“Big Apple” became popular in the 1970s, and there were several bands with the name “Big Apple Band.”
 
“The Big Apple Band” (1972-1977) was formed by New York City-born guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards. The band changed its name to Chic to avoid confusion with Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band, and Chic went on to record many commercially successful disco songs.
 
New York City-born composer Walter Murphy had international success with the instrumental “A Fifth of Beethoven,” credited to “Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band.” Murphy learned about The Big Apple Band with Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, so his new recordings were made using “The Walter Murphy Band” and then just “Walter Murphy.”
     
This YouTube video is described as from “The Big Apple band.  Rochester NY.1976.” The song is “Lullaby of Broadway” (1935).
     
   
Wikipedia: Walter Murphy
Walter Anthony Murphy Jr. (born December 19, 1952) is an American composer, keyboardist, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for the instrumental “A Fifth of Beethoven”, a disco adaptation of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony which topped the charts in 1976 and was featured on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack in 1977.
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The single was initially credited to “Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band” upon encouragement from Private Stock, who believed it would become a hit if credited to a group rather than an individual. However, two days following the record’s release, Private Stock discovered the existence of another Big Apple Band (which promptly changed its name to Chic). As result, the record was later re-released and credited to “The Walter Murphy Band”, then just “Walter Murphy”.
   
Wikipedia: Chic (band)
Chic (/ʃiːk/ SHEEK), currently called Nile Rodgers & Chic, is an American band that was organized in 1972 by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards.
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History
1970–1978: Origins and early singers
Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards met in 1970, as session musicians working in the New York City area. They formed a rock band named The Boys and later The Big Apple Band, playing numerous gigs around New York City. Despite interest in their demos, they never garnered a record contract. They were later in the band New York City, which had a hit record in 1973 with “I’m Doing Fine Now”, charting in the UK. The original demo tapes were made by DJ/studio engineer Robert Drake, who first played lacquer records while DJing at a New York after hours club, Night Owl. New York City broke up in 1976.
 
After Walter Murphy released the single and album “A Fifth of Beethoven” under the name Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band, they changed their name to Chic.
     
YouTube
Big Apple Band - Party & Get On Down
Aug 5, 2008
tuberider1976
recorded at alpha audio richmond, va 1976
 
YouTube
WALTER MURPHY- A Fifth of Beethoven (extended version)
Jul 22, 2011
TheEternauta666  
   
YouTube
The Big Apple Band “Get Away” (Pre-CHIC)
Nov 5, 2011
Nile Rodgers
Nile Rodgers, Bernard Edwards, Tony Thompson and Bobby Cotter were The Big Apple Band before Nile & ‘Nard founded CHIC. Here they are performing Earth Wind & Fire’s “Get Away” in 1976
 
YouTube
The Big Apple Band “You Should Be Dancing” (Pre-CHIC)
Nov 5, 2011
Nile Rodgers
Nile Rodgers, Bernard Edwards, Tony Thompson and Bobby Cotter were The Big Apple Band before Nile & ‘Nard founded CHIC. Here they are performing The Bee-Gees “You Should Be Dancing” in 1976
   
YouTube
HAYWOOD KNIGHT & BAB (The Big Apple Band) - WITHOUT YOUR LOVE SUGAR 101
Sep 9, 2012
John Manship
COMMENTS
Supa Chaloopa
I’m not sure why you didn’t mention who is on this record, other than just showing the name.  BAB was The Big Apple Band-  a group formed by Nile Rodgers, Bernard Edwards, Tony Thompson, unknown white guitarist, and vocalist Bobby Cotter-  they are on the B-side to this record with their own song “Party & Get On Down”.  They backed Heywood Knight for this song “Without Your Love”.  They had to change their name because circa 1975-1976 another group was already using the name-  Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band, who had a hit with “The Fifth Of Beethoven” at the time.  So Nile & Bernard changed their name to BAB (Big Apple Band).  Needless to say, it was just a year later that in 1977 they changed their name to CHIC and the rest is disco history…..  Nile has posted two live recordings of them when they were The Big Apple Band here on youtube-  1. You Should Be Dancing (cover of Bee Gees song) and 2. Get Away.  Check them out.
     
YouTube
I`m Doin` Fine Now—New York City
Feb 7, 2013
VintageTechnik
The first Album   ” I`m Doin` Fine Now ” (Chelsea Records, 1973) USA
http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/New%20Yo…
New York City , the name of this Quartet ,
John Brown (ex The Five Satins, The Cadillacs, The Moonglows)
Claude Johnson (ex The Genies, Don & Juan)
Tim McQueen
Eddie Schell - from Savannah, Georgia
 
YouTube
Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band - A Fifth Of Beethoven (1976 HD 720p)
May 8, 2016
NVNCBL
Classical Disco
   
YouTube 
The Big Apple
Apr 13, 2017
Andrea Contestable
The Big Apple band.  Rochester NY.1976
 
YouTube
Big Apple Band ‎– Party & Get On Down ℗ 1976
Sep 4, 2019
Antony Rosano
Members: Bernard Edwards, Nile Rodgers
     
Facebook   
Gary John Feest
September 19, 2019 at 7:59 PM ·
Nile Gregory Rodgers was born on September 19, 1952 in New York City. Nile met bassist Bernard Edwards in 1970.Together they formed The Big Apple Band. Since another New York artist, Walter Murphy, had a band also called The Big Apple Band, Rodgers and Edwards were forced to change their band’s name to avoid confusion. Thus, in 1977 the band was renamed Chic.
     
YouTube
New York City - I’m Doin’ Fine Now (1973)
Jan 24, 2021
1hit1ders
Note: Click “Show More” below for lyrics. New York City was an American R&B vocal group. They formed in 1972 under the name “Tri-Boro Exchange”, and all of the group’s members had had significant experience singing in other vocal and doo-wop ensembles. They are also from New York City. Under the direction of record producers Wes Farrell and Thom Bell, New York City released two albums and several hit singles, the biggest being 1973’s “I’m Doin’ Fine Now”, which reached U.S. #17. They toured in 1973 with the Big Apple Band (two of whose members would later become part of Chic) as their backing band, but after two albums, the group parted ways. It was the 46th most successful song of 1973 in the US.
   
“I’m Doin’ Fine Now” (T. Bell / S. Marshall / Chelsea Records / Mighty-Three Music)
 
Twitter
Patrick Lopez
@lopezepol
SotD: Three Wise Men, Robert Cotter, https://wewantsounds.bandcamp.com/track/three-wise-men
From an album, Missing You, that Cotter recorded with the Big Apple Band in 1976, which included pre-Chic Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards.
Originally released on Tiger Lily as part of some Morris Levy tax scam.
Three Wise Men, by Robert Cotter
from the album Missing You
wewantsounds.bandcamp.com
2:26 PM · Apr 6, 2021·Twitter Web App
 
Twitter
Norman Records
@normanrecords
JUST IN: ‘Missing You’ by Robert Cotter
That arrow is way off the heart…
Robert Cotter’s rarity of soulful funk features the only known recording of Nile Rodgers’ pre-Chic group The Big Apple Band.
https://normanrecords.com/records/185713-robert-cotter-missing-you
WEWANTSOUNDS
5:21 AM · Apr 12, 2021·Twitter Web App
 
Twitter
WEWANTSOUNDS
@wewantsounds
#RobertCotter in Record Collector this month interviewed by Daryl Easlea
“Alongside Tony Thompson, Rob Sabino, Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers, Cotter was the hotshot singer with The Big Apple Band, who scorched around New York City in the 70s.”
@RecCollMag
9:20 AM · May 24, 2021·Twitter Web App