Bob Marley & The Wailers Candi Staton Carly Simon Hot Chocolate The Jam Commodores Deniece Williams The Stranglers Rita Coolidge The RAH Band Smokie The Floaters The band was formed by the former Detroit Emeralds' singer James Mitchell, with his brother Paul Mitchell, Larry Cunningham, Charles Clark, and the unrelated Ralph Mitchell. Most of The Floaters were from Northeast Detroit, bordering Hamtramck on Detroit's Eastside.
James Mitchell wrote the band's one major hit, "Float On", with Arnold Ingram and Marvin Willis. The lyrics spotlight each member of the band, who introduced themselves with their name, astrological sign, and ideal type of romantic partner.The song was produced by Woody Wilson. It became a worldwide hit in 1977 on ABC Records, reaching No. 1 on the US R&B chart, No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart