entertainment Reflections
have labored long and hard for a project you believe in, don’t give up. At any moment you could have a break- through that will make all the difference in your career and life.”
BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW...
that widely acclaimed singer/ pianist Jo Thompson, who is from Detroit, is the first person to ever sing the now classic “For Once In My Life,” written by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden.
MEMORIES: “Too Busy
Thinking About My Baby” (Marvin Gaye), “Serpentine Fire” (Earth, Wind & Fire),
“Only You (And You Alone)” (the Platters), “Let’s Get Seri- ous” (Jermaine Jackson), “He Will Break Your Heart” (Jerry Butler), “Family Affair” (Sly & the Family Stone), “When Doves Cry” (Prince), “It’s Just a Matter of Time” (Brook Benton), “Part-Time Lover” (Stevie Wonder), “Someday We’ll Be Together” (Diana Ross & the Supremes), “Don’t Look Any Further” (Dennis Edwards featuring Siedah Garrett), “It’s a Shame” (the Spinners), “Jump” (Kris Kross).
BLESSINGS to Robin Terry, Lamar Horton, Alexis Social Conscience
compromising description of ghetto.
But in 1986, Run-D.M.C. re-
corded “Proud To Be Black,” that harkened back to 1968 when James Brown startled a lot of people with the in-your- face “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud.”
Brown delivered numer-
ous other messages aimed at the Black community, among them “I Don’t Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing (Open Up the Door, I’ll Get It Myself),” “Soul Power,” “Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved,” “King Heroin” and “Don’t Be A Drop-Out.”
THE TEMPTATIONS, un-
expectedly, dealt with social issues by way of “Message From a Black Man,” featured on their “Puzzle People” album. “No matter how hard you try, you can’t stop me now,” the Temps kept repeating.
But the most profound mes-
sages from Motown emanated from Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder.
Gaye delivered one of the
most extraordinary albums of all time with “What’s Going On,” through which Gaye, with help from a lot of friends, sincerely and deftly addressed conditions in the inner city and society as a whole. In many ways, “What’s Going On” was a plea to God.
The whole world knows
what a big heart Stevie Wonder has, and what a sensitive, committed soul he is. We felt it with “Happy Birthday” (the homage to Martin Luther King and the exuberant promotion- al vehicle for the creation of the King holiday).
Wonder also “got to us” with
“Living For the City,” “Higher Ground,” “Black Man” (a lit- eral history lesson), “Love’s in
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Need of Love Today,” “Master Blaster (Jammin’)” and so many others.
“LIFT EV’RY Voice and
Sing,” the Black national anthem, was and continues to be an essential message song — and the most powerful and identifiable rendition is that of Detroit’s own Kim Weston.
Of course, long before
anyone had heard of any of the artists heretofore mentioned, Billie Holliday recorded a riveting, and graphic, song entitled “Strange Fruit.” Its lyrics chillingly described the horror of the lynching of Black people in the South. The year was 1939. Holiday would often be moved to tears when sing- ing it.
Among other carriers of
social messages over the years are the Beatles (“Revolution”), Sly & the Family Stone (“Ev- eryday People,” “Stand!”), Sam Cooke (“A Change Is Gonna Come”), Bob Dylan (“Blowin’ in the Wind,” “The Times,
THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE From page D-1
Williams, Von Harrell, Rita Griffin, Heaster Wheeler, Van Esther Griffin, Mike Vargas, Bob Kerse, John Manor and Karen Dumas.
WORDS OF THE WEEK,
from Nina Simone: “I think the rich will eventually have to cave in, because the eco- nomic situation around the world is not going to tolerate the United States being on top forever.”
Let the music play! (Steve Holsey can be
reached at
Svh517@aol.com and PO Box 02843.)
From page D-1
They Are A-Changin’”), Edwin Starr (“War”), John Lennon with the Plastic Ono Band (“Give Peace a Chance”), Bob Marley & the Wailers (“Get Up, Stand Up”), Gil Scott-Heron (“The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”) and Prince (“Sign ’O’ the Times,” “Ronnie, Talk to Russia”).
Then, of course, there was
the most famous message song, “We Are the World,” written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson, co-produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian.
Called USA For Africa for
the special fundraising occa- sion, the song’s all-star assem- bly included Jackson, Richie, James Ingram, Ray Charles, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper, Bruce Spingstreen, Tina Turner, Paul Simon, Kim Carnes, Al Jarreau, Willie Nelson, Stevie Wonder, Dionne Warwick, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan and many others.
August 25-31, 2010 Page D-2 CALLING ALL EXTRAS!
Cheri Oliver
Birthday bash at Baker’s
On Saturday, Aug. 28, there
will be a birthday celebration for popular songstress Cheri Oliver at Baker’s Keyboard Lounge, located on Livernois at Eight Mile Road. The event, hosted by poet Michael Van Tull, will be from 5 to 8 p.m. In addition to fun and live en- tertainment, this will be a net- working opportunity.
For information: (313) 318-
0118 or CheriOliverOnline. com.
2 COL (3.75") X 8" = 16" DETROIT MICHIGAN CHRONICLE WED 8/25
SCREEN GEMS PRESENTS A RAINFOREST FILMS PRODUCTION IN ASSOCIATION WITH GRAND HUSTLE FILMS TIP “T.I.” HARRIS
“TAKERS” MATT DILLON PAUL WALKER IDRIS ELBA JAY HERNANDEZ MICHAEL EALY WITH CHRIS BROWN AND HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN
PRODUCERS
WRITTENBYPETER ALLEN & GABRIEL CASSEUS AND JOHN LUESSENHOP & AVERY DUFF JOHN LUESSENHOP
DIRECTED BY
STARTS FRIDAY, AUGUST 27
CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES
EXECUTIVEGLENN S. GAINOR GABRIEL CASSEUS CHRIS BROWN MORRIS CHESTNUT PRODUCEDBYWILL PACKER TIP “T.I.” HARRIS AND JASON GETER
MUSIC BY
PAUL HASLINGER
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