MEDIA FURY RADIO (Valerie Denise Jones + Klymaxx)

Honored Guest:  Cheryl Cooley

Klymaxx is an American all-female band created, formed, and then given their name by drummer, singer Bernadette Cooper. Klymaxx's uniqueness is due to the all-girl band's ability to play instruments, and their sound, influential mainly because of Cooper’s comedic presence and their women-power themed music.

Klymaxx's original members are (vocalist, drummer, founder) Bernadette Cooper, (vocalist) Lorena Porter (Shelby/Stewart), (guitarist) Cheryl Cooley, (keyboardist) Lynn Malsby, (keyboardist) Robbin Grider, (guitarist) Ann Williams, (percussionist) Judy Takeuchi and later after the band signed to Solar Records, (bassist/vocalist) Joyce Irby was added. In 1981, Klymaxx was signed to Solar Records by Dick Griffey. Griffey enlisted Lakeside member Otis Stokes, who brought in fellow member Stephen Shockley to produce the group's debut album which was entitled "Never Underestimate the Power of a Woman." The debut LP unfortunately produced no hits so they were back in the studio to record their second album, "Girls Will Be Girls." This album also contained songs produced and written by Stokes and Shockley, but also included songs written and produced by the newly formed production team of Jimmy "Jam" Harris and Terry Lewis of the Time. Klymaxx was one of the first acts to work with Jam & Lewis. The team wrote one song, "Wild Girls" and produced other songs for their second album. Klymaxx remains the only female self-contained R&B/pop band to achieve platinum status.