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FROM THE ARCHIVES: Newspaper reports from gut-wrenching Troutman murder-suicide 21 years ago
Credit: DaytonDailyNews
It’s been 21 years since the shocking death of one of the most dynamic and famous musicians in Dayton history.
Larry Troutman shot his brother, talkbox pioneer Roger Troutman outside of Roger Troutman's Dayton music studio as part of a murder-suicide on April 25, 1999.
Larry Troutman was later found dead in his car from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Roger Troutman died at an area hospital.
We poured through the Dayton Daily News archives to read reports of the crime and its aftermath.
>> 7 of Dayton’s most shocking crimes
The brothers were part of the legendary Dayton funk band Zapp and Roger Troutman had a successful solo career.
Hits include "More Bounce to the Ounce," "Doo Wa Ditty," "I Can Make You Dance," "Heartbreaker, "Computer Love," "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "I Want to Be Your Man," and "California Love (2Pac featuring Troutman and Dr. Dre)."
>> MORE: 8 Dayton acts you should give a funk about
An estimated 3,000 people attended their funeral.
Credit: WALLY NELSON
Find articles below from the Dayton Daily News archives related to the case and the funeral of Roger and Larry Troutman.
Except from the article “Troutman Brothers Shot Dead” published March 26, 1999 written by Lou Grieco and Khalid Moss.
On Sunday, Dayton police were called at about 7:20 a.m. to the alley between Catalpa Drive and Ravenwood Avenue behind Roger Tee Enterprises Inc., 2016 Salem Ave. Officers found Roger Troutman, who appeared to have been shot several times, Sgt. Gary White said. Witnesses told police the gunman had left in a black car.
Minutes later, dispatchers got a call about a car hitting a tree on the 2100 block of Harvard Boulevard, White said. Officers found Larry Troutman in the driver's seat of a black Lincoln. He appeared to have shot himself in the head.
"We don't know what this is about," White said. Witnesses weren't able to say anything about the dispute. Detectives planned to interview family members on whether there were problems in the family or the business.
One onlooker at the scene on Harvard was Williams. He wept as he remembered the Troutmans, who he said he had known for more than two decades. Williams said he was trying to contact Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner, guitarist for the Ohio Players. Bonner taught Roger Troutman how to play guitar, he said. "He'll be upset," Williams said.
A former singer with the band, Larry Troutman had served as president of Troutman Enterprises Inc., whose interests included contracting, real-estate management and the three recording studios and a rehearsal space in the buildings near where Roger was shot. Those properties are listed in phone directories under the name Roger Tee Enterprises Inc.
Word of the shootings spread quickly Sunday through the neighborhoods along Salem Avenue. Midway through services at Omega Baptist Church, 1821 Emerson St., the Rev. Daryl Ward somberly announced them. At the taped-off crime scene near Harvard and Benson Drive, a steady stream of onlookers gathered as officers took photos and prepared to have the late-model Lincoln towed away.
The funeral included representatives of the music industry included members of such nationally known acts as the Gap Band; Cincinnati-native Bootsie Collins; and prominent figures of Dayton's funk elite, including members of such bands as The Ohio Players, Lakeside and the Troutmans' own group, Zapp. Flower arrangements expressed condolences from a host of people in the entertainment business, including rhythm and blues singer Gerald Levert and folk-rocker Michelle Shocked.
Warner Bros. Records, which was Roger's long-time recording label, sent a pair of red, guitar-shaped floral displays.
The open caskets of Roger and Larry Troutman lay side-by-side as mourners packed the opulently adorned sanctuary. A line of about 250 people stood outside and the road leading to the church was still choked with traffic when the doors closed at 11 a.m. for the service. Those mourners could observe the ceremony on a video monitor in an "overflow" area of the church.
Donald J. Jordan, pastor of Allen Temple AME Church in Cincinnati who spoke of knowing the Troutman family during their years in Hamilton, presided over the approximately 90-minute service.
First to speak was the Rev. Daryl Ward, pastor of Dayton's Omega Baptist Church, where many members of the extended Troutman family regularly worship. Basing his remarks on the 23rd Psalm, Ward asked the gathering to direct strength and prayer to the grieving family.
Recording artist Shirley Murdock-DeGroat, whose career Roger nurtured, followed. "Larry and Roger meant so much to me," she said. "They made a deposit in my life, and this is the fruit of that deposit," she said, introducing a duet with Pastor Ronnie Diamond of the song That's What Friends Are For, which set an uplifting, spiritual tone for the services.
Former Central State University President Arthur Thomas offered the eulogy for Larry Troutman, stressing his generosity and courage among other admirable qualities. "Larry Troutman was a generous, loving, caring, courageous man," Thomas said. "Larry Troutman was a creative genius. He liked trying to make a difference. Whatever is written, we know Larry made this a better world. . . . Larry is going to a place where there is truly 'more bounce to the ounce.' More Bounce to the Ounce was the Zapp Band's 1980 break-through hit.
Credit: Contributed photo
The crime stunned Daytonians and music lovers around the world.
Radio stations around the nation paid tribute to Roger Troutman and his work.
Zapp hit it big as an all-brother outfit in the late 1970s.
>> Dayton funk museum is closing and looking for new location
Roger Troutman's music was part of the life soundtrack of those who come of age in the 1980s and 1990s.
In the 1990s, Roger Troutman lent his computerized vocals to popular songs for 2Pac (”California Love” the video for which he appeared in); H-Town (”A Thin Line Between Love and Hate”), Johnny Gill (”It’s Your Body”) and Eazy-E (”Eternal E”). His music also appeared in recordings by Snoop Dogg, Biggie Smalls, Redman, Blackstreet and MC Hammer.
The list of artists that sampled the Troutmans music include : Big Daddy Kane; BLACKstreet; George Clinton; Cypress Hill; Da Brat; Eazy-E; Notorious B.I.G.; Junior M.A.F.I.A.; Heavy D; EPMD; Jodeci; Lil' Kim; Method Man; Snoop Dogg; Janet Jackson, Ice Cube, Tupac Shakur and Xscape.
Zapp continues to tour and put out music today.
>> Funk dream lives on: Rare interview with Zapp band
DISCOGRAPHY
SOLO ALBUMS
* 1975: Introducing Roger (Troutman Brothers Records)
* 1981: The Many Facets of Roger (Warner Bros. Records)
* 1984: The Saga Continues (Warner Bros.)
* 1987: Unlimited (Reprise Records)
* 1991: Bridging the Gap (Reprise Records)
ZAPP ALBUMS
* 1980: Zapp (Warner Bros.)
* 1982: Zapp II (Warner Bros.)
* 1983: Zapp III (Warner Bros.)
* 1986: The New Zapp IV U (Warner Bros.)
* 1989: Zapp V (Reprise)
GREATEST HITS
* 1993: Zapp & Roger: All the Greatest Hits (Reprise)
* 1996: Roger & Zapp The Compilation: Greatest Hits II And More (Reprise)
Credit: Source: Dayton Daily News archives
About the Author
Community Impact Editor Amelia Robinson is an award-winning columnist, features writer and podcast host. The Ohio University graduates work has appeared in the Dayton Daily News since 2000.
- Filmography
Roger Troutman Biography
Birthday: November 29 , 1951 ( Sagittarius )
Born In: Hamilton, Ohio, United States
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Nick Name: Roger
Also Known As: Roger
Died At Age: 47
Spouse/Ex-: Mercedez
siblings: Larry Troutman
children: Brent Lynch, Daun Shazier, Gene Nicole Anderson, Hope Shazier, Larry Gates, Lester Gates, Mia Paris Collins, Roger Lynch, Ryan Stevens, Summer Gates, Taji J. Troutman
Born Country: United States
Singers Composers
Died on: April 25 , 1999
place of death: Dayton, Ohio, United States
U.S. State: Ohio
Cause of Death: Murder–suicide
Notable Alumni: Central State University
City: Dayton, Ohio
education: Central State University
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The Tragic 1999 Murder Of Funk Legend Roger Troutman Explained
You may know the Zapp frontman Roger Troutman from his famous hit, " California Love ," the catchy Tupac Shakur song featuring Troutman and Dr. Dre. Before that, in the early 1980s, the band Zapp had hits such as "Doo Wa Ditty," "Heartbreaker," and "Computer Love," which blended talkbox effects with funk music , per Dayton.com . Roger Troutman also worked on other songs with his contemporaries, collaborating with Snoop Dogg , Blackstreet, MC Hammer, and The Notorious B.I.G .
According to the Zapp official website , the band's lineup has changed frequently, but originally, it was composed mainly of a group of brothers: Roger Troutman, Larry Troutman, Lester Troutman Sr., Terry "Zapp" Troutman. After experimenting with a few band names, they settled on Zapp in 1978.
The 1980s were an exciting time for Zapp, when their song, "More Bounce to the Ounce," penned by Roger, became a bonafide hit in 1980, soaring to the top of the Billboard Top 200 songs. MTV reports that the band had another chart-topping hit in 1987 with the song "I Wanna Be Your Man." Although Zapp was a successful band fronted by Roger, his life was cut short in a tragic murder-suicide.
Zapp's influential sound
Roger was deeply ingrained in the band's success, as the producer, writer, arranger, and composer of numerous creative songs, per the Zapp official website . He had a passion for using a talkbox to give Zapp's songs a fresh and unique sound. The band began touring the country, and continued to produce funk hits like "Doo Wa Ditty" and "Computer Love."
Their covers were also popular, like "I Heard it Through the Grape Vine," and "Dance Floor Part 1," which also held spots at the top of the music charts in the mid-1980s. SF Weekly reports that Zapp's music even influenced kids who later became musicians themselves — Ice Cube said Zapp's "More Bounce to the Ounce" was the first hip-hop song he had ever heard.
Even decades later, the exact circumstances of what happened between two of the Troutman brothers is largely unknown. Dayton.com reports that on a Sunday morning in April 1999, around 7:20 a.m., police were called to find Roger Troutman dead in an alleyway. He appeared to have been shot numerous times. SF Weekly reports that eyewitnesses said Roger, who was sitting in the passenger seat of a black sedan, tried to get out but the driver shot him multiple times and left the scene. Roger had been shot twice in the front of his torso, and twice in the back.
A murder-suicide
Roger Troutman's brother Larry was soon found in a car matching that description, per Dayton.com . Larry Troutman was the president of Troutman Enterprises Inc., in Dayton, Ohio, which had recording studios and rehearsal spaces nearby. It was soon learned that after reportedly shooting his younger brother with a .357 caliber gun, Larry drove away, but he didn't get far (via SF Weekly). Larry crashed his black Lincoln into a tree only half a mile from where Roger lay. He turned the gun on himself before he was discovered by police officers.
The Troutman family was devastated by the death of two family members in one day, and sought out answers. The family spent time together as they grieved the loss of the brothers in solitude.
While no one knows for certain why Larry allegedly decided to kill his brother and then himself, BET suggests it was a business dispute gone wrong. And in 2002, Vice reported that they had been told Roger was just about to fire Larry, who had been the manager of his musical career, and the conversation turned violent.
A funeral attended by thousands
According to SF Weekly, the brothers had increasingly become angry over numerous issues in their shared musical career. They reportedly squabbled over the band's plans, money, and even Larry's role as the manager of Roger's musical talents. Roger apparently wanted to take his career solo. But that would mean separating from his brother and manager of 25 years, Larry. The Troutman family emphasized that this breakup would have been a very serious move to make.
The Troutman family reportedly knew that the brothers were having a tense moment, but no one could have predicted that Larry would go so far as to murder his brother. When Terry Troutman was asked how he felt about the murder-suicide of his brothers, he answered, "I resent that my brother Roger is gone more than anything else in the world. I resent whatever sickness came over Larry that caused him to do something like that," per SF Weekly.
Dayton.com reports that the joint funeral was absolutely massive, with 3,000 people in attendance to show their respects to the two deceased brothers. Roger Troutman left behind six sons and five daughters, per The Famous People . Fellow musicians sent flowers to the funeral, and in true Troutman family style, their nephew performed a talkbox version of "Amazing Grace" (via SF Weekly).
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Roger Troutman's son charged with second-degree murder
When police found Carolyn Marie Leete on Saturday, the 32-year-old’s head was covered in blood and a large blood splatter, about 12 inches in diameter, was on the wall nearby.
The St. Paul woman, an artist and nanny, was dead and police say it was at her boyfriend’s hands. The Ramsey County attorney’s office charged Brent Lanier Lynch, 26, today with second-degree murder.
Lynch is the son of R&B singer Roger Troutman, who was fatally shot in Dayton in 1999. Troutman’s brother also was found dead and police called it a murder-suicide, saying Larry Troutman had shot Roger.
A woman who answered the door at Lynch’s home declined comment Monday and his attorney had no comment today.
The complaint, filed in Ramsey County District Court, gives this account:
Leete and Brent Lynch had dated for two to three years, Lynch’s mother told police.
Lynch, of St. Paul, told a neighbor that Leete had been drunk and he brought her upstairs in his home in the 800 block of West Minnehaha Avenue. He said he tried to throw Leete on the bed, “but she missed and hit her head on the floor,” the complaint said. He said all the blood was coming from Leete’s nose and the bed sheets were wet because he threw water on Leete to revive her.
The Ramsey County medical examiner’s office found Leete’s blood-alcohol concentration was less than 0.04 at the time of her death (the legal limit to drive in Minnesota is 0.08). They said the cause of her death was traumatic head injury due to physical assault. There were “numerous contusions to the back of Leete’s head and chin, lacerations on both lips ... fractured nasal bones ... numerous contusions of the body, and a fractured rib,” the complaint said.
Lynch is 6 feet, 3 inches tall and 235 pounds, according to a citation from a January case. An online modeling profile, from when Leete was 31 years old, said she was 5 feet 5 inches tall and 95 pounds.
Police were summoned to the Minnehaha Avenue home about 6:10 a.m.
Carolyn Marie Leete, a 32-year-old woman who was the victim of a homicide in St. Paul on March 3, 2012.
Saturday, when a woman called 911 and said, “You better start an ambulance, someone needs CPR. We need police and medics,” the complaint said. The phone went dead and police responded to investigate.
Inside the house, police saw Leete on a bed, with her legs hanging off the side. She had no pants on, her shirt pulled up and one boot on. She had no pulse and was unresponsive.
There were numerous bruises on her arms, and what appeared to be defensive marks and scratches on her hands. Her head was covered in blood that appeared to be coming from her mouth, nose and eyes. Two feet from Leete’s head was a large blood splatter on the wall, about 12 inches in diameter.
Officers also found blood at the bottom of the stairs, where there appeared to have been a fight. There were blood drops on the stairs to the second-floor landing and on the base of a wooden bookshelf.
Brenda Lynch, Brent Lynch’s mother, said her son called her about 3 a.m. that day and said, “You won’t believe this - Carolyn let somebody steal the damn car. Carolyn was so busy getting out of the car to see where I was, and somebody took the damn car,” the complaint said.
Brenda Lynch told her son she wouldn’t pick him up because she could tell he had been drinking. She also told police that when he drinks, “he gets crazy and it terrifies her,” the complaint said. She asked her sister, Glenda Jett, to pick up her son.
Brenda Lynch didn’t want to be home when her son returned, so she and her granddaughter left and went to the girl’s mother’s house nearby.
Jett told police that she found the couple about 4 a.m. at Charles Avenue and St. Albans Street. She said “Leete appeared extremely intoxicated and Lynch had to carry her to the car,” and that Lynch had been drinking but didn’t appear drunk, the complaint said.
Leete had what appeared to be “road rash” above a hip, but no other visible injuries, Jett said. Jett dropped them off at the Minnehaha Avenue home. Leete fell in the parking lot, and Lynch helped her up and inside, Jett said.
At about 6 a.m., Lynch called Jett and asked her to come see if Leete was OK. She came next door and found Leete bloody and unresponsive.
“She’s going to wake up, right?” Lynch asked Jett. “She’s going to get up, right?”
When a woman who lives next door and had nursing training tried to perform chest compressions on Leete, she was cold to the touch.
After police were called, they saw a taxi driving slowly on Minnehaha Avenue, as if the driver were looking for someone. They saw a man wave the cab down and get in. When police stopped the cab, they found Lynch inside and police arrested him.
While waiting for the doors to open at the Ramsey County jail, Lynch hung his head and shook it.
“It wasn’t supposed to go down like this,” the complaint quoted him as saying. “This wasn’t supposed to happen. It was the alcohol.” Inside the jail, he told staff, “Please be nice to me. I’m here for a long time.”
Lynch has four felony convictions involving other women. He was convicted of making terroristic threats against his then-pregnant girlfriend, and the same offense shortly after she gave birth. He also was convicted of third-degree assault against a different woman and criminal damage to property.
Lynch appeared on the “Judge Joe Brown” show as a litigant, according to a spokeswoman for the show. She said it aired Nov. 20, 2009, but didn’t have information about the case.
Lynch’s father, Roger Troutman, founded what the Dayton Daily News described as “the chart-topping soul and funk band Zapp.” He made the “talk box” famous, and was responsible for a R&B hits such as, “I Can Make You Dance,” “Doo Wa Ditty,” “Computer Love” and “More Bounce to the Ounce,” according to Electronic Urban Report.
Lynch’s brother, Roger Troutman Lynch, died Jan. 22, 2003. His death certificate shows he died at Regions Hospital, of pneumonia and injuries from an accident. “City Pages” reported that Roger Lynch, who was also a musician, had been found unconscious in September 2002 and the newspaper wrote that “his head (was) caved in (apparently as a result of an accident, though some friends said it was assault).”
Staff researcher Pat Thraen contributed to this report.
Mara H. Gottfried can be reached at 651-228-5262.
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Roger Lynch “Lil' Roger” Troutman II
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The son of Roger Troutman, Little Roger appeared as a child on stage with the group Zapp. In 1989, Lynch released the album A Pinch Of Lynch on the Capitol Record imprint. He worked with the acts Mint Condition and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, before releasing The Second Coming under his real name of Roger Troutman II. Tragedy struck the Troutman family when, in 1999, Roger was shot to death by his brother Larry, who subsequently, turned the gun on himself and comitted suicide.
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Roger Troutman
1951 – 1999
Alexis Alijai Lynch
1998 – 2020
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- Find a Grave Memorial ID: 8633500
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Roger Gary Parker
Roger Gary Parker , 73, of Troutman, N.C., passed away Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at his home.
Mr. Parker was born in Iredell County on December 10, 1949, the son of the late Jesse W. “J.W.” Parker Sr. and Willie Kathleen Isenhour Parker. Roger was employed in the construction industry.
In addition to his parents, Roger was preceded in death by his sisters, Shirley Parker and Barbara Parker.
Those left to cherish the memory of Roger Parker include his brothers, Jesse Jr., Jerry, Larry, Lonnie and Tony; his sons, Johnny and Casey; his daughter, Candy; and his grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family will visit with friends from 3 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at Troutman Funeral Home.
Troutman Funeral Home is serving the family.
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Funk innovator from Hamilton killed 22 years ago in one of the region's most shocking murders
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- Roger Troutman
- Roger Troutman American musician
Apr. 25—It's been 22 years since Roger Troutman, one of Dayton's most gifted and well-known musicians, tragically died.
Troutman, an R&B recording artist who pioneered the famed funky "Dayton sound," was shot several times in the alley behind his music studio on Salem Avenue on April 25, 1999.
He died at Good Samaritan Hospital.
The gunman, the musician's older brother Larry, was later found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot in the driver's seat of a black Lincoln on Harvard Boulevard.
The shocking incident stunned music lovers around the world. Troutman and his family, originally from Hamilton, had formed the Zapp band in 1978, propelling millions to the dance floor with hits like "More Bounce To The Ounce," "I Can Make You Dance" and "Computer Love."
In a 1988 interview with the Dayton Daily News, Roger Troutman recalled his start in the music business and the lesson his father, Rufus, taught him.
As a 13-year-old, Troutman was a budding musician setting up gigs at sock hops and community functions. He asked his father for a guitar but was told he had to learn to play one first. He did, learning his father's favorite songs. Rufus Troutman made the same request whenever his son asked for another instrument.
Troutman recalled his father later told him, "I did that so you would understand that instruments are merely a vehicle to express what's inside you. If you had just picked up one instrument, it would have limited you."
Troutman's musical ability was never constrained. He was the multi-instrumentalist singer and arranger for Zapp and was known for his versatility using a vocoder "talk box" to create computerized vocals.
Troutman later went onto a solo career performing under the name "Roger," and had a No. 1 hit in 1987 with "I Want to be Your Man." In 1996, he collaborated with Dr. Dre on Tupac Shakur's Grammy-nominated song "California Love."
The funeral for Roger and Larry Troutman drew an estimated 3,000 people to the Solid Rock Church in Monroe.
Relatives, fans and colleagues including the Gap Band, Bootsie Collins, Shirley Murdock and members of funk bands The Ohio Players and Lakeside, paid tribute to the music innovators.
Warner Brothers records, Roger's longtime recording label, sent a pair of red, guitar-shaped floral displays and Rufus Troutman III, a nephew of the brothers who had performed with Zapp, played a variation of "Amazing Grace," using Roger's trademark "talk box."
Roger Troutman and Zapp's musical legacy lives on. A sculpture honoring him was dedicated in 2012 on the former site of the Troutman Recording Studio near Salem Avenue and Catalpa Drive.
The sound sculpture, created by Dayton artist and musician Michael Bashaw, incorporates clock chimes and is named for and tuned to Troutman's hit "I Can Make You Dance" with Zapp & Roger.
In 2002, Lester and Terry Troutman released "Zapp VI: Back By Popular Demand" and the band continues to perform across the country. Last fall, Zapp celebrated the release of a tribute album, "Zapp VII: Roger & Friends," at the Schuster Center in Dayton.
"I thought we would never, ever play again," Lester Troutman said in 2018 in an episode of the "What Had Happened Was" podcast with Dayton Daily News columnist Amelia Robinson.
"I would be lying to you and the fans if I said 'well, we never had problems' or 'we never tried to do other things.' But the bond is what kept us together," he said. "I can't even imagine life without doing this."
Roger Troutman™ Legacy Entertainment
Roger Troutman™ Legacy Entertainment is an entertainment company honoring the greatness of yesteryear while looking ahead to the future. Owned and operated by Roger's living heirs and their team, we exist to honor Roger's profound and lasting legacy and to raise up a new generation of artists in Roger's footsteps.
Under parent company Roger's Legacy LLC, Roger Troutman Legacy Entertainment (RTL Entertainment) is the administrator of Roger's intellectual property and the owner of Roger's life rights and the Roger Troutman trademark.
We develop new and established artists and train them in the areas of vocal technique, stage performance, artist psychology, piano and guitar performance, music theory and songwriting, and electronic music production.
We compose and produce records, offering full recording, mixing and mastering services.
We produce live shows and book tours for our artists.
Together, Roger Troutman Legacy Entertainment remembers Roger's indelible contribution to our world while forging ahead into the 21st century and beyond.
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Roger Troutman, a singer, musician, bandleader and producer who was an influential presence in the world of funk music, has died.
The 47-year-old Troutman died Sunday at a hospital in Dayton, Ohio, of gunshot wounds in what police were investigating as a murder-suicide. Troutman’s 54-year-old brother, Larry, was found a short time later with a fatal bullet wound to the head. Initial police reports indicated that Larry Troutman shot his brother and then killed himself.
The Troutmans are survived by their mother, three brothers and two sisters.
As the leader of the group Roger & Zapp--or Zapp & Roger depending on the CD--Troutman was extremely influential to a generation of funk and rap artists in the 1980s.
His band’s electric, high-energy performances at clubs and dance halls throughout the country were punctuated by the sound of lyrics running through a “talkbox,” which effectively synthesized his voice in a variety of ways. He recalled that around the time his band was getting started “Star Wars” was in the public consciousness.
“Darth Vader was very popular. . . ,” Troutman said, “and his voice had a very robot-like sound to it.”
The “robot-like sound” in Troutman’s talkbox/dance-track sound evolved to the point that one writer, Steve Pick of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, said it resembled an “old science fiction computer on helium.”
Pick’s interesting image was an apt description for Troutman’s music, which grew in popularity through the 1980s. The computer sound on top of a funky groove, along with the talkbox, was specifically Troutman’s.
“The most important thing,” Troutman told a Times reporter in 1997, “was that, before we had any hit records, we performed live literally every night of the week, and we had to keep people dancing all night long.
“I really got a feel for what would make people get up and move,” Troutman added, “and right at the height of that is when I went into the studio for the first time. First time in the studio, first record and first hit.”
That first album for Warner Bros., “Zapp” in 1980, yielded the hit “More Bounce to the Ounce, Pt. 1” and launched Troutman’s career. It also brought a new name to the band “Zapp,” which had started out as “Roger and the Human Body” in 1975 in his hometown of Hamilton, a working-class town in western Ohio. The band, with Troutman on vocals and guitar; Lester Troutman on drums; Terry Troutman on bass, and Larry Troutman on congas, came to the attention of funkmeister George Clinton of Parliament/Funkadelic fame, who helped them get the Warner Bros. deal.
Troutman’s songs also had an impact on the street. “More Bounce to the Ounce, Pt. 1”, for example, hooked into the low-rider car culture. The song became something of a soundtrack for a bouncing low-rider. The rhythms of the music matched the bounce of the car.
Troutman was a smart businessman as well, understanding early that diversification was the key to get him through those fallow times that often occur in pop music. He and his brothers formed Troutman Enterprises, which started as a construction company building and rehabilitating hundreds of housing units, making home ownership possible for low-income residents of Dayton.
Many of those who worked for Troutman--building houses during the day--would be on the bandstand with him at night.
He chose to stay in Ohio instead of moving to Los Angeles or New York--the hubs of the music business--based on his experience of seeing members of another influential band, the Ohio Players, around his adopted home of Dayton.
“When they were famous, the Players never went to L.A. or New York; They stayed right here in Dayton. I can remember seeing them drive down the street in those new cars, seeing them living in those big houses,” he told The Times.
“You’d see them on ‘American Bandstand’ on Saturday, and then on Monday afternoon you’d see them on the street. That was a big inspiration.”
Troutman’s career continued to take divergent paths over the years. He did the music for the 1996 film “A Thin Line Between Love and Hate,” and his songs showed up regularly in films like “Boyz N the Hood,” (“More Bounce to the Ounce, Pt. 1”), “Menace to Society” (“Computer Love”) and “Selena” (“Doo Wa Ditty--Blow That Thing”).
He was also a successful producer, working with such artists as H-Town, Dr. Dre and Tupac Shakur.
Troutman said he was devastated by the shooting death of Shakur in 1996.
“He was so creative in the studio, very lyrical, like a poet,” Troutman said. “What a great loss.”
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Roger Troutman
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Roger Troutman had an encounter with George Clinton .
American Musician Roger Troutman was born on 29th November, 1951 in Hamilton, Ohio, USA and passed away on 25th Apr 1999 Good Samaritan Hospital and Health Center, Dayton, Ohio, USA aged 47. He is most remembered for Lead singer of the group Zapp, popular with bay area rappers such as Tupac Shakur and Spice 1. His zodiac sign is Sagittarius.
Roger Troutman is a member of the following lists: American record producers , People from Dayton, Ohio and 1951 births .
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Roger Troutman (November 29, 1951 – April 25, 1999), also known mononymously as Roger, was an American singer, composer, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist and the founder of the band Zapp who helped spearhead the funk movement and heavily influenced West Coast hip hop due to the scene's heavy sampling of his music over the years. Troutman was well known for his use of the talk box, a device that is connected to an instrument (frequently a keyboard, but most commonly a guitar) to create different vocal effects. Roger used a custom-made talkbox–the Electro Harmonix "Golden Throat," through a Moog Minimoog and later in his career a Yamaha DX100 FM synthesizer. As both band leader of Zapp and in his subsequent solo releases, he scored a bevy of funk and R&B hits throughout the 1980s and regularly collaborated with hip hop artists in the 1990s.
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Roger Troutman had an encounter with George Clinton.
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i know band personally and THEY ARE NOT GAY! aurum winton
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Roger Gary Parker
December 10, 1949 - March 7, 2023 (73 years old)
Troutman , North Carolina
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Roger Gary Parker Obituary
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Roger Gary Parker of Troutman, North Carolina, who passed away on March 7, 2023, at the age of 73, leaving to mourn family and friends. Family and friends can send flowers and condolences in memory of the loved one. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Roger Gary Parker to pay them a last tribute.
He was predeceased by : his parents, Jesse W. Parker, Sr. (J. W.) and Willie Kathleen Isenhour Parker; and his sisters, Shirley Parker and Barbara Parker. He is survived by : his brothers, Jesse, Jr., Jerry, Larry, Lonnie and Tony; and his children, Johnny, Casey and Candy.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, March 12th 2023 from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Troutman Funeral Home (345 N Main St, Troutman, NC 28166).
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Roger Troutman (November 29, 1951 - April 25, 1999), [1] [2] also known as Roger, was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist and the founder of the band Zapp who helped spearhead the funk movement and heavily influenced West Coast hip hop due to the scene's heavy sampling of his music over the years.
It's been 22 years since Roger Troutman, one of Dayton's most gifted and well-known musicians, tragically died. Troutman, an R&B recording artist who pioneered the famed funky "Dayton sound," was shot several times in the alley behind his music studio on Salem Avenue on April 25, 1999. Explore 7 of Dayton's most shocking crimes
On Sunday, Dayton police were called at about 7:20 a.m. to the alley between Catalpa Drive and Ravenwood Avenue behind Roger Tee Enterprises Inc., 2016 Salem Ave. Officers found Roger Troutman, who appeared to have been shot several times, Sgt. Gary White said. Witnesses told police the gunman had left in a black car.
Twenty years ago, on April 25, 1999, funk pioneer, Zapp band member and solo artist Roger Troutman was killed by his brother Larry Troutman in one of Dayton, Ohio's, most shocking murders-suicides.
Roger Troutman was an American singer, musician and record producer who was famously known for founding the funk band 'Zapp'. He also composed songs apart from singing and playing multiple musical instruments, including the bass guitar, harmonica, vibraphone, and flute.
Dayton.com reports that on a Sunday morning in April 1999, around 7:20 a.m., police were called to find Roger Troutman dead in an alleyway. He appeared to have been shot numerous times.
The Ramsey County attorney's office charged Brent Lanier Lynch, 26, today with second-degree murder. Lynch is the son of R&B singer Roger Troutman, who was fatally shot in Dayton in 1999....
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music GroupCalifornia Love (Original Version) · 2Pac · Roger Troutman · Dr. DreGreatest Hits℗ 1996 Death Row RecordsReleased...
Roger Lynch "Lil' Roger" Troutman II Birth 31 Jan 1970 Saint Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota, USA Death 22 Jan 2003 (aged 32) Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA Burial Burial Details Unknown Memorial ID 8633500 · View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Maintained by: donna sullivan
The murder of Roger Troutman ( Zapp & Roger ) Lamont At Large 459K subscribers Subscribe 472K views 1 year ago #famousgraves #documentary #death Visiting the location of where Roger Troutman...
Roger Gary Parker. Roger Gary Parker, 73, of Troutman, N.C., passed away Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at his home. Mr. Parker was born in Iredell County on December 10, 1949, the son of the late Jesse W. "J.W." Parker Sr. and Willie Kathleen Isenhour Parker. Roger was employed in the construction industry. In addition to his parents, Roger was ...
On Sunday morning, April 25, 1999, Roger Troutman was fatally wounded as a result of an apparent murder-suicide that was orchestrated by his older brother, Larry. Roger was shot several times in the torso by Larry as he exited a recording studio in Dayton, Ohio. Roger was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital, but died shortly after. [22]
Apr. 25—It's been 22 years since Roger Troutman, one of Dayton's most gifted and well-known musicians, tragically died. Troutman, an R&B recording artist who pioneered the famed funky "Dayton...
Born November 29, 1951, to truck driver father Rufus Troutman Sr. and house wife Addie Ruth Shepherd, Roger was the fourth born of ten children. Born and raised in Hamilton, OH, his natural musical talent and magnetic personality were apparent as early as his toddler years, and he was only five when he received his first guitar.
Roger Troutman™ Legacy Entertainment is an entertainment company honoring the greatness of yesteryear while looking ahead to the future. Owned and operated by Roger's living heirs and their team, we exist to honor Roger's profound and lasting legacy and to raise up a new generation of artists in Roger's footsteps.
Roger Troutman More Images Real Name: James Edward Troutman Profile: Singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist, well known for his use of the talk box and large influence on early 90's west coast hip hop. b: November 29, 1951, Hamilton, Ohio, U.S.A. d: April 25, 1999, Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A.
Brothers Roger and Larry Troutman, two of the founding members of the early-'80s funk outfit Zapp, were shot dead Sunday morning outside a studio in Dayton, Ohio, in what local authorities are...
Roger Troutman (November 29, 1951 - April 25, 1999) was the lead singer of the band Zapp. Born in Hamilton, Ohio Troutman was the fourth of nine children. Like his mentor Clinton, who recorded for several labels at the same time under different monikers, Troutman recorded simultaneously as Roger, releasing albums and hit singles on Warner Bros ...
Roger Troutman, a singer, musician, bandleader and producer who was an influential presence in the world of funk music, has died. The 47-year-old Troutman died Sunday at a hospital in Dayton, Ohio ...
Roger Troutman dating history Relationships. Roger Troutman had an encounter with George Clinton.. About. American Musician Roger Troutman was born on 29th November, 1951 in Hamilton, Ohio, USA and passed away on 25th Apr 1999 Good Samaritan Hospital and Health Center, Dayton, Ohio, USA aged 47. He is most remembered for Lead singer of the group Zapp, popular with bay area rappers such as ...
Roger Gary Parker Obituary. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Roger Gary Parker of Troutman, North Carolina, who passed away on March 7, 2023, at the age of 73, leaving to mourn family and friends. Family and friends can send flowers and condolences in memory of the loved one. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the ...