research, Inc. |location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin |isbn=0-89820-139-X |page=5}}] the group consisted of Rudy Gay Sr., Elliot Isaac, Henry "Easy" Zant, Aubrey "Troy" Johnson, and, on their final album, Frederick G. Duff and Lawrence Coley.[{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ace-spectrum-mn0000591977/biography |title= Ace Spectrum Artist Biography |last1=Wynn |first1=Ron |website=Allmusic |access-date=23 February 2014}}] Zant, also known as Edward "Easy" Zant, was not only a member but he also managed the group.[{{cite news |title=New on the Charts|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tQcEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Ace+Spectrum%22&pg=PA38|newspaper=Billboard |date=October 12, 1974|page=38 |access-date=February 24, 2014}}] Gay, Isaac, Zant and Johnson began collaboration as a group in 1966.[{{cite news |title=New on the Charts|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6gwEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Ace+Spectrum%22&pg=PT15|newspaper=Billboard |date=January 11, 1975|page=16 |access-date=February 25, 2014}}] debut album, it peaked at number 57 on Billboard's Hot 100[{{cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |title=Pop Memories 1890–1954 |year=1986 |publisher=Record Research, Inc. |location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin |isbn=0-89820-083-0 |page=[https://archive.org/details/joelwpopmemories00whit/page/5 5] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/joelwpopmemories00whit/page/5 }}] while finding its way to the top 20 on the R&B Singles chart. Their single "Keep Holdin' On" was released as a 12-inch single, and heavily promoted by their record label at disco clubs.[{{cite news |title='Hijack' Inspires Strong Atlantic Disco Promotion|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SCgEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Ace+Spectrum%22&pg=PA22|newspaper=Billboard |date=September 6, 1975|pages=4, 22 |access-date=February 25, 2014}}] Another single "Live and Learn" with lead vocals by Frederick, reached position 35 on the Dance Music/Club Play Singles chart. Their first two albums saw chart action. ''Inner Spectrum'' attained position 28 on the R&B Albums chart, and ''Low Rent Rendezvous'' saw action on the [''Billboard'' Top LPs & Tape](/source/Billboard_200) chart (#138),[The Billboard Albums, 6th ed. Joel Whitburn. 2006. Record Research Inc. p. 20. {{ISBN|0-89820-166-7}}] as well as on R&B Albums (#35).[{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ace-spectrum-mn0000591977/awards |title= Ace Spectrum Artist Awards |website=Allmusic |access-date=23 February 2014}}] [Patrick Adams](/source/Patrick_Adams_(musician)) produced and arranged the group's 1976 recordings, but further success eluded them.[{{cite news |title=New York Beat|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VcADAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Ace+Spectrum%22&pg=PA56|newspaper=Jet |date=March 11, 1976|page=56 |publisher = Johnson Publishing Company|access-date=February 25, 2014}}][{{cite journal |year=1979 |title=none |journal=Black Music & Jazz Review |publisher=IPC Specialist & Professional Press |volume=1 |issue=10 |pages=27 }}]
==Style and influence==
Ace Spectrum never developed into a huge hitmaker, although Allmusic considers it a "decent soul ensemble."[{{cite book |last=Miller |first=Chuck |year=2011 |title=Warman's American Records |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V570VDDxVNAC&q=%22Ace+Spectrum%22&pg=PA120 |publisher=Krause Publications |isbn=9781440228216 |access-date=February 24, 2014}}] The 1975 release "Keep Holding On" was one of the first [12-inch single](/source/12-inch_single)s.[{{cite book |last=Shapiro |first=Peter |year=2006 |title=Turn the Beat Around: The Secret History of Disco |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GG1jtWGU0S8C&q=%22Ace+Spectrum%22 |publisher=Macmillan |isbn=9780865479524 |access-date=February 24, 2014}}] Musically, the group employed a mix of up-tempo and down-tempo songs. The group eschewed the "high-voice technique" that was common for the era. Backing strings were important to the group's sound. [Billboard](/source/Billboard_magazine) commented positively about group, stating it deserved "as much exposure as possible." Rudy Gay Sr., a member of [Iota Phi Theta](/source/Iota_Phi_Theta) fraternity, later went on to both father the [famous basketball player](/source/Rudy_Gay) and become music director for [The Stylistics](/source/The_Stylistics).[{{cite news |title=Top Album Picks - Soul|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dQkEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Ace+Spectrum%22&pg=PA52|newspaper=Billboard |date=April 20, 1974|page=52 |access-date=February 25, 2014}}]
==Discography==
===Singles===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|+ List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing other relevant details
|-
! rowspan="2"| Single
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Label
! colspan="3"| Chart positions
! rowspan="2"| Album
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
|-
! [US
Pop](/source/Billboard_Hot_100)
R&B](/source/Top_R%26B_Singles)
[{{Cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |url=https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnpres00whit/page/4/mode/2up?q=spectrum |title=Joel Whitburn presents top R & B singles, 1942-1999 |date=1998 |publisher=Record Research |isbn=0898201365 |location=Menomonee Falls, Wisc. |pages=4 |access-date=April 20, 2026}}]
! [US
Dance](/source/Billboard_charts)
[''Billboard'' Dance/club top songs, chart. 1976.]
|-
! scope="row"| "Don't Send Nobody Else"
b/w "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight"
| 1974
! scope="row"| Atlantic 3012[{{cite book |last=Popoff |first=Martin |year=2010 |title=Goldmine Standard Catalog of American Records 1948–1991 |publisher=Krause Publications |isbn=9781440216213}}]
| 57
| 20
| —
| ''Inner Spectrum''
|-
! scope="row"| "Trust Me"
b/w "I Just Want to Spend the Night With You"
| rowspan="2"| 1975
! scope="row"| Atlantic 3281
b/w "Without You"
! scope="row"| Atlantic 3296
b/w "Just Like in the Movies"
| 1976
! scope="row"| Atlantic 3353
Pop](/source/Billboard_200)
R&B](/source/Top_R%26B_Albums)
[{{cite book |last1=Whitburn |first1=Joel |title=Joel Whitburn's Top R & B albums, 1965-1998 |url=https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnstoprnb00whit/page/2/mode/2up |date=1999 |publisher=Record Research |page=2| ISBN= 0898201349}}]
|-
! scope="row" |''Inner Spectrum''