section D
December 9-15, 2009
Kelly Rowland
Reflections
By Steve Holsey
Michigan, a state of stars
Everyone knows about the Motown stars
born in Detroit (Smokey Robinson, Diana
Ross, etc.), but when you broaden the focus
to the statewide level, the results are even
more impressive.
An amazing number of notables —
actors, actresses, comedians, comediennes,
singers, TV show hosts, etc. — were born in
Michigan.
The list includes:
Sinbad (Benton Harbor), Tom Selleck
(Detroit), Byron Allen (Detroit), Madonna
(Bay City), Francis Ford Coppola (Detroit),
Byron Allen Courtney B. Vance
She, too, is a star
By Steve Holsey
ost vocal groups have a lead
Lily Tomlin Greg Mathis
Ed McMahon (Detroit), Casey Kasem (De-
troit), Robert Wagner (Detroit), Courtney B.
Vance (Detroit), Earvin “Magic” Johnson
M
singer who, understandably,
gets the lion’s share of the
spotlight. That’s just the
way it is.
Beyoncé Knowles was
born to be a superstar. From
(Lansing) and Marlo Thomas (Detroit).
the earliest days of Destiny’s Child it was evi-
Also, Greg Mathis (Detroit), Gilda Radner
dent that she had that indefinable something
(Detroit), Ralph Bunche (Detroit), S. Apatha
known as “the ‘it’ factor.” That she is now a
Merkerson (Saginaw), Grant Show (Detroit),
megastar, whose career has gone into the
Lee Majors (Wyandotte), Ernie Hudson
stratosphere, comes as no surprise.
(Benton Harbor), Florine Mark (Detroit),
But Destiny’s Child becoming the second
John Witherspoon (Detroit), Max Gail (De-
most successful female group of all time —
troit) and David Spade (Birmingham).
behind one of their main inspirations, the Su-
Plus, Charles Lindbergh (Detroit), Tim
premes — was a collaborative effort. And from
Meadows (Highland Park), Bob Eubanks
beginning to end, Kelly Rowland was a key in-
(Flint), Lily Tomlin (Detroit), Robin Wil-
gredient.
liams (Bloomfield Hills), Terry Crews (Flint),
The public loved her, just as it loved Mary
Ellen Burstyn (Detroit), Dick Martin (Battle
Wilson, even though Diana Ross was the lead
Creek), David Alan Grier (Detroit) and Julie
singer and superdiva.
Harris (Grosse Pointe Park).
And then there’s Sugar Ray Robinson
(Detroit), Michael Moore (Flint), Steven
Seagal (Lansing), Serena Williams (Sagi-
naw), Sonny Bono (Detroit), Bob Seger
(Dearborn), Denise Nicholas (Detroit),
Kid Rock (Romeo), Freda Payne (Detroit),
Sandra Bernhard (Flint)…and more!
THE BLACK EYED PEAS, whose mega-
hit album “The E.N.D,” featuring “Boom
Boom Pow,” “I Gotta Feeling” and others,
just won’t stop selling, have announced
their 2010 concert tour, which begins Feb.
4 in Atlanta. The tour makes its way to The
Palace of Auburn Hills on March 9.
If you are a fan of
bandleader/musician Paul
Shaffer (the David Letter-
man show and so much
more), be sure to pick up
his autobiography, “We’ll
Be Here For the Rest of
Our Lives.” He has crossed
paths with a virtual who’s
A T L A N T A -
who of the music indus-
Paul Shaffer
BORN Kelendria
try and show business
Rowland has every
“Simply Deep.” Interestingly, Rowland
in general. The book is full of interesting
reason to be proud.
actually preferred “Ms. Kelly” over its
anecdotes.
Destiny’s Child was
predecessor because she was more com-
One of my favorites involves “It’s Rain-
a worldwide sensa-
fortable with how she was presenting
ing Men,” the disco anthem recorded by the
tion, enjoying aston-
herself, and was more heavily involved in
Weather Girls and co-writ-
ishing record sales
the actual production of the album.
ten by Paul Jabara (lyrics)
and winning every
ROWLAND HAD long thought about
and Paul Shaffer (music).
imaginable award.
acting, and in 2002 decided the time was
Their impact is rock
The song was actu-
right to take that plunge. She proved
solid and far-reach-
ally intended for Donna
herself admirably on such TV shows as
ing.
Summer, but she had
“Eve,” “The Hughleys” and “Girlfriends.”
become a born-again
But that was then (the last Destiny’s Child
She also appeared in two movies, “Freddy
Christian and believed the
album was released in late 2004). Today, Kelly
vs. Jason” (2003) and “The Seat Filler”
song, featuring lines such
Rowland is establishing herself as a solo attrac-
(2004).
Donna Summer
as “Rip off the roof and
tion, and succeeding on all fronts.
When she was eight years old, Row-
stay in bed,” was offen-
“I’m steadily building myself up as Kelly
land’s family moved from Atlanta to
sive. And she felt that the line, “Hallelujah!
Rowland, not just Kelly Rowland of Destiny’s
Houston. It was there that she met the
It’s raining men, amen,” was downright
Child,” she said, adding, “Which is a blessing
Knowles family. She and Beyoncé, both
blasphemous.
to be able to do.”
talented and ambitious, were soon in
Despite being suspicious of the title,
a group called Gyrl’s Time.
Actually, she had begun carving out an iden-
Summer agreed to listen to “It’s Raining
tity apart from Destiny’s Child while the group
With skillful management by
Men” because Jabara had written one of her
was still together, as had her singing partners.
Mathew Knowles (Beyoncé’s father)
biggest hits, “Last Dance.” The two Pauls
One project was Nelly’s No. 1 hit, “Dilemma,”
and endless hours of sometimes
didn’t know about Summer’s conversion
featuring Rowland singing a line from Patti La-
grueling rehearsal, eventually the
and thought she would love their new com-
Belle’s 1984 hit “Love, Need and Want You.”
young ladies evolved into Destiny’s
position because she had huge hits with
Child.
songs such as “Bad Girls,” “Love to Love
HER FIRST solo album, “Simply Deep,” was
You Baby” and “Hot Stuff.”
also released during the Destiny’s Child days,
They were ready.
in 2002 to be exact, and it was a major success.
Eminem, who has recovered from drug
“EVER SINCE we were little, we were
Her second album, “Ms. Kelly,” was introduced
addiction, says one of the problems huge
so on fire for our dreams,” Rowland re-
in 2007, two years after she, Michelle Williams
stars, such as Michael Jackson and Elvis
called. “We never let anyone blow our
and Beyoncé officially went their separate
Presley, too often face is that no one will
flames out.”
ways. The ladies remain solidly behind each
tell them they have a very serious, poten-
other’s solo projects, and are likely to regroup
From 1998 to 2005 it was non-stop
tially deadly problem.
one day for a reunion album and perhaps a
smash hits, including “No, No, No,”
tour.
See Kelly Rowland Page D-3
See Reflections Page D-3 “Ms. Kelly” did well, though not as well as
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28