▁Dor han ▁( v oc als , ▁guitar ), ▁Perry ▁K ib ble ▁( key boards , ▁co - produ cer , ▁co - writer ) ▁and ▁Donald ▁Ray ▁Johnson ▁( d rum s ). ▁Long time ▁friends ▁K ib ble ▁and ▁Jan ice – Marie ▁Johnson ▁were ▁the ▁original ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁band . ▁ ▁Each ▁had ▁left ▁a ▁band ▁to ▁join ▁forces , ▁and ▁after ▁employ ing ▁several ▁drum mers , ▁they ▁settled ▁on ▁Donald ▁Johnson ▁( no ▁relation ▁to ▁Jan ice – Marie ). ▁Gregory ▁Walker ▁also ▁replaced ▁the ▁lead ▁singer ▁( unn amed ), ▁who ▁had ▁left ▁the ▁band ▁just ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁successful ▁release ▁of ▁" Bo og ie ▁O og ie ▁O og ie ". ▁Carl ita ▁Dor han ▁left ▁the ▁group ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁and ▁Haz el ▁Pay ne ▁was ▁added . ▁ ▁The ▁group ▁began ▁to ▁improve ▁its ▁sound ▁over ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁six ▁years ▁prior ▁to ▁being ▁discovered ▁by ▁Capit ol ▁Records . ▁ ▁H itting ▁major ▁cities ▁outside ▁of ▁Los ▁Angeles , ▁they ▁also ▁began ▁doing ▁US O ▁t ours , ▁with ▁sp ots ▁in ▁Spain , ▁Mor oc co , ▁Taiwan , ▁Th ailand , ▁Philippines , ▁and ▁Japan . ▁Upon ▁returning ▁to ▁Los ▁Angeles , ▁while ▁playing ▁in ▁a ▁night club , ▁they ▁were ▁sp otted ▁by ▁record ▁produ cers , ▁F once ▁and ▁Larry ▁M iz ell , ▁who ▁convinced ▁Capit ol ▁Records ' ▁then ▁vice - exec utive - produ cer , ▁L ark