Let me tell you a story that takes place in a large, vintage, Englewood, New Jersey house built in the 1930s. The community of homes surrounding the house is suburban.

A short walk from the house is a vibrant downtown area. All of the featured shops and commerce you would expect are on opposite sides of it's long main street, Palisade Ave.

Englewood features diverse neighborhoods. The 2025 population tags the peeps total at just under 30,000 people. Travel time by car is 15 to 20 minutes to New York City.

My aunt owned this inviting three story house I reference, until she passed at 92. Before her passing when her daughter, my cousin, got married and moved out, my aunt rented several rooms in the large house.

History in this Northern New Jersey neighborhood reflects a hot music scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Sylvia Robinson, owner of Sugarhill Records, also owned a house several blocks away (on the same street) from my aunt's home.

So did the Isley Brothers. Trivia note. Jimi Hendrix lived in the basement of the Isley Brothers' Englewood home when Hendrix played with the Isley Brothers in the early 1960s.

The Sequence

Cheryl Cook now enters the story. Before TLC and Destiny's Child, there was the pioneering female hip hop group, The Sequence. Shown below left to right are members Cheryl Cook, Angie Stone, and Gwen 'Blondy' Chisholm.

Sequence hailed from Columbia, South Carolina.

Cheryl Cook was lucky to inherit my cousin's vacant room as a rental in the Englewood house on the street with all the music stars.

The Room

The actual room, photo taken in June, 2025

When Cuz visited her mom, my cousin would tell me great stories about Angie Stone coming over to visit Cheryl Cook at the house. I never met Angie or Cheryl, but I feel that I know them more deeply thanks to my cousin's anecdotes about them.

Cheryl moved out a long time ago, but when I visit my male cousin who still lives in the house, I sleep in that same bed, in the same room that you see, with quite a lot of music history behind it! 

May Angie Stone, my female cousin, and her mom RIP.

Let's Meet!

Have you experienced a music story like this? Discover many of mine. If you are in the Northern New Jersey - New York City area on Saturday, September 6th, come by and say hello during my appearance at the Independent Authors Book Expo.

I'll sign copies of my award winning book for you, Powerhouse Radio: Rough Roads, Radiance and Rebirth; My True AM - FM - Satellite and Audio Streaming Survival Story.

Come on by. I'll see you there!

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