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SOLAR Records
SOLAR (acronym for Sound of Los Angeles Records) was an American record label founded in 1977 by Dick Griffey, reconstituted out of Soul Train Records only two years after it was founded with ''Soul Train'' television show host and creator Don Cornelius. History SOLAR began in 1975 as Soul Train Records, founded by Dick Griffey and ''Soul Train'' creator Don Cornelius. The first act they signed was an R&B vocal quartet they named The Soul Train Gang (Gerald Brown, Terry Brown, Judy Jones, Patricia Williamson, and later Denise Smith), who performed one of Soul Train's many themes, "Soul Train '75". Their first album was entitled ''Don Cornelius Presents The Soul Train Gang.'' In 1976, their second album, ''The Soul Train Gang,'' produced by Philadelphia, Philly's Norman Harris, was released. The Gang broke up in 1977. That same year, Singer/drummer Arnie Oliver, aka Ahaguna G. Sun, and singer/guitarist Werner "Bear" Schuchner comprised Sunbear, a little-known soul/funk vocal d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1977 In Music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1977. This year was the peak of vinyl sales in the United States, with sales declining year on year since then. __TOC__ Specific locations *1977 in British music *1977 in Norwegian music Specific genres *1977 in country music *1977 in heavy metal music *1977 in jazz Events January–February *January 1 – The Clash headline the opening night of London's only punk rock club, The Roxy (Covent Garden), The Roxy *January 6 – After releasing only one single for controversial English punk rock band the Sex Pistols, EMI terminates its contract with them in response to its members' disruptive behaviour last month on ITV (TV channel), ITV's ''Today'' and two days ago at London Heathrow Airport *January 20 – Jimmy Buffett's ''Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes'' is released, featuring the biggest single of his career, "Margaritaville" *January 22 – German cellist Maria Kliegel makes her London debut at ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Don Cornelius
Donald Cortez Cornelius (September 27, 1936 – February 1, 2012) was an American television show host and producer widely known as the creator of the nationally syndicated dance and music show ''Soul Train'', which he hosted from 1971 until 1993. Cornelius sold the show to MadVision Entertainment in 2008. Early life and career Cornelius was born on Chicago's South Side on September 27, 1936,McKinley Jr., James C. (February 1, 2012)"Don Cornelius, ‘Soul Train’ Creator, Is Dead" ''The New York Times''. Retrieved January 8, 2018. and raised in the Bronzeville neighborhood. After graduating from DuSable High School in 1954, he joined the United States Marine Corps and served for 18 months during the Korean War. He worked at various jobs following his stint in the military, including selling tires, automobiles, and insurance, and as an officer with the Chicago Police Department. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Midnight Star (band)
Midnight Star is an American group that had a string of hits in the 1980s. Band history The group was formed in 1976 at Kentucky State University by trumpeter Reggie Calloway, vocalist Belinda Lipscomb, guitarist/drummer/vocalist Melvin Gentry, bassist Kenneth Gant, multi-instrumentalist Bill Simmons, keyboard player/vocalist Bo Watson and guitarist/keyboardist Jeff Cooper, as a self-contained group. They later added non-KSU student trombonist Vincent Calloway (Reginald's younger brother). A 1978 New York City showcase inspired SOLAR Records chief Dick Griffey to sign the group. They released their debut album ''The Beginning'' (1980) with some guest studio musicians. In 1981 their second album, released on Solar Records, ''Standing Together'', reached position #54 on the U.S. R&B chart. In 1982 they released a third album, ''Victory''. Using elected band leader Reggie Calloway's production skills, Midnight Star hit the U.S. R&B chart with early singles "Hot Spot" and " ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lakeside (band)
Lakeside is an American funk band, best known for their 1980 number one R&B hit, " Fantastic Voyage". Band history Formation and early years In 1969, guitarist Stephen Shockley from Dayton, Ohio formed a group called the Young Underground after he had departed a group known as the Monterreys. Vocalist Mark Woods, who was a member of another local band called the Nomads, joined up with Shockley's band. In 1971, the Nomads and the Young Underground took on a new, singular identity: With the addition of Thomas Shelby and Mark Wood's sister Shirley Wood, they became Ohio Lakeside Express. In 1971, the group became acquainted with Eddie Thomas of Curtom, a record label owned and operated by Mr. Thomas and his partner, Curtis Mayfield. Eddie Thomas left Curtom to form his own label: "Lakeside", which he named after the south-side of Chicago. Lakeside (the record label) signed Ohio Lakeside Express. Eddie Thomas had a number of producers expressing interest in producing an album for La ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dynasty (band)
Dynasty was an American band, based in Los Angeles, California, created by producer and SOLAR Records label head Dick Griffey, and record producer Leon Sylvers III. The band was known for their dance/pop numbers during the late 1970s and 1980s. Keyboardist Kevin Spencer and vocalists Nidra Beard and Linda Carriere originally comprised the group. History and overview Dynasty was essentially the brainchild of Griffey and producer Sylvers, a former member of the Sylvers family group, who had achieved much popularity in the early to mid-1970s. A principal architect of the SOLAR sound, Sylvers had become the in-house producer in 1978 for the label (whose name stood for "Sound of Los Angeles Records"), and it was in this capacity that he brought the members of Dynasty together. The group consisted of three young performers: vocalists Nidra Beard and Linda Carriere and vocalist-keyboardist Kevin Spencer. After graduating from college in New Orleans, Carriere became friends with Be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Whispers
The Whispers is an American group from Los Angeles, California, who have scored hit records since the late 1960s. They are best known for their two number one R&B singles, " And the Beat Goes On" in 1980 and " Rock Steady" in 1987. The Whispers scored 15 top-ten R&B singles, and 8 top-ten R&B albums with two of them, '' The Whispers'' and ''Love Is Where You Find It'', reaching the 1 spot. They have earned two platinum and five gold albums by the RIAA. Career The Whispers formed in 1963 in Watts, California. The original members included identical twin brothers Wallace "Scotty" and Walter Scott, along with Gordy Harmon, Marcus Hutson, and Nicholas Caldwell. After being invited to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1966 by Sly Stone, the group relocated to that area where they began developing a reputation as a show-stopping live act. Walter Scott was drafted to serve in the Vietnam War during that period for eighteen months, returning to the group in 1969 after discharge. After ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Howard Hewett
Howard Hewett Jr. (born October 1, 1955) is an American singer–songwriter. Hewett rose to fame as the lead vocalist of the group Shalamar. In 1985, he left the group to pursue his solo career, but he later returned to the group in 2001. He signed with Elektra Records. In 1986, he released his debut solo album ''I Commit to Love''. Hewett and his group Shalamar contributed material to the '' Beverly Hills Cop'' soundtrack. The soundtrack won a Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media in 1986. Biography Raised in Akron, Ohio, Hewett moved to Los Angeles in 1976, where he first met Jeffrey Daniel and Jody Watley at a club in the LA Crenshaw district. Hewett formed a show group called "Beverly Hills" and toured throughout Europe, the UK, Scandinavia and Asia for all of 1977 till the middle of 1978. After returning from overseas, Hewett started recording for Jeffrey Bowen. In 1978, he got a call from Jeffrey Daniel who was in need of a lead singer and Hewett acc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jeffrey Daniel
Jeffrey Glen Daniel (born August 24, 1955 ) is an American dancer, singer-songwriter and choreographer, most notable for being a founding member of the R&B vocal group Shalamar. In Nigeria, he is best known as a former ''Idol'' series judge. Career Daniel was born in Los Angeles. During his career he has taught, worked and ranked alongside musicians and dancers such as Shabba Doo, Geron Casper Candidate, Derek Cooley Jackson/Jaxson, Popin' Pete and The Electric Boogaloos. Daniel first performed ''"the backslide"'', a physically complicated dance technique (originally performed by the dance group ''"The Lockers"''), now known as the " moonwalk", on British television during a performance of Shalamar's " A Night to Remember" on ''Top of the Pops''. The song was a hit in 1982, almost a year before Michael Jackson moonwalked on the '' Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever'' television broadcast; he was a big fan of ''Soul Train'' – on which Jeffrey Daniel had been a back-up ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jody Watley
Jody Vanessa Watley (born January 30, 1959) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and artist,USA Today (February 16, 1996), Best Bets: Albums Jody Watley Greatest Hits, "Few singers fired up the disco like Jody Watley who set trends and standards for fashion and music in the late 80s.." USA Today Life Section whose music crosses genres including pop, R&B, jazz, dance, and electronic soul.Paoletta, Michael (February 22, 2003) "Watley Relaxes In The Setting of The 'Midnight Lounge', Billboard Magazine. During the late 1970s and early 1980s she was a member of the r&b/funk band Shalamar, who scored many hits, notably so in the UK. In 1988, she won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist (as a solo artist) and has been nominated for three Grammy awards. In 2008, she was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from ''Billboard'' magazine, and was also prominently featured in the historic black issue of ''Vogue Italia'' in 2008. In December 2016, ''Billboard'' ranked ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Motown
Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''motor'' and ''town'', has become a nickname for Detroit, where the label was originally headquartered. Motown played an important role in the racial integration of popular music as an African American-owned label that achieved crossover success. In the 1960s, Motown and its subsidiary labels (including Tamla Motown, the brand used outside the US) were the most of the Motown sound, a style of soul music with a mainstream pop appeal. Motown was the most successful soul music label, with a net worth of $61 million. During the 1960s, Motown achieved 79 records in the top-ten of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 between 1960 and 1969. Following the events of the Detroit Riots of 1967, and the loss of key songwriting/production team Holland–Dozierâ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Uptown Festival (song)
"Uptown Festival" is the debut single by the band Shalamar, released on Soul Train Records in 1977. The song is a medley of ten Motown classics sung over a 1970s disco beat. The radio edit, "Uptown Festival (Part 1)", became a hit peaking at No. 25 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, No. 10 on the R&B chart and No. 2 on the Dance chart. It also charted internationally. After the success of the single, Dick Griffey, the booking agent for ''Soul Train'', formed a vocal group, resulting in the first incarnation of Shalamar with Jody Watley, Jeffrey Daniels and Gary Mumford. Recording and songs The medley "Uptown Festival" was recorded at Ike & Tina Turner's Bolic Sound studio in Inglewood in 1976. It features various session musicians, including Mike Lewis and Laurin Rinder from El Coco, and the Motown musicians, including Eddie "Bongo" Brown and Jack Ashford. List of songs # " Going to a Go-Go" # " I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" # " Uptight (Everything's Alri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
