Davis Eli “David” Ruffin (January 18, 1941 – June 1, 1991) was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of The Temptations (1964–68) during the group’s “Classic Five” period, and was the lead don such famous songs as “My Girl“, “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg, and “I Wish It Would Rain.” Ruffin would have been 74 today.
Known for his unique raspy and anguished tenor vocals, according to Wikipedia.com, Ruffin was ranked as one of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine in 2008. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 for his work with The Temptations, and into Cleveland’s R&B Hall of Fame in 2013 as a solo artist as well a Temptations member. Fellow Motown recording artist Marvin Gaye once said admiringly of Ruffin that, “I heard [in his voice] a strength my own voice lacked.”
To see video of Ruffin in action on one of the Temptations classics, click below and enjoy:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tYPJ74TKbI&w=420&h=315]
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (follow @lakinhutcherson)
Posts published in “Music”
After airing last Sunday, GBN contributor Becky Schonbrun forwarded me links from “60 Minutes” that were labeled as inspiring “must-watch” material. So I finally did, and they most definitely are.
“Alive: 55+ and Kickin’” is a live show that was created by theater producer and former disc jockey Vy Higginsen, who has made it her mission to preserve a special part of American culture: African-American music, both gospel and popular music like soul and R&B. She found a pool of untapped talent, men and women in what she calls their “second half of life” just waiting for their chance to shine.
The music and the stories are uplifting, remarkable and definitely worth your time. To check them out for yourself, click below:
http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/alive-and-kickin-part-one
http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/alive-and-kickin-part-two
The show reopens this Spring and you can go to http://www.alive55themusical.com to see performance dates and purchase tickets.
Enjoy!
Lori Lakin Hutcherson, GBN Founder and Editor-in-Chief (follow @lakinhutcherson)
Chaka Khan, Brandy and Lianne La Havas have been added to the lineup for our annual ESSENCE Black Women in Music ceremony.
The three performers join this year’s honoree, Jill Scott, in celebrating the best and brightest moments in Black music over ESSENCE’s 45-year history. The 6th annual event recognizes the achievements of the generations of Black women singers who have inspired and paved the way.
Past ESSENCE Black Women in Music honorees include Mary J. Blige, Kelly Rowland, Janelle Monáe, and Solange Knowles. This year’s event will feature an exclusive performance from Scott as well as several other performances from several classic eras of music. And for the first time, community fans will be able to join in the festivities of this invitation-only event.
Ten-time Grammy winner Chaka Khan has been on the scene for over three decades, racking up accolades and earning the praise of her peers, such as Aretha Franklin and Miles Davis. We’ve watched Grammy winner Brandy grow up right before our eyes since her 1995 debut. She helped shape a generation with songs like “I Wanna Be Down” and “The Boy Is Mine.” Newcomer Lianne La Havas burst on the scene in 2012 with her album, Is Your Love Big Enough? The London-based singer attracted the attention of Prince—the two collaborated for his song, “Clouds.”
The ESSENCE Black Women in Music event will kick-off our year-long commemoration of the 45th anniversary of ESSENCE Magazine, where Black women have always—and will continue to—come first.
Catch these women, along with other music trailblazers, during ESSENCE Black Women in Music on February 5 in Los Angeles.
article by Taylor Lewis via essence.com
Increasingly a fashion icon as much as a musical one, Kanye West has been voted GQ’s Most Stylish Man of the Year, facing off against Idris Elba in the final bracket of a user-based poll for the site.
Earlier this year, West was featured on the magazine’s cover for a feature article about his status in the fashion industry and opened up about previous comments regarding the difficulty he’s encountered breaking in.
“Alexander Wang made sure that I was able to go to a Balenciaga show, and I was never allowed to do that before because I was a celebrity,” he said. “Listen to what I’m saying—me, as Kanye West: I guarantee you, I’m more than 50 percent responsible for every men’s shoe that [Balenciaga] sell. Me, the singular person. More than 50 percent responsible for every Balenciaga shoe they sell. And they would say, ‘You can’t come to the show, because you are a celebrity.’ But all honesty, no ego, I have a level of influence, and I have a level of respect for the designers. And we move product on that Barneys floor.”
While initial plans for West’s collaboration with adidas hinted at a fall drop-date for the next installment of his increasingly coveted Yeezy sneakers, the follow-up has yet to be released and looks to be slated for an early 2015 debut instead. Nonetheless, 2014 saw the last of his collaborations with Nike released in the form of an already legendary all-red color-way of his Yeezy 2’s. The rapper also released two collaborative lines with the high-end French fashion brand A.P.C., the latest of which included a $780 bomber jacket and a $90 plain white tee.
article by Jay Balfour via theurbandaily.com
Decades after hip hop music hit the streets of New York, and later, became an cultural phenomenon enjoyed by listeners around the world, it’s all coming back to the Big Apple, as a Hip Hop Hall of Fame Museum is set to open in 2017.
“This will be the home of hip hop history,” museum Chairman JT Thompson told the NY Daily News. “People need to understand the importance of hip hop, the elements, the DJs, the B-boys and B-girls and the graffiti writers.”
The museum will open to the public at its location on 125th Street in 2017 and exhibits will feature memorabilia such as jackets, turntables and posters donated by artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash, Run-DMC, Salt-N-Pepa, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Outkast, Young Jeezy, Common and Eminem. There is also a planned juice and coffee bar, TV studio, shops and a dedicated youth media program.
article via hiphopweekly.com
The new “Late Late Show with James Corden” has tapped musician and comedian Reggie Watts as its bandleader. Watts — who is known for his improvised musical sets — currently serves in that role on the IFC series “Comedy Bang! Bang!” and has also appeared on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” “Conan” and the Web’s “Funny or Die.”
CBS’ “Late Late Show” has pushed back its premiere date to March 23, two weeks later than previously announced. The 12:37 a.m. talker will now debut following the network’s opening-weekend coverage of the 2015 NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
CBS’ “Late Late Show” has pushed back its premiere date to March 23, two weeks later than previously announced. The 12:37 a.m. talker will now debut following the network’s opening-weekend coverage of the 2015 NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
Reggie Watts is an internationally renowned vocalist, beatboxer, musician, comedian and improviser known for his musical sets that are created on the spot, using only his voice and looping peddles. In 2010, he was featured as a “Hot Comedian” in Rolling Stone’s Hot issue, as “Best New Comedian” in SPIN Magazine, and featured in GQ’s Man of the Year issue, also in 2010.
article by Andrea Morabito via nypost.com
Film and television awards season continued ramping up as the nominations for the 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards were announced this morning.
Martin Luther King Jr. biopic “Selma” scored big with nominations not only for Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Original Song (“Glory” by John Legend and Common) and Best Actor (David Oyelowo), but also with the first Golden Globe nomination for an African American female director, Ava DuVernay.
“Annie” star Quvenzanhé Wallis earned a nod in the Best Actress – Comedy or Musical category and in television, Viola Davis was honored with a nom in the Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama for her starring role in “How To Get Away With Murder.” Don Cheadle was recognized in the Best Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical for his work in “House of Lies” and Uzo Aduba received a nod for her supporting work in “Orange is the New Black.”
The Golden Globes, hosted for the second year by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, will take place Jan. 11 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel and air live on NBC at 8pm EST.
Below is the full list of nominations:
BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
BOYHOOD
IFC Productions and Detour Filmproduction; IFC Films
FOXCATCHER
Annapurna Pictures; Sony Pictures Classics
THE IMITATION GAME
Black Bear Pictures; The Weinstein Company
SELMA
Paramount Pictures and Pathé; Paramount Pictures
THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING
Working Title Films; Focus Features
Netflix is dipping its toe into original programming again with a timely documentary on provocative musical genius and social activist Nina Simone, aka the “High Priestess of Soul.” What Happened, Miss Simone? will tell the singer’s story in her own voice using over a hundred hours of previously unheard interviews. Produced in cooperation with Simone’s estate, it will also feature rare concert videos, diaries, letters and other private materials. It was directed by Oscar-nominated director Liz Garbus and will debut next year — possibly around the same time as an unauthorized Simone biopic starring Guardians of the Galaxy‘s Zoe Saldana.
Simone was a classically-trained musician who switched to soul, jazz and blues after being denied a prestigious scholarship, reportedly because she was black. During the 1960s, her music and lyrics became infused with a strong civil rights message and she spoke at demonstrations like the “Selma to Montgomery” marches, which eventually led to the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Describing her musical career, Garbus said that “for each of her millions of fans, Nina feels like a treasured secret.” Simone was also a controversial figure who advocated for violent revolution on behalf of African Americans, and Netflix said the film would take an “unflinching” look at her life.
The upcoming biopic joins other well-received titles from Netflix like the 3D-printing documentary Print the Legend and Academy Award-nominated The Square. What Happened, Miss Simone will arrive in all Netflix countries sometime next year.
Check out video of arguably her most famous protest song, “Mississippi Goddamn” below:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ25-U3jNWM&w=420&h=315]
article by Steve Dent via engadget.com
“Belle,” “Beyond the Lights,” “Dear White People,” “Get On Up” and “Selma” have grabbed top film nominations for the 46th annual NAACP Image Awards.
The Image Awards will be handed out Feb. 6 in a ceremony telecast live by TV One.
“Get On Up” star Chadwick Boseman, “Selma’s” David Oyelowo, Nate Parker of “Beyond the Lights,” Gugu Mbatha-Raw of “Belle” and Tessa Thompson of “Dear White People” are among the actors who were cited.
Boseman, Oyelowo and Mbatha-Raw are all portraying real-life people.
In the TV heat, ABC freshman “Black-ish” and “How to Get Away with Murder,” Netflix’s “Orange Is the New Black,” BET’s “The Game” and “Being Mary Jane” were among the top nominees. ABC did well, earning three of the five drama-series nominations. Also notable was Lifetime’s scoring seven of the 10 nominations in the two lead acting categories for telefilm/miniseries/dramatic special.
Here is a full list of Image Award nominees:
MOTION PICTURE
“Get On Up” star Chadwick Boseman, “Selma’s” David Oyelowo, Nate Parker of “Beyond the Lights,” Gugu Mbatha-Raw of “Belle” and Tessa Thompson of “Dear White People” are among the actors who were cited.
Boseman, Oyelowo and Mbatha-Raw are all portraying real-life people.
In the TV heat, ABC freshman “Black-ish” and “How to Get Away with Murder,” Netflix’s “Orange Is the New Black,” BET’s “The Game” and “Being Mary Jane” were among the top nominees. ABC did well, earning three of the five drama-series nominations. Also notable was Lifetime’s scoring seven of the 10 nominations in the two lead acting categories for telefilm/miniseries/dramatic special.
Here is a full list of Image Award nominees:
MOTION PICTURE
Motion Picture
- “Belle” (Fox Searchlight Pictures/ DJ Films)
- “Beyond The Lights” (Relativity Media)
- “Dear White People” (Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions)
- “Get On Up” (Universal Pictures)
- “Selma” (Paramount Pictures)
Actor in a Motion Picture
- Chadwick Boseman – “Get On Up” (Universal Pictures)
- David Oyelowo – “Selma” (Paramount Pictures)
- Denzel Washington – “The Equalizer” (Columbia Pictures)
- Idris Elba – “No Good Deed” (Screen Gems)
- Nate Parker – “Beyond The Lights” (Relativity Media)
Actress in a Motion Picture
- Gugu Mbatha-Raw – “Belle” (Fox Searchlight Pictures/ DJ Films)
- Quvenzhané Wallis – “Annie” (Columbia Pictures)
- Taraji P. Henson – “No Good Deed” (Screen Gems)
- Tessa Thompson – “Dear White People” (Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions)
- Viola Davis – “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby” (The Weinstein Company)
After making history as the first female artist to have 100 hits on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts, Aretha Franklin blazes yet another trail as the first recipient of Billboard Women in Music’s Icon Award.
Franklin’s latest achievement was announced by Billboard, which gives the award to a female artist whose music has helped shape the industry. Although Jennifer Lopez received an Icon Award last year at the Billboard Music Awards, Franklin’s honor marks the first time the award has been at Billboard’s annual Women in Music awards luncheon.
The event, which will also honor Ariana Grande for Rising Star and Idina Menzel for Breakthrough Artist of the Year, will take place Dec. 12.
The Billboard Women in Music awards recognize female music executives for helping to make a difference in the music industry.
article by Qwest7 via eurweb.com