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National
Acts
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Brenda Holloway
 The release by Volt Records of Brenda Holloway's It's
a Woman's World is cause for celebration. Other than a gospel album
made in 1980, the disc is the first new U.S. recording by the much-adored
Sixties Motown diva in nearly 33 years.
Described by author Nelson George as "the most beautiful
woman ever signed to Motown," Holloway is remembered not only
for her stunning looks but also for a sweetly soulful singing style
that gave the world such hits as "Every Little Bit Hurts," "I'll
Always Love You," "When I'm Gone," "Operator," and "Just
Look What You've Done." But in 1968, shortly after writing
and recording the original version of "You've Made Me So Very
Happy," a tune Blood, Sweat & Tears turned into a smash
the following year, she abruptly quit show business, married a
minister, and spent the next two decades raising three daughters.
She resumed recording in England in 1987 with a series of faux
Motown sides and returned to live performing in 1995.
Holloway was born on June 21, 1946 in Atascadero, California and
moved with her family to the Watts section of Los Angeles at age
two. "We were very, very poor, but my mother always had a
home," recalls the singer, a 1999 winner of the Rhythm & Blues
Foundation's prestigious Pioneer Award. "We lived by the projects,
but we were in a house. I was in the ghetto studying violin in
my backyard. The dogs were howling and I was playing." Young
Brenda also developed the diamond diction that would become a hallmark
of her vocal style.
In 1964, singing along to a Mary Wells record while wearing a
form-fitting dress that highlighted her fashion-model figure, 18-year-old
Brenda caught the eyes and ears of Berry Gordy, Jr. at a disc jockey
convention in Southern California. She became the first West Coast
artist signed by Gordy's Detroit-based Motown empire. Her first
record for Motown's Tamla label, the heart-tugging ballad "Every
Little Bit Hurts," was recorded in L.A. with Hal Davis and
Marc Gordon producing. It was her biggest hit, peaking at No. 12
on Billboard's pop chart and helping her land a coveted opening
slot on the Beatles' 1965 U.S. tour.
Holloway was soon traveling to Detroit to record. Although she
worked with some of the company's top producers, including Smokey
Robinson ("When I'm Gone," "Operator") and
Gordy himself ("You've Made Me So Very Happy"), she felt
that as an out-of-town artist she was not always given the best
material. And stardom wasn't coming as quickly as she'd anticipated. "I
was young," she admits. "I didn't understand. Didn't
have any patience. Berry was working with me. When he got me ready
for Vegas, that scared me."
Holloway, long a favorite of oldies aficionados on England's Northern
Soul scene, returned to recording in 1987 with British producer
Ian Levine. "Those people never forgot Brenda Holloway," she
says of her fans in the U.K. And in 1995, she resumed performing
publicly, on bills with veteran R&B singer Brenton Wood at
California shows catering to Mexican-American low-rider audiences.
It was at one of those performances that she met producer-songwriter
Fred Pittman, who took her to Fantasy Records in Berkeley to record
It's a Woman's World for the reactivated Volt label.
"I'm not young, but I'm still youthful," says Holloway,
who as a member of former Motown artist Blinky Williams's Hollywood
Mass Choir recently backed country superstar Garth Brooks on a
Donny and Marie Osmond Christmas special. "I've been an old-school
legend. This album is opening a lot of new doors for me. This was
the easiest and the best and the most relaxed session I've ever
done. Fantasy gave me a chance to be the real Brenda Holloway."
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The Miracles
Say the
word "Miracles" and all kinds of
images from the golden era of the Motown Record Corporation comes
to mind. The Miracles were the first Motown group to break through
bringing Berry Gordy's fledgling Detroit record company it's first
gold record for selling a million copies. the song was "Shop
Around" and the year was 1960. The group turned out an amazing
number of hits from that time to 1972 when lead singer Smokey Robinson
opted for a solo career.
Following Robinson's departure, The Miracles - Bobby Rogers, Pete
Moore and Ronnie White (by this time the fifth member, Claudette
Robinson, had retired from the business) recruited a new lead singer,
Billy Griffin, and delivered several more hits, most notably, "Love
Machine", "Do It Baby" and "Don't Cha Love
It". By 1978, this group had disbanded and following a period
of inactivity, Rogers and White decided to reform the group. Sadly,
Ron White passed away following a long illness.
Bobby's strong desire to keep The Miracles name in the spotlight
created the newly emerged group. As one of the cornerstones of
Motown music and the co-writer of some of the most memorable Motown
songs including "Going To a Go-Go" (Miracles), "The
Way You Do The Things You Do" (Temptations), "First I
Look At The Purse" (Contours), Bobby will go down in musical
history for his infamous voice in the opening of mega hit "What's
Going On" by Marvin Gaye and his growl in "Love Machine".
Dave Finley, long time friend of Bobby Rogers, with his smooth
second tenor comes from the R&B vocal group, The Del Vikings
of "Come Go With Me" fame. Dave continues to write and
produce young artists keeping "the music alive".
The Miracles are pleased to announce the addition of lead singer,
Mark Scott. A Flint, Michigan native - Scott is no stranger to
the entertainment world, beginning his career as a featured vocalist
in the 1965 film "Breaking II Electric Boogaloo".
The Miracles performed as a trio with their band, "The Miracle
Workers", with Tee Turner as musical director/bass player
and background vocalist. An accomplished writer, producer and vocalist,
Tee's satin, airy vocal qualities with the ability to sing first
and second tenor moved Tee to the front line - once again completing
the four man group.
It is noteworthy that The Miracles have maintained their professionalism
and cannot be duplicated in a time when clone groups are unfortunately
on the rise.
The Miracles sweet sounds are loved throughtout the world and
with the positive energy of these four gentlemen, MIRACLES WILL
CONTINUE TO HAPPEN.
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The Velvelettes are on of three "all original" Motown
groups from the 1960's, and one of the few "Girl Groups" still
performing today. Raised in Flint and Kalamazoo, Michigan, they set
Motown on fire with their stylized vocal harmonies as part of Berry
Gordy's legendary record company. Their first introduction into "Hitsville
USA" came in 1962. Performing at a talent show at Western
Michigan University gave them an opportunity to audition for Motown
resulting
in a recording contract.
The group's first release was produced by William "Mickey" Stevenson
entitled "There He Goes" and was followed by "Needle
In A Haystack" and "He Was Really Saying Something".
Subsequent releases, "These Things Will Keep Me Loving You", "Lonely,
Lonely Girl Am I" and "A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two
In The Bush" also realized success in markets throughout the
United States and Europe.
The Velvelettes will keep you dancing. Their show is an endless
stream of Motown classics that will keep you rocking and rolling.
Whether it's jazz, R&B, slick urban pop or The Sound of a Still
Young America, the Motown Sound...The Velvelettes do it all.
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The
Contours
 In
1960, Berry Gordy Jr. signed a talented group of vocalists called
The Contours as one of Motown's first acts. Over forty years later,
this legendary group continues to shake 'em down. During their distinguished
careers, The Contours have entertained tens of millions of fans
and have sold millions of records along the way. They are ranked
as one of the top 500 R&B artists of all time according to "Top
R&B Singles 1952-1995" compiled from Billboard Magazine's
charts. In
the 1960's, the group charted eight hits, including Motown's first
million-seller and its fastest-rising hit of all time, "Do
You Love Me." In 1988, after the release of the movie, "Dirty
Dancing", starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, "Do
You Love Me," which was a featured song in the movie roared
back on the charts, outselling its original performance many times
over.
The
Contours are still recording and they continue to perform a large
number of dates each year, thrilling audiences with their outstanding
vocals and polished choreography. Their show is one every Motown,
oldies, doo-wop or R&B fan should see, and see often. Because
each performance is different than the last, their show never gets
stale no matter how many times you see it. In 2004, The Contours
are truly better than they have ever been!
08/2005
GOOD MORNING CONTOURS!!!
MY DAUGHTER AND I WERE THERE FRIDAY NIGHT AT DODGE PARK IN STERLING
HEIGHTS AND YOU GUYS WERE AWESOME, THE GREAT VOCALS AND CHOREAGRAPHY
WAS UNBELIEVABLE, IF I DID NOT KNOW YOUR AGES I WOULD NOT HAVE
BELIEVED THE WAY YOU GUYS DANCE AND STILL IN STEP LIKE
BACK IN THE 60'S AND 70'S, HOW BLESSED YOU ARE AND HOW BLESSED
I AM TO STILL SEE YOU PERFORM, KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.
YOUR
BIGGEST MOTOWN FAN. NANCY
Sterlingfest-August 5, 2005
Dear Al, Charles, Gary & Joe;
I just wanted to tell you how much my husband and I enjoyed your
concert in Sterling Heights. You guys brought back alot of memories
of our high school days. Thank you so much and I sure hope you
will be back again soon.
Thanks, Barry and Carol Palmer
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FEATURING DAVID
BRIGATI, JOEY DEE, & BOB VALLI
 Joey
gained fame at the world famous Peppermint Lounge, on major TV shows,
European tours, and starred in twist movies. He toured the USA for
four decades. David toured the world with Joey Dee and went on to
sing and arrange the vocals on the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame’s
Rascals platinum hits as the “5th Rascal.” Bobby hauntingly
recreates his brother’s, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons’,
platinum hits.
These three
harmony-men recreate New Jersey’s finest vocal groups…
EVER!!!
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Danny &
The Juniors, individually Frank Maffei, Danny Rapp, Joe Terranova
and Dave White, began singing together in the early 1950's at ages
13 and 14 in Philadelphia where they were fans of the local rhythm
and blues radio stations. It was there they heard the first stirrings
of a new music soon to become known as Rock 'n Roll. The Juvenaires,
as they were called then, quickly decided to become part of the
new movement and began to perform the new songs as well as their
own original material at school dances, local clubs and restaurants.
At that time,
record companies were engaged in a frenzied search for young people
who could perform the new music. It wasn't very long
before they discovered the youths, re-named them Danny & The
Juniors and recorded them singing one of their own original songs
called
At The Hop.
The song quickly became a monumental hit on five continents reaching
#1 on the pop, country and rhythm and blues charts. It stands today
as the #23 all-time biggest record according to The Billboard Magazine
List Of #1 Hits. The Group immediately followed with another hit,
Rock And Roll Is Here To Stay, which became an anthem of the era,
plus dance classics Twistin' USA and Pony Express. These were the
first of a string of eleven charted recordings. Their latest albums
are the 1992 MCA' release Rockin' With Danny And The Juniors and
the 1997 Collectibles release Danny And The Juniors - Classic Golden
Greats.
Early in 1958
Dick Clark presented Danny And The Juniors with a gold record for
At The Hop on American Bandstand, the first of many awards and accolades
they would receive over their career, including Best New Group of
1957 and the prestigious Philadelphia Music Alliance Achievement
Award more recently.
With the success
of At The Hop, Danny And The Juniors began touring with the other
early legends and founders of American Rock In Roll such as: Fats
Domino, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and The Platters
in the famous Alan Freed Big Beat Show, as well as appearing at
many of the nations top nightclubs, arenas and fairs. To this day
they have traveled millions of miles and entertained millions of
people in all fifty states, Canada, Europe, South America and Asia.
Danny And
The Juniors have made almost fifty American Bandstand appearances
and have been on numerous television shows -- from the old Patti
Page Big Record Show to Nashville Now more recently. They've also
been featured in three motion pictures and their songs have been
in many more. Danny And The Juniors have been covered in many important
national publications including Life, Billboard, Cashbox and Teen.
The latest of these is a recent USA Today article that points out
the broad appeal of Danny And The Juniors and their music across
many demographic categories.
Now, in their
fifth decade as performers, the group still appears at a multitude
of venues including conventions, theatres, clubs, casinos, fairs
and festivals. Their wholesome, fun-loving stage show is embellished
with comedy, impressions, bright costumes and audience participation
-- while still preserving the rich history -- and is regarded as
one of the best in the business.
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Rock and Roll of the ages, for all ages, young and old. Celebrating
50 years!
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During
The British Invasion of The 60's, few American groups were successful
in their attempts to land a record at the top of the national charts.
The Reflections beat the odds with a string of highly acclaimed,
top selling hits. Their first hit, "Just Like Romeo & Juliet",
was a multi-million seller, and in quick succession, The Reflections
continued to dominate the charts with "Shabby Little Hut",
"Poor Man's Son" and "Like Columbus Did".
The
Reflections achieved success purely on the strength of their well-crafted
harmonies and cool professionalism. It's no wonder that four decades
later The Reflections are still heralded as one of the finest vocal
groups of The Sixties Pop and Doo-Wop Music Era. They are still
performing today, to sell out shows and standing ovations throughout
The U.S.A. and Canada. The Reflections name hangs proudly on the
wall of the Cleveland Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame.
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