John Eaton is a member of the talented Michigan funk band Ready for the World, active initially in the first half of the '80s with a string of hits including "Tonight" and "Deep Inside Your Love," then back in 2003 for a reunion recording project involving all the original group members. Being able to assemble an original lineup of such a group is an accomplishment in itself, but even more unique was the band's status as an '80s funk group whose membership played all their own instruments. In terms of such a challenge, Eaton and bandmates such as keyboardist Gregory Potts were truly Ready for the World. A touch of rock & roll with the soul may have been the caress that counted in terms of public acceptance of this band within a style given the tough-sounding name of new jack; nonetheless, there were funk fans who never got quite used to the vocals of lead singer Melvin Riley. His voice stimulated critics to use adjectives rare indeed for a recording in this genre: "whining," for one. "Black 'n' Mild" was the title of the band's 2003 comeback single, something of a summary of Riley's style in itself. ~ Eugene Chadbourne