Meet Cheryl Cooley | Original Guitarist of the 80’s All-Female Band, Klymaxx.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cheryl Cooley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cheryl, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Growing up my parents always gave me a toy guitar every other Christmas. When I saw bands play on TV I knew at a young age that that was I wanted to be when I grew up. Music learning in school was always so much fun for me. The ability ot create any type of music sounds is what captured me to pursue and learn more about music and all it’s possibilities.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
KLYMAXX the only all – female band to ever chart on the R&B and Funk Billboard Magazine has embarked on their 40th Year Anniversary tour, celebrating their fan favorite, “Meeting In The Ladies Room.” This iconic band blends real life experiences with the melodic tones of Jazz, Funk, Rock, and Soul. Their music remains a staple for men and women fans alike, and have intrigued the ears of the latest generation, including popular DJs who have remixed their hit with Megan Thee Stallion’s “Thot Sh*t.” Additionally, they have been spotlighted as the pioneers for women’s anthems and fashion by Saturday Night Live, yielding millions of new fans. This legacy of Klymaxx remains strong due to the iconic co-founder and lead guitarist, Cheryl Cooley, who served as the band’s Musical Director, and has kept her ear evolving by developing more dynamic arrangements of their hits.

The band’s music is a staple on the radio and in dance clubs around the world; crossing over many genre styles, with their beautiful ballad, “I Miss You,” their Pop anthem “The Men All Pause,” R&B groove of “Good Love,” and their Neo-Soul vibe with “Private Party.” Personally, nurturing the group’s unique sound, “Unruly Cooley” has overseen the fusion of 80’s funk with today’s modern-day swag.

Her enthusiasm and vision have transformed KLYMAXX into a youthful and fresh entity producing live music that delivers dynamic vocals and uncompromised grooves.

These ladies are serious about entertaining their fans and continuing with the KLYMAXX legacy.

During the time that we/Klymaxx were first starting, the idea of an all-female R&B band was unheard of, so we were not always thought to be seriously considered.

Cheryl was working in a bank at thattime and told her supervisor about this all-female band she was rehearsing with. Her supervisor told her to give her a promo package to pass onto her uncle that was a recording producer. Once he got the package he passed it onto a vice president at Solar Records, where Klymaxx went onto record 5 albums over almost a 10 year period. Their biggest hit was the ballad, “I MIss You” that was on Billboard Magazine’s top 1986’s hit songs. Also, their 3rd album entitled, “Meeting IN The Ladies Room”, was awarded platinum status.

The moral to the Klymaxx story would be that although many may not understand a creative idea in the making, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t a place and space for it to manifest and manifest in an impactful way.

Cheryl started guitar lessons at the age of 11. She went onto learning music composition, orchestration & arranging at Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles, then onto earning a degree in commercial music at Los Angeles City College.

While her then-brother-in-law, Hubert Laws was on tour with Latin Artist, Mongo Santamaria, she accidentally tuned her toy guitar to play a television theme song. When her sister heard it she suggested to their mother that Cheryl should take guitar lessons. From there Cheryl continued to broaden her studies in music classes all through out her school years.

After graduating college, Cheryl was playing in various local bands. When she was rehearsing at a studio in Hollywood, she was approached by some girls that said they had been getting together an all-female band called KLYMAXX (AFB) and wanted her to come and start rehearsing with them. Cheryl was apprehensive about the musicianship level as to which they might have been, but agreed to come and rehearse and check it out, anyway. The energy and fun that the girls were having pulled Cheryl into continuing to develop the band and with that they appointed her to be the musical director.

While working in a bank and rehearsing with the band, Cheryl was telling her supervisor about this all-female band called KLYMAXX she was in. Her supervisor, Linda Pate, told Cheryl that her uncle, Johnny Pate, was a producer for Artists like, Pebo Bryson and Minnie Riperton; and that if Cheryl would bring her the band’s demo tape, she would give it to her uncle to see if he could help the band. When Johnny Pate listened to the music he was not impressed but happened to have lunch with an A&R executive named, Margret Nash who worked at Solar Records and he gave it to her. She loved the idea of an all-female band and the musical direction she could hear in KLYMAXX’s demo tape.

Margret took the tape and idea to Dick Griffey who was the president of Solar Records. He went to hear and see the band rehearse and signed the band immediately to a contract with Solar Records that would spawn 5 albums. Cheryl wrote the music to the demo song that got KLYMAXX the record deal and was the first single called,

“NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF A WOMAN”

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Los Angeles has so many great places to eat, see and experience, that I would have to make a list that would not exhaust us everyday.

Day 1. A walk on Hollywood Blvd where there are entertainment stars’ plaques in the sidewalks, from many decades. Stop and eat lunch at one of the many places or authentic ethnic foods from around the world.

Day 2. Venice Beach where there are many broadwalk merchants, stores and many performing their talents right there on the spot. Stop and eat lunch at one of the many places of seafoods from the Pacific Ocean.

Day 3. La Brea Tar Pits and Museum where rare fossils to real paleontologists. All kinds of awe-inspiring adventures. Then eat lunch at one of the many restaurants on ‘Restaurant Way’ on La Cienga Blvd in the Wilshire District.

Day 4. Universal Studios where you can see how many of the famous movies and television shows were created and filmed as well as ride some of the many amusement park entertainment rides. Eat lunch at one of the many eateries right there at the park.

Day 5. Malibu Waterfall Wonders: Guided Hiking Adventure a guided hiking tour of a perfect blend of tranquility and adventure. And of course find a new place of the Los Angeles cuisine.

Day 6. Disneyland. Spend the day at the home of Mickey Mouse and all the Disney cartoon and movie characters as well as ride the many amusement park rides. Eat at the many food adventured eateries.

Day 7. Santa Catalina Island: Nautilus Semi-Submarine Cruise. A semi-submarine that will take you to a marine sanctuary. Then go to the famous “Pink’s Hot Dogs” stand at the fashion district on Melrose Ave in West Hollywood.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
To my musicians, tech crew and management that assist me in continuing the Klymaxx music legacy and touring: Christie Malone, Tramisha Vaughn, Magda Daniec, Dani Burton, Megan Steiner, Michael Womble, Bill Pittman, Timothy Morganfield and Charis Jones.

Website: klymaxx.com

Instagram: @klymaxxmusic

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/klymaxx/

Twitter: @klymaxx

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/klymaxxmusic

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/klymaxxmusic

Other: https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.unruley.cooley/

Image Credits
BZFilms.com, Billy Montgomery, Charis Jones