0 Baltimore Flamingo Terry Johnson Soars to the Sky

• Interview
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 11/01/2006

In 2005, Terry Johnson, formerly of the Flamingos, released, "Let's Be Lovers," a song that introduced Jeff Calloway and Tee. From The Whispers (not the Solar Records group), to The Flamingos, to The Starglows, to Motown Records, Terry has had great success. "I Only Have Eyes for You" is his best known Flamingos classic. You may have seen Terry on the PBS television specials "Rock and Roll at 50" and "Doo-Wop Lost and Found." 1950's "bird" groups, (R&B vocal groups named after birds), were really before my time, so I wanted to discover more about the groups, and about Terry Johnson. The following excerpt originally appeared in the September 2005 Powerhouse Radio Newsletter: King - "Terry, you started in the music business at 16, so you beat me by one year, as I started as a college radio announcer at 17. What was it like to record at 16?" Terry - "Yes, I was pretty blessed at the age of 16. I had a group I put together, we were called The Whispers. They were from Baltimore, Maryland. We went to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Gotham Records to record four songs." "Two songs I wrote myself and sang lead on. The first one is "Full Heart." I sang that in my first tenor voice, the high voice. The second song was, "Are You Sorry," a beautiful love song, I sang that in my natural voice, my baritone voice that I'm talking in right now." "I switched between first tenor and baritone, a matter of fact that's how the confusion started with The Flamingos, because I was singing all of the duets with Paul Wilson, I was singing the low part, the baritone, and then I would go into first tenor to do the repeats...(Terry sings to demonstrate). See what I mean...(switching between the two parts). King - "You're from Baltimore. A lot of groups have come out of Baltimore. The Orioles, and some newer groups like Pockets. Who inspired you to get into music?" Terry - "Yes Baltimore, Maryland had many great superstars, I mean the groups were very plentiful. I can remember the Cardinals, I can remember Johnny Mason, and the Clovers." "Also, down the street from me...I was blessed, I mean, I had Earl Hurley of The Swallows, I had Sonny Til of The Orioles." "I was very inspired by Sonny Til. He was the main one. And up the street was Junior Bailey of The Cadillacs. I mean man, there were so many great superstars from Baltimore, but especially on my street, 1300 block of whatcoat Street." King - "You played guitar on all your records and on all The Flamingos albums. Who inspired you to play guitar?" Terry - "I was inspired for guitar when I first heard Les Paul, and Mary Ford. Little did I realize that he was using about three or four different tracks that he was playing his solos on." "I said it's impossible for someone to be playing that fast. Once I got the shape, then I turned to some of my other mentors." "Music that I love was Kenny Burrell, jazz, Johnny Smith, the way he played the melody and chord formation." "I turned to Manny Johnson. Manny Johnson was the guitarist with The Swallows, Earl Hurley also. I turned to Bunty Rogers, he was an excellent teacher. He showed me a lot of the Johnny Smith stuff. And ah, that's how I really got my soul." "Guitar is my soul. Guitar speaks what I feel inside. So when you hear me strumming those six strings man, you're touching my very soul. You're hearing it." King - "You've had your own group of Flamingos since 1961, and you were involved with Motown." Terry - "From 1964 - 1974, I was at Motown Records as an artist, writer, arranger, and producer. I produced a lot of songs with my dear friend, who brought me to Motown, Smokey Robinson. We had a great team." "We recorded on The Supremes, The Four Tops, The Temptations, The Miracles, Jimmy Ruffin, David Ruffin, Martha and The Vandellas, Edwin Starr...I can't even name all of them, I mean because there was such a vast amount of artists at Motown, I really enjoyed what I did there." King - "How does it feel to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?" Terry - "It's the pinnacle of what we entertainers strive for, and it's a great honor." King - "Thanks very much for your time Terry. Any closing thoughts for your fans?" Terry - "Thanks for the ride, and thanks for your support. I love you, and I hope you love my new music. Thank you." ---------- For even more, check out Terry's Johnson's biography at theflamingos.com. Previous Post | Next Post

0 Ghoulish Grooves Make up Funky Halloween Treats

• Songs
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 10/30/2006

Time to get into the Halloween groove with some scary classic soul favorites. Four out of the five haunting melodies below are guaranteed to bust a move on the dance floor. Our fright night tunes embody entertaining performances with whistling wind, creaking doors, howling wolves, and blood-curdling screams. Here are my top five soulful Halloween heavyweights, ranked in order. 1) Thriller - Michael Jackson "Thriller" gets the nod as the best production. With Quincy Jones and Vincent Price in your corner, how can you lose? Jacko ain't wacko on this one. Michael delivers the goods. An international mega hit. Rating: 9.5 out of 10. 2) Ghostbusters - Ray Parker Jr. Having a popular movie (of the same name) to promote your song always helps the cause. The video was fun, the song is bouncy, the rhythm is memorable. Who you gonna call? Rating: 9 out of 10. 3) Addams Groove - Hammer Hammer creates a tale about the spooky Addams Family, (a 1960's hit television series), and details their bizarre behavior in this hip-hop pop gem. He raps about the ghastly but harmless Addams', a family with Frankenstein, Dracula, and Wolf Man lookalikes. With a tip of the hat to James Brown, Hammer takes "Addams Groove" to the bridge for fun and laughs. Rating: 8.5 out of 10. 4) I Put a Spell on You - Screamin' Jay Hawkins Jalacy J. Hawkins wanted to sing opera like his idol, Paul Robeson. Fortunately for R&B fans, the desire for quick money channeled the Cleveland, Ohio native towards more popular fare. Hawkins is famous for his screams, howls, and vocal grunts. Screamin' Jay recorded "Spell" several times. The 1956 version caused outraged parents to call radio stations to ban airplay. Sound familiar? Even with an eventual ban, a million copies were sold. This one is wild - a classic and an original. Rating: 8 out of 10. 5) The Skeleton in the Closet - Louis Armstrong with Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra Once upon a time, the big band sound ruled the dance floor. The legendary Louis Armstrong gets the joint jumpin' with this 1936 recording along with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. Armstrong sings about an old deserted mansion haunted with spirits. Uptempo, eerie, and clever, "The Skeleton in the Closet" is entertaining, campy, and cool. The song was also featured in the movie, "Pennies From Heaven," starring Bing Crosby. Louis pulls a stylistic Cab Calloway here, rappin', struttin', and singing. He plays his trumpet too. Seventy years later, "Skeleton" stands the test of time. Rating: 8 out of 10. ---------- Halloween music lights up the imagination of listeners of all ages. These five songs capture suspenseful drama at it's best. Previous Post | Next Post

0 George Benson and Al Jarreau are Trading Places

• News
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 10/26/2006

George Benson and Al Jarreau have gathered their friends together to offer us a brand new release, "Givin' It Up." According to the Concord Music Group, the 13 song collection features George or Al on a new arrangement of the other's biggest hits. Jarreau adds lyrics to and sings Benson's signature instrumental "Breezin'," while the legendary jazz guitarist delivers a nice instrumental version of Al's wake-up hit "Mornin'." "Givin' It Up" also includes versions of Seals and Crofts' "Summer Breeze" and Hall and Oates' (and Paul Young's) "Every Time You Go Away." The tracks were recorded between April and June, 2006. Paul McCartney dropped in to join Benson and Jarreau on an impromptu cover of Sam Cooke's "Bring it on Home to Me." Jill Scott performs Billie Holiday's timeless "God Bless the Child." Also included is an instrumental take on John Legend's Grammy Award-winning R&B hit, "Ordinary People." Patti Austin, Patrice Rushen, Herbie Hancock, and Stanley Clarke also appear on the album. It sounds like "Givin' It Up" has the sonic star power to appeal to a wide audience. Previous Post | Next Post

0 Evelyn 'Champagne' King uncorks her New Spirit

• Photo
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 10/25/2006

I've always enjoyed Evelyn "Champagne" King, (left in this photo, along with Thelma Houston, and the late Vicki Sue Robinson). Of the three times I've seen E-C-K live, her booming voice always left a lasting impression. She started out in the music business as a teenager, performing her lively hits, including "Shame," "Love Come Down," and "I Don't Know if it's Right." Evelyn's waited in the wings for over a decade before recently signing a new recording deal. She really hasn't gone anywhere, as she's continued to perform through the years. Her new album will give her the opportunity to expose her talent to a whole new generation. Previous Post | Next Post

0 Ashford and Simpson Cook up Haute Hit Cuisine

• Songs
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 10/24/2006

Turn on your radio or favorite music device, and you'd be hard pressed not to quickly hear a hit song written by husband and wife team Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson. Nick and Val have penned some of the best: Ain't No Mountain High Enough I'm Every Woman Reach Out and Touch You're All I Need to Get By California Soul The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) credits an amazing 240 songs to the pair. Just their Motown output would be spectacular enough. When you factor in their own self-authored hits, well this team is one-of-a-kind. What's your favorite Ashford and Simpson hit by Ashford and Simpson? It might be one of these: Is It Still Good To You Solid Found a Cure Since 1996, Nick and Val have co-owned an intimate live entertainment full service upper West Side New York City restaurant. Ashford and Simpson's Sugar Bar was originally conceived by Nickolas. Sugar Bar has had a decade of staying power. The formula: famous hosts, great food, lively performances, and frequent visits from celebrities. Ashford and Simpson. They've sung the songs. They've written the hits. They've dabbled as DJ's on New York's 98.7 Kiss FM. What's left on their plate? Serving up plenty of more surprises! Previous Post | Next Post

0 Whitney Houston Holds Top Ten Career Record

• Commentary
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 10/19/2006

Here's Whitney Houston in happier days having fun in the studio. When she topped the pop charts in 1988 with her seventh consecutive number one hit, "Where Do Broken Hearts Go," she broke the "six in a row" record held by both the Beatles and the Bee Gees. It's hard being a diva. In addition to the fame and fortune, the tabloid press document your every move. Whitney has been a frequent poster girl in newspaper gossip columns, blogs, and magazines. The tabloids are notorious for lax fact checking when they know coverage of celebrities will generate big sales. Let's not escape the fact however that Whitney Houston has an enviable track record of big time success. Here is her place among all artists with the most number one hits (according to music historian Joel Whitburn). The Beatles Elvis Presley Mariah Carey Michael Jackson Madonna The Supremes Whitney Houston George Michael Stevie Wonder Bee Gees and Artists with the most top 10 hits (source: Joel Whitburn) Elvis Presley The Beatles Madonna Stevie Wonder Michael Jackson Elton John Janet Jackson The Rolling Stones Whitney Houston Paul McCartney What does the future hold for the New Jersey native? In a statement on her web site, visitors can find the following message:"It has been confirmed that Whitney Houston has filed for a divorce. This has been confirmed and announced by Whitney's spokesperson, Nancy Seltzer." Of the three 2006 news section posts on her web site (to date), two have been damage control, while only one promotes her music career...and what a career it's been. Dive right into our Powerhouse Radio:"Whitney Houston Quiz" 1. Whitney Houston's aunt is: a) Thelma Houston b) Gladys Knight c) Chaka Khan d) Dionne Warwick 2. Whitney married Bobby Brown in: a) 1989 b) 1992c) 1994 d) 1991 3. Whitney co-starred in the movie The Bodyguard with Kevin Costner released in: a) 1992b) 1990 c) 1994 d) 1988 Here are the correct answers: 1. (d) 2. (b) 3. (a)  Previous Post | Next Post

0 Contemporary R&B Chart Toppers Challenged by Staying Power

• Commentary
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 10/18/2006

What's the relationship between sales popularity and music quality? I was curious about this question while reviewing one large online retailer's current R&B music chart. A quick scan of these two charts (for the week of October 16, 2006) reveals a big difference between buying preferences and personal evaluation of the quality of the music by the buyers. Here are the top 25 R&B CD's in order: Janet Jackson, 20 Y.O. (2006) Justin Timberlake, FutureSex / LoveSounds (2006) Parental Advisory Fergie, The Dutchess (2006) Ludacris, Release Therapy (2006) Parental Advisory Gladys Knight, Before Me (2006) Solomon Burke, Nashville (2006) Lupe Fiasco, Food & Liquor (2006) Parental Advisory South Park Mexican, When Devils Strike (2006) Parental Advisory Aaron Neville, Bring It On Home...The Soul Classics (2006) Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Thug Stories (2006) Parental Advisory Lloyd Banks, Rotten Apple (2006) Parental Advisory Tego Calderon, El Subestimado (2006) Parental Advisory Crunchy Black, On My Own (2006) Parental Advisory Lionel Richie, Coming Home (2006) Various Artists, What It Is! Funky Soul And Rare Grooves: 1967-1977 (2006) Roots, Game Theory (2006) Parental Advisory Ras Kass, Eat Or Die (2006) Australia; Parental Advisory Beyonce', B'Day (2006) Danity Kane, Danity Kane (2006) Jedi Mind Tricks, Servants In Heaven, Kings In Hell (2006) Young Jeezy, Can't Ban The Snowman (2006) Parental Advisory Daz Dillinger, So So Gangsta (2006) Parental Advisory Natalie Cole, Leavin' (2006) Method Man, 4:21... The Day After (2006) Parental Advisory Dave Hollister, Book Of David - Vol 1 The Transition (2006) Here's another version of the list from the same retailer. It's the top 25 R&B best seller chart, this time based upon customer ranking and reviews of the music... Aaron Neville, Bring It On Home...The Soul Classics (2006) Lionel Richie, Coming Home (2006) Natalie Cole, Leavin' (2006) Dave Hollister, Book Of David - Vol 1 The Transition (2006) Willie Clayton, Gifted (2006) Governor, Son Of Pain (2006) Parental Advisory Cormega, My Brother's Keeper (2006) Parental Advisory Mr. Marcelo, Son Of Magnolia (2006) Parental Advisory K-Ci, My Book (2006) Big Rich, Block Tested, Hood Approved (2006) Parental Advisory Justin (Ft Timbaland) Timberlake, Sexyback Pt.2 (Enhanced) England Ike Turner, Risin' With The Blues (2006) Intruders, Best Of The Intruders: Cowboys To Girls(1995) Pete Rock, Underground Classics (2006) Lil Cuete, #1 Gun (2006) Aretha Franklin, Amazing Grace: The Complete Recordings (1999) Millie Jackson, Caught Up/Still Caught Up (1974) Stevie Wonder, At The Close Of A Century (1999) Box Set Daz Dillinger, So So Gangsta (2006) Parental Advisory Sweet Inspirations, Sweet Inspirations Angela Bofill, Angel Of The Night (1979) Various Artists, Disco Dance (2001) Jibbs, Chain Hang Low (2006) Roots, Things Fall Apart (1999) Paul Butterfield, East-West (1966) What do the differences indicate? First, people really like the CD's by the artists at the top of the second chart. Second, more classic soul artists dominate the second chart. Many of the releases are not even from 2006. Janet Jackson is number one on the sales chart, but doesn't even rank on the second chart! This is no error. "20 Y.O." has sold just over 500,000 copies, and is now being considered a flop. After listening to this CD a couple of times, I agree with the masses. See my review in a future Powerhouse Radio Newsletter. Third, the crew of artists in the "Parental Advisory" club drops dramatically in the second chart. These trendy R&B/hip hop releases dominate the sales chart, but seem to be less valued when reviews are written by the community of music lovers who rank the tunes in chart two. How we feel about music influences whether we'll like a certain amount of exposure to unknown tracks. Too often we typecast artists and genres. We don't listen first before forming opinions. But what if your favorite music betrays you? One writer who has been doing a lot of recent listening is Lonnae O'Neal Parker. Her October 15, 2006 high profile article in the Washington Post, "Why I Gave Up On Hip-Hop," is a confessional laced with conclusions you could easily draw from just eyeballing the trends of these charts. Previous Post | Next Post

0 Lionel Richie Leads a Grab Bag of Christmas Holiday Favorites

• Christmas
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 10/17/2006

Here are some notes on three festive holiday releases coming your way this Fall. (1) The rejuvenated Lionel Richie, riding the success of his latest CD "Coming Home," offers eight holiday songs for the new "Lionel Richie Collection," including "Joy to the World," and "Silent Night." (2) John Legend, (scheduled to release his next CD October 24th), gives fans a bonus CD of holiday hits. "Let it Snow" is featured on "The John Legend Collection" Christmas offering. Retailer Target will be the exclusive distributor of the Richie and Legend holiday CD's. (3) Daryl Hall and John Oates have released their first ever Christmas album. They are donating a portion of the proceeds to Toys for Tots, the charitable program run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves. There are two new songs, "Home for Christmas," which is the title track, and "No Child Should Ever Cry on Christmas." These traditional classics get a contemporary touch: The First Noel It Came Upon a Midnight Clear The Christmas Song Mary Had a Baby Oh Holy Night Hall and Oates have also re-recorded "Jingle Bell Rock," a promotional single they originally released many years ago. Previous Post | Next Post

0 Dionne Warwick and Girl Friends Sing Fresh Duets

• News
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 10/13/2006

Dionne Warwick continues her 2006 celebration of 45 years in show business with a new all-star female duet collection featuring those most memorable Burt Bacharach - Hal David hits. Together with Dionne on "My Friends and Me" are: Gladys Knight Olivia Newton-John Kelis Gloria Estefan Mya Angie Stone Cyndi Lauper Reba McEntire Da Brat Celia Cruz Chante Moore Wynonna Judd Cheyenne Elliott Lisa Tucker Deborah Cox Gladys Knight joins Ms. Warwick for a powerful reading of "I'll Never Love This Way Again." Olivia Newton-John and Dionne do a bouncy interpretation of "Wishin' and Hopin'." Contemporary R&B maven Mya does "Close to You" duet style. Kelis jumps in with DW for "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head." Gloria Estefan tag-teams "Walk on By." Celia Cruz together with Dionne helps point the way to "San Jose." Deborah Cox, Chante Moore, Angie Stone, and Da Brat help Ms. Warwick bring the socially conscious "Windows of the World" up-to-date, with Da Brat rapping about Iraq, Katrina, and other controversial issues. Dionne will celebrate the November 7th release of "My Friends and Me" with a special benefit concert on Sunday, November 19, at New York's Lincoln Center Avery Fisher Hall. The evening will raise funds for Love Our Children USA and The New York Therapeutic Riding Center. Previous Post | Next Post

0 Soulful 45 RPM Picture Sleeve Flashback

• Photo
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 10/12/2006

By approximately 1990, 45 RPM picture sleeves faded into music history. The colorful jackets artfully promoted the latest songs by eager recording acts with visions of hits dancing in their heads. The seven inch vinyl record inside of the sleeve also faded into oblivion along with 8 track tapes, turntables, and electric typewriters. CD singles still come with picture sleeves, but as digital downloading of music becomes more popular, the days of CD singles are numbered. Retail CD albums will probably last a little longer. Can you guess what year these four songs with sleeves were released?      Hint: all four are from the same year in the 1980's. These four original 45 RPM picture sleeves, from the PowerhouseRadio.com collection, promoted what turned out to be major hits for Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, and minor releases for Natalie Cole and Smokey Robinson. As you might guess, sleeves keep increasing in value. Do you have any in your collection? Most 45 RPM picture sleeves, even without the vinyl records inside, fetch between $5 to $10 a piece in 2006. Several authors have written books estimating the value of these sleeves. The more famous the act, the more value the sleeve has. I'm lucky enough to have several hundred original 45 RPM picture sleeves going back to 1964, 99.5% with the records too, and I plan to hold on to all of them. Answer to the trivia question: 1987. Want to use any of our picture sleeves as a screen saver? Visit the Powerhouse Radio Picture Sleeve Pop Wallpapers collection. Previous Post | Next Post