entertainment
THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE
December 23-29, 2009 Page D-2
The family that sings together From page D-1
“Twist and Shout.” Both are
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recognized as classics.
Then came the Motown era.
Biggest hits: “This Old Heart
Happy Holidays
one full year to your
of Mine (Is Weak For You)”
and “I Guess I’ll Always Love from the
home or office
You.”
This was followed by their
Michigan Chronicle
most fruitful era, 1969 to
1983, when they were unstop-
pable. The long list of hits is
awesome, including “It’s Your
Thing,” “Work To Do,” “That
Lady,” “Fight the Power,”
“Harvest for the World,” “Live
It Up,” “I Wanna Be With You”
and “Between the Sheets.”
Ernie Isley, Marvin Isley and
brother-in-law Chris Jasper
had been added to the original
trio by then.
TAVARES, five brothers
from New Bedford, Massachu-
The Staple Singers
setts, offered great harmonies,
with El DeBarge’s falsetto out mid-1960s. They had been
an exciting show and plenty of
front. groomed by the best in the
hits.
Unfortunately, a series of
business (bandleader/arranger
Butch, Ralph, Pooch, Perry
personal problems beset the
Maurice King, choreographer/
and Chubby made the national
group, but that was after the
dancer Cholly Atkins) and
Top 10 on eight occasions, the
hits, most notably “All This
were widely admired by other
most fondly recalled includ-
Love,” “Rhythm of the Night,”
artists as well as the public.
ing “It Only Takes a Minute,”
“I Like It,” “Time Will Reveal” It’s just that aside from
“She’s Gone,” “Remember
and “Love Me in a Special “Every Beat of My Heart,”
What I Told You to Forget,”
Way.” “Giving Up” and “Letter Full
“Whodunit” and “Heaven Must
Be Missing an Angel.”
SISTER SLEDGE —
of Fears,” they didn’t have the
Kathy, Debra, Joni and Kim —
hits. That changed at Motown
THE EMOTIONS started
came to us from Philadelphia
where the group became part
out as gospel singers, calling
and helped make the 1970s
of the company’s hit machine
themselves the Hutchinson
more enjoyable musically.
with “I Heard It Through
Sunbeams. But in 1969 they the Grapevine,” “Friendship
were high on the R&B charts
“He’s the Greatest Dancer,” Train,” “If I Were Your Woman”
with “So I Can Love You,” fol-
“B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own and so many others.
lowed by “Show Me How,”
Baby),” “Lost in Music” and
“Heart Association” and
“Love Don’t You Go Through
After Motown, there were
others.
No Changes on Me” were great
more hits (and more Gram-
records. But the classic, and
mys), including their signa-
They became a major at-
their signature song, is “We
ture song, “Midnight Train to
traction starting in 1976,
Are Family.”
Georgia.”
after signing with Columbia
and connecting with Maurice
(Editor’s Note: Since the
THE STAPLE SINGERS
White, leader/founder of Earth,
Jacksons’ story has been told
were about as soulful as a
Wind & Fire. “Best of My Love”
so many times, especially
group could possibly be. This
was huge and became a clas-
lately, the decision was made
was the real deal, and Mavis
sic.
to not write about them in this
Staples’ voice was so raw and Speak Up
story. Moreover, we wanted to
passionate that it was assumed
Also very successful were
have room to give props to
she was from the South. She
“Boogie Wonderland” (with
other family groups. We are,
was actually born in Chicago.
to Save Lives.
Earth, Wind & Fire), “Don’t
however, including their pic-
Ask My Neighbors,” “I Don’t
There were complaints
ture.)
Want to Lose Your Love,”
— quite a few, actually — in
“Flowers” and “Smile.”
THE FIVE STAIRSTEPS
the church and gospel music
— the talented, good-looking
communities when the Staple
THE BEE GEES — Barry,
Burke siblings from Chicago
Singers changed their choice
Maurice and Robin Gibb —
— will go down in history as
of songs and venues. Around
were a top-of-the-line pop/rock
the artists who recorded one
this time, none other than
act in the 1960s and early
of the most beloved songs of
James Cleveland, the king of
1970s, with a slew of hits to
all time, “O-o-h Child,” a 1970
gospel music, said publicly,
their credit, including “To Love
smash that just about every-
“I’m sure the Staple Sing-
Somebody,” “Words” and the
one knows, regardless of age.
ers still consider themselves
Go red For Women
®
luncheon
original version of “How Can
gospel singers, but they sing
You Mend a Broken Heart?” Another “Five” group, one
message songs.”
But then in the mid-1970s,
that is seldom heard or talked
about today, is Five Star. De- The public loved those
Wednesday, Feb. 24
something very unusual and
unexpected happened: The Bee
niece, Stedman, Doris, Lor- message songs, proven by the
raine and Delroy Pearson were massive success of “I’ll Take Marriott renaissance
Gees, who were certainly not
known for moving on stage,
from Romford, Essex, Eng- You There,” “Respect Your-
land. They had several big hits self,” “If You’re Ready (Come Center, detroit
suddenly became a dance
music sensation, delivering
from 1985 to 1989, including Go With Me)” and a very “non-
some of the best and most ex-
“All Fall Down,” “Can’t Wait message” song, “Let’s Do It
citing songs of the disco era,
Another Minute” and “Anoth- Again.”
For more information,
er Weekend.”
many of which crossed over There is not room here
onto the R&B charts. And we would be remiss to to write about every family
contact Shelley rusinek
locally sponsored by
The songs included “Stayin’
not mention the many family group, but we wanted to also
at 248-936-5807 or
Alive,” “Jive Talkin’,” “You
groups in the world of gospel, mention the Sylvers, Perri,
Should Be Dancing” and “Night
including the Hawkins family, the Waters, Sweet Obsession
Shelley.rusinek@heart.org.
Fever,” along with the beauti-
the Clark Sisters, the Winans (the Green sisters), the Jonas
ful ballads “Love So Right,”
family, the Williams Brothers, Brothers, L’Stubbs, Tony!
“Too Much Heaven” and “How
the Barrett Sisters, Mary Mary, Toni Toné, Ziggy Marley & the
media sponsors
Deep Is Your Love?”
the Rance Allen Group and the Melody Makers, the Ronettes,
Pace Sisters. the Osmonds, the Jones Girls,
DEBARGE, a family from and Isley, Jasper, Isley, among
Grand Rapids, caught the at-
GLADYS KNIGHT & the
others.
©2009, American Heart Association. Also known as the Heart Fund. TM Go Red trademark of AHA, Red Dress trademark of DHHS.
tention of Motown and subse-
Pips were a solid, totally pro-
quently had a lot of big hits in
fessional group when they To quote Sly Stone, “It’s a
Mark Your Calendar: Friday, Feb. 5, is national Wear red day!
the early-to-mid-1980s, always
arrived at Motown in the family affair.”
2010 Detroit Lunch ad.indd 1 12/4/2009 3:40:48 PM
H.O.P.E. Benefit Gospel Concert
L I V E I N C O N C E R T !
On Thursday, Dec. 31, Bishop Cor-
letta Vaughn and Go Tell It Ministry
will present a New Year’s Eve Benefit
Gospel Concert at Holy Ghost Cathe-
dral, 1745 E. Grand Blvd. near Mt.
Elliott.
The event, designed to “help heal
the spirit” in Detroit, will feature the
renowned Dr. Bobby Jones and the
Nashville Super Choir.
Proceeds from ticket sales will be
used to feed the poor. There is no
charge for the unemployed to attend
and dinner will be served to them.
A N S I T I O N O L O R T R C
Also, there will be giveaway of food,
I P S T R
blankets and clothes. In addition,
dental cleaning vouchers will be dis-
tributed.
To purchase tickets or acquire ad-
A N S I T I O N O L O R T R C
ditional information, call (313) I P S T R
579-2800, ext. 227.
Dr. Bobby Jones
Reflections From page D-1
A N S I T I O N O L O R T R C
I P S T R
Just a thought: Maybe a Nas will not run out of money Tonight” (Eugene Wilde),
few albums with simpler titles anytime soon. A Los Ange-
“Leaving Me” (the Indepen-
might be a good thing. les judge ordered him to pay
dents), “Get It Right” (Aretha
“This album is the sister of
$51,101 a month to singer
Franklin), “Electric Avenue”
the left side of my brain,” said
Kelis, who will soon be his
(Eddy Grant), “Right on the
D I O N N E W A R W I C K E D D I E G R I F F I N
A N S I T I O N O L O R T R C
I P S T R
Badu.
ex-wife, and their son. That’s
up from $40,000. (That seems
Tip of My Tongue” (Brenda &
w i t h s p e c i a l g u e s t w i t h s p e c i a l g u e s t
Whatever that means. like an excessive amount.)
the Tabulations).
Despite all of the con- Mariah Carey will start her
BLESSINGS to Irean D A V I D E L L I O T T D O M I N I Q U E
troversy, and the fact that first tour in three years on Hicks, Yvonne Gullick, Tracy
some exposure outlets are Dec. 31 at Madison Square Matthews, Jim Campbell,
J A N 1 5 F E B 6
A N S I T I O N O L O R T R C
I P S T R
no longer open to him, Chris Garden. The show comes to
Keena Clinkscales, Dwayne
Brown still managed to sell the Fox Theater on Jan. 25.
Page, Michael K. Price,
102,000 copies of his new
Donnie Simpson, Henry
album, “Graffiti,” in the first
BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW…
A N S I T I O N O L O R T R C
week of its release. Like we
that K-Ci (Cedric Hailey) and Tyler, Ken Donaldson, Sandra I P S T R
S T R I P
told you before, it’s a good
JoJo (Joel Hailey) Car O L O R T Re the A N S I T I O N first
Woodall and Vickie Winans.
album.
cousins of Fantasia Barrino.
WORDS OF THE WEEK:
There is always debate
MEMORIES: “Don’t
“The only opinions of you
when someone is labeled
Look Any Further” (Dennis
that mean anything are your
S T R I P
better than everyone else at a
Edwards, featuring Siedah
C O L O R T R A N S I T I O N
particular thing. A writer for
Garrett), “Funny (How Time
own, those who care about
8 0 0 . 7 4 5 . 3 0 0 0
Rolling Stone magazine iden-
Slips Away)” (Joe Hinton),
you, and the Source that cre-
tified Jay-Z as “the world’s
“When I’m Gone” (Brenda
ates everything.”
greatest rapper.” (Maybe he
Holloway), “Fire” (the Ohio
Let the music play!
is.)
Players), “You Got the Love” M o t o r C i t y C a s i n o H o t e l a n d M o t o r C i t y C a s i n o H o t e l d e s i g n a r e t r a d e m a r k s o f D e t r o i t
(Rufus featuring Chaka S T R I P
(Steve Holsey can be E n t e r t a i n m e n t , L . L . C . © 2 0 0 9 D e t r o i t E n t e r t a i n m e n t , L . L . C . A l l r i g h t s r e s e r v e d .
Speaking of rap, hopefully Khan), “Gotta Get Y
C
o
O L O R T R
u H
A N S I T I O N
ome reached at
Svh517@aol.com.)
S T R I P
C O L O R T R A N S I T I O N
S T R I P
C O L O R T R A N S I T I O N
S T R I P
C O L O R T R A N S I T I O N
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