0 A Mary Wilson Supreme Fight for Truth in Music

• News
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 10/11/2006

In my review of Marc Taylor's Book: "A Touch of Classic Soul: Soul Singers of the Early 1970's," I mention that there were two groups of competing Delfonics touring in the 1980's. William and Wilbert Hart, original members of the Delfonics, each sought to control the name. Today, there are still bogus groups touring the world using familiar names in an attempt to "get over" while shamming you and me. In the USA, the "imposter group" fraud problem has been around for years. Mary Wilson, an original member of The Supremes, has been involved in a battle to pass national legislation to prevent imposter groups from using famous names of 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's performers. Her legislation requires the presence of a verifiable original group member for the name to be legally used in a live performance. The federal courts have passed on the issue, so Mary has pushed for the legislation in individual states. Other famous music celebrities have supported her cause. So far, Pennsylvania, Illinois, South Carolina, and North Dakota have adopted the truth in music legislation. The Pennsylvania bill forbids, among other things... "Conducting any theatrical exhibition, public show, public amusement or exhibition, for admission to which a price is charged, without stating in any advertisement of the same, in the case of a musical group, whether or not the musical group performing is composed of the original members or a tribute group." It's important to note that Mary says tribute groups are OK, as long as the tribute group doesn't purposely masquerade as the original group. Visit Mary Wilson's web site for complete contact information. You can join her and support her honorable truth in music crusade. 2021 update: See this quick facebook Mary Wilson Tribute we created in honor of her legacy when she passed in February, 2021. Previous Post | Next Post

0 Diana Ross drops Love Power Pick

• News
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 10/05/2006

The highly anticipated Diana Ross CD, "I Love You," is scheduled for release Tuesday, October 10th. It's her first studio album in over seven years. Diana says that she and her producers researched hundreds of songs to select the 14 that are included in the collection. Their screening process was similar to the Quincy Jones - Michael Jackson technique of whittling down about 800 songs to the nine that appeared on "Thriller." Ms. Ross offers "I Love You (That's all That Really Matters)" as the sole new song. The other tunes were selected for what Diana characterizes as "craftsmanship in songwriting." Remember - from the pen of Harry Nilsson More Today Than Yesterday - Spiral Starecase I Want You - Marvin Gaye I Love You (That's All That Really Matters) What About Love - from Oprah Winfrey's "The Color Purple" (stage Production) The Look of Love - Dusty Springfield Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen Lovely Day - Bill Withers To Be Loved Only You I Will - Paul McCartney You Are So Beautiful - Billy Preston Always and Forever - Heatwave Remember Reprise Diana Ross, at age 62, is closing in on her 60th Album. Wow! I like the look of "I Love You." Previous Post | Next Post

0 Before us again: Song Stylist Gladys Knight

• Review
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 10/04/2006

Gladys Knight has been underrated for years. She's one of the great R&B singers. Showing even more range, Gladys has jumped on the "standards" bandwagon with her brand new CD, "Before Me." Yes, you've heard these jazzy classics before: Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me The Man I Love Good Morning Heartache Since I Fell For You God Bless The Child This Bitter Earth I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) Someone To Watch Over Me But Not For Me I'll Be Seeing You Stormy Weather Come Sunday They are the great songs of Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, and Ella Fitzgerald, among others. "Before Me" is the kind of collection you spin to set the perfect mood for a special evening. Gladys is in perfect form. The songs resonate personality with her warm and earthy phrasing. Song stylist for the ages...absolutely. Every Gladys Knight fan should love, "Before Me." The collection reveals another facet of a vocal legend - a strand of jazz that's good for the soul. Previous Post | Next Post

1 Ultimate Luther Vandross Shines Bright

• News
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 10/03/2006

Will the Luther Vandross touch on a song ever go out of style? Just add his name to these glowing, classic soul CD releases... "The Best of" - 1989 "Greatest Hits" - 1999 "Super Hits" - 2000 "The Ultimate" - 2001 "Very Best of" - 2002 "The Essential" - 2003 "The Ultimate" - 2006 There are a few other "pretend" hit collections from obscure record labels, but this list represents the strongest of the Luther Vandross compilations. Some time back, Chic's Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers collaborated with others to write a previously unreleased dance track, "Shine," showcasing Luther's magnificent voice. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis have produced "Shine," which appears on the new "Ultimate Luther Vandross." Out of the 17 other "Ultimate" tracks, one additional song has never been released: "Got You Home." It's a slow-to-medium tempo ballad. Vandross diehards will probably want to grab just "Shine" via a digital download, since the rest of "The Ultimate Luther Vandross" appears on earlier releases. Newer fans can't go wrong getting this excellent 18 song collection. Previous Post | Next Post

0 London Calls John Legend for Live Online Gig

• News
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 09/28/2006

John Legend, who won a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B vocal performance for 2005's "Ordinary People," kicks off a free live online MSN concert series on Monday, October 2. Legend lands in London's Royal Albert Hall for a 9pm performance (1pm Pacific, 4pm Eastern). John also won 2005's Best R&B album Grammy: "Get Lifted." Microsoft's video site, MSN Video, will stream the concert live to the USA, Australia, Canada, Japan, and the U.K. Legend's MSN concert will be the first of 36 scheduled live online performances by various artists over several years. Previous Post | Next Post

0 Leaving New Day Dreaming to Natalie Cole

• News
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 09/27/2006

Aretha Franklin's number one song, "Day Dreaming," gets a contemporary spin as one of the highlighted tracks on Natalie Cole's new CD, "Leavin'." Scheduled for release yesterday, (September 26), "Leavin'" is Natalie's 20th studio album, and her first in four years. Versatility is Ms. Cole's middle name. She chooses a wide selection of material on the collection, including songs by The Isley Brothers, Fiona Apple, Neil Young, Kate Bush, and Sting: Criminal Old Man Day Dreaming Leavin' The More You Do It (The More I Like It Done To Me) Lovin' Arms Love Letter The Man With A Child In His Eyes 5 Minutes Away Don't Say Goodnight (It's Time For Love) You Gotta Be If I Ever Lose My Faith In You She handles "Day Dreaming" quite well, giving it a very modern touch. Natalie Cole trivia...her first hit, "This Will Be," reached #6 pop in 1975. How many hits did she have through 1997? What's a new CD without a tour to support the release? Catch Natalie on the following October and November 2006 dates: October 12: Casino Rama Orillia, Ontario, Canada October 14: Caesar's Palace, Atlantic City, New Jersey October 16: World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania October 18: Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, Georgia October 21: Norton Center for the Arts, Danville, Kentucky October 24: Count Basie Theater, Red Bank, New Jersey October 25: Music Center at Strathmore, Bethesda, Maryland October 28: Fine Arts Theatre, Detroit, Michigan October 29: Fine Arts Theatre, Detroit, Michigan November 1: Park West, Chicago, Illinois November 2: Park West, Chicago, Illinois November 7: Potawatomi Casino-Northern Lights Theatre, Milwaukee, Wisconsin November 12: Jackson Rancheria Casino, Jackson, California The answer to the trivia question: Natalie Cole had 18 charted "hits" between 1975 - 1997. Previous Post | Next Post

0 The New Electronic Frontier for Classic Soul

• Commentary
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 09/26/2006

Take a look at the new music releases, and you'll find lots of old friends attempting to re-enter the spotlight. According to the RIAA, (Recording Industry Association of America), these were the top five genres (in order) based on shipments from record companies: 1996: Rock Country Pop R&B/Urban Rap/Hip Hop 2005: Rock Rap/Hip Hop Country R&B/Urban Pop Overall during the past 10 years, the top five genres remain the same. R&B/Urban hangs in at number 4. Rap/Hip Hop is the biggest gainer - but there's more behind the numbers. In 1996, RIAA research of record buyers concluded that 15-19 year olds represented the largest segment, 17.2 percent. 45 year olds and above represented 15.1 percent of the buyers. Fast forward to 2005. 15-19 year olds have dropped to 11.9%, while 45+ is now the largest buying segment, commanding 25.5% of the market. 20-24 year olds are in 2nd place, with only 12.7%. How we obtain music reflects another interesting change... 1996: Record Store: 49.9% Record Club: 14.3% Internet: (not applicable) Digital Download (not applicable) Concert (not applicable) 2006: Record Store: 39.4% Record Club: 8.5% Internet: 8.2% Digital Download: 6.0% Concert: 2.7% The RIAA numbers show that the gender split between men and women has remained even, about 50 - 50, since 1996. In 2005, it was 48.2% female, and 51.8% male. So when you read about new releases from Lionel Richie, Janet Jackson, Smokey Robinson, Sam Moore (of Sam & Dave fame), The Whispers, and countless others, the numbers back up the fact that the market for these artists is still very strong. Classic Soul is still in the game. Though not the focus of this article, jazz and classical genres have taken the biggest hit over the past 10 years, each losing about 35% of market share with music buyers. Not even considering online radio, in 2005, 14% of music consumers purchased music through the Web. As more music fans become comfortable with commerce in an iTunes world, look for more legacy artists to take advantage of electronic distribution opportunities direct to you and me. Previous Post | Next Post

0 A Relaxing Romantic Return for the Whispers

• Review
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 09/21/2006

Fans all over the world are applauding the Whispers, "For Your Ears Only," their first new CD release in nine years. Sample the songs, and you'll hear the velvety smooth Whispers - very reminiscent of their best all-time classic R&B. These guys conduct a master class in "harmony school" by singing up a gentle "quiet storm." After listening to the tracks, I give "For Your Ears Only" two thumbs up. "Love Won't Let Me Wait," the Major Harris hit, gets a fresh uptempo face lift. Diving into the CD, you discover that the beckoning ballads deliver. The medium-tempo tracks are right on target, and the fourteen songs work together to form a very satisfying collection. This new CD is far from just nostalgia. Teena Marie, Ali Ollie Woodson, Robert Brookins, Grady Wilkins, and Nicholas Caldwell (of the Whispers) contribute some great new songs to showcase the emotional intimacy of the group. I've seen the Whispers several different times, and have never been disappointed with their well tuned voices or their lively polished showmanship. Classic soul lovers haven't forgotten the Whispers either. Fan reviews of the new "For Your Ears Only" are unanimously positive. Between 1969 - 1997, The Whispers had 49 R&B chart hits, including "Olivia," "Lady," and "Rock Steady." The Los Angeles, California group continues to tour and perform. Check out the official Solar Records Whispers biography at PowerhouseRadio.com. Take note of the most recent Whispers biography, including some great group photographs, at the official Whispers web site. Previous Post | Next Post

0 Disappearing 2006 American Music Award Ladies

• Commentary
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 09/20/2006

In 1973, Roberta Flack won the first American Music Award. Take a look at the 2006 nominees, and you'll find one genre surprisingly missing. While the female Soul/R&B category remains strong, I took notice that the "female hip hop/rap artist" category has been eliminated. Less than five artists qualified for this category in 2006. In 2003, Missy Elliott, Eve, and Lil' Kim were nominated in the category. Missy Elliot won. In 2004, no ladies were nominated. In 2005, Missy Elliott, Lil' Kim, and Trina were nominated. Missy Elliott won. There are lots of reasons why the AMA female hip hop/rap category is not a part of the ceremony this year. The versatile women who have dominated the AMA soul/R&B category in recent years: Alicia Keys, Beyonce', Janet Jackson, and Mariah Carey, all incorporate important elements of hip hop into their repertoire. Fewer ladies currently enjoying commercial success focus exclusively on hip hop for their music careers. Record buyers, legal digital downloaders, and music file sharers also have an impact on the AMA categories because... Dick Clark created the American Music Awards strictly as a popularity contest among music fans. 20,000 record buyers vote each year for their favorite personal artists. If smaller niche music genres are less represented in the 20,000 yearly sample, a more democratic selection process of winners emerges. Remember, the AMA is a populist alternative to the Grammy Awards. So where are the "hip hop ladies?" We had Sugar Hill's Sequence and Salt-N-Pepa in the 80's, TLC in the 90's, and I'd include Destiny's Child in the early 2000's, as dominant stand-outs. Today, groups like Floetry mix lots of different contemporary elements to offer broad appeal beyond strictly hip hop. As the music industry continues to change, I wonder if the AMA "female hip hop/rap" category will be permanently discontinued, or will it be able to make a comeback in 2007? ---------- Discover more about The American Music Awards and the history of the television production, scheduled to be presented this Fall on November 21 as a three hour ABC special event. Previous Post | Next Post

0 Marvin Gaye DVD has Rare Concert Footage

• News
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 09/19/2006

In 1981, Marvin Gaye was featured in an hour-long television special broadcast in Ostende, Belgium. The concert was recorded and filmed that year on July 4th, but was never released in the USA. Out this past Tuesday, September 12th for the first time ever, Marvin's concert performance on DVD features these 10 hits: Got To Give It Up Come Get To This Let's Get It On After The Dance If This World Were Mine Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing Ain't No Mountain High Enough How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) I Want You Inner City Blues (Make Me Want To Holler) What's a good DVD without the bonus features? "Marvin Gaye - Live In Belgium 1981" includes several. There's footage of a candid Marvin Gaye interview along with two rare lip-synch performances of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" and "Heavy Love Affair" from a local Belgian TV show. Both videos were shot weeks before the TV concert to promote the show. Additional features include the original a cappella vocal track for "I Heard It Through The Grapevine." Several live Marvin Gaye albums/CD's have been previously released, including these 4: Marvin Gaye Live (1974) Marvin Gaye Live in Montreux 1980 (2003) Live in Miami (2003) Legend, Live, and Forever (2006) Legend, Live, and Forever, released earlier this year, includes recordings from the late 1960's and early 1970's from Japan and Europe. Some of the recordings used equipment of questionable quality during some of the dates. You'll probably want to pass on Legend, Live, and Forever. Previous Post | Next Post