The nucleus of Zapp circled around three of the five Troutman brothers: Lester, Larry and their younger brother Roger. The duo of Lester and Roger started several groups including Little Roger and the Vels. Larry eventually joined his brothers when their name became Roger and the Human Body, which also included youngest brother Terry and Gregory Jackson [Cincinnati Ohio Funk Keyboardist]. Larry was then the road manager and the leader of the group in terms of all major decisions and connections.

The name change to Zapp came courtesy of Terry, whose nickname was that of "Zapp". Discovered by members of P-Funk in 1979, the funk collective's leader George Clinton signed them to his Uncle Jam Records. When that label folded the following year, the group signed with P-Funk's parent label, Warner Bros. Records, and began working on their first record at united sound in Detroit album courtesy of co-production from Bootsy Collins.

Released in the late summer of 1980, Zapp's seminal self-titled debut album became a platinum success peaking at the top twenty of the Billboard Top 200 thanks to the success of their leading single, the Roger composition, "More Bounce to the Ounce", which reached number two on the Hot Soul Singles chart.

Continued success ...

Zapp's trek to fame continued within the Troutmans, who started Troutman Enterprises shortly after the Zapp album was released. Roger, who was the leader of the group and most famous for using the talk box in his recordings, was also the band's producer, chief writer, arranger, and composer. He and older brother Larry, who served as percussionist in the band's early years and later retired from music to serve as his younger brother's manager, often collaborated on songs together. Roger and Zapp worked on both group albums and albums Roger released on his own merit. Within five years, the band scored more top ten R&B hits such as "Doo Wa Ditty", "I Can Make You Dance", "Heartbreaker", and ballads such as "Computer Love (R&B #8)" and a cover of The Miracles' "Ooo Baby Baby". Among the songs, only one of them - 1982's "Dance Floor, Part 1" - managed to hit number-one on the R&B chart while two of Roger's solo numbers - a cover of Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and "I Want to Be Your Man" - hit the top spot of that chart. By 1985's New Zapp IV U, the group had scored over four gold records and had become a top concert draw all around the world.

Singer/songwriter Shirley Murdock is best known for the ethereal ballad "As We Lay," which was produced by Roger Troutman. Murdock started out singing gospel music in her native Toledo. Troutman hired her as a background singer for his family's group Zapp , who had several hits on Warner Brothers (or its Reprise imprint). Based on this success, Troutman began recording tracks with Murdock and lead singer Sugarfoot of the Ohio Players, among others, at his Dayton-based recording studio Troutman Sound Labs.

Murdock and Troutman's first charting single was a Warner single issued as Roger (Featuring Shirley Murdock), "Girl, Cut It Out," which charted at number 79 R&B in early 1985. Murdock was signed to Elektra Records with the pumping "No More," which made it to number 24 R&B in early 1986. Then came her signature hit, "As We Lay," written by Zapp's Larry Troutman and keyboardist Billy Beck (of the Ohio Players).

The tender, melancholy ballad made it to the R&B Top Ten and peaked at number 23 pop in 1986. Her LP Shirley Murdock went gold, also helped along by the follow-up hits "Go on Without You" and "Be Free." She also released full-lengths in 1988 (A Woman's Point of View) and 1991 (Let There Be Love). In early 2000, Murdock toured in the inspirational/gospel play, Be Careful What You Pray For with Cuba Gooding and David Peaston.

She recently released her brand new Inspirational CD & DVD, Live: The Journey, on Oct. 18th.   It features the Top 30 Radio single, "Dream". She recently performed this song at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Dedication in Washington DC a few weeks ago. The project also features special guests Kelly Price, Regina Belle, and Beverly Crawford.