Widely and rightly regarded as one of the best ever soul and funk bands, the now legendary Average White Band tore-up the rule book and conquered the US, UK and International charts with a series of soul and disco hits between 1974 and 1980.

AWB’s repertoire has been a source of inspiration and influence for many R&B acts and they are one of the most sampled bands in history, remaining relevant today, continuing to reach new generations of younger audiences. • Snoop Dogg, Fatboy Slim, Ice Cube, Puff Daddy, TLC, Rick Ross, will.i.am and Mark Ronson amongst countless others, have all borrowed sections of their grooves.

50 is a 133 track/15 Disc 50th anniversary celebration of the Band’s classic studio albums from 1973’s debut Show Your Hand, up to 1982’s Cupid’s In Fashion. The set also includes their Live album Person To Person, which was also a US Top 30 Album, the ‘spoiler’ album Volume VIII, the reconfigured Shine – aka ‘On The Strip’ - and an 8 track disc with selected 12” mixes, two of which make their CD debut, early versions, live and later discovered tracks.

50 includes an Introductory note from Onnie McIntyre with his personal recollections, although the framework of these 10,000 word notes have appeared in previous collections or releases. However, as they were such indepth interviews both Alan Gorrie and Hamish Stuart felt that there wasn’t anything further that could be written about those early days.