SECTION D


October 13-19, 2010


Reflections By Steve Holsey


The joys of simplicity The charming, always optimistic Minnie


Riperton — who is still very much missed — once recorded a song she wrote titled “Simple Things.” It was featured on her 1975 album “Adven- tures in Paradise” that in- cluded another favorite of mine, “Don’t Let Anyone Bring You Down.”


I believe that the sim-


pler things are kept, the happier the person is. People make many — if not most — things more complicated than they need to be.


“The sky’s fantastic


blue or gray,” sang Minnie, also informing listeners that “the simple pleasures are worth more than treasures that your paper money ever brings.”


Minnie Riperton


What are some of your simple pleasures? I love listening to favorite music. Com-


municating with people who care about and really understand me. Hearing from readers (especially e-mail and handwritten letters). Finding a record I’ve spent a lot of time looking for. Watching favorite movies and television shows. Laughing at silly things. Overcoming fears. Tuning out negativity. Reading. People who are true to themselves and non-judgmen- tal. Having fun on my laptop. YouTube. Kind people. Being thought of.


Minnie Riperton said she “could go on and


on and on.” That’s easy to understand.


A ‘Black Eden’for African Americans Idlewild:


Black Detroiters among resort’s biggest supporters


By Jason Donovan Today, for the most part, Black people can


go anywhere they choose, live wherever they feel comfortable — and vacation at any resort that appeals to them.


But that, of course, was not always the case,


and those dark days are not that far off in the distance.


The Black middle class — people of means


with a disposable income — has long been


a


staple in the Black c o m m u - nity. But their


in-


SARAH VAUGHAN had a voice like no other.


Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, the new “American Idol” judging team.


SEASON 9 of “American Idol” was a real


snoozer. Judge Paula Abdul not being there was one problem, but mainly it was the medio- cre, non-exciting talent. Hard to believe from a show that gave us such stars as Fantasia Barrino, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, Adam Lambert, Ruben Studdard,David Archu- leta, Jordin Sparks, Melinda Doolittle, Chris Daughtry and Kelly Clarkson.


And with Simon Cowell gone, the show is in


a precarious position. The new judging team, consisting of the returning Randy Jackson with newcomers Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, could be a winner.


We’ll see what happens when the show


resumes in January. Miles Davis, jazz innovator and icon, made


an interesting observation during one of his last interviews. He said that in his 40-year-plus career, no Black publication had ever put him on the cover.


Justin Timberlake is getting tired of being


asked when he is going to make a new album. He laid it right on the line: “I just don’t know in what capacity I want to be involved anymore. I’ll know when I know. Every time I’ve gone against my gut, I’ve made the wrong decision.”


Meanwhile, Timberlake is one of the stars of


the No. 1 movie “The Social Network” and has three additional films lined up.


MICHELLE WILLIAMS, formerly of Destiny’s Child, is cur- rently competing on the BBC (British Broadcast- ing Corporation) TV show “Strictly Come Dancing.” It is the show on which “Dancing With the Stars” is based.


One of the all-time best Michelle Williams


male vocalists, who is not recognized nearly as often as he should be, is


Detroit’s own Emanuel (E.J.) Johnson, lead singer of Enchantment. His voice is magnificent, truly a work of art. The group’s first smash hit, “Gloria,” was just one example of what Johnson can do.


Speaking of great sing-


ers, of all the artists that have emerged in recent years, one of the best is Anthony Hamilton. Pure soul. Raw power. To hear him at his best, listen to a song titled “I’m A Mess” — about a man falling apart after a break-up — featured on his album “Comin’ From Where I’m From.”


Emanuel Johnson


Janet Jackson was seen strolling down See Reflections Page D-2


THE FOUR TOPS performed at Idlewild with Billy Eckstine.


DELLA REESE knew how to please Idlewild audiences.


JACKIE WILSON was “Mr. Excitement” on stage.


CAB CALLOWAY, the flamboyant bandlead- er/singer.


SAMMY DAVIS JR. was a consummate en- tertainer.


c o m e s , h owe v e r substan- tial,


and


status, however high ranking, did not shield them from the ugly sting of racism, which is likely to never be completely rooted out in this country.


Even so, the adage still


rings true: “We aren’t where we want to be, but thank God we aren’t where we used to be.”


Like any other ethnic


group, African Americans — then identified as Negroes and colored — enjoyed vaca- tioning. But the resort owners made it clear that they were not welcome.


“LOTTIE THE BODY,” the excit- ing exotic dancer.


However, there was one of few exceptions


in this area: Idlewild, located in northwestern Michigan, close to the southeastern border of Lake County. And in Idlewild, African Ameri- cans were welcome to purchase property as well, and many did. One of them was Madame C.J. Walker, famous businesswoman and self- made millionaire.


DESPITE THE unquestionable wrongness


of racial discrimination, not to mention the ungodliness of it, the situation made the Black community more tightly knit. In a manner of speaking, it was “unity born of necessity.” Looking out for others came more naturally then.


From the mid-1960s dating all the way back


to 1912, Idlewild was often affectionately re- ferred to as “the Black Eden.”


The number of people who visited the resort


during a typical summer during the peak years was impressive — 25,000 was not uncommon. They would have a grand time camping, boat- ing, horseback riding, roller skating, etc., and just socializing.


And then there was the nightlife. The clubs


were big attractions and the foremost Black stars in show business made a point of being booked for performances at Idlewild.


Interestingly, the basic


format of Motown Record Cor- poration’s famous Motortown Revue was adapted from the shows presented at Idlewild. The fast-paced Motown shows featured a full orchestra (usu- ally led by Choker Campbell), a witty emcee (Bill Murray) and as many as eight acts. The 1963 lineup, for example, featured the Miracles, Mary Wells, Little Stevie Wonder, Martha & the Vandellas, the Marvelettes,


the Tempta-


tions, Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston.


The Four Tops, although


among Motown’s top sell- ers, were never a part of the Motortown Revue — because they didn’t want to be. They came to Motown older than the other artists and had far more say-so than the others as to what they would or would not do.


THEY WERE also sea-


soned professionals, having worked the nation’s finest


clubs with the legendary Billy Eckstine, just the type of act club owners in Idlewild loved to book. Naturally, when Eckstine performed there, the Four Tops accompanied him.


A virtual who’s who of Black entertainment


made appearances in Idlewild, including Dinah Washington, Bill Doggett (“Honky Tonk”), George Kirby, Roy Hamilton, Sarah Vaughan, Jackie Wilson, Della Reese, B.B. King, Louis Armstrong, Al Hibbler, Moms Mabley, Sammy Davis Jr., Fats Waller, “Lottie the Body,” Cab Calloway and too many others to mention here.


Idlewild was also a place where business-


men, businesswoman and organizations met to strategize, plan, review, etc.


See Idlewild Page D-2


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  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32