Machine

Best known for its 1979 cult classic "There But for the Grace of God Go I," Machine was a soul/disco/funk band that tackled social and political issues at a time when many of its colleagues were afraid to. Machine was formed in New York in 1977, when the disco-era was in full swing and most R&B, disco, and funk lyrics were escapist in nature. The members of Machine -- who included lead singer Clare Bathé, lead singer/guitarist Jay Stovall, bassist Melvin Lee, keyboardist Kevin Nance, and drummer Lonnie Ferguson -- were big fans of the R&B message songs of the early '70s, and t...