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Posts tagged as “Babyface”

MUSIC MONDAY: “Bring It On Home” – A Famous Background Vocalists Playlist (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on May 15, 2023

by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Twitter: @marlonw IG: stlmarlonwest Spotify: marlonwest)

Happy springtime from your friend and selector, Marlon!

Here’s a freewheeling playlist, and a seemingly random collection of tunes. Though what they all have in common is famous folks, sometimes uncredited, singing backup.

In some cases it is an established artist leading a hand, like Stevie Wonder contributing to Jermaine Jackson’s “Let’s Get Serious,” or a then-unknown protege like Lou Rawls singing behind his childhood pal Sam Cooke on “Bring It On Home To Me.”

In some tracks, you won’t be able to pick them out. Though in others you will never be able to hear the same again without recognizing them. Here is a breakdown of each song and who’s helping out in the background. Enjoy!

[spotifyplaybutton play=”https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1Wiw3WvesSmopQpyuoTybK?si=7f4c79d723884010″]

  1. “Bring It On Home to Me” by Sam Cooke with Lou Rawls
  2. “Let’s Get Serious” by Jermaine Jackson was produced by Stevie Wonder (who also provided vocals)
  3. “Part-Time Lover” by Stevie Wonder with Luther Vandross and Philip Bailey
  4. “Don’t Lose Your Head” by Queen with Joan Armatrading
  5. “Step by Step” by Whitney Houston with original writer and vocalist Annie Lennox
  6. “Every Time I Close My Eyes” by Babyface with Kenny G, Mariah Carey, and Shelia E.
  7. “Somebody’s Watching Me” by Rockwell with Michael Jackson and Jermaine Jackson
  8. “Pink + White” by Frank Ocean with Beyoncé
  9. “State of Shock” by the Jacksons, with Mick Jagger
  10. “Young Americans” by David Bowie with Luther Vandross
  11. “Why Should I Love You?” by Kate Bush with Prince singing and playing guitar
  12. “There Must Be More to Life Than This” by Queen with Michael Jackson
  13. “This Is What You Came For” by Calvin Harris and Rihanna with uncredited vocals by the song’s author, Taylor Swift
  14. “Partition” by Beyoncé with Justin Timberlake
  15. “Chain Reaction” by Diana Ross with Barry Gibb

There are certainly others, but I’ll stop here. Though if there are glaring omissions, lemme me know, and I’ll make additions.

See ya next month, and as always: stay safe, sane, and kind.

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)
MUSIC MONDAY: “Written by Wonder, First Sung by Another” – a Stevie Wonder-Composed Playlist (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: “Written by Wonder, First Sung by Another” – a Stevie Wonder-Composed Playlist (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on May 9, 2022

by Jeff Meier (FB: Jeff.Meier.90)

If you are a regular listener of Good Black News’ Music Monday playlists, we’re sure you’ve noticed by now that we’ve got some serious Stevie Wonder fans in the house. In 2020, we even celebrated his 70th birthday with a whole month of fantastic playlists (some links below).

And now that Mr. Wonder’s birthday week again (on this Friday the 13th), we’ve got a new playlist to share – this one built around songs that he composed for other artists – it’s called “Written By Wonder, First Sung By Another”:

[spotifyplaybutton play=”https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6GAkiGK8QJRFyHcOdnCQmv?si=7b9eb6f8dd184912″]

This playlist is comprised of over 90 songs spanning from the mid-60s when he was still just a teenage songwriter, up through the list’s most recent composition, a 2011 release from smooth jazz vocalist Maysa called “Have Sweet Dreams.”

Many people already know of the hits Stevie wrote for others – classics such as The Spinners’ “It’s A Shame,” Jermaine Jackson’s “Let’s Get Serious,” Third World’s “Try Jah Love,” Rufus feat. Chaka Khan’s “Tell Me Something Good,” and of course, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles’ “The Tears of a Clown.”

But his writing legacy goes so much deeper than that.

MUSIC: “Valentine Love” – Playlist of the Best Classic Soul Duets Ever (LISTEN)

MUSIC: “Valentine Love” – Playlist of the Best Classic Soul Duets Ever (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on February 13, 2021

by Jeff Meier (FB: Jeff.Meier.90)

Happy Valentine’s Weekend, Good Black News readers! We are celebrating the holiday (and the long weekend) with a Spotify playlist of love ballads entitled:  “Valentine Love – The Best Classic Soul Duets Ever“:

[spotifyplaybutton play=”spotify:playlist:2ArxoxecBAn0snatM8zB7M”]

In honor of the 14th of February, we’ve filled the playlist with 140 classic soul duets from the 1950s through the 1990s.

We worked hard to include all your favorites from masters of romance including Luther Vandross, Johnny Mathis, Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway, Dionne Warwick, Peabo Bryson, Teena Marie, Teddy Pendergrass, Mariah Carey, Babyface, James Ingram and the undeniable King of Duets, Mr. Marvin Gaye. We’ve included his partnerships with Kim Weston, Diana Ross, Mary Wells, and of course, Tammi Terrell.

We’ve also got songs from groups like Atlantic Starr, Shalamar, The Independents and Loose Ends that feature a male/female lead singer combo.

Hopefully, you’ll find a lot of your favorites, along with some others you haven’t heard in awhile – and some deep crate classics you may be hearing for the first time.

So if you have the opportunity to grab a glass of wine – and a loved one – hit play to set the mood for romantic weekend filled with music by R&B/soul greats.

Enjoy!

MUSIC: “That’s The Way Love Goes” – End of Summer Celebration of ’90s Slow Jams (LISTEN)

MUSIC: “That’s The Way Love Goes” – End of Summer Celebration of ’90s Slow Jams (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on September 4, 2020

by Jeff Meier (FB: Jeff.Meier.90)

As we head into Labor Day Weekend, the unofficial end of Summer, it’s one more chance to relax a little amidst such a stressful year for so many of us.

We’ve had such a great reaction here at Good Black News to so many of our Spotify playlists, including our decade-spanning slow jam playlists that we made for the ‘70s (Ultimate ‘70s Slow Jam Summer) and the ‘80s (Ultimate ‘80s Champagne Slow Jams).

So it only made sense, in time for the long weekend, to unveil our playlist of slow jam faves from the ‘90s – entitled Ultimate ‘90s Sunset Slow Jams, available at this link here, and of course you can listen to or access below. All you ‘90s soul music fans, it’s time to favorite this playlist and represent!

[spotifyplaybutton play=”spotify:playlist:43oaIWo1oj8UlZSqX3Oix1″/]

R&B music in the ‘90s underwent a true sea change that had been slowly building up through the prior decade. If ‘80s slow jams were the sound of lushly-produced, upscale elegance via superstar duets from well-dressed veteran singers, the ‘90s tossed a lot of that in the rearview mirror. 

Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios’ Inaugural Oscars Gala Raises $1 million for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

By goodblacknews on February 27, 2017
Byron Allen (photo via thegrio.com)
article by thegrio.com
Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios helped raise more than $1 million for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Sunday night during a star-studded gala at The Montage in Beverly Hills.
“It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do for many, many years,” Allen said. “We can’t do enough for the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.”
The event featured stirring live performances by Toni Braxton and Babyface. Attendees were able to bid on auction items such as 12 hours of flight time on a private jet and an exclusive dinner party and movie screening experience on a $250 million estate.
The fundraiser is the first of what will become an annual gala on Oscars night. Celebrities in attendance said they appreciated the opportunity to make such a positive impact.  “It’s not just a party,” said Sherri Shepherd, who was also in attendance. “[Byron Allen] is doing it with a purpose. He’s partying with a purpose.”

To read full article, go to: Entertainment Studios’ inaugural Oscars Gala raises $1 million for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles | theGrio

"Vampire Diaries" Actress Kat Graham To Star in Tammi Terrell Biopic

By goodblacknews on May 31, 2015
Kat Graham Tammi Terrell 2-shot
(Getty Images/Motown Records)

 The woman who teamed with Marvin Gaye on a string of 1960s Motown hits before dying of a brain tumor at age 24 is getting her own biopic. Tammi Terrell will be played by The Vampire Diaries star Kat Graham, who also is working her debut album with producer Babyface. Maryam Myika Day wrote the untitled project, which marks Graham’s feature debut and is being produced by Robert Teitel, Rose Ganguzza and Hilary Shor. Shooting is set for next year.

The film follows the brief but memorable career of Terrell, who started out as a backup singer in the James Brown Revue before scoring a few minor pop hits as a solo act. But she struck gold after being paired with hit-making singer Gaye in early 1967, a teaming that produced such Motown classics as “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Your Precious Love” and “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing.” In October 1967, Terrell collapsed onstage while performing with Gaye, and doctors diagnosed her with a brain tumor. She continued to record with Gaye and scored a few more solo hits before dying in 1970.

“I immediately connected to Tammi and her story in many ways and have felt the incredible need to tell it,” Graham said. “Tammi Terrell defined passion and soul itself. … Getting lost in the music enabled her to override life’s punishments — for when she sang, she could use the hurt to create greatness and give the world hope that maybe they could overcome their pain as well.”
article by Erik Pedersen via deadline.com

Celebrating Famous Black Lefties on International Left-Handers Day

By goodblacknews on August 13, 2013

dekAccording to Time.com, today is International Left-Handers Day.  So in honor of this occasion, Good Black News is celebrating a few of the famous African-American southpaws who have made their mark on the world (so to speak):

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

In the past hundred years, the U.S. presidency has veered more and more to the left — not in policy, but in handedness. Barack Obama is the latest to join a long list of left-handed presidents from the 20th century: James Garfield, Herbert Hoover, Henry Truman, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton were all southpaws.

What makes lefties so electable? Some experts think left-handed people have a greater aptitude for language skills, which may help them craft the rhetoric necessary for political office.  And as for the bout of recent left-handed presidents, some think it’s because teachers only recently stopped working to convert lefties to righties at an early age.
OPRAH WINFREY

dek

The talk-show maven doesn’t need much more to set her apart from the rest — with her estimated $2.7 billion fortune and ever-expanding media empire — but she also has the distinction of being a member of the left-handed club. Since men are more likely to be left-handed than women, that makes Oprah doubly impressive. She’s in good company: Other show business titans of the southpaw persuasion include Julia Roberts and Angelina Jolie (FYI, Brad Pitt is also a lefty).
JIMI HENDRIX
Jimi Hendrix learned to play in Nashville blues clubs before touring as a back-up musician for the Isley Brothers and Little Richard. He broke out on his own in 1966, but his career was cut short by a drug overdose in August 1970. Hendrix’s use of distortion and wah-wah effects warped and extended notes in ways no other player could quite achieve; for years,
dekright-handed guitarists have tried to emulate his sound, going so far as to put left-handed necks on their own guitars.  There was one technique not impacted by Hendrix’s lefthandedness: setting his guitar on fire. For that, he used both hands. 

WHOOPI GOLDBERG
Whoopi GoldbergThis Academy-Award winning actress and current “The View” co-host is as eclectic as they come, so it’s no wonder she is also a leftie.  From her dazzling debut on Broadway in the 1980s with her one-woman show, to directing a documentary on comedic pioneer Moms Mabley to her upcoming turn as the matriarch in Lifetime’s adaptation of the Terry McMillan novel “A Day Late and A Dollar Short”, Goldberg always keeps it fresh and interesting, as lefties often do.
BABYFACE
KennethBabyfaceEdmondsHWOFMay2013Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds not only has the distinction of looking much younger than his years, but this multi-platinum award-winning producer, composer (“I’ll Make Love To You”, “Take A Bow”, “Change The World”, “When Will I See You Again”) and musician, like Hendrix, also belongs to the small group of successful and talented left-handed guitarists.  Martin, one of the world’s premiere guitar makers, designed a special model named after Babyface in 2000 and in honor of him, made both left and right-handed versions.
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (full disclosure; also a proud leftie)