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Softnotes
''Softnotes'' is a multi-hour music television program created for Black Entertainment Television. It debuted in the fall of 1987, and was created and produced by Alvin Jones (THE UNSEEN VJ), the former host of ''Video Vibrations''. This program focused on the genre known as Smooth Jazz, mixing up R&B, Soft Rock, & Easy Listening videos. This also showed the growing diversity of BET, and paved the way for other Jazz-dedicated shows like ''Sound & Style with Ramsey Lewis'' and ''Jazz Central''. Eventually, the program spun off the BET on Jazz digital cable channel, which is currently BET Her. ''Softnotes'' remained on the air until 1991, and Paul Porter (Alvin Jones' successor for Video Vibrations) would host the remainder of the show until it went off the air in mid-late 1991. Artists like Anita Baker, Kenny G, Najee, Jeff Lorber, Freddie Jackson Frederick Anthony Jackson (born October 2, 1956) is an American singer. Originally from New York, Jackson began his professional musi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and was formerly headquartered in Washington, D.C. As of February 2015, approximately 88,255,000 American households (75.8% of households with television) receive the channel. History After stepping down as a lobbyist for the cable industry, Freeport, Illinois native Robert L. Johnson decided to launch his own cable television network. Johnson would soon acquire a loan for $15,000 and a $500,000 investment from media executive John Malone to start the network. The network, which was named Black Entertainment Television (BET), launched on January 25, 1980. Cheryl D. Miller designed the logo that would represent the network, which featured a star to symbolize "Black Star Power". Initially, broadcasting for two hours ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Video Vibrations
''Video Vibrations'' was a 4-hour-long daily video block that showcased popular music videos. It was one of BET's early video shows. The show aired October 1, 1984 until 1997, when it was changed to ''Vibrations''. It was developed to appeal to black audiences and show a wider array of black music than MTV or other networks at the time. The first video on Video Vibrations was Prince's When Doves Cry. In the beginning, due to a limited supply of videos from black artists, popular mainstream white artists with crossover appeal were also featured in the lineup. As the supply of videos from black artists expanded, so did BET's position as an influential voice of the music industry. Hosts The show was hosted by a VJ speaking offscreen. All 3 hosts were prominent in radio as well. *Alvin "The Unseen VJ" Jones (1984-1991), one of BET's other first VJ's,alongside Donnie Simpson. *"Captain" Paul Porter (1991-1996). *Lorenzo "Ice Tea" Thomas (1996-1997) Popular segments *Rap Week - a segm ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ramsey Lewis
Ramsey Emmanuel Lewis Jr. (May 27, 1935 – September 12, 2022) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and radio personality. Lewis recorded over 80 albums and received five RIAA certification, gold records and three Grammy Awards in his career. His album ''The In Crowd (Ramsey Lewis album), The In Crowd'' earned Lewis critical praise and the 1965 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance. His best known singles include "The 'In' Crowd (song), The In Crowd", "Wade in the Water", and "Sun Goddess (song), Sun Goddess". Until 2009, he was the host of the ''Ramsey Lewis Morning Show'' on the Chicago radio station WNUA. Lewis was also active in musical education in Chicago. He founded the Ramsey Lewis Foundation, established the Ravinia's Jazz Mentor Program, and served on the board of trustees for the Merit School of Music and The Chicago High School for the Arts. Life and career Ramsey Lewis was born on May 27, 1935, in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
BET Her
BET Her (formerly Centric) is an American basic cable television network owned by Paramount Media Networks. The network is a spin-off of BET with a focus on general entertainment targeting African-American women. The channel originally launched in 1996 as BET on Jazz, a spin-off from BET with a focus on jazz music programming targeting African Americans. In 2006, the network was re-positioned as BET J, which carried a broader array of music programming of interest to the demographic (accompanying its sister soul and hip-hop-oriented digital networks). In 2009, the network relaunched as Centric, with a focus on lifestyle and music programming targeting an upscale African-American audience. In 2014, the network re-positioned its programming to target African-American women, and in 2017, re-branded under its current name. As of February 2015, approximately 51,829,000 American households (44.5% of households with television) received the network. History The channel launched on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anita Baker
Anita Denise Baker (born January 26, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter. She is one of the most popular singers of soulful ballads, especially renowned for her work during the height of the quiet storm period in the 1980s. Starting her career in the late 1970s with the funk band Chapter 8, Baker released her first solo album, '' The Songstress'', in 1983. In 1986, she rose to stardom following the release of her Platinum-selling second album, ''Rapture'', which included the Grammy-winning single " Sweet Love". , Baker has won eight Grammy Awards and has four Platinum albums, along with two Gold albums. Baker is a contralto with a range of nearly three octaves. Life and music career 1958–79: Early life, career beginnings and Chapter 8 Anita Baker was born on January 26, 1958, in Toledo, Ohio. When she was two, her mother abandoned her and Baker was raised by a foster family in Detroit, Michigan. When Baker was 12, her foster parents died and her foster sister raised her a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kenny G
Kenneth Bruce Gorelick (born June 5, 1956), known professionally as Kenny G, is an American smooth jazz saxophonist, composer, and producer. His 1986 album ''Duotones'' brought him commercial success. Kenny G is one of the best-selling artists of all time, with global sales totaling more than 75 million records. Early life Kenny G was born in Seattle, Washington to a Jewish family. His mother was a Canadian Jew from Saskatchewan, Canada. He came into contact with the saxophone when he heard a performance on ''The Ed Sullivan Show''. He started playing the saxophone, a Buffet Crampon alto, in 1966 when he was 10 years old. Kenny G attended Whitworth Elementary School, Sharples Junior High School (renamed Kurose Middle School), Franklin High School, and the University of Washington, all in his home city of Seattle. When he entered high school he failed at his first attempt to get into the jazz band but auditioned again the following year and earned first chair. His Frankl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Najee
Jerome Najee Rasheed (born November 4, 1957, New York City), known professionally as Najee, is an American Jazz-Smooth jazz, Smooth Jazz saxophonist and flautist. Early life Najee was born in the lower west side of Manhattan in New York City and lived his teenage years in Queens, New York. His father died at a young age, and Najee and siblings were raised by his mother Mary Richards. His mother was an important figure and supporter throughout his life and musical career. Najee's musical pursuits began in grade school at age eight, where he began playing the clarinet, but he had a deep desire to play saxophone. He was influenced at this age by listening to his mother's recordings of Miles Davis and other legendary American jazz artists. A pivotal moment in his life came when he made the decision to become a professional jazz musician. In high school, Najee began to study jazz as a student at the Jazzmobile program (co-founded by Billy Taylor, Dr. Billy Taylor) where he honed his s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jeff Lorber
Jeffrey H. Lorber (born November 4, 1952) is an American keyboardist, composer, and record producer. After six previous nominations, Lorber won his first Grammy Award on January 28, 2018 for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for '' Prototype'' by his band the Jeff Lorber Fusion. Many of his songs have appeared on the Weather Channel's ''Local on the 8s'' segments and on the channel's compilation albums, '' The Weather Channel Presents: The Best of Smooth Jazz'' and '' The Weather Channel Presents: Smooth Jazz II''. He was nominated for a Grammy Award for his album '' He Had a Hat'' (Blue Note, 2007) Early life Lorber was born to a Jewish family in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, the same suburb as Michael and Randy Brecker, with whom he would later play. He started to play the piano when he was four years old. After playing in a number of R&B bands as a teen, he attended Berklee College of Music, where he developed his love for jazz. At Berklee he met and played alongside guitar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Freddie Jackson
Frederick Anthony Jackson (born October 2, 1956) is an American singer. Originally from New York, Jackson began his professional music career in the late 1970s with the California funk band Mystic Merlin. Among his well–known R&B/soul hits are " Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake)" (1985), " Have You Ever Loved Somebody" (1986), " Jam Tonight" (1986), " Do Me Again" (1990), and " You Are My Lady" (1985). He contributed to the soundtrack for the 1989 film, ''All Dogs Go to Heaven'' with the Michael Lloyd-produced duet "Love Survives" alongside Irene Cara. He also appeared in the movie ''King of New York''. Biography 1956–1980: early life and education, Mystic Merlin Born in Harlem section of New York City, Jackson was trained as a gospel singer from an early age, singing at the White Rock Baptist Church of Harlem. There he met Paul Laurence, who would later become his record producer and songwriting partner. After completing school, Jackson joined Laurence's group LJE (Lauren ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
BET Original Programming
Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and was formerly headquartered in Washington, D.C. As of February 2015, approximately 88,255,000 American households (75.8% of households with television) receive the channel. History After stepping down as a lobbyist for the cable industry, Freeport, Illinois native Robert L. Johnson decided to launch his own cable television network. Johnson would soon acquire a loan for $15,000 and a $500,000 investment from media executive John Malone to start the network. The network, which was named Black Entertainment Television (BET), launched on January 25, 1980. Cheryl D. Miller designed the logo that would represent the network, which featured a star to symbolize "Black Star Power". Initially, broadcasting for two hours ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1987 American Television Series Debuts
File:1987 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The MS Herald of Free Enterprise capsizes after leaving the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, killing 193; Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashes after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, killing everyone except a little girl; The King's Cross fire kills 31 people after a fire under an escalator Flashover, flashes-over; The MV Doña Paz sinks after colliding with an oil tanker, drowning almost 4,400 passengers and crew; Typhoon Nina (1987), Typhoon Nina strikes the Philippines; LOT Polish Airlines Flight 5055 crashes outside of Warsaw, taking the lives of all aboard; The USS Stark is USS Stark incident, struck by Iraq, Iraqi Exocet missiles in the Persian Gulf; President of the United States, U.S. President Ronald Reagan gives a famous Tear down this wall!, speech, demanding that Soviet Union, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev tears down the Berlin Wall., 300x300px, thumb rect 0 0 200 200 Zeebrugge disaster rect 200 0 400 200 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
