“Soul Train” was one of the longest-running syndicated shows in television history and played a critical role in spreading the music of black America to the world, offering wide exposure to musicians like James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson in the 1970s and 1980s.Mr. Cornelius, a former disc jockey, created the show in 1970 in Chicago on WCIU-TV and served as its writer, producer and host. Quickly becoming a success, the show was first broadcast nationally in 1971, beginning a 35-year run.
Besides the performers, the program showcased young dancers who would strut their stuff, laying the groundwork for countless dance programs, including current hits like Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance” and MTV’s “America’s Best Dance Crew.In a 2010 interview with The Los Angeles Times, Mr. Cornelius said he was excited about a movie project he was developing about the show. “We’ve been in discussions with several people about getting a movie off the ground. It wouldn’t be the ‘Soul Train’ dance show. It would be more of a biographical look at the project,” he said. “It’s going to be about some of the things that really happened on the show.
RIP smiley culture
His biggest hit was 1984's Police Officer
REGGAE MUSICIAN Smiley Culture who scored two chart hits in the Eighties has died following an incident with police.
The Police Office singer, real name David Emmanuel, is believed to have stabbed himself after officers raided his home in Warlingham, Surrey, earlier today.
He was due to face trial after being charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine in September last year alongside four others.
A spokesman for the Independent Police Complaints Commission confirmed they were now investigating a “death following police contact”.
The 47-year-old, born and raised in south London, rose to fame as a DJ with the Saxon Studio sound system.
He released his first single Cockney Translation in 1984 but was best known for Police Officer which was a Top Twenty hit and earned him two performances on BBC music show Top of the Pops.
Emmanuel had claimed the song, a light-hearted take on police attitudes to black people at the time, was based on his own experience of being let off by officers when caught with a spliff after recognising who he was.
The Tulse Hill schoolboy later signed to major record label Polydor but failed to match his earlier success.
Ricky Belgrave, chairman of the British Association of Static Systems (BASS), called Smiley’s death a “sad loss for British reggae”.
He said: “I worked with Smiley many times over the years, so news of his death is very sad to hear. Smiley was a lively personality and was in that first wave of homegrown British reggae talent.
“He was one of the first to cross over into the mainstream alongside people like Maxi Priest and enjoyed chart success. On behalf of Bass, we offer our condolences to his family at this tragic time.”
Smiley Culture made a cameo appearance in the David Bowie film Absolute Beginners in 1986, but failed to achieve mainstream exposure.
He recently featured in the BBC4 documentary Reggae Britannia which explored the rise of UK reggae
mark Adams of Funk Group Slave Passes Away
Slave was a funk band from Dayton that formed in 1975. They scored their first major hit in 1977 on Cotillion Records with Slide which went to the top of the R&B charts and hit 32 on the Pop singles. They followed with five more top twenty R&B hits through 1983. They also made the top ten on the R&B Albums with Slave (1977/#6), Stone Jam(1980/#5) and Show Time (1981/#7).
The group went through a number of changes in the mid-80's and moved to Ichiban Records but hits eluded them for the rest of their career which ended in 1992. Some members have reformed over the last decade to tour with other funk and soul groups from the 70's and 80's.
Teena Marie, a singer whose funky hits in the 1980s, like lovergirl and “Square Biz,” made her one of the few white performers to consistently find success on the rhythm-and-blues charts, died on Sunday 2010 at her home in Pasadena, Calif. She was 54.
Teena Marie performing in 2009.
The cause was not immediately known, but The Associated Press reported that the authorities said she appeared to have died of natural causes.
Born Mary Christine Brockert in Santa Monica, Calif., on March 5, 1956, she grew up in a predominantly black area of nearby Venice, Calif., and began singing and acting while still a child. At age 8, she tap-danced for Jed Clampett on an episode of “The Beverly Hillbillies,” under the name Tina Marie Brockert.
After graduating from high school and briefly attending Santa Monica College, she signed with Motown Records and became of protégée of Rick James, then one of the label’s biggest new stars. Teena Marie’s first album, “Wild and Peaceful,” with James as a producer and the chief songwriter — and his Stone City Band backing her up — was released on Motown’s Gordy imprint in 1979.
I’m Just a Sucker for Your Love, her duet with James from that album, went to No. 8 on the R&B singles chart. The two began a tempestuous love affair. Another duet, “Fire and Desire,” appeared on James’s hit album from 1981, “Street Songs. James died in 2004
Through the 1980s, Teena Marie developed a style that folded.End Quote Teena MarieI'm a black artist with white skin. At the end of the day you have to sing what's in your own soul”
The legendary producer - who has worked with some of the world's biggest stars - urged the 'Rehab' singer to cook the unusual dish during one of their recording sessions.
He said: "I gave her a recipe. I said, 'You eaten a rat before?' I'm telling you, it's like any other meat. I was 7 and my grandmother would send me and my brother out to get the fat ones. The ones wriggling their tales are most tender.It's true. It's not a bad meal. When you throw in some onions. And you get over it being a rat.
Leroy Burgess 70’s & 80’s Funk Soul & Boogie Singer/Writer/Keyboards
Leroy Burgess’ three biggest tracks were “Release Yourself“, “Barely Breaking Even” and “ Dancing Into The Stars“.
These three tracks and more were central to the creation of the Jazz Funk and Soul scene of the mid 70’s to the mid 80’s .All three were in collaboration with three separate bands/projects/names, the Aleems, the Universal Robot Band, and Logg, respectively. 40 years after making history with his self-promoted group Black Ivory, Mr Boogie Leroy Burgess with old and new adversaries, graces us with another collection of unreleased version of his compositions. Bugz In The Attic’s Daz I Kue added his drum programming and sequencing skills to tighten’s Leroy’s musical ship for all to sail upon.
Apart from his versions of songs he penned for Venus Dodson’s Shining, Debbie Blackwell’s Once You Got Me Going, and Black Ivory’s Hustling, there is an amazing rendition of Skip Scarborough’s Don’t Ask My Neighbour.
Leroy’s precisely harmonized vocal placements and keyboard solos rise like a phoenix and amongst the nine new tracks my favourites are Don’t Stop, It’s The Weekend, and Doing Me Tonight.
Due for release in March 2010 with rumour of an album launch party in London, it’s time again to Get Loose with the Mr Big B
FREEEZ-THE BAND
Freeez's first single, "Keep in Touch" (1980), included guitarist Jean-Paul 'Bluey' Maunick, the founder of Incognito. Freeez is perhaps best remembered for its UK Top 10 hit "Southern Freeez", which included guest vocals by Ingrid Mansfield Allman. Much of the band's early work, including "Southern Freeez" became part of the jazz-funk scene in the UK, in the early 1980s[1] In the UK, the band was signed to the record label Beggars Banquet Records.[2]
The song "I.O.U.", written, produced and mixed by Arthur Baker (then known for his work with Afrika Bambaataa), was also used on the 1980s breakdance movie, Beat Street. It spent two weeks at number one in the Billboard Dance chart[3] sandwiched between the likes of Madonna, Michael Jackson and David Bowie, and was number 2 in the UK Singles Chart in the summer of 1983. It was followed by other releases from the album such as "Pop Goes My Love" / "Scratch Goes My Dub", which hit the U.S. Top 5. In 1987 a remix of "I.O.U." climbed back up to number 18 on the U.S. dance chart, plus number 23 in the UK Singles Chart.
Freeez reformed in 1984 without Rocca, or any of the other original members, apart fom Peter Maas. With a new sound and almost a new group altogether, Maas worked with Louis Smith who took over the duties of keyboard player, co-writer and programmer with Billy Crichton as songwriter and guitarist. The new Freeez then went on to record an album, Idle Vice (1985) at Studio number 2 at Abbey Road Studios in the same room where the Beatles made their recordings. "That Beats My Patience" was the first single from the album. Smith went on to be a session keyboard player and toured with the rock band The Escape Club who had U.S. number one hit "Wild, Wild West" and several other U.S. Top 10 successes. He also recorded as one half of Bass Kruncher with lead guitarist John Holliday from The Escape Club.
Rocca and Stennet also recorded under other pseudo names such Pictures and Pink Rhythm in 1985.
