Celebrating the music of Funk Inc.'s Steve Weakley - Part 1

April 21, 2024

This week on Echoes of Indiana Avenue, join us for the first episode in our three-part series celebrating the music of guitarist Steve Weakley, one of the greatest living legends of Indianapolis music. 

Weakley grew up in the Indiana Avenue neighborhood and began playing in local clubs as a teenager. He’s best known for his work with the soul jazz band Funk Inc. The music of Funk Inc. attained great popularity during the early '70s. Funk Inc. scored hits on both the jazz and R&B charts. 

Funk Inc. are also one of the most sampled bands in the history of rap music. Their 1971 recording of "Kool is Back" has been sampled over 500 times by some of the most famous artists in hip-hop music.

Outside of his work with Funk Inc., Weakley has recorded with artists including Billy Wooten, Rob Dixon, and Tony Zamora.