The Ravens: The Greatest Group of Them All The first song Lilacs in the Rain features the spectacular falsetto tenor Maithe Marshall. The second song Green Eyes features Jimmy Ricks at the lower end of his register. The third is Old Man River which is described in the article below. The fourth is the group in 1956 with Joe Van Loan replacing Marshall as the spectacular falsetto tenor in the group. Both tenors were as stratospheric as Rick was deep under the sea with his bass. http://www.vocalgroup.org/inductees/the_ravens.html The Ravens have stood the test of time as one of the best of all pioneering rhythm and blues groups. They were the first to make continuous use of a bass vocalist (Jimmy Ricks) and a falsetto tenor (Maithe Marshall) on lead. They were also the first to incorporate dance steps into an R&B act. Though there had been black groups before, like THE MILLS BROTHERS, THE CHARIOTEERS, THE INK SPOTS, and the DELTA RHYTHM BOYS, they tended to sing popular songs for white audiences in a soft, smooth, inoffensive style. The Ravens (and a bit later THE ORIOLES) used bits of jazz, blues, gospel, and rhythm to make music that appealed to both races. In fact, record industry personnel and the media dubbed their music “race music.” The Ravens were the brainchild of Jimmy Ricks and baritone Warren “Birdland” Suttles, two Harlem waiters. They decided to go to the Evans Booking Agency and recruit two more singers to form a group in 1945. That visit brought them in contact with first tenor Ollie Jones and second tenor Leonard Puzey. The foursome decided to call themselves the Ravens, thus setting in motion what would become the first group-name craze, this one centered around birds. The members were fans of acts like the Delta Rhythm Boys and began practicing tunes like “Darktown Strutters’ Ball.” They met up with Howard Biggs, who became their musical arranger and wrote many of their original songs. The Ravens’ first performance was in 1946 at the Club Baron on West 132nd Street and Lenox Avenue in Harlem. In the spring of 1946 the group joined Hub Records, and their first 78, “Honey,” was issued on July 1. It was immediately followed by two more R&B singles, the better of which was a Dee Lippman-penned jump tune, “My Sugar Is So Refined.” They opened with this song when they appeared at a benefit show with Nat King Cole and Stan Kenton at the legendary Apollo Theatre. Puzey sang lead, but when Ricks took over, his booming bass brought the house down. Ollie Jones then left, and a key addition came when Jimmy Ricks found falsetto tenor supreme Maithe Marshall tending bar and asked him to join. The group then rerecorded their Hub sides for King in 1946, who reissued them usually with an instrumental B side by the Three Chords. In 1947 they signed with National Records (owned by Albert Green) and began a series of releases that usually featured Ricks on a jump tune while Maithe Marshall and his crystal-clear falsetto led the group on the flip-side ballads. Marshall, consequently, labeled himself a B-side singer. He would be gratified to know that in the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s collectors literally fought to obtain Ravens records containing his B side. The National recordings started with the Howard Biggs-penned “Write Me a Letter.” On December 13, 1947, it became the first R&B record to hit the national top 25, charting at number 24. As “Write Me” didn’t hit the R&B charts until January 10, 1948, the Ravens, the world’s first successful rhythm and blues group, actually charted Pop before they charted R&B, where “Write Me” reached number five Juke Box and number 10 Best Seller. But it was their second National single, a rhythmic version of the standard “Old Man River,” full of Ricks’s cavernous bass, that established the group and its sound internationally. It supposedly sold over two million copies though it only reached number 10 R&B. The years 1947 through ’49 saw a number of beautiful ballads and bouncy pre-rock Ravens records on National, including standards like “Summertime,” “September Sing,” “Once in a While,” “Until the Real Thing Comes Along,” “Deep Purple,” and “Count Every Star.” Their sixth National single, “Send for Me If You Need Me,” charted R&B on July 3rd, reaching number five Best Seller and Number seven Juke Box. In August one of the King recordings, “Bye Bye Baby Blues,” reached number eight Best Seller and number 13 Juke Box. In September of 1948 they covered a new group’s first release, the Orioles’ “It’s Too Soon to Know,” but the rookie Orioles reached number one while the Ravens’ single, a fine bluesy version, only reached number 11. The group began touring on what would become the legendary chitlin circuit, a series of theatre venues on the East Coast and in the Midwest in which thousands of rhythm and blues groups would perform. From the Uptown and Earl Theatres in Philadelphia, the Howard in Washington, the Royal in Baltimore, the Regal in Chicago, the Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh, and the State in Hartford to the crown jewel of theatres, the Apollo in New York, the Ravens blazed a trail for thousands of vocal groups. In November 1948 National issued the group’s incredible rhythm version of “White Christmas” (#9 Juke Box, #14 Best Seller), setting the standard for the 1954 version by THE DRIFTERS (an almost note-for-note copy) that became the rock and roll standard. “White Christmas’s” flip was an equally thrilling ballad version of “Silent Night.” In 1949 “Ricky’s Blues” reached number eight on the Juke Box R&B lists on June 11th as well as number 13 Best Seller. In February of 1950, “I Don’t Have to Ride No More” became their last National charter at number nine Best Seller, number 13 Juke Box. During 1950 Louis Heyward took the baritone part as Suttles took one of his frequent sabbaticals (previously replaced by Joe Medlin – later a national promo exec for Atlantic Records – and Bubba Ritchie for short periods). Their last National single was “Lilacs in the Rain” featuring Marshall’s magical natural falsetto. In late 1950 the Ravens signed with Columbia, recording fine sides like the Ricks-led blues tune “Time Takes Care of Everything” and the Marshall-featured “I’m So Crazy for Love.” After a few sides for Columbia’s Okeh affiliate, the Ravens moved to Mercury in late 1951. This was a relatively new Ravens incarnation, however, with Jimmy Steward taking over for Puzey on tenor, Louis Frazier in for Heyward, and a young falsetto lead named Joe Van Loan from a Philadelphia gospel group known as the Canaanites. Though Maithe Marshall’s sound was unique and much imitated in years to come, the man who came closest to his sound was his incredible replacement Joe Van Loan. The Ravens became a top-drawer attraction. As an indication of their popularity, in a February 1951 performance at Middlebury College in Vermont, they received $2,000, a hefty sum in those days for one night’s work. Mercury issued some softer jump sides like “Begin the Beguine” and charted for the first time in two-and-a-half years with “Rock Me All Night Long” (#4 Juke Box, #8 Best Seller, 1952). The best-loved Mercury sides were ballads such as “Who’ll Be the Fool” and “September Song”. Billboard’s February review of “September Song” described it as a “moody rendition of the evergreen, with the high voice of the lead singer soaring slickly overall, a very strong entry,” Perhaps the best ballad ever recorded by a Ravens group was the Joe Van Loan-led “Don’t Mention My Name” (December 1952), a nearly overlooked jazz, blues, and pop classic that had Van Loan’s glass-breaking falsetto weaving on top of a mellow sax. Despite the fact that three-fourths of the group were new additions, the Mercury quartet sounded as good as the National label originals. In 1953 Suttles returned to replace Frazier and Tommy Evens spent some time performing with the group, while Ricks soloed for a while. In early 1955 the Ravens of Ricks, Van Loan, Stewart, and Frazier (back again) signed with Jubilee. By the spring of 1956 Ricks had decided on a fulltime solo career; Van Loan, however, wasn’t ready to give up the name, and he recruited his brothers Paul (second tenor) and James (baritone) along with David “Boots” Bowers (bass) as a new Ravens. The quartet maintained the vocal sound of the original when they signed to Argo Records in the fall of 1956. Their first single was the powerful “Kneel and Pray,” with outstanding harmony and Van Loan at his stratospheric best. Though not a national hit, it received enough sales and airplay to prompt the release of a similar powerhouse, “A Simple Prayer,” which included another stirring performance and earth-shattering final notes for Van Loan. Their last great effort was a remake of the Scarlets’ 1954 “Dear One” in the summer of 1957. The group’s road manager, Nat Margo, bought the Ravens name from Ricks, and a variety of Ravens showed up on the tour circuit through the ‘60s and ‘70s. In the 1970s Ricks, Van Loan, Stewart, and Frazier re-formed to tour Europe with Benny Goodman. In 1971 Ricks and Suttles performed as the Ravens with Gregory Carroll of the Four Buddies and Jimmy Breedlove of THE CUES. All the original Ravens went on to sing with other groups, sometimes moonlighting with two at a time. The first time Suttles left in 1950 he formed THE DREAMERS with Harriet Calender, Freddie Francis, and Perry Green recording for Mercury and Jubilee. He remained in New York City and became manager of a restaurant and bar. Leonard Puzey had introduced the “applejack” to group choreography. Ironically, the Ravens themselves didn’t like the dance step ideas, but the audiences loved them so Ricks and company kept them in. Puzey’s moves became a part of vocal group performances from the Orioles and THE CADILLACS to THE TEMPTATIONS and THE MIRACLES for decades to come. After the Ravens, Puzey joined the Hi Hatters and after the service sang with both Orville Brooks and Deed Watson’s Ink Spots. He retired to live in Minnesota. Ollie Jones joined the Cues (Capitol) and became a songwriting success with tunes like “Send for Me” (Nat King Cole). Joe Van Loan sang with the Dixiearies (Harlem), the Bells (Rama), and the Dreamers (Mercury) with Suttles throughout the Ravens years. After their demise he joined the Du Droppers (Groove) and in the early ‘70s sang with Charles Fugua’s Ink Spots. In 1950 Jimmy Ricks left the Ravens to appear and record with Benny Goodman and had a hit (#25) duetting with Nancy Reed on “Oh Babe!” (Columbia, 1950). After his final recording stint with the Ravens in 1956 Ricks went on to record solo for more labels than there were Ravens members, including Atco, Atlantic, Jubilee, Josie, Decca, Fury Felsted, Baton, Pilgrim, Peacock, Signature, and Mainstream, but he never charted as a solo artist. He moved to Florida performed with Count Basie, and stayed active on the club scene until his death on July 2, 1974, at the age of 50. - Jay Warner
I am continuing with the Ravens - Dreams, Pleas & Blues The Ravens were one of the first, if not the first, of all of the doo wop groups; numerous groups followed in their wake in the '50s, groups that utilized the basic ground rules the Ravens set into place on their late-'40s recordings for Herb Abramson's National label. Upon leaving National for the greener pastures of major-label Columbia in 1950, they made dynamite recordings that inexplicably emerged stillborn in the marketplace, yielding no hits of any kind during their two-year tenure with the label. Dreams, Pleas & Blues collects up all the Ravens material -- issued, unissued, and even one alternate take -- and clearly shows that the group was still cutting some mighty fine records, even if their place on the charts was denied largely due to quickly changing trends. Their first session with the Benny Goodman Sextet backing them yielded a cover of Louis Prima's hit "Oh Babe," and already showed the group to be chasing trends rather than creating them, as they had only a couple of years before. The small-jazz-combo-backing idea stays with them through "Time Takes Care of Everything" and "Don't Look Now," while "I'm so Crazy for Love," "Midnight Blues," "Honey I Don't Want You," and "My Baby's Gone" hark back to their earlier National jump blues with a simple, small rhythm section backing. The Ravens tried a little bit of everything to score a hit at Columbia, including hopped-up novelty material like "The Whiffenpoof Song," "That Old Gang of Mine," and "The Calypso Song," and even a precursor to R&B with "I Get All My Lovin' on a Saturday Night," but none of it proved hit-worthy. These aren't the recordings to start your Ravens collection with, but it might not be a bad place to end up. Cub Koda - AllMusic http://www.allmusic.com/album/dreams-pleas-blues-r379821/review
Sonny Til and the Orioles 50th Anniversary The Orioles Along with The Ravens, Sonny Til and the Orioles were the founding fathers of rhythm and blues and the premier love-song balladeers of the late ‘40s and early ‘50s. With their smooth style, the Orioles had more of an influence on R&B groups of the next 20 years than almost any other act. While the Ravens brought prominence to black groups by doing white swing material, the Orioles were the first black group to gain national popularity by recording black songs. The Orioles became the innovators of what would later be defined as pure R&B four-part harmony. In this book They All Sang on the Corner, Phil Groia described the Orioles as having “a mellow, soft second tenor lead, a blending baritone featured as a ‘gravel gertie’ second lead, a floating high first tenor and a dominant bass.” This description would easily fit some of the great 1940s gospel groups like The Soul Stirrers; it’s more than likely these gospel legends inspired Til and company. The Orioles’ flight to fame began in Baltimore in 1946 after Erlington Tilghman returned from military service. Erlington (later Sonny Til) had always aspired to sing and even wrote in his high school yearbook that his aim was “to become on of the greatest singers in show business.” His girlfriend persuaded him to perform in a local amateur show; Sonny won first place two nights in a row, and began vocalizing with subsequent winners. A group evolved that included Sonny (lead and second tenor), Alexander Sharp (first tenor), George Nelson (second lead and baritone), Johnny Reed (bass), and guitarist Tommy Gaither. Sonny named them the Vibranairs. Their harmonizing on Pennsylvania and Pitcher Streets earned them a chance to sing at the bar on that corner. Inside they met songwriter/salesclerk Deborah Chessler, who’d written a ballad, “It’s Too Soon to Know.” Chessler became their manager, rehearsing them at her house and arranging for them to appear in New York on “Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts” show in 1948. They lost out to George Shearing, but Godfrey was so impressed he brought them back for his morning show. Jerry Blaine, a record distributor, signed them to his It’s a Natural label that summer, changing their name to the Orioles. On the release of “It’s Too Soon to Know,” a reviewer in the September 4, 1948, issue of Billboard remarked, “New label kicks off with a fine quintet effort on a slow race ballad. Lead tenor shows fine lyric quality.” The review was historic in its noting of the Orioles’ first effort and in its categorization of the single as “race music.” The song climbed to number 13 (#1 R&B); never before had a black act singing black music reached the pop top 15. Blaine’s label became Jubilee in August 1948, and the sales of “It’s Too Soon to Know” were credited to that company. Their next release, “Lonely Christmas,” reached number eight on the R&B chart. Two singles later “Tell Me So” became their second R&B number one. A Billboard reviewer described it as “one of those slow easy torch ballads that lend themselves to the group’s glistening note-bending style. Could be an important platter in the race mart.” More great ballads followed: “A Kiss and a Rose” (#12), “Forgive and Forget” (#5 R&B, 1949), and “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve” (#9, 1949); the flip side hit number five, a second charting for “Lonely Christmas,” now on its way to becoming a Christmas perennial. Some of the group’s best ballads, though selling well, never made the national R&B Top 20. These included “At Night” (that Billboard cited on April 8, 1950: “Chalk up another hit for the high-flying group, tune is a standout; group delivers one of their best jobs yet”) and “I Wonder When” (reviewed on June 3rd with the observation, “Group does one of their top performances here on a promising torcher”). The latter’s flipside, a cherished collectors’ item called “Moonlight,” was described in Billboard as merely an “ordinary ballad side in comparison with the standout flip job.” The Orioles were on top of the world, playing for top dollar on the chitlin circuit and appearing on TV shows like “The Star Night Show” with Perry Como. But at the end of 1950 their success came to a crashing halt: an auto accident killed Tommy Gaither and seriously injured George Nelson, Johnny Reed and Sonny Woods, Orioles valet and founding member of the Royals (Federal). Ralph Williams took over guitar (he also occasionally subbed on baritone for the recovered Nelson, who was becoming unreliable). The first of their singles with Williams was “Oh Holy Night.” In April 1951 Jubilee issued “Pal of Mine,” the group’s tribute to the sorely missed Gaithers. A number of Orioles’ subsequent recordings were not up to their usual quality as the group’s interest waned. It was reflected in Billboard reviews of records like “Bar Fly” (“Orioles are not very exciting on this new weeper ballad. Though the lead does an effective job – side may get spins”) and “You Belong to Me” (“The group works over the pop hit in a schmaltzy style. Not their best effort, though their fans will probably take to it”). But they began to come out of it with “I Miss You So,” released in early 1953, and the beautiful “I Cover the Waterfront.” Around this time George Nelson left and Gregory Carrol (Four Buddies, Savoy) joined with Charlie Harris, making the group a quintet. Their next single, “Crying in the Chapel,” became the standard they would always be known for. Recorded on June 30, 1953, it prompted a Billboard reviewer to write, “The Orioles have here what is undoubtedly the strongest record in the past two years, and one of the strongest R&B discs released in the past few months. The tune is the serious ditty now getting actions in the country and pop markets and the boys hand it a powerful rendition, full of feeling and spark by the fine lead singer. This could be a big, big hit!” By summer’s end it was at number 11 (#1 R&B). The group followed with “In the Mission of St. Augustine,” which reached number seven R&B by October and turned out to be their last national hit. The Orioles disbanded when they found it difficult to earn top dollar in a market flooded with a new generation of groups. Sonny, however, found a new Orioles complete and intact when he spotted a modern harmony group, the Regals, performing at the Apollo in 1954. Together, they issued a string of Jubilee sides through 1956 including excellent versions of “Runaround” and “Don’t Go to Strangers.” The new members were Gerald Holman, Albert Russell, Billy Adams, and Jerry Rodriguez. They signed with Vee Jay Records in 1956 for three singles, the most popular being “Happy Till the Letter,” In 1962 Til formed yet another Orioles with Gerald Gregory (of THE SPANIELS), Delton McCall (from THE DREAMS) and Bill Taylor (THE CASTELLES). They recorded an LP on September 21 for Charlie Parker along with a few nicely done remakes of the group’s old hits. The most interesting was an answer record to “Crying in the Chapel” called “Back to the Chapel.” Meanwhile, Jubilee issued a number of oldies LP, in a “battle of the groups” style, and the Orioles’ early records were well represented. The LPs were popular sellers from the beginning and became cult classics. In 1966 Til formed a new Orioles with Clarence Young, Mike Robinson, and Bobby Thomas. The latter two, who had idolized the Orioles since their youth, belonged to a group named after Til’s original, the Vibranairs (After Hours). They recorded one excellent LP with Sonny for RCA that year. In 1978 the Orioles did a tribute LP to the original group, Sonny Til and the Orioles Today (Dobre), with Pepe Grant (tenor), Larry Reed (baritone), and George Holms (bass). Sonny’s last recording was in 1981 on the LP Sonny Til and the Orioles Visit Manhattan Circa 1950s. George Nelson died of an asthma attack around 1959, and Alex Sharp died in the ‘70s while singing with the Ink Spots group. Johnny Reed retired from singing, and Ralph Williams was seen with a band in St. Louis during the ‘70s. On December 9, 1981, Sonny Til died at the age of 56. - Jay Warner
20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Moonglows Biography by Bruce Eder Allmusic.com The Moonglows were among the most important R&B groups of the 1950s, despite the fact that they only had a handful of hits among fewer than 50 recorded songs, in a history that lasted just six years, in sharp contrast to such acts as the Orioles and the Drifters, who were together across decades and recorded huge bodies of work. Chicago-born Harvey Fuqua (born July 27, 1928) was part of a musical family virtually from birth, as the nephew of Ink Spots guitarist Charlie Fuqua, and before he was in his teens was aiming for a career of his own in music. He grew up in Louisville, KY, where he learned the piano and also began singing with his high school classmate Bobby Lester (born January 13, 1930; died October 15, 1980) at dances. They formed a professional duo in Louisville during 1949, after both finished brief periods of serving in the military, and were soon working with saxman and bandleader Ed Wiley, and it was in his group that they started singing jump and blues. Eventually a lack of earnings led them to split up, with Fuqua moving to Cleveland, where he crossed paths with an army buddy, Danny Coggins, and a neighbor of his, Prentiss Barnes (born April 25, 1925), who'd previously been a gospel singer, and formed a trio. Fuqua brought Lester into the group, which was known as the Crazy Sounds, and they started to get work in the area around Cleveland. They were an improvisational singing group that specialized in a technique called vocalese, using their voices to replace instruments, basically in a jazz context, somewhat similar to the work of the Swingle Singers and the Manhattan Transfer. Their first break came in 1952 when they came to the attention of local disc jockey Alan Freed, who was already making a name for himself playing R&B records. They auditioned and did well enough to earn a chance to record on Freed's own Champagne Records label, changing their name to the Moonglows in the process in an effort to hook their recognition to Freed's on-air persona as "Moondog." The group enjoyed a modest local hit with a Lester composition, "I Just Can't Tell No Lie." They began performing in venues throughout the industrial Midwest and underwent their first membership change when Coggins quit for a more stable life as a gas station owner. He was replaced by Alex Walton and Alexander Graves. Lester and Fuqua shared the lead vocal spot, sometimes even on the same song, and both of them had a keen interest in songwriting as well. The group was special not only for their mix of subtle polish and visceral excitement, but also the sheer attractiveness of the singing and the way in which their arrangements locked it all together -- Lester and Fuqua were the leads and the most visible talents, but there were no weak links anywhere in the Moonglows' sound; from bass to the occasional falsetto, all of the singing was dazzling, animated, and bracing, whether on the jump numbers or the ballads; each of their finished records was the total package, distinctly voiced, gorgeously textured, and exciting. In the early fall of 1953, Freed landed the group a contract with Chance Records, a small Chicago outfit that was making a serious noise in blues and R&B, and already had the Flamingoes and the Spaniels under contract. For a year, they tried to chart with ballads -- including a killer version of "Secret Love" with Lester singing lead -- and jump numbers but saw little success at Chance, before they were dropped. In October of 1954, the group moved to Chess Records, and their first session was one of the most productive in the history of the label, yielding 13 songs including one of the biggest hits in Chess' history, "Sincerely" -- authored by Fuqua (with Freed taking half the royalties as "co-author," a common arrangement at the time for Freed and other managers), the Moonglows' recording charted in December of that year and bumped "Earth Angel" by the Penguins out of the number one R&B spot the following month, and later climbed to number 20 on the Hot 100 pop chart. The single rode the R&B listings for 20 weeks and sold over a quarter of a million copies, an extraordinary number for Chess in those days and all of it happening before R&B had fully crossed over to white listeners. It was numbers like this that were delighting independent executives like Phil and Leonard Chess, and giving ulcers to executives at the major labels, who saw something happening in music that they'd somehow missed over the preceding year or two and were having trouble grasping even then. In the case of "Sincerely," it was such an attractive song that it begged to be covered by other artists in other styles -- thus, the Moonglows became one of the earliest R&B groups to see an original of theirs picked up by a pop act, when the white sibling vocal trio the McGuire Sisters covered "Sincerely" in a pop style and got a number one pop hit and a million-selling single out of it. The success of the Moonglows' original version was the break they'd been waiting for, and they began playing some of the best gigs of their history, as part of Freed's huge package shows alongside acts like Joe Turner, the Clovers, and Lowell Fulson. In early 1955, the group's ranks expanded with the addition of Billy Johnson, a guitarist who'd previously played with Charles Brown. During the summer of 1955, the group was part of a package tour that included Muddy Waters, Sarah Vaughan, and Nappy Brown. Alas, they found it difficult to repeat the crossover pop success of "Sincerely" -- the group did produce such worthy efforts as "Most of All" (number five R&B), "Foolish Me," "Starlite," and "In My Diary." Then, in the middle and latter half of 1956, they succeeded anew with the ballad "We Go Together," which reached number nine on the R&B charts and attracted considerable interest from young white listeners in the bargain; and the rock & roll number "See Saw," which reached number nine R&B and got to number 25 on the pop charts. During this period, Chess also briefly attempted to double-up on the group's approach to the airwaves and radio play lists by taking some of the sides featuring Lester and Fuqua together on lead and issuing those under the name "the Moonlighters." The group's status in the hierarchy of rock & roll -- or, at least, that corner of it under the control of Freed -- was confirmed when the Moonglows were included in the jukebox movie Rock, Rock, Rock, working alongside Chuck Berry, the Flamingoes, LaVern Baker, the Johnny Burnette Trio, and Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers. Later that same year, they also began work on what was to have been their debut LP, and early in 1957 they made another screen appearance, in Mr. Rock and Roll, a second jukebox feature, sandwiched in between many of the same acts as the prior movie -- this was to mark the last screen appearance of the original group, however. During 1957, in the wake of their unfinished debut album, Lester receded from the lead vocal spot, yielding it to Fuqua, who already dominated the group as a producer, songwriter, and their de facto vocal arranger. "Please Send Me Someone to Love," which got to number five R&B and number 73 on the pop charts, featured Fuqua on lead vocals and reduced Lester to back-up. The friction between Lester and Fuqua continued through most of the year, and the latter's increasing control of the group's direction also caused friction with Barnes, Graves, and Johnson, who were more or less caught in the middle between the two most identifiable voices in the group. Complicating their strained internal dynamics were the changes in public taste that had taken place since 1955 -- they not only couldn't decide who ought to be leading them, or agree on who should sing lead, but also on which direction their music should go in, toward the more pop-oriented sound of the Platters, who were selling large numbers of records to white audiences, or toward the harder sound that seemed to be coming out of some quarters of the black community, and seemed to be where black listeners were moving. Torn by these multiple schisms, the Moonglows' lineup collapsed under circumstances that are still a bit murky, in terms of who decided what and who exited. In late 1957, a pair of sides were recorded featuring Fuqua and possibly Johnson, and in early 1958, a new single appeared entitled "Ten Commandments of Love," featuring Fuqua as a speaker. It reached number nine as an R&B hit and number 22 as a pop single, the group's best pop performance in two years and one of their biggest sellers, except that it wasn't credited to the Moonglows -- rather, it was also credited to Harvey & the Moonglows, and precisely who was singing on it behind Fuqua is still a matter of conjecture; some sources attribute the back-up to the original Moonglows, whereas others say with assurance that it was Fuqua's "new" Moonglows, actually formerly known as the Marquees, a Washington, D.C., outfit consisting of Marvin Gaye, Reese Palmer, James Knowland, and Chester Simmons. What is clear is that they accompanied Fuqua over the next year or so, credited as Harvey & the Moonglows. The group's ranks changed quickly -- though he kept Gaye, who had sung lead on the group's recording of "Mama Loocie," with him -- and eventually included a young Chuck Barksdale, from the Dells. In addition to his work with the new group, Fuqua was featured on solo singles throughout 1958, including "Don't Be Afraid of Love," which he co-authored with Berry Gordy, Jr. and Billy Davis, and also turned up miming in the last (and best) of the Freed showcase films, Go Johnny Go. Fuqua's professional association with Gordy had begun when they met, on the latter's visit to Chess to license the early sides of the Miracles; the two wrote songs together, and eventually Fuqua married Gordy's sister Gwen. He continued recording for several more years, including some legendary sides with Etta James, but increasingly concentrated on the purely creative rather than the performing side of music. After operating such independent labels as Tri-Phi (where he recorded not only his own and the later Harvey & the Moonglows stuff, but also the early Spinners, whom he discovered as the Domingoes, and with whom he sang as well), he joined Motown as the executive in charge of developing new talent, and became not only successful in that department but also as a producer and songwriter, and was collaborating successfully with Smokey Robinson in the 1990s. Having had the group and the group name pulled out from under him, Lester went solo on the Chess label for a short time, before giving up performing for a decade. His name was well known enough and the recordings left behind with the group were good enough, however, so that as late as 1962 Chess saw the point in releasing a single credited to "Bobby Lester & the Moonglows," consisting of "Blue Velvet" and "Penny Arcade," the A-side culled from the group's abortive late 1956 album sessions -- this may have been simply Chess's way of trying to amortize everything but the kitchen sink in their operation, but it is difficult to imagine any other artist of the era, apart from Elvis Presley or Clyde McPhatter (or deceased figures such as Buddy Holly or Eddie Cochran), getting their six-year-old recordings pushed as new releases. Johnson passed through gigs backing Jackie Wilson and Brook Benton before joining Motown Records, and passed away in the late '80s. Walton put together a new Moonglows lineup in 1964 to cover some of the group's '50s sides, but this effort didn't last long, and Graves and Barnes left the music business, and the original Moonglows were consigned to history, apart from Chess' periodic attempts to continue selling sides left in the vaults. The label also released of a pair of LPs made up of the group's single sides, Look, It's the Moonglows (1959) and The Best of Bobby Lester & the Moonglows (1962). Chess kept several vestiges of the Moonglows sound alive more profitably when they signed the Dells, and the group's sound could also be heard in the early work of the Four Tops (who had also spent time on Chess) and the Temptations at Motown. Lester tried reviving the group name twice, at the beginning and end of the '70s, and even recut "Sincerely" the first time around. That composition remained the jewel in Fuqua's songbag -- in 1990, 36 years after the Moonglows cut their version and 35 years after the McGuire Sisters' pop hit, the Forester Sisters' country rendition of "Sincerely" earned a Grammy nomination; that same year, filmmaker Martin Scorsese (who is known to take a very deep interest in the music used in his movies) used the Moonglows' version of the song in the film Goodfellas. Between the original and the successful covers, "Sincerely" bids fair to remain a popular song well into the 21st century.
Peace In The Valley: The Complete Gospel Recordings Elvis - Peace In The Valley (The Complete Gospel Recordings) is a long overdue triple CD release from BMG. In 1994 we were treated to the excellent double album Amazing Grace and more recently to a number of good (if forgettable) mid-price gospel albums. However, the complete record of Elvis Presley's gospel songs is one of the most important BMG releases ever in that it showcases a genre of music that involved Elvis totally and utterly in strength of feeling and a sincerity sometimes missing from some of his other recordings. As a catalog of one type of music, Peace In The Valley represents Elvis at his best, a peak rivaled only by his seminal rockabilly and rock & roll recordings from 1954 to 1956 and the superb, eclectic output from his American Studio Sessions in 1969. Many fans will be surprised at the breadth of tracks on this release, many familiar, probably many more unfamiliar. Standards such as How Great Thou Art and Joshua Fit The Battle of Jericho are nicely complemented by the revivalist I've Got Confidence (a recording that would have fitted easily into Elvis's last narrative movie, Change Of Habit) and three of Elvis' lost singles: Life; Why Me, Lord? and Help Me. The soulful I Got A Feeling In My Body is an interesting inclusion while the '68 Comeback Special gospel medley is as fresh today as it was 32 years ago. Fan favourites including His Hand In Mine and He Touched Me are complemented by An Evening Prayer and the searching Reach Out To Jesus. Forgotten movie tracks in the underrated Let Me Pray and the jaunty When The Saints Come Marchin' In sit well alongside arguably Elvis' most famous gospel recording (certainly his biggest selling gospel single) Crying In The Chapel. Songs like He Knows Just What I Need are so honestly sung by Elvis that you are virtually removed to another (spiritual) plane. Listeners experience the strength of Elvis's bond with gospel music in songs such as I Believe In The Man In The Sky, while the inclusion of the technically inferior (due to the context of their recording), but nevertheless important home recordings, and the impromptu Million Dollar Quartet Session from the Sun Studios in December, 1956 provide a finely balanced and involving 87 track set. The album comes with an attractive, atmospheric cover reminiscent of those from the Mario Lanza era and a booklet filled with fan pleasing photos and detailed liner notes by Cheryl Thurber. Peace In The Valley will provide great solace to those whose spirits are low and reinforcement of beliefs for those with a religious leaning. Listening to the 87 tracks on this set it is clearly evident why Elvis received three Grammy awards for his gospel recordings during his lifetime. This set is a fitting testament to an often under-appreciated segment of Elvis's incredible musical legacy. Source: http://shop.elvis.com.au/prod423.htm Postscript: Gospel music was the only music in which Elvis won Grammy awards and was the only time he overrode "Col." Tom Parker on what he would perform. Tom Parker backed down. History proved Elvis to be correct in his choice.
Nancy Wilson - Anthology Biography Nancy Wilson’s musical style is so diverse that it is hard to classify. Over the years her repertoire has included pop style ballads, jazz and blues, show tunes and well known standards. Critics have described her as “a jazz singer,” “a blues singer,” “a pop singer,” and “a cabaret singer.” Still others have referred to her as “a storyteller,” “a professor emeritus of body language,” “a consummate actress,” and “the complete entertainer.” Then who is this song stylist (that’s the descriptive title she prefers) whose voice embodies the nuances of gospel, blues, and jazz? Her colleague and long time friend Joe Williams used to call her “the thrush from Columbus.” By the age of four, Nancy Wilson knew she wanted to be a singer. Born in Chillicothe, OH, Nancy grew up in Columbus where her father provided early exposure to many vocalists. These included male singers Billy Eckstine and Louis Jordan, and the rhythm and blues of Ruth Brown and LaVerne Baker. Nat King Cole was influential as well. She also heard big band vocalists Jimmy Rushing with Count Basie’s Orchestra, and Lionel Hampton’s Little Jimmy Scott. As a child she took an active part in church music as well as school choirs and dance bands. Nancy’s professional singing career began at the age of 15. She had her own television show, Skyline Melody, on a local station. Soon after, she began performing in clubs in the Columbus area. After graduating high school, still undecided about a music career, she enrolled in the teacher training program at Central State College. But in 1956, Nancy’s desire outweighed the uncertainty of a vocal career, so she left college to join The Rusty Bryant Band. That same year she met Julian “Cannonball” Adderley when she accompanied Bryant’s band to New York City for a recording session. Adderley, impressed with her talent and determination, took an immediate interest in her career and the two kept in touch. In 1959, Nancy moved to New York City, allotting herself six months to attain her goals. She wanted Cannonball’s manager, John Levy, to represent her, and she wanted Capitol Records as her label. Within four weeks of her arrival in New York she got her first big break, a call to fill in for Irene Reid at The Blue Morocco. Nancy did so well that the club booked her on a permanent basis; she was singing four nights a week and working as a receptionist during the day. She called John Levy and he went to catch her show. “John called me the very next day. He set up a session to record a demo,” Nancy recalls. “Ray Bryant and I went in and recorded “Guess Who I Saw Today,” “Sometimes I’m Happy,” and two other songs. We sent them to Capitol and within five days the phone rang. Within six weeks I had all the things I wanted.” Nancy’s debut single, “Guess Who I Saw Today,” was so successful that between April of 1960 and July of 1962 Capitol Records released five Nancy Wilson albums. Two of those remain in-demand reissues to this day: The Swingin’s Mutual with George Shearing (1961) and Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley (1962), and earned her a permanent star in the jazz constellation. In 1963 “Tell Me The Truth” became her first truly major hit, leading up to her performance at the Coconut Grove in 1964 – the turning pointing of her career garnering critical acclaim from coast to coast. Time Magazine wrote, “She is, all at once, both cool and sweet, both singer and story teller.” Nancy was seen performing on variety shows (The Andy Williams Show, The Carol Burnett Show, The Flip Wilson Show, and others) and for one season she had her own popular television program, The Nancy Wilson Show (NBC) that won an Emmy in 1975. Nancy also took on acting roles, appearing on popular television shows throughout the years, from I Spy, Room 222, Hawaii Five-O, and Police Story, to The Cosby Show, Soul Food, New York Undercover, Moesha, and The Parkers. After years with Capitol, during many of which she was second in sales only to the Beatles, surpassing even Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, the Beach Boys, and early idol Nat King Cole, the business had changed providing Nancy with an opportunity to seek out projects that allowed her to express the maturity that she acquired throughout her then 55 years of life. One of the more interesting albums from her later period came about in 1991, when singer Barry Manilow was given a sheath full of lyrics written by the late Johnny Mercer which the great songwriter had never put to music. Manilow added melodies and chose Nancy to sing the resultant songs. In 1995, when National Public Radio (NPR) was looking for an articulate voice with both name value and jazz credibility to host their Jazz Profiles series, Nancy was the obvious choice. Not only did she know the music, but she knew the artists personally. Her first profile for this program was the 75th birthday tribute to Charlie Parker. In the late 1990s, Nancy teamed up with MCG Jazz, a social enterprise supporting the youth education programs of the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, a nonprofit, minority-directed, arts and learning organization located in Pittsburgh, PA. A Nancy Wilson Christmas, released for the 2001 holiday season was her only completed Christmas album. All proceeds form the sale of A Nancy Wilson Christmas went directly to support the programs of MCG Jazz. Three years later Nancy gave MCG Jazz and the world of music another gift – R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal) – which was released on August 25, 2004. Receiving gifts in return, R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal) won the 2005 GRAMMY® Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album and the 2005 NAACP Image Award for Best Jazz Artist. (This was her second GRAMMY®, the first being in 1964 for “How Glad I Am,” and her second Image Award, the first being in 1986.) Other honors Nancy has received include a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, streets and days dedicated in her name, honorary doctorate degrees, and in 2005, the UNCF Trumpet Award celebrating African-American achievement, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the NAACP in Chicago, and Oprah Winfrey’s Legends Award. Her third CD on the MCG Jazz label, Turned To Blue (released in August 2006), brought her a third Grammy award. Ms. Wilson has retired from extensive touring, but she still continues to perform select engagements Source: Nancy Wilson Web Site http://missnancywilson.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26
Glen Campbell - 'Ghost on the Canvas' Personal note - If this is his "Swan Song" then what a magnificent way to go out! Wonderful album! Glen Campbell calls 'Ghost on the Canvas' his last CD at age 74.… 'Ghost on the Canvas' review: Glen Campbell pushes past Alzheimer's disease to revive lyrical genius JIM FARBER DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER Tuesday, August 30, 2011 There's something tragically ironic about the recent revelation that Alzheimer's disease has found its way to Glen Campbell. His greatest talent has always been the certainty of his singing. Through the clarity of his phrasing and the awareness he brings to a lyric, Campbell seems present in his records to an unusual degree. How can a man of such definition be fading away? Of course, that's the ruthlessness of the disease. It renders even the most engaged mind remote. Yet from the evidence on Campbell's self-declared swan-song CD, "Ghost on the Canvas," the ravage hasn't had its way with him yet. Campbell's voice sounds gloriously clean on the CD. At 74, his tone remains boyishly sure, despite the lyrics' frequent expression of appreciation, one that only significant age can bring. The form and style of the CD owe much to producer Julian Raymond. He's the one who first coaxed the singer out of semi-retirement to create 2008's pristine "Meet Glen Campbell." There, Raymond took a page from Rick Rubin's strategy with Johnny Cash, hand-picking a range of cool songs to breathe new life into a legend. The material came from contemporary artists like Green Day, Travis and Foo Fighters, as well as older ones like the Velvet Underground, Paul Westerberg and Jackson Browne. Campbell gave each song fresh gravity and erudition. This time, Raymond co-wrote pieces with Campbell while commissioning more from Teddy Thompson, Jakob Dylan and Westerberg. If few of the new songs match the perfection of the covers, Campell's performance ups their power significantly. And in the title track, Westerberg gives Campbell nearly as perfect a vehicle as Jimmy Webb did back in the '60s. Besides its sweeping melody, "Ghost" offers a poignant metaphor for the star's plight. It addresses the soul that resonates after the apparent person recedes. Many songs borrow motifs from Campbell's hits without leeching off them. "Any Trouble" (another Westerberg baby) has the circular guitars of "Gentle on My Mind." "A Thousand Lifetimes" winks at a hook in "Wichita Lineman," while "A Better Place" re-creates the fine picking of many Campbell classics. Teddy Thompson's "In My Arms" studiously revives the brand of '60s country-pop Campbell extended from Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison. Raymond breaks up the CD's 10 songs with six instrumental interludes, some of which make equally smart reference to the past. "The Rest Is Silence" has a Beach Boys-like vocal chorale, footnoting Campbell's early instrumental work with that seminal group. Campbell's lyrical point of view throughout allows no resentment or trepidation. On the contrary, he assumes the role of protector of the loved ones he'll drift away from. In the process, he has done more than leave his family a vow of connection. He has given his fans a final portrait of himself so vivid it feels like his prime. http://articles.nydailynews.com/201..._glen-campbell-paul-westerberg-julian-raymond
Kenny Acosta - Full Moon On Blues Street. He just won the New Orleans Blues Challenge, and will be in Memphis the first week of February as a contestant in the International Blues Challenge.
Yeah Man....She is one perfect and classy lady....And probably the best female voice alive....I just love her!!! Whenever I see her live I get the same feeling as when I was in Miles' presence....Close up to greatness!!
This is the Nat Adderley tune-"Old Man From The Old Country" which I recorded, and my wife Aydan put a slide show with it...I think she did a great job...Since its the Old Country she used some great pics of Istanbul...Check it out... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMLCDRjsQok
Charlie Parker - Bird (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) A review of the movie is below. Bird - Charlie Parker's Tempestuous Life and Music By JANET MASLIN Published: September 26, 1988 LEAD: Although the first scene of ''Bird'' shows the young Charlie Parker in a rustic setting, the film seldom ventures outdoors after that. Most of ''Bird,'' Clint Eastwood's film biography of the legendary jazz saxophonist, takes place in the smoky nightclubs where Parker played or in the dimly lighted apartments where his unruly private life unfolded. Although the first scene of ''Bird'' shows the young Charlie Parker in a rustic setting, the film seldom ventures outdoors after that. Most of ''Bird,'' Clint Eastwood's film biography of the legendary jazz saxophonist, takes place in the smoky nightclubs where Parker played or in the dimly lighted apartments where his unruly private life unfolded. The film's studied, shadowy look, at times so striking that the actors' features can't clearly be seen, becomes its most concerted effort to capture the spirit of Parker's music. Until Bertrand Tavernier's '' 'Round Midnight,'' in which Dexter Gordon served as the purest imaginable embodiment of jazz and its attendant way of life, it might have seemed impossible to convey these things on screen. ''Bird,'' earnest and immense as it is, reinforces the earlier notion of jazz's elusiveness. Though the music is everywhere in Mr. Eastwood's film, heard on the superb soundtrack and seen on every street corner, its essence remains somehow out of reach. Clearly, enormous reserves of energy and affection have gone into creating the nightclub world of ''Bird,'' in which the music spills out onto the streets at every opportunity. The film creates the enchanting impression that there was a time (the late 1940's and early 50's) and a place (52d Street in Manhattan) in which this music was the galvanizing force in every life. All the great clubs are here, lovingly re-created; even the street's most famous doorman (and most ardent jazz booster) can be found. Yet the figure of Charlie Parker, for all the passionate excitment of this atmosphere, is somehow indistinct. Forest Whitaker, whose hulking physique and expansive grin give him an uncanny resemblance to Parker at times, is first seen at a crisis point in the musician's life, driven to a suicide attempt by the death of his young daughter and the decline of his career. From this, the film flashes back to tell how this brilliant innovator, whose nickname was ''Bird,'' got his musical start. Though this is a standard way of framing any film biography, it's jarring here because the latter-day Parker takes some getting used to. Nervous and unsteady, grinning yet morose, plagued by a pain the film never fully fathoms, he starts off as a difficult figure and remains that way. The film's biographical details, faithful but highly selective (Parker's several early marriages are mentioned only in passing), chart the unsteady course of Parker's career and his rocky relationship with Chan Richardson, the tough, beautiful daughter of a show-business family. She off-handedly tells Parker ''It's always been musicians'' when she first meets him. As Chan, Diane Venora gives the film almost as much of a compass as the real woman must have given Charlie Parker. And whenever the film returns to her smart, no-nonsense characterization, it is on steady ground. But like Parker himself, this nearly three-hour film does a great deal of wandering. It takes Parker to California, where he finds that be-bop music is ahead of its time; it manages a humorous glimpse at one of his idols, Igor Stravinsky; it travels to the deep South, where Red Rodney (Michael Zelniker), the white member of Parker's band, is passed off as an albino bluesman so he can stay in black hotels. Parker is seen in a hospital ward, waking from his delirium to find that a young doctor wants his autograph. Wherever Parker goes, he is already a great hero to those who have heard him play. Though Mr. Whitaker makes Parker a substantial and sympathetic figure, he doesn't convey much of the man's legendary charm. For instance, Parker's reputation as a ladykiller isn't corroborated by this screen incarnation. And the more complex side of his nature, the musical side that emerges in his collaborations with giants like Dizzy Gillespie (Samuel E. Wright), is better heard on the soundtrack than seen. What the film does best is capture a general sense of the tight, self-protective and in some ways dangerously insular jazz world. It deals soberingly with Parker's drug habit (he was an addict from his middle teens until his death, in 1955, as a 34-year-old so dissipated that the coroner estimated his age at 50 or 60) and with the ulcers and liver trouble that sometimes made Scotch and milk his drink of choice. Parker's role as, in Nat Hentoff's words, ''the paradigm of the jazzman-as-victim'' is well-established here, better so than the underlying pressures that led him in that direction. ''Bird'' is less moving as a character study than it is as a tribute and as a labor of love. The portrait it offers, though hazy at times, is one Charlie Parker's admirers will recognize. http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=940DE0DA1E3BF935A1575AC0A96E948260
The Best Of Don McLean – Don McLean Don McLean: Biography Don McLean was born on October 2nd 1945 in New Rochelle, NY to Elizabeth and Donald McLean. By the age of five he had developed an interest in all forms of music and would spend hours listening to the radio and his father’s records. Childhood asthma meant that Don missed long periods of school and while he slipped back in his studies, his love of music was allowed to flourish. He would often perform shows for family and friends. As a teenager, he purchased his first guitar (a Harmony F Hole with a sunburst finish) from the House of Music in New Rochelle and took opera lessons paid for by his sister. These lessons combined with many hours in the swimming pool, helped Don to develop breath control, which would later allow him to sing long, continuous phrases, in songs such as “Crying”, without taking a breath. The exercise also meant his asthma improved. In 1961, Don took his only vacation with his father – a trip to Washington D.C. Sadly, a few months later his father died. Don was just 15 years old. By this time, Don's musical focus was on folk thanks, in part, to The Weavers landmark 1955 recording "Live at Carnegie Hall". Don was determined to become a professional musician and singer and, as a 16 year old, he was already making contacts in the business. After managing to get his home number from the telephone directory, Don phoned Erik Darling. They become friends and Don visited his apartment in New York. Through Erik Darling, Don recorded his first studio sessions with Lisa Kindred and was invited to join a group with Darling and the other members of the Rooftop Singers. However, even at that time, Don saw himself as a troubadour and turned down the offer. While at Villanova University in 1963 (he stayed for just four months), Don met and became friends with Jim Croce and President Kennedy was assassinated. After leaving Villanova, Don worked his 'apprenticeship' for “Harold Leventhal Management”. This started a six year period during which time Don performed at venues like the Bitter End and Gaslight Café in New York, the Newport Folk Festival, the Cellar Door in Washington, D.C., the Main Point in Philadelphia, the Troubadour and Ash Grove in Los Angeles and over forty colleges throughout New York and New England. He appeared alongside artists like Herbie Mann, Brownie McGee and Sonny Terry, Melanie, Steppenwolf, Arlo Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Janis Ian, Josh White, Ten Wheel Drive and others. Don also found time to attend night school at Iona College and, in 1968, graduated with a Bachelors degree in Business Administration but turned down a prestigious scholarship to Columbia University Graduate School in favour of becoming resident singer at Caffe Lena in NY. While resident at Caffe Lena, the New York State Council for the Arts invited Don to become their Hudson River Troubadour. He accepted and spent the summer travelling from town to town in the Hudson Valley, giving talks about the environment and singing songs for whoever would turn up to listen. A year later, Don was a member of the first crew of the Sloop Clearwater. With Pete Seeger, they travelled the Atlantic seaboard giving concerts at each port and featuring in the news wherever they went. In 1969, Don recorded his first album, “Tapestry”, in Berkeley, CA. The student riots were going on outside the studio door as Don was singing “And I Love You So” inside. The album was first released by Mediarts and attracted good reviews and achieved some commercial success. The transition to international stardom began in 1971 with the release of "American Pie”. "American Pie” was recorded on 26th May 1971 and a month later received its first radio airplay on New York's WNEW-FM and WPLJ-FM to mark the closing of The Fillmore East, the famous New York concert hall. Thirty years later, “American Pie” was voted number 5 in a poll of the 365 “Songs of the Century” compiled by the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts. The top five were: "Over the Rainbow" by Judy Garland "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby "This Land Is Your Land" by Woody Guthrie "Respect" by Aretha Franklin; and "American Pie" by Don McLean. “American Pie” was issued as a double A-side single in November 1971 and charted within a month. Interest from the media and public sent the single to #1 in the USA and Don to international superstardom. Every line of the song was analysed time and time again to find the real meaning. Don refused to sanction any of the many interpretations, so adding to its mystery. The second single, "Vincent”, charted on 18th March 1972 going on to reach US#12, UK#1. The "American Pie” album remained at #1 in the UK for 7 weeks in 1972, and in the UK charts for 53 consecutive weeks. In the wake of “American Pie”, Don became a major concert attraction and was able to call upon material not only from his two albums but from a repertoire of old concert hall numbers and the complete catalogues of singers such as Buddy Holly, and another McLean influence, Frank Sinatra. The years spent playing gigs in small clubs and coffee houses in the 60s paid off with well-paced performances. Don's first concert at the Albert Hall in 1972 was a triumphant success. Concert footage and other video clips played to McLean songs formed the award winning 1972 film "Till Tomorrow” produced by Bob Elfstrom (a project they had started working on in 1968). With all this success, "Tapestry” was reissued by United Artists and charted in the USA on 12th February 1972 reaching #111 and the top-15 in the United Kingdom; it includes two of Don's most famous songs: "And I Love You So” and "Castles in the Air”. Don's third album, simply entitled "Don McLean”, included the song "The Pride Parade” that provides an insight into Don's immediate reaction to stardom. Don told "Melody Maker” magazine in 1973 that “Tapestry” was an album by someone previously concerned with external situations. “American Pie” combines externals with internals and the resultant success of that album makes the third one ("Don McLean”) entirely introspective”. The fourth album, "Playin Favourites” became a top-40 hit in the UK in 1973 and included the classic, "Mountains of Mourne” and Buddy Holly's "Everyday”, a live rendition of which returned Don to the UK singles chart. McLean said, “The last album ("Don McLean”) was a study in depression whereas the new one ("Playin Favourites”) is almost the quintessence of optimism, with a feeling of "Wow, I just woke up from a bad dream". 1973 was another great year for Don McLean the songwriter and Don McLean the performer. Perry Como recorded "And I Love You So” from the "Tapestry” album and took it to the UK top-5 and American top-30. Como's version was nominated for a Grammy but was beaten by "Killing Me Softly With His Song” sung by Roberta Flack and written by Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox apparently after Lori Leiberman had attended a McLean concert at the LA Troubadour. Throughout the 1970s, Don McLean remained an in-demand concert performer. In 1975, 85000 fans attended his London Hyde Park concert. 1977, saw a brief liaison with Arista Records that yielded the "Prime Time” album before, in 1978, Don's career began again in Nashville where he would work with Elvis Presley's backing singers, "The Jordanaires” and many of Elvis's old musicians. The result was "Chain Lightning” and the UK No 1, "Crying”. The early 1980s saw further chart successes with "Since I Don't Have You”, a new recording of "Castles in the Air” and "It's Just the Sun”. In 1987, the release of the country-based "Love Tracks" album gave rise to the hit singles "Love in My Heart” (top-10 in Australia), "Can't Blame the Wreck on the Train” (US country #49) and "Eventually”. Four years later, Don hit the UK top-10 with "American Pie” prompting many appearances on radio and TV including a one-hour special with Nicky Campbell on BBC radio 1, and the recording of the Manchester concert for video release in 1993. A favourite memory for many fans is Don performing "American Pie” live on "Top of the Pops” in 1991. In 1992, many previously unreleased songs became available on "Favorites and Rarities” while "Don McLean Classics” featured new studio recordings of "Vincent” and "American Pie”. In 1994, Don appeared at the Buddy Holly tributes in the USA and London, and "Guns and Roses” took a replica of Don's version of "Since I Don't Have You” (a US top-20 hit for Don in April 1981) to the UK top-10. 1995 and "American Pie' returns to the top-40; this time in "techno-music” format performed by European artist, Just Luis. In 1996, "Killing Me Softly With His Song"', performed by The Fugees, was one of the biggest selling singles of the year. Don McLean credits his 1997 performance of “American Pie” at Garth Brooks’ Central Park concert (attended by over 500,000 people) as the beginning of his third career comeback. According to Don, his first "comeback" had been the release of "Vincent" and the second, the North American release and massive success of "Crying". "Brooks was joined on stage by two surprise guest stars, Billy Joel and Don McLean, who brought down the house with an acoustic rendition of "American Pie." (CNN, 1997) Two years later Garth Brooks repaid the favour by appearing as a special guest (with Nanci Griffith) on Don's first ever American TV special, broadcast on PBS and now available as the “Starry Starry Night” video, DVD and CD. A month later, Don McLean wound up the 20th century by performing "American Pie" for President Clinton at the Lincoln Memorial Gala In Washington D.C. In 2000, Madonna recorded a cover version of "American Pie" that on release in the UK entered the official singles chart at number 1 and made the US top-30 on air play points alone. This prompted EMI to release a new "Best of Don McLean" CD that gave Don his first top-30 album chart entry in almost 20 years. McLean said: "Madonna is a colossus in the music industry and she is going to be considered an important historical figure as well. She is a fine singer, a fine songwriter and record producer, and she has the power to guarantee success with any song she chooses to record. It is a gift for her to have recorded 'American Pie.' I have heard her version and I think it is sensual and mystical. I also feel that she's chosen autobiographical verses that reflect her career and personal history. I hope it will cause people to ask what's happening to music in America. I have received many gifts from God but this is the first time I have ever received a gift from a goddess." Even more surprising than Madonna having a hit with a Don McLean song, was George Michael's decision in 2003 to record "The Grave", from the "American Pie" album, as a protest against the Iraq war. He recorded the song for MTV and performed it live on Top of the Pops. Don said: "I am proud of George Michael for standing up for life and sanity. I am delighted that he chose a song of mine to express these feelings. We must remember that the Wizard is really a cowardly old man hiding behind a curtain with a loud microphone. It takes courage and a song to pull the curtain open and expose him. Good Luck George." The 21st Century has seen a number of new honours for Don McLean and his music. Iona College conferred an honorary doctorate on Don in 2001 and, in February 2002, "American Pie" was finally inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2004 Don McLean was inaugurated into the National Academy of Popular Music Songwriters' Hall of Fame and in 2007 he shared his life story in Alan Howard's biography. Don McLean continues to tour the world and release new material. In 2009 his latest studio album, "Addicted to Black", was released and in 2010 he returned to Europe for a seven nation tour, including the Royal Albert Hall, London on May 7th. 2011 has seen another tour of UK and Ireland, including a sensational appearance at Europe's largest music festival, Glastonbury. Don McLean lives in Maine on a 300-acre estate with his wife Patrisha and his two children. Insights into Don's life today can be found in the Christmas 2008 interview. Alan Howard Revised: June 2011 http://www.don-mclean.com/aboutdon.asp
Currently listening to these tracks: Dj Khaled - I'm on one Das EFX - Kaught in da ak Booba - Ma Couleur Common - Breaker 1/9 Dream Warriors - California Dreaming The Fashion - Solo Impala Daft Punk - Harder, faster, stronger Den Gale Pose - Flere Ho's Faith Evans - Mesmerized Ice Cube - Why me? J. Cole - Work Out Jamie Foxx - 15 minutes Jay Z & Kanye West - Why I love you Keyshia Cole - Take me away The Latin King - De e knas Ludacris & Trey Songz - Sex Room Mariah Carey - Thank god I found you (feat. NAS & Joe) NAS - life's a bitch (feat. Az) Monica - Anything (to find you) (feat lil Kim, rick Ross) Outlandish - Let off some steam Per vers - Black Power Wiz Khalifa - Cameras 2 pistols - Death before dishonour Bent Fabric - Sweet señorita
Not a big fan of DJ Khaled... But rest of your music is pretty good. haha I am just listening to me some Lynard Skynard
The Jones Girls - The Best of the Jones Girls The Jones Girls comprised of: Brenda Elaine Jones Williams (b. 7th December 1954) Shirley Yvonne Jones (b. 22nd September 1953) and Valorie Denise Jones (b. 17th April 1956, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A. d. 2nd December 2001, Sinai Grace Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.). mary frazier jones The Jones Girls were, originally, from Detroit and were the daughters of the singer Mary Frazier Jones (the spelling on the sleeve above is incorrect according to Brenda). The came to fame after working with Diana Ross on a U.S. tour. The Girls had toured with the Four Tops additionally, as well as Little Richard, The Impressions and B.B. King. In 1970, they recorded the songs 'Learn How To Love' (on Ember Records) and 'My Own Special Way' (on Ember Records, additionally). A year later, saw the release of 'Oh I Feel Good' and 'Put A Little Love In Your Heart'. In 1972, they had further singles released including 'Come Back' (on the Music Merchant imprint, a subsidiary of the Holland / Dozier / Holland Invictus label), 'You're The Only Bargain I've Got' and 'Your Love Controls Me' (on the Music Merchant imprint). 1973, saw the single 'Taster Of The Honey' released on the Music Merchant imprint. Early in 1974, the Girls recorded two songs entitled ''If You Don't Love Me No More' (Paramount 0279) b/w 'If You Don't Start Nothing', which were initially released on that Paramount imprint. In 1974, their attributed debut single entitled 'Will You Be There' was released for the Paramount imprint (Paramount 0921), a song that was accompanied by the single 'I Need You' for the same label. It was through their association with the Impressions, that the Girls met Curtis Mayfield who took them to his, Chicago based, Curtom Imprint, where they recorded several sides. These included 'I Turn To You' (Curtom 0102), in 1975 and the songs 'Misteri' ('Mister-I') and 'Hey Lucinda' b/w 'Dr Big Smile' (CMS 0108). At this time the Girls recorded several sides that were never released. These included 'Treat Me Like A Lady', 'Waiting For The Last Goodbye', 'The Proof Is In The Pudding', 'Man On The Take' and 'Plain Jane'. By 1978 they had sang background vocals for Aretha Franklin on the Curtis Mayfield produced outing 'Almighty Fire'. They later recorded with Linda Clifford on 'Runaway Love' before the tour that took them to a higher level with Diana Ross. The Jones Girls accompanied Diana on a marathon tour which took them to Philadelphia and to the attention of Kenny Gamble. They had also worked with Diana Ross in the studio, however, none of these sides have seen the light of day. At Philadelphia International, they provided background vocals for other artists at the label. These include Dexter Wansel, Lou Rawls and Jean Carn. Kenny Gamble recruited the Girls to his Philadelphia International imprint in 1979 and a series of excellent releases followed. There they released four albums, 'The Jones Girls' in 1979, (including 'This Feeling's Killing Me', 'You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else' and 'Life Goes On'), 'At Peace With Woman' in 1980, (including 'Dance Turned Into A Romance' and 'Let's Celebrate'), 'Get As Much Love As You Can' in 1981, (including 'Nights Over Egypt' and 'Love Don't Ever Say Goodbye'), and 'Keep It Comin' in 1984, (including 'You Can't Have My Love' and 'Ah Ah Ah Ah', a collaboration with Keni Burke). Away from Philadelphia they provided background vocals for the likes of , Freda Payne, Lamont Dozier, Thelma Houston, Norman Connors ('Take It To The Limit'), Prince Phillip Mitchell ('Make It Good'), L.J. Reynolds, Michael Pedicin Jr, Glenn Jones ('I Am Somebody'), Margie Joseph, Brass Fever ('Time Is Running Out'), Walter Jackson, George Duke, Noel Pointer and Bobby Wilson. In 1983 they relocated from Philadelphia International to the RCA imprint for one album entitled 'On Target', (including '2 Win U Back', 'On Target' and 'Knockin'). Shirley Jones debut solo album 'Always In The Mood' was released in 1986 and charted with the single 'Do You Get Enough Love?'. valorie denise jones Valorie Denise Jones, sadly, died in 2001. She was 45 years old. http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/jones girls.html
