Made a "dancing in the sheets" reference to a borderline-Millennial yesterday. Pretty sure it flew right over his head.
Showing posts with label Shalamar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shalamar. Show all posts
Monday, October 27, 2014
Monday, February 17, 2014
Song of the Day: 'Make That Move' by Shalamar
When you date someone like Michael, you never stop learning about R&B classics!
Wednesday, November 07, 2012
Song of the Day: 'The Second Time Around' by Shalamar
Loved that they were playing this KIT212 favorite at the Obama rally last night. Finally able to breathe again for the first time in months!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Music Box: Shalamar
Ever since he was a kid growing up on Long Island, Michael has had a thing for R&B music. Like most of his peers, he also loved Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and Boston, but when Saturday morning rolled around his somewhat dumbfounded friends and family would find him glued to the TV watching "Soul Train," easily one of his favorite shows around. While "Soul Train" played from the get-go in my native Detroit too, I typically watched "American Bandstand" and then lost interest once the hippest trip in America rolled into my living room, unless a really big name like Aretha or Gladys was going to be on. So when VH1 aired a documentary over the weekend about "Soul Train" -- mainly focuses on its legendary host and producer Don Cornelius -- I got a real kick out of watching it with Michael (well, more like watching Michael watch it) as he seemed to be re-living a really special part of his youth. (I was so into it, in fact, that I was ready to start a Soul Train Line only Larry wouldn't cooperate.)
I learned a lot watching it, most notably that two of the members of the great Shalamar -- Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel -- were both dancers on the show who were plucked by "Soul Train" talent booker/record promoter Dick Griffey and talent coordinator Chuck Johnson to replace the group's original session singers in 1977. (Jody modestly says that she and Jeffrey were picked because they were "the most popular dancers on the show," admitting that when they came back to perform as Shalamar there was tension and jealousy on the set.
Having not known about the origins of Shalamar -- who I really first remember falling in love with during their '80s New Wave/synth period (my friend Greg and I were mesmerized by the "Dead Giveaway" video) -- I was also surprised to discover that the late '70s pop/R&B classic "The Second Time Around" was actually the trio at the height of its popularity. They scored another hit in '84 with "Dancing in the Sheets" after the two dancers had left the group, but you just can't beat the "classic lineup," with singer Howard Hewitt's smooth vocals, Jody Watley's cool style and Jeffrey Daniel's incredible body-popping and moonwalking. (Did you know Daniels taught Michael Jackson these moves and even choreographed some of his videos? I didn't.) Chalk it to up to yet another valuable lesson learned during Black History Month.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
