Gish is the debut studio album by the American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released on May 28, 1991, by Caroline Records. The album was produced by Butch Vig and frontman Billy Corgan, with the latter describing Gish as a "very spiritual album" and "an album about spiritual ascension".
Shalamar is an American R&B and soul music vocal group active since the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s. Shalamar's classic lineup on the SOLAR label consisted of Howard Hewett, Jody Watley, and Jeffrey Daniel, together with dancer Jermaine Stewart. It was originally a disco-driven group created by Soul Train booking agent Dick Griffey and show creator and producer Don Cornelius. They went on to be an influential dance trio, masterminded by Cornelius. As noted in the British Hit Singles & Albums, they were regarded as fashion icons and trendsetters, and helped to introduce "body-popping" to the United Kingdom. Their name was created by Griffey.
Mariah Carey is the debut studio album by American R&B singer Mariah Carey, released on June 12, 1990, by Columbia Records. Its music incorporates a range of contemporary genres with a mix of slow ballads and up-tempo tracks. Originally, Carey wrote four songs with Ben Margulies, which solely constituted her demo tape. After Carey was signed to Columbia, all four songs, after being altered and partially re-recorded, made the final cut for the album. Aside from Margulies, Carey worked with a range of professional writers and producers, all of whom were hired by Columbia CEO, Tommy Mottola. Mariah Carey featured production and writing from Rhett Lawrence, Ric Wake and Narada Michael Walden, all of whom were top record producers at the time. Together with Carey, they conceived the album and reconstructed her original demo tape.
Jody Vanessa Watley is an American singer, songwriter and producer whose music crosses genres including pop, R&B, jazz, dance and electronic soul. During the late 1970s and early 1980s she was a member of the R&B/funk band Shalamar, who scored many hits, notably in the UK. In 1988, she won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist and has been nominated for three Grammy awards.
Howard Hewett Jr. is an American singer–songwriter. Hewett rose to fame as the lead vocalist of the group Shalamar. In 1985, he left the group to pursue his solo career, but he later returned to the group in 2001. He signed with Elektra Records. In 1986, he released his Platinum debut solo album I Commit to Love. Hewett and his group Shalamar contributed material to the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack. The soundtrack won a Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media in 1986.
"A Night to Remember" is a song by American R&B group Shalamar. It was released in 1982 as the second single from their sixth studio album, Friends. The song was written by Nidra Beard of Dynasty, Dana Meyers and Charmaine Sylvers of the Sylvers.
Leon Frank Sylvers III is an American singer, songwriter, disc-jockey, record producer and multi-instrumentalist. He was a member of the family group The Sylvers and became one of the most successful producers in black music in the late 1970s to the mid-1980s through his association with Dick Griffey's SOLAR Records. Artists such as J Dilla, Dr. Dre, and Madlib have sampled songs written and produced by him.
The Freddy Jones Band is a roots rock band from Chicago, Illinois. Band members have cited as their influences Duane Allman, Eric Clapton, Little Feat, Mark Knopfler, and Bob Dylan. Despite the band's name, none of the bandmembers is named Freddy Jones; according to a 1992 interview, guitarist Wayne Healy stated it was "inspired by a big fat comic strip character named Freddy."
Carrie Lucas is an American R&B singer, born in Carmel, California. In 1976, she was signed to Soul Train Records. Lucas released six studio albums over seven years, with Soul Train and Solar Records.
Big Fun is the third album by the American musical group Shalamar, released in 1979 through SOLAR Records. Big Fun was produced by Leon Sylvers III and is the first album to feature what is considered the 'classic' Shalamar line-up, with Hewett having replaced Gerald Brown. The album features the group's most successful hit on the Hot 100 pop chart, "The Second Time Around".
Three for Love is the fourth album by American R&B group Shalamar, released in 1980 on the SOLAR label. It was produced by Leon Sylvers III and features the 'classic' Shalamar line-up.
Friends is the sixth album by American R&B group Shalamar, released in 1982 on the SOLAR label. The album, which features the 'classic' Shalamar line-up, topped the R&B chart and peaked at #35 on the Billboard chart. It has been certified Gold in the United States for sales over 500,000. It would eventually go Platinum. In the United Kingdom Friends gained impetus from a now-legendary demonstration of body-popping by Daniel during a performance of "A Night to Remember" on the BBC programme Top of the Pops. It reached #6 on the UK Albums Chart and produced four top 20 singles.
The Look is the seventh album by American R&B group Shalamar, released in 1983 on the SOLAR label. It is the last Shalamar album to feature the classic line-up of Jeffrey Daniel, Howard Hewett and Jody Watley, as both Daniel and Watley would leave the group shortly before its release. The album features the Grammy nominated hit single "Dead Giveaway".
Disco Gardens is the second album by the American R&B group Shalamar, released in 1978 on SOLAR Records. The group included Gerald Brown, Jeffrey Daniel and Jody Watley; it was the only Shalamar album on which Brown appeared.
Heartbreak is the eighth album by American R&B group Shalamar, released in 1984 on the SOLAR label. It features a new line-up of Delisa Davis, Micki Free and Howard Hewett. The album features Grammy nominated songs included on the Footloose and Beverly Hills Cop soundtracks. This would be Hewett's last album with the group before embarking on a solo career.
Uptown Festival is the first album credited to American R&B group Shalamar, released in 1977 on the Soul Train label. The album was in fact recorded by session singers. It peaked at #22 on the US R&B chart and #48 on the Billboard Albums chart.
Circumstantial Evidence is the ninth album by American R&B group Shalamar, produced by L.A. Reid, Babyface, Jerry Peters, and Klymaxx founding member Bernadette Cooper. Released in 1987 on the SOLAR label. The line-up on this album is Delisa Davis, Micki Free and Sydney Justin, the latter having replaced Howard Hewett, who had left the group in 1986 to pursue a solo career.
Wake Up! is a collaborative studio album by American R&B recording artist John Legend and hip hop band the Roots, released September 21, 2010, by GOOD Music and Columbia Records. It is Legend's fourth studio album and the Roots' tenth. The album was produced by Legend with band members Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson and James Poyser, and features guest appearances by CL Smooth, Malik Yusef, Common, and Melanie Fiona, among others. Inspired by the 2008 United States presidential election, Legend and the Roots primarily covered 1960s and 1970s soul music songs for the album with social themes of awareness, engagement, and consciousness.
"Dancing in the Sheets" is a song written by Bill Wolfer and Dean Pitchford and recorded by American R&B group Shalamar. It was featured on the chart-topping soundtrack album of the 1984 motion picture Footloose and was also the first single from their album Heartbreak, featuring the new line-up of Howard Hewett, Delisa Davis and Micki Free. A music video was made featuring the new line-up and did not feature any footage from the film.
No Face was a New York City-based rap duo active in the early 1990s, known for their outrageous, obscene lyrics. Their music became very controversial because of how over-the-top and obscene it was, with most radio programmers, including black ones, refusing to play even censored versions of their songs. The duo's members were Mark Sexx and the Shah; Ed Lover was also a member for a time. Their only studio album, Wake Your Daughter Up, was released in 1990 on No Face Records, a label affiliated with Russell Simmons' Rush Associated Labels. The album was distributed by both Def Jam Recordings and Columbia Records. The album featured the song "Fake Hair Wearin' Bitch", which featured 2 Live Crew. In 1994, they released the single "No Brothas Allowed" on Interscope Records, accompanied by the B-side "Smashin' Fruit". The group's only hit, "Half", was released as a single from Wake Your Daughter Up and peaked at #47 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
