Midnight Star was formed by Reggie Calloway in 1976. Calloway was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, in 1955. After his parents divorced in 1963, Reggie Calloway worked from 1964 to 1970 at his Larson’s Flower Barn and Ice Cream Parlor which was operated by his mother in Cincinnati, Ohio. A natural athlete, Reggie also played trumpet. In 1975 Reggie and brothers Vincent and Gregory, along with friends John Jones and Ruben Jordan, formed the jazz-fusion group SunChild. They released their first single on their own label, Starbound Records. During the summer of 1975, SunChild served as the back-up band for Sonny Stitt. Subsequently, Midnight Star consisted of Reggie Calloway as frontman, Belinda Lipscomb on lead vocals, Melvin Gentry on guitar and vocals, Kenneth Gant on bass guitar and vocals, Bill Simmons on saxophone and keyboards, Bo Watson on keyboards and vocals, and Jeff Cooper on guitar and keyboards, were all students at Kentucky State University. They later added non-KSU students Vincent Calloway (Reggie’s younger brother) on trombone, and Bobby Lovelace on drums. Midnight Star was a nine-piece ensemble.

The band signed a record deal in 1979. Their first three albums released between 1980 and 1982 made a ripple in the record markets. But in 1983, Midnight Star released No Parking on the Dance Floor. The album reached #2 on the Billboard Top Soul Album chart. From the album came the single “Freak-A-Zoid”.

Freak-A-Zoid by Midnight Star

“Freak-A-Zoid” is a song about sexy robots that are programmed to satisfy “all your physical needs.” The singer exclaims “Come on and wind me up, oh dare scream…. Shake your body like you just don’t care. I said, oh baby, I can be your Freak-A-Zoid if you dare.” The Freak-A-Zoid brags “I never get tired. I’m rechargeable.” Later on it reveals, “I’m in total automation. Your every wish is my command.”

“Freak-A-Zoid” reached #1 in Los Angeles and Montreal, #2 San Francisco, #3 in Fort Lauderdale, and San Bernardino (CA), #4 in Miami, and #5 in Fresno (CA) on the Top 40 pop charts. On the R&B charts in the USA “Freak-A-Zoid” climbed to #2. Internationally, “Freak-A-Zoid” reached #3 on the New Zealand pop chart.

The follow-up single release, “Wet My Whistle”, was a Top Ten soul single and charted on the UK pop charts. The album title track “No Parking on the Dance Floor” was a minor R&B and pop hit. The band’s biggest hit came with the release of Planetary Invasion in 1984. The single “Operator” reached number-one on the Hot Black Singles chart. It also cracked the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 peaking at #18. A subsequent release from the album, “Scientific Love”, was a Top 20 Hot Black Singles charting single.

In 1986, “Headlines”, the title track from Midnight Star’s sixth album, reached #3 on the Hot Black Singles chart and #16 on the UK pop singles chart. A second single from Headlines titled “Midas Touch” reached #7 on the Hot Black Singles chart and #8 on the UK pop singles chart. It later climbed to #11 in Australia in 2005 in a re-mixed version. While a third single, “Engine No. 9”, stalled at #11 on the Hot Black Singles chart.

Midnight Star enjoyed further success on the soul singles market with “Don’t Rock the Boat” which peaked at #3 on the Hot Black Singles chart in 1988. “Snake in the Grass” climbed to #10 on the Hot Black Singles chart later that year. A final single titled “Do It (One More Time)” reached #12 on the Hot Black Singles chart in 1990.

After Midnight Star dissolved in 1990, Melvin Gentry and Bo Watson became a production/songwriting team. They worked with Toni Braxton, Shanice, and others. Watson co-wrote with Babyface, including tracks like “Love Shoulda Brought You Home,” and served as musical director for Babyface projects.

Belinda Lipscomb moved on to theater/gospel musicals, and provided vocals for TV commercials and radio jingles.

Kenneth Gant performed with Billy Preston and others, and pursued production and executive work.

Bobby Lovelace and Bill Simmons went on to various music and media projects. Simmons has also been a college professor and joins performances when available.

Jeff Cooper left to focus on raising a family. He later pursued photography and videography.

With the ensemble reformed for old school events and occasional tours since 2000, Belinda Lipscomb, Melvin Gentry, Kenneth Gant, Bo Watson, Bobby Lovelace, and Bill Simmons remain active.

Reggie Calloway and his brother Vincent formed Calloway in 1989. They had a #19 hit on the Hot Black Singles chart with “Sir Lancelot” in 1990. Later that year they reached #5 with “I Wanna Be Rich”. The single crossed over to the pop charts and peaked at #2. Calloway, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Song. In 2017, Calloway and his brother Vincent released the charity single, Houston, after schools in Houston were badly flooded by Hurricane Harvey.

Reggie Calloway is an avid speaker and advocate for the rights of creatives in the entertainment industry. He serves as President of the California Copyright Conference Scholarship Fund and serves on the national advisory board for the Archives of African American Music and Culture as well as serving on the board of directors at The Funk Music Hall of Fame and IAFAR. In 2022, Calloway was inducted into the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame.

September 26, 2026
Ray McGinnis

References:
Ivory Hecker, “Proceeds from new ‘Houston’ song benefit schools hit by hurricane,” FOX News, December 22, 2017.
“Sound Royalties’ Reggie Calloway Added to Black Music Walk of Fame,” Music Connection, July 22, 2022.
“Midnight Star official fan page,” Facebook.

Freak-A-Zoid by Midnight Star

CKGM 980-AM Montreal (PQ) | January 11, 1984

#52: Freak-A-Zoid by Midnight Star

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