Music legend Roger Troutman honored by his hometown of Hamilton

The street he grew up on, Washington Street, was honorarily named Roger Troutman Street.
Music legend Roger Troutman, a Hamilton native, was celebrated on Tuesday morning with the honorary naming of Washington Street as Roger Troutman Street. Troutman, who died in 1999 in Dayton, grew up on Washington Street where he created his band Zapp, which included his brothers and other musicians. He famously collaborated with big names of the funk, R&B and hip-hop industry, including Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Tupac Shakur. Pictured is Mayor Pat Moeller reading a proclamation at the honorary naming ceremony surrounded by Roger Troutman's family. PROVIDED/TVHAMILTON

Credit: TVHamilton

Credit: TVHamilton

Music legend Roger Troutman, a Hamilton native, was celebrated on Tuesday morning with the honorary naming of Washington Street as Roger Troutman Street. Troutman, who died in 1999 in Dayton, grew up on Washington Street where he created his band Zapp, which included his brothers and other musicians. He famously collaborated with big names of the funk, R&B and hip-hop industry, including Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Tupac Shakur. Pictured is Mayor Pat Moeller reading a proclamation at the honorary naming ceremony surrounded by Roger Troutman's family. PROVIDED/TVHAMILTON
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Updated July 25, 2024
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Because of Roger Troutman’s influence in American music, Hamilton renamed his boyhood street in his honor.

“In the book of history about Hamilton, Ohio, there’s a chapter obviously on music legends, and definitely Roger Troutman has a prominent place in that chapter in Hamilton history about music legends,” said Mayor Pat Moeller ahead of recognizing Troutman and reading his long list of accomplishments.

Troutman, a singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist, was born in 1951 in Hamilton, where he and his brothers, Lester, Terry and Larry, along with other musicians, created the band that would become Zapp. The band released four gold-selling albums, and several funk and R&B hits. Troutman and his band helped spearhead the funk movement and heavily influenced West Coast hip hop due to the scene’s heavy sampling of his music over the years.

Music legend Roger Troutman, a Hamilton native, was celebrated on Tuesday morning with the honorary naming of Washington Street as Roger Troutman Street. Troutman grew up on Washington Street where he created his band Zapp, which included his brothers and other musicians. He famously collaborated with big names of the funk, R&B and hip-hop industry, including Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Tupac Shakur. Pictured is Lester Troutman, Roger's younger brother, speaking at the honorary naming event. PROVIDED/TVHAMILTON

Credit: TVHamilton

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Credit: TVHamilton

Troutman, who later worked and lived in Dayton, was well known for his use of the talk box ― a device that allows a musician’s voice to be vocalized through an instrument via a plastic tube ― including on Tupac Shakur and Dr. Dre’s song “California Love” (1995). He also appear on Snoop Dogg’s “Doggystyle” (1993) and Kool Keith’s “Master of the Game” (1999).

He and his brothers formed the band in 1978 and discovered by funk icon George Clinton a year later, when he signed Zapp ― which included Gregory Jackson and Bobby Glover ― in 1979. In 1980, the band signed with Cincinnati native Bootsy Collins, which led to the band’s first hit, “More Bounce to the Ounce,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Soul singles charts and the Album, “Zapp,” reached the top 10 on the Billboard 200.

Music legend Roger Troutman, a Hamilton native, was celebrated on Tuesday morning with the honorary naming of Washington Street as Roger Troutman Street. Troutman grew up on Washington Street where he created his band Zapp, which included his brothers and other musicians. He famously collaborated with big names of the funk, R&B and hip-hop industry, including Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Tupac Shakur. PROVIDED/TVHAMILTON

Credit: TVHamilton

icon to expand image

Credit: TVHamilton

ExploreTroutman Sound Labs gets Ohio historical marker

Over his career, Troutman collaborated with the biggest of names in the music industry, including Clinton, Collins, Elvis Costello, Eazy-E, Snoop Dog, and Dr. Dre. Troutman is also credited with pioneering the famed funky “Dayton sound.” In 2020, an Ohio historical marker was dedicated at the site of the former Troutman Sound Labs, where Troutman had worked from 1983 until his murder in April 1999.

Hamilton has had its honorary street name program for about five years, and city officials have said this program has allowed some of the accomplishments from people like Troutman and other native and adopted Hamiltonians to be recognized.

Troutman’s brother, Lester Troutman, said of Tuesday’s honorary street naming in Hamilton, “There is no word I can articulate,” on the honor for his older brother. “To see his name on the street I grew up on, it’s the most amazing thing I could ever even imagine. This is beautiful.”

“The impact that (Roger) had on me made me want to follow him for the rest of my life, and I’m still doing it,” Lester said.

Music legend Roger Troutman, a Hamilton native, was celebrated on Tuesday morning with the honorary naming of Washington Street as Roger Troutman Street. Troutman grew up on Washington Street where he created his band Zapp, which included his brothers and other musicians. He famously collaborated with big names of the funk, R&B and hip-hop industry, including Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Tupac Shakur. PROVIDED/TVHAMILTON

Credit: TVHamilton

icon to expand image

Credit: TVHamilton

PHOTOS: Roger Troutman and the legendary ZAPP band through the years
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Michael D. Pitman has been a reporter in southwest Ohio since 1999. He's covered local governments in Warren and Butler counties, as well as state and national issues. He currently covers the cities of Fairfield and Hamilton.