Formed in the early 1970s in Durham, North Carolina, the Modulations was an R&B and soul vocal group and not to be confused with the Florida-based gospel group of the same name. The quartet – originally known as the Pimps - was comprised singer/songwriters Larry Allen, Hoyle Saunders, Henry Chanel, and Larry Duncan. Catching the attention and managerial skills of Henry Bates, a local entrepreneur, the group signed to Buddha Records and released the single “I’m Hopelessly in Love” in 1973. They followed that up in 1974 with the single “I Can’t Fight Your Love”. While both singles brought the group some attention, they were not commercial hits. The group’s debut album, It’s Rough Out Here, was released in 1975 and featured arrangements by R&B legends Vince Montana, Norman Harris, and Ronnie Baker. Instrumental backing was provided by a studio band that featured members of Philadelphia International Records’ house band MFSB (“The Sound of Philadelphia”). Commercial success was still out of reach and the album failed to achieve significant success although they did appear on the popular TV show Soul Train in 1976. The group recorded several additional tracks in the studio but broke up, leaving the tracks to sit in the vaults until their official release on the Japanese-only album Moving in the Right Direction (1998).
