Return to the list of newsletters Powerhouse Radio Newsletter Ray Charles on the Radio June 16, 2004 This issue includes... 1) Ray Charles on the Radio 2) The Powerhouse Radio Toolbar 3) Internet Radio at Work: Bandwidth Backlash? 4) Music News: Soul Divas Tour 5) Concert Dates: Who's on Tour? 6) Lionel Richie: "Just For You," a New CD 7) 5 Ray Charles facts for you 8) Donna Summer: Ordinary Girl 9) Who is Angelique Kidjo? 10)Your Feedback via email to King at Powerhouse Radio Forward this issue to a friend Subscribe at http://www.powerhouseradio.com 1) Ray Charles on the Radio With the passing of Ray Charles on Thursday, June 10, 2004, the world has lost a true musical genius. Louis Jordan and Louis Armstrong planted the seed, but Ray Charles is the guy who invented true soul. R&B pioneers Sam Cooke on the softer side, and James Brown on the harder side, all owe some of their legacy to Ray Charles. In his heyday, Ray Charles was all over the radio, and for good reason. Whether it was the big band sound, country, soul, R&B, gospel, or pop, Charles was the man. He had 11 top ten hits, 3 #1 hits, and a basket full of Grammy Awards: 1960, Best R&B Performance: Let The Good Times Roll 1960, Best Pop Performance: Georgia On My Mind 1960, Best Pop Album Performance: The Genius of Ray Charles 1960, Best Pop Male Performance: Georgia On My Mind 1961, Best R&B Recording: Hit The Road Jack 1962, Best R&B Recording: I Can't Stop Loving You 1963, Best R&B Recording: Busted 1966, Best R&B Male Performance: Crying Time 1966, Best R&B Recording: Crying Time 1975, Best R&B Male Performance: Living For The City 1990, Best R&B Duo: I'll be Good To You (with Chaka Khan) 1993, Best R&B Male Performance: A Song For You Fiercely independent, Charles took a lot of heat from the music critics in 1962 when he recorded two country albums. He was called a "sell out," but this did not stop Ray Charles, who was able to build musical bridges between genres. He created a sound for the whole world to enjoy. A lover of the great lyric, he's stated that a good song would motivate him to sing the tunes of other writers. He's written his share of classics too. There hasn't been a musical artist since who has been played on as many different radio formats as Ray Charles. We'll all miss him. His music will live forever through the following body of work: * Ray Charles, Atlantic, 1957 * The Great Ray Charles, Atlantic, 1957 * Soul Meeting (with Milt Jackson), Atlantic, 1958 * Ray Charles at Newport, Atlantic, 1958 * Yes, Indeed, Atlantic, 1958 * The Genius of Ray Charles, Atlantic, 1959 * Ray Charles In Person, Atlantic, 1960 * The Genius Hits The Road, ABC, 1960 * Dedicated To You, ABC, 1961 * Genius + Soul + Jazz, ABC/Impulse, 1961 * What'D I Say?, Atlantic, 1961 * The Genius After Hours, Atlantic, 1961 * Ray Charles and Betty Carter, ABC, 1961 * The Genius Sings the Blues, Atlantic, 1961 * Do The Twist, Atlantic, 1962 * Modern Sounds in Country and Western, ABC, 1962 * The Ray Charles Story, Atlantic, 1962 * Modern Sounds in Country and Western, vol. 2, ABC, 1962 * Ingredients in a Recipe for Soul, ABC, 1963 * Sweet and Sour Tears, ABC, 1964 * Have a Smile with Me, ABC, 1964 * Live In Concert, ABC, 1965 * Country and Western Meets Rhythm and Blues, Tangerine, 1965 * Crying Time, Tangerine, 1966 * Ray's Moods, Tangerine, 1966 * Ray Charles Invites You To Listen, Tangerine, 1967 * A Portrait of Ray, Tangerine, 1968 * I'm All Yours, Baby!, Tangerine, 1969 * Doing His Thing, Tangerine, 1969 * My Kind of Jazz, Tangerine, 1970 * Love Country Style, Tangerine, 1970 * Volcanic Action of My Soul, Tangerine, 1971 * 25th Anniversary in Show Business Tribute, ABC, 1971 * A Message From the People, Tangerine, 1972 * Through The Eyes of Love, Tangerine, 1973 * Come Live with Me, Crossover, 1974 * Renaissance, Crossover, 1975 * Live in Japan, Crossover, 1975 * Porgy and Bess (with Cleo Laine), RCA, 1975 * True To Life, Crossover/Atlantic, 1977 * Wish You Were Here Tonight, Columbia, 1982 * Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?, Columbia, 1984 * Friendship, Columbia, 1985 * The Spirit of Christmas, Columbia, 1985 * From the Pages of My Mind, Columbia, 1986 * The Right Time, Atlantic, 1987 * Just Between Us, Columbia, 1988 * The Complete Atlantic Rhythm and Blues Recordings, Atl., 1992 * My World, Warner Brothers, 1993 * Genius and Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection, Rhino, 1997 ------------- Written by King for the Powerhouse Radio Newsletter Thanks to Grammy.com, Joel Whitburn's Top 10 Singles Billboard Charts, Hugh Gregory's Soul Music A-Z, and Contemporary Musicians Volume 24, for some of the background material included in this article. 2) The Powerhouse Radio Toolbar We've had almost 400 downloads of the Powerhouse Radio toolbar (from PowerhouseRadio.com) since it's introduction, May 11th, 2004. We've now added a popup blocker...a feature everyone wants! If you downloaded the original toolbar, you've got the popup blocker too, as the toolbar automatically updates itself. Turn the popup blocker on or off as needed. Some non-ad website features won't work on many sites, (including on our website), with the popup blocker turned on. The brand new Powerhouse Radio Toolbar will increase your ability to find everything you want on the web, easily. We've also just added support for Yahoo! Mail this week. Take advantage of their new 100 megabyte capacity accounts. Download.com added our toolbar to their site, and wrote up quite a nice summary of this great tool. Go to http://www.powerhouseradio.com/download.html and read all about it. If you use Google, Yahoo!, or MSN to search the web, don't miss out on this terrific time saver. You'll love the built in links to 60 classic soul and R&B artist websites (and to a few of their friends too)! 3) Internet Radio at Work: Bandwidth Backlash? You probably listen exclusively to Internet radio through a broadband connection at your job. You don't have to feel guilty about clogging up your employer's computer network with the Powerhouse Radio stream since our bandwidth requirement is rather small. However, many businesses are starting to monitor the 9 - 5 bandwidth spike on their computer networks as workers flock to online radio. If your company puts up a firewall to prevent live streaming, you can sometimes adjust one of the popular streaming audio players and implement a firewall "work-around." Hopefully the Internet radio lockdown many employers are now instituting on their computer networks will be a temporary move. The size of these network "pipes," and broadband connectivity overall, should increase in the coming years. 4) Music News: Soul Divas Tour Natalie Cole ------------ Will the announced Natalie Cole, Whitney Houston, Dionne Warwick Soul Divas Tour, scheduled for this Summer ever happen? Cole said her close relationship with Whitney encouraged her to team up with her colleagues. The tour is scheduled to begin in Germany in July in three cities: Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich. See the concert tour date below (for the Berlin performance). Dionne is promoting the tour on her website, Natalie isn't on hers, and on Whitney's site, as of June 15, 2004, the following message was posted: "Currently, there are no tour dates scheduled for Whitney." Bobby Brown ----------- Would you watch a reality TV show that exploits the domestic troubles between Whitney Houston & Bobby Brown? Brown wants to turn the couples' tabloid celebrity into a television reality series. Hip Hop Telethon ---------------- Various inner-city music education programs will benefit from what is being called Hip Hop's first telethon, scheduled for Thursday, August 19, 2004, at The Apollo Theater in New York City. This "Hip Hop Homecoming Celebration," to be broadcast live on television, will turn the Apollo into a Hip Hop museum to celebrate the last 25 years of hip hop. Hip hop hall of fame inductions, tributes to fallen hip hop heroes, old school MC battles, special reunions, and live performances will all take place. Nas, Ludacris, and many other hip hop stars will be a part of this telethon. Editors note: One of the best shows I saw in the 90's was Public Enemy at the Apollo. My favorite hip hop concert of all time. Michael Jackson --------------- Actor Flex Alexander, from UPN's sitcom, "One on One," plays Michael Jackson, in VH1's new television biography about the King of Pop, called "The Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story." The program is scheduled to air Friday, August 6, 2004. 5) Concert Dates: Who's on Tour? Earth Wind & Fire, Chicago Saturday, June 26, 2004 Meadows Music Theatre, Hartford, CT Macy Gray Sunday, June 27, 2004 Pier 62/63, Seattle, WA 7:00pm Prince, Mary J. Blige, Maze feat. Frankie Beverly, O'Jays, Gladys Knight, Missy Elliot, (and more) Friday - Sunday, July 2 - July 4, 2004 Essence Music Festival (10th Anniversary) Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA Dionne Warwick, Whitney Houston, Natalie Cole Soul Divas in Concert Friday, July 2, 2004 Brandenburg Gate, Berlin, Germany Earth Wind & Fire, Chicago Friday, July 2, 2004 Tweeter Center, Camden, NJ (Philadelphia) Prince Monday - Wednesday, July 12 - July 14, 2004 Madison Square Garden, NY, NY 7:30pm all three nights Natalie Cole Friday, July 16, 2004 Navy Pier, Chicago, IL 8:00pm Earth Wind & Fire (no Chicago on this date) Friday, July 16, 2004 Pier Six Concert Pavilion, Baltimore, MD 8:00pm CeCe Winans Friday, July 23, 2004 Savvis Center, St. Louis, MO KC & The Sunshine Band, Village People, Evelyn "Champagne" King Friday - Saturday, July 30 - 31, 2004 Discomania Dance Party Taj Mahal, Atlantic City, NJ Al Green Saturday, July 31, 2004 Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA Madonna Sunday & Monday, August 1 - 2, 2004 American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL 8:00pm both nights Earth Wind & Fire, Chicago Tuesday, August 3, 2004 Marcus Amphitheater, Milwaukee, WI Prince Monday & Tuesday, August 9 - 10, 2004 Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA 7:30pm both nights Lionel Richie Thursday, September 30, 2004 Le Zenith, Paris, France Dionne Warwick Saturday, October 23, 2004 Four Seasons Hotel, Chicago, IL 6) Lionel Richie: "Just For You," a New CD The songs on Lionel Richie new CD, "Just for You," are targeted more towards his non-U.S. fan base. This is Probably why Lionel is testing the concert waters in Europe first, before deciding on a U.S. tour. Not quite capturing the style of his older hits, or the R&B sound of today, "Just for You" does feature good song writing, framed within tracks driven mostly by guitar based rhythms. "Time of our Life" featuring Lenny Kravitz makes Richie sound more like Paul McCartney - and this is the main problem with the CD overall. It sounds more like derivatives of some other people's sounds and styles. Lots of different producers had a hand in tailoring the sound of the mostly Richie penned tunes. Maybe that's why the tracks go in all different directions without continuity. How about a Lionel Richie release produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis? Their magic touch has worked over the years for Janet Jackson. If you have this CD, we'd love to hear your feedback, comment, or opinion... http://www.powerhouseradio.com/contact.html ------------- Review written by King 7) 5 Ray Charles facts for You 1) His most parodied song: "Hit the Road Jack," one of the first 45 RPM singles I ever bought, (and still have!) Phil Alexander has a funny parody called "Hit the Prozac," based on Ray's song. 2) His only gold single: "I Can't Stop Loving You, (1962) (over 1 million copies sold). 3) His four gold albums (1 million dollars in sales each). * Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music (1962). * Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music vol. 2 (1968). * Greatest Hits (1968). * A Man and His Soul (1968). These sales statistics are from the Recording Industry Association of America. The dates are RIAA certification dates, not the release dates. 4) Favorite artist he patterned himself after when he first started: Nat King Cole. 5) Ray taught Quincy Jones how to score music in Braille. 8) Donna Summer: Ordinary Girl Ordinary Girl: The Journey, written by Donna Summer with Marc Eliot Published by Villard Books, 2003. ----------- Donna Summer's autobiography is an enjoyable fun Summer read. LaDonna Adrian Gaines was born on New Year's Eve, December 31, 1948. She grew up in Boston with her parents and two sisters. By the time she was 12, she was singing Diana Ross and Dionne Warwick songs. On her approach to singing as an adult, Donna says "to this day I will approach a song as an actress approaches a script. I do not sing; I act." "When I sing, I sing with the voice of the character in the song." With this in mind, one can be somewhat forgiving when reflecting on "Love To Love You Baby," Donna's over the top exercise in heavy breathing that was a big 1975 disco smash. "Love To Love You Baby" is not one of her personal favorites. Beyonce's "Naughty Girl" brought back the hook from "Love To Love You Baby" in 2003, complete with Donna Summer styled sensual panting. By the time she was a teenager, Summer got involved in the cultural revolution that hit the Boston Common section of the city. She auditioned for and got a singing gig with a Blood, Sweat, and Tears styled rock band called The Crow. (Not the same Crow group that had the 1969 hit "Evil woman Don't Play no Games with Me.") She was the witness to a mugging during this period, and decided to relocate to New York City to avoid some local Boston hoods. In the Summer of 1968, Donna was living in New York City's Greenwich Village and sharing an apartment with a roommate. One day, her roommate appeared at the apartment with the Broadway producer Bertrand Castelli, who just happened to hear Donna singing while he was outside of the apartment. Donna was invited to audition for the upcoming German production of the new musical "Hair." She aced the audition. Next, it was off to Germany. Her story really takes off from here. We share her experiences traveling through Germany, and then the rest of Europe, as success builds for her theatrical company. Summer's many romances are documented, along with her first marriage to German Helmuth Sommer. Taking time off after her marriage to have her first child, Donna slowly starts getting back into music, picking up singing work wherever she could. A friend told her that producer Giorgio Moroder was looking for new voices for projects in Germany. The two hit it off professionally. Some of Donna's first recordings for Moroder were demos for the group Three Dog Night, (who Moroder was pitching songs to). By 1973, Summer was recording bubblegum hits in German and making waves in the German top ten. Early in 1975, Donna came up with the concept for "Love To Love You Baby," and gave it to Moroder. He became so excited about the "Love To Love You Baby," demo, that he took the song to MIDEM, an international music festival. Moroder passed the song on to Neil Bogart of Casablanca Records. One intimate evening, Bogart and his wife played the 3 minute demo during an amorous moment. He liked the song so much he asked Moroder to expand it to 18 minutes. Now we know why. Once "Baby" took off, the Donna Summer story relocates to Los Angeles. She leaves Europe and heads back to the USA. As she enters the Hollywood good life, Summer shares with us tales of her bouts with depression, exhaustion, stalkers, ex loves, and the usual juicy fare you'd expect from a famous music diva. From her humble beginning in Boston, to triumph and stormy years in Europe, through ups and downs in L.A. and New York, to her born again Christianity, there's a lot that everyone can gain from reading this book. It's a good one. ------------- Review written by King for the Powerhouse Radio Newsletter. For more information about MIDEM, go to: http://www.midem.com 9) Who is Angelique Kidjo? The New York Times has called her a bridge between African tradition and American soul music. Singer Angelique Kidjo was born in the West African Country of Benin. After several years of success in Africa with her high energy on stage performance, she relocated to Paris. A unique artist, Angelique has juggled law studies, studying classical music, and singing professionally since age 20. She's known for combining traditional lullabies with a jazzy swing and irresistible funky rhythms. Artists as diverse as Carlos Santana and Branford Marsalis have played on her albums. A high energy vocalist in the tradition of Aretha Franklin and James Brown, but with the cultural awareness of another African songstress, Miriam Makeba, Kidjo is a huge star outside of the USA. 10) Your Feedback via email to King at Powerhouse Radio Abu writes: "Play some Heatwave, Lakeside, and Tower of Power. Come on keep it Real!" King replies: Yes Abu, you'll be hearing from your favorites. We'll keep it as real and as groovy as a blockbuster movie where you get your popcorn and candy for free. Chris, a personal friend of the Temptations, sent this email: "I am a huge Temptations fan. HUGE! They have a new CD out called "Legacy". This is the best CD they have put out in years and years. This CD Jams!!" Editor's not: "Legacy" was released June 8, 2004. Clar emailed: "Can you tell me who sings "I want to dance with my father again," and is this album available to purchase?" King replies: Luther Vandross. You can search our playlist by artist name or song keyword at: http://www.powerhouseradio.com/dbapplet/playlist.html Click the buy button next to Luther's name to purchase through CD Universe and to support Powerhouse Radio. ---------- Don't be left out, because we're listening. Leave your comments or feedback here: http://www.powerhouseradio.com/contact.html ---------- Enjoy the Summer. The next Powerhouse Radio Newsletter will come your way, right after Labor Day, in September. We'll post all of the previously published 2004 Powerhouse Radio Newsletters (in HTML format) to the archive section of PowerhouseRadio.com in the coming weeks. http://www.powerhouseradio.com/newsletters/newsletters.html Copyright 2004 by Powerhouse Radio All rights reserved Powerhouse Radio http://www.powerhouseradio.com Legendary R&B stars and their friends More music on your computer from 5 decades No Commercials, No audio ads, and... No login required when you click the listen links from: http://www.powerhouseradio.com More 2004 Powerhouse Radio Newsletters:
Return to the list of newsletters |