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ARI SHAPIRO: What do Salt-N-Pepa, Amy Winehouse, Oasis and the theme song to the animated TV show "Futurama" have in common - these six seconds.
(SOUNDBITE OF THE WINSTONS' "AMEN, BROTHER")
ARI SHAPIRO: This is called the Amen break. It's used in at least 2,000 songs spanning a range of genres. It was created half a century ago by the band The Winstons, but they never saw a cent from it. Erin Wygant of member station WFAE visited one of the last remaining band members in Wadesboro, N.C.
ERIN WYGANT: The Winstons were a funk and soul band formed in 1967 in Washington, D.C. They started out as backup musicians before briefly hitting it big. Bandleader Richard Spencer, who plays the saxophone and sang lead, remembers the rush of those days fondly. The group's first professional photo hangs in his living room.
RICHARD SPENCER: The guy at the top is Ray Maritano. Now, that's Phil. Phil was the pretty boy. That's me. And now that's Greg right there with the shades on.
ERIN WYGANT: Gregory Coleman was the drummer. He died in 2006. He was the one who play the Amen break. Spencer and the rest of the band didn't think much of it at the time.
RICHARD SPENCER: Everybody was doing drum beats, you know? It just was nothing new to me.
ERIN WYGANT: What do you think it is about the Amen break that is so...
RICHARD SPENCER: I have - honest...