Whats Buzzing in the Streets – Page 54

Natalie Cole

Natalie Maria Cole (February 6, 1950 – December 31, 2015) was an American singer, voice actress, songwriter, and actress. The daughter of Nat King Cole, she rose to musical success in the mid-1970s as an R&B artist with the hits “This Will Be”, “Inseparable” (1975), and “Our Love” (1977). Cole re-emerged as a pop artist with the 1987 album Everlasting and her cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Pink Cadillac”. In the 1990s, she re-recorded standards by her father, resulting in her biggest success, Unforgettable… with Love, which sold over seven million copies and also won Cole seven Grammy Awards. She sold over 30 million records worldwide. On December 31, 2015, Cole died at the age of 65 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, due to congestive heart failure.

Natalie Maria Cole was born in Los Angeles, CA., the daughter of Nat King Cole and former Duke Ellington Orchestra singer Maria Hawkins Ellington, and raised in the Hancock Park district of Los Angeles. At the age of 6, Natalie sang on her father’s Christmas album and later began performing at age 11. Cole grew up with older adopted sister Carole “Cookie” (1944–2009) (her mother Maria’s younger sister’s daughter); adopted brother Nat “Kelly” Cole (1959–95), and younger twin sisters Timolin and Casey (born 1961).

She enrolled in Northfield School, an elite New England preparatory school before her father died of lung cancer in February 1965. Soon afterwards she began having a difficult relationship with her mother. She enrolled in the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She transferred briefly to University of Southern California where she pledged the Upsilon chapter of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. She later transferred back to the University of Massachusetts, where she majored in Child Psychology and minored in German, graduating in 1972.

Following graduation, Cole began singing at small clubs with her band, Black Magic. Cole began recreational drug use while attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She was arrested in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, for possession of heroin in 1975. While performing, she was noted by a couple of producers in the Chicago area, Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy, who then approached her to do records. Capitol Records, her father’s label, heard the records and agreed to sign her. Cole, Yancy and Jackson went into studios in Los Angeles to polish the recordings they had shipped, resulting in the release of Cole’s debut album, Inseparable. Cole also recorded “You”. Released in 1975, the album became an instant success thanks to “This Will Be”, which became a top ten hit and later winning Cole a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. A second single, “Inseparable”, also became a hit. Both songs reached number-one on the R&B chart. Her next album was Natalie, released in 1976.

Cole released her first platinum record with her third release, Unpredictable, mainly thanks to the number-one R&B hit, “I’ve Got Love on My Mind”. Later in 1977, Cole issued her fourth release and second platinum album, Thankful, which included another signature Cole hit, “Our Love”. Cole was the first female artist to have two platinum albums in one year. To capitalize on her fame, Cole starred on her own TV special, which attracted such celebrities as Earth, Wind & Fire, and also appeared on the TV special, “Sinatra and Friends.” In 1978, Cole released her first live album, Natalie Live! In early 1979, the singer was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. That same year, she released two more albums, I Love You So and the Peabo Bryson duet album, We’re the Best of Friends. Both albums reached gold status in the U.S. continuing her popularity.

Following the release of her eighth album, 1980’s Don’t Look Back, her career began to take a detour. In 1981, Cole’s personal problems, including battles with drug addiction, began to take public notice, and her career suffered as a result. In 1983, following the release of her album I’m Ready, released she entered a rehab facility. She released Dangerous, which started a slow resurgence for Cole in terms of record sales and chart success. In 1987, came the ‘album Everlasting, which returned her to the top of the charts. In 1989, she released her follow-up to Everlasting, Good to Be Back, which produced the number two hit “Miss You Like Crazy”; it also achieved international success, reaching the top ten in the United Kingdom. Cole released her best-selling album with 1991’s Unforgettable… with Love, which saw her singing songs her father recorded. She produced vocal arrangements for the songs, with piano accompaniment by her uncle Ike Cole. Cole’s label released an interactive duet between Cole and her father on the title song, “Unforgettable”. Unforgettable…with Love eventually sold more than 7 million copies in the U.S. alone and won several Grammys, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance for the top song.

Cole followed that success with another album of jazz standards, titled Take a Look, in 1993. The album eventually went gold while a holiday album, Holly & Ivy, also became gold. Another standards release, Stardust, went platinum and featured another duet with her father on a modern version of “When I Fall in Love”, which helped Cole earn another Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. Cole carved out a secondary career in acting. She also appeared several times in live concerts or other music related programs, including the 1988 Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute. In 1990, she (along with jazz vocalist Al Jarreau) sang the song “Mr. President” on HBO’s Comic Relief special. After Johnny Mathis appeared on a special of Cole’s in 1980, the two kept in contact, and in 1992, he invited Cole to be a part of his television special titled “A Tribute To Nat Cole” for BBC-TV in England. In 1992, following the success of the Unforgettable: With Love album, PBS broadcast a special based on the album. Unforgettable, With Love: Natalie Cole Sings the Songs of Nat “King” Cole received Emmy nominations for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program; and Cole received a nomination for Outstanding Individual Performance.

Cole made a number of dramatic appearances on television, including guest appearances on I’ll Fly Away, Touched by an Angel, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In 2006, she made a memorable guest appearance on Grey’s Anatomy as a terminally ill patient. Cole also made feature films appearances in the Cole Porter biopic De-Lovely. She appeared in several made-for-TV movies, most notably as the lead in Lily in Winter. Cole was featured on Macy Gray’s album Big, singing “Finally Make Me Happy”. In 2000, Cole released an autobiography, Angel on My Shoulder, which described her battle with drugs during much of her life. Her autobiography was released in conjunction with a made-for-TV movie, Livin’ for Love: The Natalie Cole Story. In 2001, she starred as herself in Livin’ for Love: the Natalie Cole Story, for which she received the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television, Mini-Series of Dramatic Special. She also sang the national anthem with the Atlanta University Center Chorus at Super Bowl XXVIII. She can also be seen in the last scene of Nas’ music video for “Can’t Forget About You”.

She announced in 2008 that she had been diagnosed with hepatitis C and blamed her infection on her past intravenous drug use. Four months after starting treatment she had kidney failure. Cole needed dialysis three times a week for nine months. After she appealed for a kidney on the Larry King show, she received a donor through the organ procurement agency in 2009. Cole also performed “Something’s Gotta Give” on American Idol in 2009. In 2010, She performed with Andrea Bocelli in a concert at the Kodak Theatre, for his album My Christmas, in which she recorded a duet with him, and from December 10–13, 2009, she appeared with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square in their annual Christmas concerts. Both were videotaped for presentation on PBS in December 2010. On 2011, Cole appeared on the reality television series, The Real Housewives of New York City. In 2012, Cole appeared as a guest judge on the fourth series of reality competition series RuPaul’s Drag Race. The bottom two competitors lip-synced to her song This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) to decide who would stay and who would be eliminated. On Father’s Day, 2013, she was in Tina Sinatra’s Father’s Day Special on Sirius Radio. It also featured Deana Martin, Monica Mancini and Daisy Torme, all reminiscing about their famous fathers.

Cole was married three times. In 1976, she married Marvin Yancy, songwriter, producer and former member of the 1970s R&B group The Independents. She had a son, Robert Adam “Robbie” Yancy (born October 15, 1977); he is now a musician who toured with her. Marvin was her producer, and an ordained Baptist minister who helped reintroduce her to religion. Under his influence, Cole changed from an Episcopalian to become a devout Baptist. Cole and Yancy got divorced in 1980. In 1989, Cole married record producer and former drummer for the band Rufus, Andre Fischer; they were divorced in 1995. In 2001, Cole married bishop Kenneth Dupree; they divorced in 2004.

On December 31, 2015, Natalie Cole died at the age of 65 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, due to congestive heart failure. The daughter of Nat King Cole sold over 30 million records worldwide.

Bobby Brown

Robert Barisford “Bobby” Brown (born February 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, dancer and actor. Brown started his career as founder and one of the frontmen of the R&B and pop group New Edition, from its inception in 1978 until his forced exit from the group in 1985 following a period of misbehavior and rebellious behavior on his part. Starting a solo career, he became a hit success with his second album in 1988, Don’t Be Cruel, which spawned a number of hit singles including the self-penned “My Prerogative”, and the Grammy Award-winning “Every Little Step” which became his signature hit. Brown had a string of top ten hits on various Billboard charts between 1986 and 1993. Brown is noted as a pioneer of new jack swing, a fusion of R&B. He returned to the group for a reunion album and tour from 1996-1997, and has returned with all six members for another stint since 2005.

From 1992 to 2007 Brown was married to the late American singer Whitney Houston (1963–2012), with whom he had a child, late Bobbi Kristina Brown (1993–2015). The couple starred in the reality show Being Bobby Brown.

Brown was born in Boston, Massachusetts as one of six children of Carole Elizabeth (née Williams), a substitute teacher, and Herbert James Brown, a construction worker. Brown grew up in Roxbury’s Orchard Park Projects. Brown’s first taste of being onstage occurred at age three when one of his childhood idols, James Brown, performed in Boston. This performance had sparked a dream of becoming a singer. Brown joined the church choir, where he recognized and developed his singing abilities.

New Edition was founded by 9-year-old Brown and childhood friends Michael Bivins, Ricky Bell, Travis Pettus, and Corey Rackley who all knew each other growing up in the Orchard Park Projects in Boston. However, Rackley left the group early and good friend Ralph Tresvant joined the group at the suggestion of Bell who sang with Tresvant as a duo. Brown was also familiar with Tresvant since they were kids. Travis Pettus would also leave the group and they became a quartet of Bell, Tresvant, Bivins, and Brown. In 1982, they became a quintet when their manager Brooke Payne insisted on bringing in his nephew Ronnie DeVoe, to complete the group. After performing in several talent shows in the Boston areas in 1982, they won a deal with Maurice Starr’s label and released their debut album, Candy Girl. The title track became an instant million-seller in which Brown sung co-lead alongside Bell and Tresvant. Brown’s first full lead vocal performance was on the New Edition ballad, “Jealous Girl”, which was a minor hit when it charted in 1983. The group became pop sensations with their self-titled sophomore release. The album included the crossover hits “Cool It Now” and “Mr. Telephone Man”, which Brown also co-led.

Despite the group’s success, however, Brown felt the group was never rightfully paid the money they felt they had earned from their success, later saying “the most I saw from all the tours and all of the records we sold was $500 and a VCR.” Brown also allegedly grew jealous of the attention given to fellow New Edition member Ralph Tresvant and during some of their tour performances, would often step out of his position and perform out of turn, performing seductively and singing, which caused hiccups from the group’s management team. Brown was featured on two more New Edition albums before leaving the group in early 1986. Brown later said he felt that the group’s management treated them “like little slaves by people who were only interested in money and power, and not in the welfare of New Edition.” A little controversy arose over how Brown got kicked out. Some say Brown asked to be let out of New Edition but a VH-1 Behind the Music documentary on the group claimed Brown was voted out by the group via their management team, with the members, most prominently Tresvant and Bivins, against the decision.

Following his exit, Brown signed a contract with his former group’s label, MCA, which had earlier promised Brown a solo deal if he had decided to leave New Edition and also signed with manager Steven Machat, who also worked with New Edition. The label released his debut album, King of Stage, in 1986. Brown had a number-one R&B hit with the ballad “Girlfriend”, but the album failed to perform well.

Brown laid low for more than a year working on his follow-up album. With the help of Machat and an MCA representative, Louil Silas, Brown began working with some of the top R&B producers and songwriters including Babyface, Antonio “L.A.” Reid and Teddy Riley. The producers helped to compose what became Brown’s most successful solo album to date, Don’t Be Cruel. Released in 1988, the album launched five top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100 including the number-one single, the self-penned “My Prerogative”, which became, along with “Every Little Step” and the title track, signature hits for the performer. After topping both the pop and R&B charts, album sales eventually would reach twelve million copies worldwide making it the best-selling album of 1989. In February 1990, he won the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for the album’s third single ″Every Little Step″. Don’t Be Cruel also garnered Brown two American Music Awards, a Soul Train Music Award and a People’s Choice Award.

In 1989, Brown contributed two songs to the soundtrack of Ghostbusters II, and he also had a cameo role in the film. Leading off the soundtrack album, “On Our Own” became another top ten single for the singer, peaking at number two. The same year, a remix compilation, Dance! Ya Know It, was released and found fans in the United Kingdom, where Brown had a fan base and had major success. Brown ventured on a 120-day world tour to promote the Don’t Be Cruel project in 1988. The tour became a success with Brown’s former group New Edition sometimes opening for him. The tour lasted into spring 1991, but not without Brown gaining notoriety for simulating sexual acts onstage, which got him in trouble with the law. In 1990, Bobby performed Tap Into My Heart at the 1990 MTV Awards and Brown was supposed to release the album Mystical Magic but it was shelved for unknown reasons and never saw the light of day. In 1990, Brown was featured on the #1 hit “She Ain’t Worth It” by Glenn Medeiros making it his second #1 hit on the pop chart. Brown stayed busy and, in 1991, he collaborated with New Edition member and friend, Ralph Tresvant in the song “Stone Cold Gentleman”, which was a top 5 R&B hit and also hop on the remix to Babyface song “Tender Lover” that same year.

Brown’s next album, Bobby, wouldn’t arrive until 1992. Released during the final days of the new jack swing era, an era that Brown had dominated, the album did become a success, selling more than 3 million copies and spawning several hits including “Humpin’ Around”, “Get Away” and “Good Enough”. However, the sales of Bobby didn’t match its predecessor. Some of that may have to do with Brown deciding not to continue his career as he was now married to his famous wife, Whitney Houston, who with Brown, contributed a UK hit with their duet, “Something in Common”, from the Bobby album. Brown would release his fourth solo album, Forever, in 1997. Due to lack of promotion and Brown’s desire to write and produce most of the tracks, the album tanked and the album’s only single, “Feeling Inside”, was not successful.

Prior to the release of Forever, Brown had been in negotiations with rapper Tupac Shakur to sign with Shakur’s new label Makaveli Records or with the proposed label Death Row East. However, Shakur died before that could take place. Leaving MCA following Forever, Brown laid low for several years, re-emerging in 2001 on The Benzino Project, and in 2002, when he was featured in a duet with rapper Ja Rule on the song “Thug Lovin'”. Brown was signed to Murder Inc. Records, but Murder Inc. began dissolving, so Brown’s tenure with them was brief. In 2006, Brown appeared adding vocals to Damian Marley’s song “Beautiful” on Marley’s album, Welcome to Jamrock. In 2010, Brown was featured in a duet with singer Macy Gray on the song “Real Love” off Gray’s The Sellout. Gray explained to Essence about the project, saying “actually he came to the studio, since he doesn’t live far, and knocked out his recording in two hours. We’re friends and his one-year-old son is my godson. His fiancée is one of my best friends in the whole world. I met Bobby a long time ago, but we really got to know each other through her.”

On June 5, 2012, Brown released his fifth album, The Masterpiece. The album debuted at #41 on the R&B album chart.

Brown made his first reunited appearance with New Edition at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards. Their performance later sparked the recording of Bell Biv DeVoe’s “Word to the Mutha!” in 1991; on which Brown, Ralph Tresvant and later NE member Johnny Gill were included. A full-fledged reunion occurred with the 1996 release of the album, Home Again. Brown contributed lead vocals on two hit singles, “Hit Me Off” and “You Don’t Have to Worry”. However, a subsequent 1997 tour to support the album led to problems between Brown and the other New Edition members. Brown later admitted that he was struggling with drug addiction and alcoholism during the tour.

In 2005, at the BET 25th anniversary special, Brown again reunited with New Edition to a receptive audience. In 2008, Brown, Ralph Tresvant, and Johnny Gill then formed a splinter group, Heads of State, to compete with Bell Biv DeVoe. At the 2009 BET Awards, following the death of the group’s idol Michael Jackson, the six New Edition members again reunited to perform a medley of Jackson 5 hits in honor of Jackson. This sparked rumors of another full-fledged New Edition reunion, which was confirmed the following year. As of 2016, Brown and New Edition continue to perform together.

Brown made his acting debut with a cameo appearance in the 1989 film, Ghostbusters II, playing the Mayor’s doorman. The following year, he appeared in the HBO kids show, Mother Goose Rock ‘n’ Rhyme playing all three characters of Three Blind Mice. In 1995, he made another guest appearance in the film, Panther, and had a major role in the Martin Lawrence film, A Thin Line Between Love and Hate. Brown made other guest appearances in the films, Two Can Play That Game, Gang of Roses, Nora’s Hair Salon and Go for Broke.

In 2005, Brown signed a deal with Bravo to overlook the direction of the reality series, Being Bobby Brown, but it was said that he had to convince producers that his then-wife Whitney Houston would appear on the show. Houston later told Oprah Winfrey that she agreed to do it because she “loved him” and “did whatever he asked because I was his wife.” The show lasted one season but received bad reviews in the duration of its run, leading to a fallout in both singers’ careers. The show ended in 2006 after Houston refused to appear in a second season of the show. The couple divorced soon after.

In June 2007, Brown took part in the ITV television series “24 hours with…”, a chat show format as celebrity and interviewer spend an intense 24 hours locked in a room together. The show’s host, Jamie Campbell, asked Brown questions about his career and private life, and infamously joked about making “sexual moves” towards the singer. Brown was furious and threatened to beat Campbell up live on air. Brown’s later tenures in reality shows included appearances on Real Husbands of Hollywood, Celebrity Fit Club and Gone Country.

Brown has seven children. His eldest, Landon, was born circa 1986 to Melika Williams. With girlfriend Kim Ward, whom he met circa 1980, he had daughter La’Princia (born 1989) and son Bobby Jr. (born c. 1992). Brown and Ward’s on-and-off 14-year relationship ended in 1991, after two-months-pregnant Ward found out Brown was engaged.

Brown first met Whitney Houston at the Soul Train Music Awards in 1989. They began a close friendship after Houston invited 20-year-old Brown to her 26th birthday party in August 1989. Their friendship developed into a romance in 1991. In April 1992, Brown proposed marriage to Houston and the couple married at Houston’s estate on July 18, 1992. On March 4, 1993 their daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown was born. Houston and Brown later collaborated on the hit single “Something in Common”, which included their daughter at the end of the video.

Throughout their 14-year marriage, Houston and Brown went through periods of infidelity, domestic violence, and drug use. Their personal issues became comedy fodder for talk shows and sketch comedy shows, most notably MadTV, where they were satirized as abusive drug addicts. Aries Spears portrayed Brown as a jealous, verbally abusive former pop star who openly bristles at his wife’s (Debra Wilson) iconic reputation and popularity. In 2005, the couple participated in the reality show Being Bobby Brown, which scrutinized their personal life even more thoroughly. In September 2006, Houston filed for legal separation; the divorce was finalized on April 24, 2007, with Houston receiving custody of their then-14-year-old daughter.

In 1995, Brown was with Steven Sealy when Sealy was targeted in a drive-by shooting. Sealy, the boyfriend of Brown’s sister, was killed and Brown was unharmed. The shooter John Tibbs took a plea agreement in 2001.

On May 31, 2009 Brown had son Cassius with his partner of two years, manager Alicia Etheredge. Brown and Etheredge became engaged in May 2010, when Brown proposed during a performance at the Funk Fest in Jacksonville, Florida. The couple married in June 2012 in Hawaii and together have since added two daughters to the family. On July 9, 2015 Alicia Etheredge-Brown gave birth to Bodhi Jameson Rein Brown. The couple’s third child, daughter Hendrix Estelle Sheba Brown, was born on July 21, 2016.

Brown’s parents, Carole and Herbert Brown, died within a year of each other, Carole in 2011 and Herbert “Pops” in January 2012.

Following the death of his ex-wife Houston in February 2012, six days after his 43rd birthday, he struggled to perform at a New Edition show, shouting “I love you, Whitney” in tears. Brown then excused himself from the stage and New Edition canceled the remainder of the show. Brown was invited to appear at Houston’s memorial service in New Jersey but left before the service began. In an interview given to The Today Show in May 2012, Brown said security was the reason he and his family left Houston’s service; Brown stated that he loved Houston’s family and told Matt Lauer that he had spent “14 beautiful years” with Houston as his wife. He also denied rumors that he introduced Houston to narcotics. Along with Clive Davis, Ray J, and others, Brown has been accused of contributing to the singer’s death.

In January 2015, Brown’s daughter with Houston, Bobbi Kristina Brown, was found unconscious in her bathtub at her residence in Roswell, Georgia. The 21-year-old was rushed into North Fulton Hospital where she was placed on a ventilator and was placed under a medically induced coma to stop the swelling of her brain. It was later reported her brain activity was “low”. Brown rushed to his daughter’s side and released a statement to the press requesting them to respect the family’s privacy. She was later transferred to Emory University Hospital. After no significant brain function doctors concluded it would be unlikely to occur, Bobbi Kristina was removed from the ventilator and put in the care of Hospice in Duluth, Georgia. She died there on July 26, 2015 at age 22.

As a child, Brown was diagnosed with ADD and was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder in his early thirties. Brown said that his drug of choice was marijuana and that he had developed alcoholism at an early age. Following his marriage to Houston, Brown became heavily involved in drug use. By the mid-1990s, he was not only addicted to cocaine and crack, but also heroin, which he often smoked along with marijuana. He and Houston would often smoke cocaine-laced marijuana in blunts. Following his separation and later divorce from Houston, Brown stopped using cocaine, crack and heroin though he admitted he still drinks but not as much as he did in his younger years.

During his tours, Brown would often be arrested and cited for lewd and lascivious content after simulating sex acts with random female audience members that he would bring onstage. Brown’s legal problems grew serious as he was arrested for several offenses over the years including drug possession, driving under the influence, and driving while intoxicated. In a now-infamous 1996 arrest while in Florida, during a high-speed police chase, he crashed his wife’s Mitsubishi, and would be later cited for resisting arrest after he yelled expletives at officers and allegedly performing public urination in the back of one of the squad cars.

In late 2003, Brown was arrested for misdemeanor battery, allegedly for striking Houston while shouting epithets. In February 2004, Brown was arrested and jailed in Georgia on a parole violation related to a previous drunk driving conviction. In June 2004, Brown was sentenced to 90 days in prison for missing three months of child-support payments. That sentence was immediately suspended after Brown made back payments totaling about $15,000.

On March 26, 2012, Brown was arrested for DUI after being pulled over for allegedly using a cell phone while driving.

On August 14, 2012, Brown was undergoing treatment in rehab for alcohol addiction.

On October 24, 2012, Bobby Brown was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol for the second time this year.

On February 26, 2013, Bobby Brown plead no contest to suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. He was sentenced to a 55-day jail sentence and had until March 20, 2013 to report to Los Angeles County Jail. He was also ordered to attend three Alcoholics Anonymous meetings a week until he goes to jail and to complete an 18-month alcohol program as part of his probation.

On March 21, 2013, Bobby Brown was released from jail after serving nine hours of his 56-day jail sentence.

In January of 2017, New Edition got their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame after 33 years in the business.

Written by Dianne Washington

Rick James

Rick James (born James Ambrose Johnson, Jr. February 1, 1948 – August 6, 2004) was an American musician and composer.

Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, James began his musical career in his teen years in various bands and groups before entering the U.S. Navy to avoid being drafted in the early 1960s. In 1965, James deserted to Toronto, Ontario, where he formed the rock band the Mynah Birds, who eventually signed a recording deal with Motown Records in 1966. James’ career with the group halted after military authorities discovered his whereabouts and eventually convicted James on a one-year prison term related to the draft charges. After being released, James moved to California where he started a variety of rock and funk groups in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

After forming the Stone City Band in his hometown of Buffalo in 1977, James finally found success as a recording artist after signing with Motown’s Gordy Records, releasing the album, Come Get It!, in April 1978, where the hits “You & I” and “Mary Jane”, were released, helping the album go platinum and selling over two million records. This was followed with three more successful album releases. James released his most successful album, Street Songs, in 1981, which included career-defining hits such as “Give It to Me Baby” and “Super Freak”, the latter song becoming his biggest crossover single, mixing elements of funk, disco, rock and new wave. James was also known for his soulful ballads such as “Fire & Desire” and “Ebony Eyes”. In addition, James also had a successful career as a songwriter and producer for other artists including Teena Marie, the Mary Jane Girls, the Temptations, Eddie Murphy and Smokey Robinson.

James’ mainstream success had peaked by the release of the Glow album in 1985 and his appearance on the popular TV show, The A-Team. James’ subsequent releases failed to sell as well as their predecessors. Rapper MC Hammer sampled James’ “Super Freak” for his 1990 hit, “U Can’t Touch This”, and James became the 1991 recipient of a Best R&B Song Grammy for composing the song. James’ career was hampered by his drug addiction by the early 1990s. In 1993, James was convicted for kidnapping and torturing two women while under the influence of crack cocaine, resulting in a three-year sentence at Folsom State Prison. James was released on parole in 1996 and released the album, Urban Rapsody, in 1997. James’ health problems halted his career again after a mild stroke during a concert in 1998 and he announced a semi-retirement. In 2004, James’ career returned to the mainstream after he appeared in an episode of Chappelle’s Show, in a Charlie Murphy True Hollywood Stories segment that satirized James’ wild lifestyle, resulting in renewed interest in James’ music and that year he returned to perform on the road. James died later that year from heart failure at age 56.

Born James Johnson, Jr. in Buffalo, NY he was the third of eight children of an autoworker and a former dancer. He also was the nephew of Melvin Franklin, the bass vocalist of The Temptations. At age 15, he ran away from home to join the Naval Reserves. James then ran away from the Navy to Toronto, where he was in a band with future Buffalo Springfield members Neil Young and Bruce Palmer, and with Goldy McJohn, of Steppenwolf. With the group the Mynah Birds, a contract was signed to Motown, though no record was ever released.

James developed an outrageous reputation as the King of Punk Funk at Motown as a staff songwriter. He was signed as a recording artist after submitting a finished album: Come Get It. Powered by his first hit single, “You And I” (1978), the album eventually sold two million units. In 1981 Rick James released Street Songs, which surpassed three million units, and launching his biggest pop hits: “Give It To Me Baby” and “Super Freak.” Rick James produced Teena Marie, the gold-certified Mary Jane Girls, Eddie Murphy, and others. James turned his production attention to resuscitating the career of the Temptations, recently returned to Motown, and “Standing on the Top” (1982), credited to the Temptations Featuring Rick James, was an R&B Top Ten. James’ follow-up to Street Songs was the gold-selling Throwin’ Down (May 1982), which featured the hit “Dance Wit’ Me.” The title song of Cold Blooded (August 1983) became James’ third R&B number one, and the album also featured his hit duet with Smokey Robinson, “Ebony Eyes.” James’ greatest hits album Reflections (August 1984) featured the new track “17” (June 1984), which also became a hit. Glow (April 1985) contained Top Ten R&B singles in the title track and “Can’t Stop,” which was featured in the movie Beverly Hills Cop. The Flag (June 1986) featured the hit “Sweet and Sexy Thing” (May 1986).

James left Motown for the Reprise division of Warner Bros. Records as of the album Wonderful (July 1988), which featured his number one R&B hit “Loosey’s Rap,” on which he was accompanied by rapper Roxanne Shante. Yet, his “punk funk” didn’t seem to rest comfortably with the trend toward rap/hip-hop. In 1989, James charted briefly with a medley of the Drifters hits “This Magic Moment” and “Dance With Me.” In 1990, MC Hammer scored a massive hit with “U Can’t Touch This,” which consisted of his rap over the instrumental track of “Super Freak.”

That should have made for a career rebirth, but James was plagued by drug and legal problems that found him more frequently in court and in jail rather than in the recording studio. He experienced a revival in the Old School movement. Rick James died in his sleep sometime during the morning of Friday, August 6, 2004. He was found in bed by his personal assistant. His cause of death has been determined to be pulmonary/cardiac failure with his various health conditions of diabetes, stroke, and pacemaker being listed as attributing factors.

Written by Dianne Washington

Sherman Hemsley

Sherman Hemsley was born on February this date in 1938. He was an African American actor.

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Sherman Alexander Hemsley was the son of William Hemsley who worked at a printing press and his mother who was a factory worker, working at various factories during World War II. As a child Hemsley was introduced to acting during school, where the teachers would ask students to play different characters. His first play was in school and it was about fire prevention, and he played the fire. Hemsley eventually dropped out of school and joined the air force and never considered acting as a profession until after he served the air force.

After the military, Hemsley then moved to New York City; he worked as a post office clerk during the day and actor during the night. He then joined The Negro Ensemble Company (NEC), which was founded by Robert Hooks. His former co-star, Roxie Roker was also part of the NEC alumni. NEC had workshops that would help actors/actresses get roles on theater, television, and film. Hemsley made his professional acting debut on the Broadway play, Purlie and toured with the show for a year. In 1971,while on tour for the Purlie production, he received a call from producer/creator/writer Norman Lear. Norman Lear wanted Hemsley to do an audition for a role, which was going to be apart of his sit-com, All In The Family. Due to Hemsley’s Purlie project commitment he declined the role. Lear left the role open for him; Hemsley joined the cast two years later.

Hemsley and co-star, Isabel Sanford did a spin off of the show All In The Family, called The Jeffersons. Several spin-offs resulted from All In The Family, which was seen to the world as comedic genius, and some shows spoke the hardcore truth about poverty, racism, discrimination and other issues that had been condemning mankind. Despite the age difference between the two entertainers, Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford (twenty years apart), many described their on-screen marriage unconditional and truly hilarious. Hemsley was nominated for a Golden Globe for his outstanding performance as George Jefferson. The Jeffersons turned out to be a success spanning out eleven seasons and ended in 1985.

In 1986 Hemsley joined the NBC sitcom, Amen as religious deacon, Ernest Frye. The show ran for five seasons ending in 1991. He then made his debut as a voice actor being apart of the ABC live action-puppet series, Dinosaurs as Bradley P. Richfield, Earl’s cruel boss. The show ran successfully for four seasons. Sanford and Hemsley made television guest appearances on television programs such as The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air and were in commercials for The Gap, Old Navy, and Denny’s dry cleaning. Hemsley and Marla Gibbs guest starred in 2011 on the TBS hit-show, House Of Payne.

Sherman Hemsley died on July 24, 2012 in El Paso, TX. He will be remembered as an actor who was on shows that addressed serious issues yet would still be remembered as an actor who brought laughter into families homes.

Dianne Washington

John Witherspoon

John Witherspoon (born John Weatherspoon; January 27, 1942) is an American comedian and actor who has performed in many television shows and films.

Best known for his role as Willie Jones for the Friday series, Witherspoon has also starred in films such as Hollywood Shuffle (1987) and Boomerang (1992). He has also made appearances on television shows such as The Wayans Bros. (1995–99), The Tracy Morgan Show (2003), Barnaby Jones (1973), The Boondocks (2005), The Five Heartbeats and Black Jesus (2014). He wrote a film, From the Old School, in which he played an elderly working man who tries to prevent a neighborhood convenience store from being developed into a strip club.

Mostly known for the Friday series, he has starred in films such as Hollywood Shuffle (1987) and Boomerang (1992). He has also made appearances on television shows such as The Wayans Bros. (1995–99), The Tracy Morgan Show (2003), Barnaby Jones (1973), The Boondocks (2005), and “Black Jesus” (2014). He has also written the film From the Old School where he takes the role as an elderly working man who tries to prevent a neighborhood convenience store from being developed into a strip club.

Witherspoon was born John Weatherspoon in Detroit, Michigan. John Witherspoon was born to the last name Weatherspoon but later changed it to Witherspoon. He also goes by the nicknames of Johnny Witherspoon and “Mexico” John Witherspoon. John is one of 11 children. One of his older siblings, William Weatherspoon, went on to become a songwriter in Detroit for Motown. He is best known for his work “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted.” Another sibling, Cato Weatherspoon, was a longtime director of the PBS-TV Network/CH56 in Detroit, Michigan that span almost four decades. John Witherspoon is also related to Lamont Dozier who was a songwriter and record producer well known for hits coming from Martha & the Vandellas, The Supremes, The Four Tops, and The Isley Brothers. John Witherspoon and his brother William grew up enjoying music. The young John continued his passion for music and learned how to play the trumpet and French Horn. Also during his childhood, Witherspoon did occasional work as a model.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Witherspoon began to take a liking towards comedy. During that time he began his stand up comedy career. While doing stand up comedy he made many friends in the business. This included Tim Reid (while he was working on WKRP in Cincinnati and The Richard Pryor Show), Robin Williams (also on The Richard Pryor Show), Jay Leno, and David Letterman. David Letterman and John Witherspoon became such good friends that Witherspoon asked Letterman to be the Godfather to both his children, John David and Alexander. Letterman would accept the privilege. Witherspoon’s stand up comedy career led to his comedian film career. His comical character was seen in his movies, TV shows, and now once again in his comedy tour. In 1988, he married Angela Robinson. They have two children, John David and Alexander.

John Witherspoon’s career as a stand up comedian made the transition into acting very easy. His first television appearance was on the 1970s CBS television show Barnaby Jones, which was about a father and daughter-in-law that ran a private detective and investigation firm in Los Angeles. In the episode he appeared in, he played the role of a camp counselor for kids who are drug addicts. The episode he was in was also Sean Penn’s first acting job. Sean played the role of one of the kids that Witherspoon counseled in the camp.

After his appearance in Barnaby Jones, Witherspoon appeared in Good Times as a detective, What’s Happening!! as a D.J., and The Incredible Hulk as Tommy.

In 1977, Witherspoon became a regular on the series The Richard Pryor Show, an NBC American comedy series.

This then led to his appearance in WKRP In Cincinnati in 1978 in the fourth season, episode 84. Witherspoon played Detective Davies.

In 1981, he appeared in Hill Street Blues, an NBC police drama, as a businessman who tries to buy a hotdog from an undercover Detective Belker. In 1981, he had an appearance on L.A. Law, an NBC legal drama, in the episode “On Your Honor” as Mark Steadman.

In 1986, he was on the television series You Again? as Osborne.
Next Witherspoon was seen on Frank’s Place (1987). Also in 1987 he made a guest appearance on 227, which was an NBC comedy about women who lived in a majority black apartment complex. The final show Witherspoon was in 1987 was What’s Happening Now!!, the sequel to What’s Happening!!.

A year later Witherspoon was in Amen (1988), an American television sitcom that ran on NBC, as the bailiff. The show was known for being one of the shows during the 1980s that featured an almost entirely black cast. Other shows with this feature included The Cosby Show and 227, which Witherspoon was also in.

Witherspoon became known for his over the top characters in films like Boomerang with Eddie Murphy where he plays Mr Jackson, the ill-mannered father of Murphy’s best friend. During a hilarious dinner scene, he tells Murphy’s “Marcus” to take the upper hand in his relationship with Robin Givens’s character “Jacqueline” simulating aggressive sex pumping his hips under the dinner table yelling “Bang bang…bang bang bang”. The line has become a signature for Witherspoon and is often heard during his stand up routines. Witherspoon’s official website is bangbangbangbang.com.

Next came spots on Townsend Television (1993), Cosmic Slop (1994), and Murder Was The Case (1994) as a drunk. Also in 1994, Witherspoon was in the NBC’s Fresh Prince of Bel Air and played Augusteus in the episode “The Harder They Fall”. Augusteus is the father of Lisa, the girl Will falls in love with, who is seen as stern and almost psychotic. In order scare of Will,[clarification needed] he takes him on a plane ride where the two end up crashing and getting stuck in the wild.

Next in line in his television career, Witherspoon was in Fox’s Living Single (1997) episode “Three Men and a Buckeye” as Smoke Eye Howard who was the protagonist Overton’s uncle, who had a son who was the Buckeyes’ quarterback.

After this, John Witherspoon played his biggest role in a television series in The Wayans Bros. (1995–1999). The series, which aired on The WB, starred Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans, who played brothers Shawn and Marlon Williams, and Witherspoon as their dad, John “Pops” Williams. In the first season, Shawn worked as a courier driver, while Marlon worked in his father’s diner. The series was somewhat re-tooled starting in the second season, where Shawn and Marlon operated a newspaper stand in the lobby of a Manhattan office building, while Pops’ Diner was located in the same building, across the way. The show aired for five seasons and now can be seen as re-runs on BET and MTV2. Also during that time, Witherspoon was on the Kids’ WB animation series Waynehead, which was about a young boy who grew up in poor in the Harlem neighborhood of New York. The show was aired on Saturday mornings and was based on creator Damon Wayans’ own life.

In 2003, Witherspoon made a showing on NBC’s Last Comic Standing, a reality television show that selected the comedian out of a group and gave him a contract, in the Las Vegas finals. The show still airs today. Next in 2003 he was seen in The Proud Family, an animation that aired on Disney Channel, as Oran Jones in the episode “Adventures in Bebe Sitting.” Finally in 2003 he starred in the comedy show The Tracy Morgan Show as Spoon. Witherspoon was seen in all 18 episodes of the show.

In 2004, he made a guest appearance on the Disney Channel’s Kim Possible, which was an animation series about a teenage girl crime fighter who not only has to worrying about worldwide challenges but also family and school issues. He was the voice of Wayne, who was Wade’s uncle who was in the episode of rewriting history. Also in 2004 he was in Pryor Offenses, a television movie and played Willie the Wino.

In 2005, he was seen in the Comedy Central talk show Weekends at the D.L. where he played the character of Michael Johnson. The next year he was on another television movie called Thugaboo: A Miracle on D-Roc’s Street, a story about a group of kids who find the true meaning of Christmas. In the movie he plays Real Santa, a Christmas singer on the radio.

His next appearance was on The Super Rumble Mixshow in 2008.
His latest television appearance was in Aaron Mcgruder’s new show, “Black Jesus,” portraying Lloyd, a homeless man. In 2011 he starred in a Final Destination spoof with Shane Dawson on YouTube.

In May 2013 he featured on a track entitled “Saturday” of rapper Logic on his latest mixtape “Young Sinatra: Welcome To Forever.”

Written Dianne Washington

Alicia Keys

Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, pianist, actress, and activist. Keys released her debut album with J Records, having had previous record deals first with Columbia and then Arista Records. Keys’ debut album, Songs in A Minor was released in 2001, producing her first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single “Fallin'”, and selling over 12 million copies worldwide. The album earned Keys five Grammy Awards in 2002. Her second album, The Diary of Alicia Keys, was released in 2003, spawning successful singles “You Don’t Know My Name”, “If I Ain’t Got You” and “Diary”, and selling 8 million copies worldwide. The duet song “My Boo” with Usher scored her a second number-one single in 2004. The album garnered her an additional four Grammy Awards in 2005. Later that year, she released her first live album, Unplugged, becoming the first woman to have an MTV Unplugged album debut at number one.

As I Am was released in 2007, producing the Hot 100 number-one single “No One”, selling 5 million copies worldwide and earning an additional three Grammy Awards. The Element of Freedom was released in 2009, becoming her first chart-topping album in the UK, and selling 4 million copies worldwide. Keys additionally collaborated with Jay Z on “Empire State of Mind” as her fourth number-one single, and won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in 2010. Girl on Fire was released in 2012 as her fifth Billboard 200 topping album, spawning the successful title track. Her second live album, VH1 Storytellers was released in 2013. Here was released in 2016, becoming her seventh R&B/Hip-Hop chart topping album.

Keys has won numerous awards such as 15 Grammy Awards and 17 NAACP Image Awards and has sold over 35 million albums and 30 million singles worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists. Keys made her film debut in Smokin’ Aces and has also appeared in The Nanny Diaries and The Secret Life of Bees. Considered a pop icon, Billboard magazine named her the top R&B artist of the 2000s decade and placed her number 10 on their list of Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years. VH1 also included her on their 100 Greatest Artists of All Time list, while Time have named her in their 100 list of most influential people in 2005 and 2017.

Throughout her career, Keys has won numerous awards such as 15 Grammy Awards, and has sold over 35 million albums and 30 million singles worldwide.

Keys was born Alicia Augello Cook on January 25, 1981, in the Hell’s Kitchen area of Manhattan, New York City. She is the only child of Teresa (Augello), a paralegal and part-time actress, and Craig Cook, a flight attendant. Keys’ father is African American and her mother is of Italian, Scottish, and Irish descent. Keys has expressed that she was comfortable with her multiracial heritage because she felt she was able to “relate to different cultures”. Her parents separated when she was two and she was subsequently raised by her mother during her formative years in Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan. Keys has 2 younger half brothers: Clay Cook (Branch) and Cole Cook. In 1985, Keys made an appearance on The Cosby Show at the age of four, where she and a group of girls played the parts of Rudy Huxtable’s sleepover guests in the episode “Slumber Party”. Throughout her childhood, Keys was sent to music and dance classes by her mother. She studied classical piano from age seven, playing composers such as Beethoven, Mozart, and Chopin, and enrolled in the Professional Performing Arts School at the age of 12, where she majored in choir and began writing songs at the age of 14. She graduated in four years as valedictorian at the age of 16.

In 1994, Keys met long-term manager Jeff Robinson after she enrolled in his brother’s after-school program. The following year Robinson introduced Keys to her future A&R at Arista Records, Peter Edge, who later described his first impressions to HitQuarters: “I had never met a young R&B artist with that level of musicianship. So many people were just singing on top of loops and tracks, but she had the ability, not only to be part of hip-hop, but also to go way beyond that.” Edge helped Robinson create a showcase for Keys and also got involved in developing her demo material. He was keen to sign Keys himself but was unable to do so at that time due to being on the verge of leaving his present record company. Keys signed to Columbia Records soon after. At the same time as signing a recording contract with Columbia Records, Keys was accepted at Columbia University. At first, Keys attempted to manage both, but after a month, she dropped out of college to pursue her musical career full-time.

Keys signed a demo deal with Jermaine Dupri and So So Def Recordings, where she appeared on the label’s Christmas album performing “The Little Drummer Girl”. She also co-wrote and recorded a song titled “Dah Dee Dah (Sexy Thing)”, which appeared on the soundtrack to the 1997 film, Men in Black. The song was Keys’ first professional recording; however, it was never released as a single and her record contract with Columbia ended after a dispute with the label. Keys was unhappy with the label because her career had stalled during her two years under contract at Columbia due to executive indecision over her direction and major changes within the company. Keys called Clive Davis, who sensed a “special, unique” artist from her performance and signed her to Arista Records, which later disbanded. Keys almost chose Wilde as her stage name until her manager suggested the name Keys after a dream he had. Keys felt that name represented her both as a performer and person.

On September 8, 2014, Keys uploaded the music video to a new song called “We Are Here” to her Facebook page, accompanied by a lengthy status update describing her motivation and inspiration to write the song. It was released digitally the following week. Keys was also working with Pharrell Williams on her sixth studio album, first set for a 2015 release. In an interview with Vibe, Keys described the sound of the album as “aggressive”. One of the songs on the album is called “Killing Your Mother”. Keys also played the piano on a Diplo-produced song “Living for Love” which featured on Madonna’s thirteenth studio album Rebel Heart (2015). In November 2014, Keys announced that she is releasing a series of children’s books. The first book released is entitled Blue Moon: From the Journals of MaMa Mae and LeeLee.

Keys gave birth to her second child, son Genesis Ali Dean, on December 27, 2014. In 2015 Keys performed at the BET Awards 2015 with The Weeknd. In September 2015, Swizz Beatz stated that Keys’ sixth studio album will be released in 2016.

Keys played the character Skye Summers in the second season of Empire. She first appeared in the episode “Sinned Against”, which aired November 25, 2015.

In January 2017 she released the track “That’s What’s Up” that re-imagines the spoken word segment on the Kanye West song “Low Lights”.

In season 12 of The Voice, Alicia was a coach for the second season in a row. She won the competition with her artist Chris Blue in the season 12 finale broadcast on May 23, 2017.

In May 2017, in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Alicia announced that she is working on her seventh studio album. In a letter to her fans, on the ‘As I Am’ 10th Anniversary, she revealed that the album is almost ready.

On September 17, 2017, Keys performed at Rock in Rio, in a powerful and acclaimed performance.

On October 18, 2017, NBC announced that she will be returning to the series for the upcoming 14th season on The Voice alongside veterans Levine, Shelton, and new coach Kelly Clarkson.

She wrote and composed the song “We Are Here”, which was featured in the short film We Rise; that film was part of the New-York Historical Society’s “Hotbed” exhibit about women’s suffrage, which ran from November 3, 2017 to March 25, 2018. On December 5, 2017, Hip-hop artist Eminem revealed that Keys would be collaborating on the song “Like Home” for his ninth studio album Revival.

Alicia will be the host of the 2019 Grammy Awards.

Written by Dianne Washington

Why Do Fools Fall in Love

The Teenagers are an American-Puerto Rican doo wop group, most noted for being one of rock music’s earliest successes, presented to international audiences by DJ Alan Freed. The group, which made its most popular recordings with young Frankie Lymon as lead singer, is also noted for being rock’s first all-teenaged act.

The Teenagers had their origins in the Earth Angels, a group founded at Edward W. Stitt Junior High School in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan by second tenor Jimmy Merchant and bass Sherman Garnes. Eventually, Garnes and Merchant had added lead singer Herman Santiago and baritone John Seda to their lineup and evolved into The Coupe De Villes. In 1954, 12-year-old Frankie Lymon joined the Coupe De Villes, who changed their name to first the Ermines and later The Premiers.

The same year Lymon joined the group, he helped Santiago and Merchant rewrite a song they had composed to create “Why Do Fools Fall In Love”. The song got the Teenagers an audition with George Goldner’s Gee Records, but Santiago was too sick to sing lead on the day of the audition. Lymon sang the lead on “Why Do Fools Fall in Love” instead, and the group was signed to Gee as The Teenagers, with Lymon as lead singer.

“Why Do Fools Fall in Love” was the Teenagers’ first and biggest hit. The group, known for both their harmony and choreography, also had hits with “I’m Not a Juvenile Delinquent” and “The ABC’s of Love”.

By 1957, the group was being billed as “Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers”. This caused in-fighting, and by September Goldner had pulled Lymon out of the group to record solo. The Teenagers continued recording, bringing in a new lead.[1] Billy Lobrano, as the group’s first white member, made them more racially mixed, now with two black, two Hispanic, and one white member. The group had little success with Lobrano, and he left in mid-1958.

Sherman Garnes died of a heart attack in 1977, while Joe Negroni died a year later due to a cerebral hemorrhage. Their replacements were Bobby Jay and Frankie’s brother Lewis Lymon, respectively. In the 1980s, the Teenagers had resorted to using a female singer to imitate Lymon’s prepubescent voice, and Pearl McKinnon joined the band. The members at that time were Jimmy Merchant, Herman Santiago, Eric Ward, and Pearl McKinnon. By 1983, Ward had been replaced by Derek Ventura, and in 1984 Phil Garrito took over for Ventura. Roz Morehead replaced McKinnon, and Marilyn Byers moved into Morehead’s lead spot. Later in the 1980s the group had settled on a new lead, Jimmy Castor. Castor remained lead until the 1990s, when he was replaced by Timothy Wilson, former lead of Tiny Tim and the Hits. This line-up appeared on the PBS special Doo Wop 51 in 2000.

The group’s current line-up is (was) Herman Santiago, Bobby Jay, Terry King and Terrance Farward. They are often billed as Frankie Lymon’s Legendary Teenagers or The Legendary Teenagers.

Written by Dianne Washington

Etta James

Etta James (born Jamesetta Hawkins; January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012) was an American singer who performed in various genres, including blues, R&B, soul, rock and roll, jazz and gospel. Starting her career in 1954, she gained fame with hits such as “The Wallflower”, “At Last”, “Tell Mama”, “Something’s Got a Hold on Me”, and “I’d Rather Go Blind”. She faced a number of personal problems, including heroin addiction, severe physical abuse, and incarceration, before making a musical comeback in the late 1980s with the album Seven Year Itch.

James’s powerful, earthy voice bridged the gap between rhythm and blues and rock and roll. She won six Grammy Awards and 17 Blues Music Awards. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. Rolling Stone magazine ranked James number 22 on its list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time; she was also ranked number 62 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, but was removed from that list in the 2011 “Special Collector’s Edition” update

Born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles to 14-year-old Dorothy Hawkins. James’ father was white and has never been identified but James speculated that he was the pool player, Rudolf “Minnesota Fats” Wanderone. As a child, James lived with a series of caregivers. James received her first professional vocal training at the age of five from James Earle Hines, musical director of the Echoes of Eden choir, at the St. Paul Baptist Church in Los Angeles. In 1950 her caregiver Mama Lu died, and James’ real mother took her to the Fillmore district in San Francisco. Within a couple of years, James began listening to doo-wop and was inspired to form a girl group, called the Creolettes. The 14-year-old girls met musician Johnny Otis. Otis took the group under his wing, helping them sign to Modern Records and changing their name to the Peaches and gave the singer her stage name reversing Jamesetta into Etta James.

She recorded and co-author,”Dance with Me, Henry” in 1954. Later that year, the song reached number-one on the Hot Rhythm & Blues Tracks chart and the group an opening spot on Little Richard’s national tour. After leaving the Peaches, James had another R&B hit with “Good Rockin’ Daddy”. When her contract with Modern came up in 1960, she decided to sign with Leonard Chess’ namesake label, Chess Records, and shortly afterwards got involved in a relationship with singer Harvey Fuqua, founder of the doo-wop group, The Moonglows. Her debut album, At Last!, was released in late 1960 and was noted for its varied choice in music from jazz standards to blues numbers to doo-wop and R&B. The album also included James’ future classic, “I Just Want to Make Love to You” and “A Sunday Kind of Love”. In early 1961, James released what has become her signature song, “At Last”, which reached number two on the R&B chart and number 47 on the Billboard Hot 100. It has become the most remembered version of the song.

After signing with Chicago’s Chess Records in 1960, James’ career began to soar. She knew how to rock a house, and did so with such gospel-charged tunes as “Something’s Got a Hold On Me” in 1962 and “In The Basement” in 1966. In 1967 Chess took her to the Fame studios to record with the Muscle Shoals house band. The collaboration resulted in the triumphant Tell Mama album. James continued to work with Chess throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. James encountered a string of legal problems during the early 1970s due to her heroin addiction. She was continuously in and out of rehabilitation centers. Her husband Artis Mills, whom she married in 1969, accepted responsibility when they were both arrested for heroin possession and served a 10-year prison sentence. He was released from prison in 1982 and is still married to James. In 1974, James was sentenced to drug treatment instead of serving time in prison. In 1988, at the age of 50, she entered the Betty Ford Center, in Palm Springs, California, for treatment.

James has two sons, Donto and Sametto. Both started performing with their mother in 2003 – Donto on drums and Sametto on bass guitar. The story of the early days of Chess Records was brought to the big screen as Cadillac Records in 2008, with singer Beyoncè Knowles playing James in the film. Beyoncè also recorded her own version of James’s signature song, “At Last” for the soundtrack. While James publicly supported the film, she was reportedly miffed when Beyoncè sang the song at President Barack Obama’s inaugural ball in January 2009. In 2010, she received treatment for a dependency on painkillers as her addiction continued. During that time, her son Donto revealed that James was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2009. In 2011, she had been in and out of the hospital three times with a urinary tract infection and blood infection. On December 16, 2011, it was announced that she was “in the final stages of leukemia”, has been diagnosed with both dementia and Hepatitis C, has been placed on oxygen, is receiving constant care from her husband, and is being visited regularly by her sons.

Recently James has been breathing on her own. She is regarded as having bridged the gap between rhythm and blues and rock and roll, and is the winner of six Grammy’s and seventeen Blues Music Awards. She was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Grammy Hall of Fame in both 1999 and 2008. Rolling Stone ranked James number twenty-two on their list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time and number sixty-two on the list of the 100 Greatest Artists.

Etta James died on January 20, 2012.

Written by Dianne Washington

Jenifer Lewis

Jenifer Jeanette Lewis (born January 25, 1957) is an American actress, comedian, singer and activist. She began her career appearing in Broadway musicals and worked as a back-up singer for Bette Midler, before appearing in films Beaches (1988) and Sister Act (1992).

Lewis is known for playing roles of mothers in films What’s Love Got to Do With It (1993), Poetic Justice (1993), The Preacher’s Wife (1996), The Brothers (2001), Think Like a Man and in the sequel Think Like a Man Too (2014), Baggage Claim (2013), and The Wedding Ringer (2015), as well as in The Temptations TV miniseries (1998). As such, Lewis earned the title, “Black Mother of Hollywood”. She also provided the voice for Mama Odie in Disney’s animated feature, The Princess and the Frog (2009). Additional film roles include Dead Presidents (1995), Cast Away (2000), and Hereafter (2010).

On television, Lewis starred as Lana Hawkins in the Lifetime medical drama, Strong Medicine from 2000 to 2006. She also had the recurring roles on sitcoms A Different World, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Girlfriends. In 2014, Lewis began starring as Ruby Johnson in the ABC comedy series, Black-ish, for which she received two Critics’ Choice Television Award nominations.

Lewis is best known for playing roles of mothers in films What’s Love Got to Do With It (1993), The Preacher’s Wife (1996), The Brothers (2001), Think Like a Man and in the sequel Think Like a Man Too (2014), Baggage Claim (2013), and The Wedding Ringer (2015), as well as in The Temptations TV miniseries (1998). As such, Lewis earned the title, “Black Mother of Hollywood”. She also had roles in films include Dead Presidents (1995), Cast Away (2000), and Hereafter (2010).

Lewis was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to a nurse’s aide mother (Dorothy Lewis) and a factory worker father. She is the youngest of seven children. Lewis also sang in her church choir at age five. She attended Kinloch High School and then college at Webster University in Webster Groves, Missouri. After college she moved to New York to focus on her career in performing. She was cast in a Broadway musical called “Eubie.” Soon after she was offered to work on the famous musical “Dreamgirls” but was later recast by Jennifer Holliday. After she went to work as a background singer for Bette Milder. They worked together in live performances and in the film, “Beaches.” She was a Bette Midler Harlette. In 2012, she married Arnold Byrd who is a retired Marine 1st Sargent. She has a daughter named Charmaine Lewis from a previous relationship. Lewis has revealed she has Bipolar disorder. Lewis at first hid her disorder as she was ashamed of it. “But after 17 years of therapy and 10 years of being medicated for bipolar disorder, actress Jenifer Lewis decided to stop hiding her mental illness from others.” Early works

Soon after, she arrived in New York City, Lewis debuted on Broadway in a small role in Eubie (1979), the musical based on the work of Eubie Blake. She next landed the role of Effie White in the workshop of the Michael Bennett-directed musical Dreamgirls, but when the show moved to Broadway, Bennett chose Jennifer Holliday for the role.

Lewis accepted a position as a Harlette, a back-up singer for Bette Midler which led to Lewis’ first TV appearances on Midler’s HBO specials. She also landed her first screen role as a result, appearing as one of the buxom chorines in the ‘Otto Titsling’ production number in the Midler vehicle Beaches (1988). At the same time, Lewis was developing her nightclub act, The Diva Is Dismissed, an autobiographical comedy and music show in New York City cabarets. She performed the show off-Broadway at the Public Theater. In 1987, Lewis was hired as the Pre-Show announcer on the Star Tours ride at Disneyland.

After Lewis relocated to Los Angeles, she began appearing on television sitcoms, include Murphy Brown, Dream On, In Living Color, Roc, Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper, and Friends. From 1992 to 1993, she played Dean Davenport in the sixth and final season of NBC sitcom A Different World. She also had a recurring role as Will Smith’s Aunt Helen on NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air from 1991 to 1996. As regular, Lewis starred alongside Patricia Wettig in her short-lived legal drama Courthouse in 1995, playing Judge Rosetta Reide, the first main African American lesbian character on television.

In 1992, Lewis was cast as one of the back-up singers to Whoopi Goldberg in comedy film Sister Act. The following year, Lewis played the mother of Tupac Shakur’s character in drama film Poetic Justice, and as Zelma Bullock, Tina Turner’s mother in the biopic What’s Love Got to Do With It starring Angela Bassett. Lewis originally auditioned to play Tina Turner. Lewis is only one year older than Bassett. For her performance, she received her first NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture nomination. In 1994, she followed with other comedic supporting roles, including Mrs. Coleman the Unemployment Office lady in Renaissance Man and as Whoopi Goldberg’s sister in Corrina, Corrina. In 1995, she was cast in maternal roles to Kadeem Hardison in Panther and to Larenz Tate in Dead Presidents.

In 1996, Lewis appeared as Theresa Randle’s telephone sex line boss in Spike Lee’s comedy-drama, Girl 6. Later that year, she went to play Whitney Houston’s character’s mother in Penny Marshall’s romantic comedy-drama, The Preacher’s Wife. She received another NAACP Image Award nomination for her role in The Preacher’s Wife. She also has had roles in The Mighty (1998), The Temptations TV miniseries (1998), Mystery Men (1999) and Blast from the Past (1999), before landing the leading role on mockumentary comedy Jackie’s Back about the struggling comeback of a diva in turmoil.

In 2000, Lewis had supporting role in the adventure drama film Cast Away directed by Robert Zemeckis. Also in 2000, she began starring as Lana Hawkins on the Lifetime television medical drama Strong Medicine. The show ended in February 2006. Lewis also performed the theme song for Strong Medicine. She also had a recurring role as Veretta Childs (Toni’s mother) in the UPN sitcom Girlfriends. In film, she appeared as Morris Chestnut’s mother in the 2001 romantic comedy The Brothers. In 2006, she had a featured role as the wedding planner in Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Reunion, and also appeared in Perry’s 2008 comedy-drama Meet the Browns as Vera Brown. She also appeared in Juwanna Mann, The Cookout, Nora’s Hair Salon, Dirty Laundry and Not Easily Broken.

On April 22, 2008, Lewis replaced Darlene Love as Motormouth Maybelle in Broadway’s Hairspray. On television, she guest starred on That’s So Raven and Boston Legal. Lewis also had number of voice over roles, include Walt Disney’s animated musical The Princess and the Frog (2009), for which she received Annie Award for Voice Acting in a Feature Production nomination.

In June 2010, Lewis’ distinctive voice was in fine form as she told The Jazz Joy and Roy syndicated radio show, “I just did a production of ‘Hello Dolly’ at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle and it had to be one of the greatest productions that I have ever done, because I got to just do a character, Dolly Levi, and it was just great.” In 2012 Lewis began working with Shangela on the online reality show parody, “Jenifer Lewis and Shangela,” where she acts as herself alongside Shangela, a “drag queen living in her basement.” She later appeared in Shangela’s music video for “Werqin Girl (Professional).”

In 2010, Clint Eastwood cast Lewis in his fantasy film Hereafter. The following year, she starred alongside Rosario Dawson and Tracee Ellis Ross in Five, for which she received another NAACP Image Award nomination. She also co-starred in the short-lived NBC series, The Playboy Club. She played Terrence J’s overbearing mother in box-office hit Think Like a Man (2012), and in its sequel Think Like a Man Too (2014). In 2013, she played Paula Patton’s mother Baggage Claim. In 2015, she starred in The Wedding Ringer.

In 2014, Lewis was cast as Ruby Johnson, Anthony Anderson’s character’s mother in the ABC comedy series, Black-ish. She was upped to regular as of second season. In 2016, she received Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series nomination for her performance. She has also been featured on various TV advertising commercials.

Lewis has been married to her husband, Arnold Byrd, a retired Marine 1st Sergeant, since 2012. She has an adopted daughter named Charmaine Lewis.

In 2017, she published a book about her life and career, entitled “The Mother of Black Hollywood.”

Written by Dianne Washington

Aaron Neville (born January 24, 1941, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States) is an American R&B singer and musician. He has had four Platinum-certified albums and four Top 10 hits in the United States, including three that went to #1 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart. His debut single, from 1966, was #1 on the Soul chart for five weeks.

He has also recorded with his brothers Art, Charles and Cyril as The Neville Brothers and is the father of singer/keyboards player Ivan Neville. Of mixed African American and Native American heritage, his music also features Cajun and Creole influences.

The first of his singles that got airplay outside of New Orleans was “Over You” (Minit, 1960). Neville’s first major hit single was “Tell It Like It Is”, released on a small New Orleans label, Par-Lo co-owned by local musician/arranger George Davis, a friend from school, and band-leader Lee Diamond. The song topped Billboard’s R&B chart for five weeks in 1967 and also reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. It was not the label’s only release, as some sources claim. At least five other Par-Lo singles, three of them by Neville himself, are known to exist.

A remake of the song was a top 10 pop hit for the rock group Heart featuring Ann and Nancy Wilson in 1981.

In 1989, Neville teamed up with Linda Ronstadt on the album Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind. Among the duets recorded for the disc were the #1 Grammy-winning hits “Don’t Know Much” and “All My Life”. “Don’t Know Much” reached #2 on the Hot 100, and was certified Gold for selling a million copies, while the album was certified Triple Platinum for US sales of more than 3 million.

His other hits have included “Everybody Plays the Fool”, his 1991 cover of the 1972 Main Ingredient song, that reached #8 on the Hot 100; “Don’t Take Away My Heaven”, “Hercules” and “Can’t Stop My Heart From Loving You (The Rain Song).” Neville’s biggest solo successes have been on the Adult Contemporary chart, where “Don’t Know Much,” “All My Life,” and “Everybody Plays the Fool” all reached Number One.

In August 2005, his home in Eastern New Orleans was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina; he evacuated to Memphis, Tennessee before the hurricane hit. He moved to Nashville after the storm. and failing to return to the city by early 2008, caused the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival to temporarily change its tradition of having the Neville Brothers close the festival. However, the Neville Brothers, including Aaron, returned for the 2008 Jazzfest, which returned to its traditional seven-day format for the first time since Katrina. He then decided to move back to the New Orleans area, namely the North Shore city of Covington. Neville performed Randy Newman’s “Louisiana 1927” during NBC’s A Concert for Hurricane Relief on September 2, 2005.

Neville signed to SonyBMG’s new Burgundy Records label in late 2005 and recorded an album of songs by Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Sam Cooke and others for Bring It On Home…The Soul Classics, released on September 19, 2006. The album, produced by Stewart Levine, features collaborations between Neville and Chaka Khan, Mavis Staples, Chris Botti, David Sanborn, Art Neville, and others. The album’s first single was a remake of The Impressions’ 1963 classic “It’s All Right.”

Neville’s career has included work for television, movies and sporting events. Neville sang the National Anthem in the movie The Fan starring Robert De Niro and Wesley Snipes. He also sang the anthem at the WWF’s SummerSlam 1993 and at WCW Spring Stampede in 1994. Neville sang the theme music to the children’s TV series Fisher-Price Little People. He also sang a new version of “Cotton,” for Cotton Incorporated which was introduced during the 1992 Summer Olympics. In 1988 he recorded “Mickey Mouse March” for Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films, one of Various Artists. In 2006, Neville performed a rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner”, alongside Aretha Franklin and Dr. John on keyboards at Super Bowl XL in Detroit, Michigan. In addition, Neville (along with brothers Art and Cyril) did background vocals for the songs “Great Heart”, “Bring Back the Magic”, “Homemade Music”, “My Barracuda”, and “Smart Woman (in a Real Short Skirt)” on Jimmy Buffett’s Hot Water, released in 1988.

On October 27, 2006, Neville made a guest appearance on an episode of the soap opera The Young and the Restless. He sang “Stand By Me” and “Ain’t No Sunshine”, from his album, Bring It On Home … The Soul Classics. In 2008 he released Gold, which includes a double album of his hits.

In 2009, Neville, along with the Mt. Zion Mass Choir, released a version of the song “A Change Is Gonna Come” on the compilation album, Oh Happy Day.

On December 12, 2010, while performing at Baton Rouge’s Manship Theater in the Shaw Center, Neville was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.

Neville was the featured artist for the 100th Anniversary Celebration of the University of Memphis Centennial Concert September 30, 2011 at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts.

Neville is an inductee of the Delta Music Museum Hall of Fame in Ferriday, Louisiana.

In January 2013, paying tribute to the songs of his youth, Blue Note Records released Neville’s My True Story, a collection of 12 doo-wop tunes, produced by Don Was and Keith Richards, with backing by musicians such as Benmont Tench and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. In October 2015, Keith Richards selected the song “My True Story” as one of his Desert Island Discs.

Neville met his first wife, Joel in 1957. They were married on January 10, 1959 when both were 18 years old. Joel was diagnosed with lung cancer in late 2004 and died on January 5, 2007. She was 66.

In 2008, during a People magazine photo shoot, Neville met photographer Sarah A. Friedman, who had been hired to take a portrait of the Neville Brothers. Neville and Friedman were married November 12, 2010 in New York City.

Neville’s oldest son Ivan is also a musician and released an album, If My Ancestors Could See Me Now, in 1988, which yielded a Top 40 hit with “Not Just Another Girl.” Ivan has also performed with Spin Doctors, The Rolling Stones and Bonnie Raitt, and played keyboards for Keith Richards on his first solo tour. Ivan then assembled his own band (Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk) which tours and frequently appears in New Orleans.

Neville’s third son, Jason, is a vocalist and rap artist who has performed with his father and with the Neville Brothers, notably at the 2009 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

Neville is the uncle of journalist and Fox News personality Arthel Neville.

Neville is Catholic, with a devotion to St. Jude, to whom he has credited his success and survival. He wears a St. Jude Medal as a left earring.

On May 17, 2015 Neville was the recipient of the University of Notre Dame Laetare Medal, an annual award given by the University in recognition of outstanding service to the Catholic Church and society.

He was dubbed “The Human Oboe” due to his unique vocal style.

Written by Dianne Washington