The Main Ingredient is an American R&B/soul group best known for its 1970s hits. The group initially formed in 1964 under the name The Poets, before becoming The Insiders and eventually settling on The Main Ingredient in 1968. It gained significant recognition for its smooth blend of soul, R&B, and funk, with notable band members including Cuba Gooding Sr., Tony Silvester, and Luther Simmons Jr. Their most influential work, "Everybody Plays the Fool," reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1972, cementing their place in music history.