SECTION D
June 16-22, 2010
THE CRUISE took place on the Royal Caribbean.
Reflections Lack of inclusion
By Steve Holsey One thing that irritates me is when a par-
ticular song is not included on “greatest hits” and “best of” collections — and for no good reason.
For example, Stevie Wonder’s “My Eyes
Don’t Cry” was a national Top 10 R&B hit in 1988, as well as the song everyone did the original hustle to. It was not, how- ever, a pop hit.
But you can only get
that song on the album it originally appeared on, “Characters.” It is not on “The Definitive Col- lection,” “Song Review: Greatest Hits” or even the four-disc box set, “At the Close of a Century.”
Tom Joyner’s Stevie Wonder In 1982, Chaka Khan had a hit with her
rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Got To Be There.” Although she never cared for the song and didn’t want to record it, she gave in to the persuasive urgings of key figures at Warner Bros. Records.
“Got To Be There” was
left off the hits collection, “Epiphany: The Best of Chaka Khan.”
The Isley Brothers Chaka Khan
charged to No. 4 on the national charts in 1977
with the exuberant Livin’ in the Life.” Yet, mysteriously, it is not included on the career defining three-disc, 50-song collection, “It’s Your Thing: The Story of the Isley Brothers” or “The Essential Isley Brothers.”
Similarly, the Drifters’ last two hits, “Baby
What I Mean” and “Ain’t It the Truth,” from 1966 and 1967 respectively, are nowhere to be found on the four-disc set, “Rockin’ & Drif- tin’: The Drifters Box.”
Go figure. IT IS HARD to believe that it has been a
year since the completely unexpected pass- ing of Michael Jackson, a once-in-a-lifetime talent. His personal issues could never change that.
“Forever Michael” is the name of the red
carpet tribute scheduled to take place at the Beverly Hills Hilton on June 26, presented by The Jackson Family Foundation.
Hope it’s all being done with pure hearts
and complete honesty, because it has been proven numerous times that there are people in the Jackson family determined to find ways to benefit financially from Jackson’s demise.
Ruben Studdard has
taken off a lot of weight, as viewers discovered during the “American Idol” finale that featured a tribute to departing judge Simon Cowell. A hundred pounds to be precise. (He used to weigh over 400 pounds.)
2 Ruben Studdard Studdard, who changed his diet radically,
looks a lot better and the dropped pounds will be a big plus for his health. We wish him the best in having the fortitude to go the rest of the way.
Had to laugh when athlete-turned-actor
Terry Crews said he hated Las Vegas because “it is the only place more phony than Los Angeles.”
MORRIS DAY and the other members of
the recently reunited Time say their album will be out before the end of the year, but they don’t dare to even give a month.
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Fantastic Voyage 2010 B
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ack in the day, Martha & the Vandellas informed the world that summer had arrived and “the time was right for dancin’ in the street.”
Well, for thousands of fun seekers from around the country the 1
arrival of summer — give or take a few days — means it will soon be time for the annual Fantastic Voyage cruise, presented by the Tom Joyner Foundation. The 2010 cruise, aboard the beautiful Royal Ca- ribbean, took place May 16-23.
With so many activities of seemingly every type imaginable, there
was no way anyone could ever be bored, not even for one minute. For many, the cruise gave added meaning to the words “fun” and “excite- ment.”
The activities included a singles mixer, shopping, “Soul Train”
Night, basketball, golf, gospel presentations, movie screenings, sem- inars, ’70s Funk Night, bingo, Mardi Gras Night, and much more.
Of course, there was also plenty of entertainment from the likes
of Charlie Wilson, Kem, Leela James, Avant, Ron Isley, Ledisi, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Montell Jordan, Najee and many more.
Proceeds benefited the Tom Joyner Foundation. Detroit’s own Monica Morgan, one of the most widely known
and respected photographers in the United States and beyond, was aboard.
We present some photo highlights from Fantastic Voyage 2010. — Monica Morgan photos —
1. CHARLIE WILSON treated his appreciative audience to songs from his solo albums as well as from the Gap Band days.
2. MONICA MORGAN, internationally known photographer, with rapper/actor Common, who was aboard to promote his latest movie, “Just Wright,” co-starring Queen Latifah.
3. KEM was, as always, smooth, polished and eager to please the audience.
4. LISA LISA took the crowd back to the days of “Head to Toe” and “I Wonder If I Take You Home.”
5. MONTELL JORDAN gave an enjoyable performance. 6. EVERYONE had a good time doing the hustle. 7. LOUIS FARRAKHAN gave his listeners food for thought.
8. TOM JOYNER, a staunch believer in giving back to the com- munity, has as much fun on the Fantastic Voyages as the people the fundraising cruises were developed for.
9. RON ISLEY, who can only be defined as a legend, sounded and looked great. He has been a hitmaker since 1959.
10. LEDISI proved why she is among today’s most popular new singers.
The Time, reunited. “The album has been done for a long time
now,” said Day. “But we keep adding to it. It just keeps getting better and better.” Then he added with a laugh, “So the deal is, we’ve got to stop at some point. In fact, I think we’re going to stop right now, go ahead and put it out, finally.”
“Distant Relatives,” the surprise duet
album by hard rapper Nas and reggae star Damian Marley, had a sensational opening week, Pop and R&B. Nas, fortunately, short- ened his stage name from “Nasty Nas.” And by the way, his real name is Nasir bin Dara Jones.
Mr. T (Laurence Tureaud) has made it
known that he is not pleased with the movie version of “The A-Team.” He is turned off
See Reflections Page D-2 5 7 4
11. J. ANTHONY BROWN, comedian and part of the Tom Joyner Morning Show team, with actress Bern Nadette Stanis.
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