"A comprehensive and engrossing documentary that adds dimension
to the life of the late singing star." - Philadelphia Inquirer
"Considerably superior to Bohemian Rhapsody." - Philadelphia Weekly
"Lichtenstein's terrific documentary reveals the so-incredible-it's-amazing-it's-not-a-Hollywood-movie story of 'the black Elvis'. - Metro
"Lichtenstein does a brilliant job of explaining what a vital figure Pendergrass was
for US black culture in the 1970s...The archive footage she presents is captivating and
beautifully emphasizes the utterly irresistible pull of the man." - Record Collector
If You Don't Know Me is the powerful and moving story of R&B star Teddy Pendergrass (Theodore DeReese Pendergrass), who was on the brink of global super-stardom when tragedy struck. A compelling tale with surprising twists and turns, the film is an intimate portrait of one of the greatest singers of his generation. It also tells how Teddy fought for the rights of African-American artists in a 1970s music industry prejudiced against black performers and reveals how, aged just 31, Pendergrass overcame terrible tragedy to get back on stage against all the odds.
The film's triumphant world premiere at the Philadelphia Film Festival (Teddy's home city), resulted in an Audience Award and a nomination for the Pinkenson Award. The film also had successful screenings at DOC NYC, Minneapolis Sound Unseen Film Festival and San Francisco Black Film Festival. Earlier this year, If You Don't Know Me was shown to sold-out cinemas in the UK, on Sky Arts and also aired on Showtime in the US.
Director and BAFTA award-winner, Olivia Lichtenstein conceived, researched and directed the film, which reveals Teddy's meteoric rise from his tough childhood in Philadelphia to become the lead singer of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. His was the voice of worldwide hits, "Don't Leave Me This Way" and "If You Don't Know Me by Now."
Olivia recalls: "I grew up listening to soul music and I'd just started listening to Teddy again when I saw a documentary about Shep Gordon, the legendary artist manager who worked with everyone from Blondie to Alice Cooper - and Teddy. It included a little bit about him working with Teddy Pendergrass and it made me realize that I didn't know what had happened to him. I had a really strong sense that I had to make a film to tell his story."
Olivia contacted Shep Gordon, who agreed to join the project as an executive producer, along with Michael and Katherina Saunders. A short trailer was enough to sell the idea to BBC Films, who stepped in to co-finance the production with Wasted Talent. The 106-minute documentary features revealing interviews with his family, including Teddy's ex-wife Karen, mother Ida - now 101-years-old, as well as friends and industry legends, Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. The film also boasts rarely seen archive footage and a super soulful soundtrack.
Lichtenstein added: "This is an extraordinary, human story that feels almost Shakespearian - it's much more than just a music biopic, it's an intimate portrait both of Teddy and of the extraordinary times in which he lived. We really get to know him because we hear from so many people who were close to him. It almost feels as if he comes back to life to let the world hear him sing again."
Producer Ian Flooks of Wasted Talent said: "We were committed to this film and extraordinary story from the start, especially given our roots and unique experience in the music industry before expanding into film, theater and digital media, so it was the perfect fit for us." Producer Piers Tempest of Tempo Productions adds: "Teddy's story is an important and ultimately inspiring one and we are delighted to help shine a light on the man and his music".
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Showing posts with label R&B. Show all posts
Showing posts with label R&B. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 18, 2019
If You Don't Know Me
Sunday, May 26, 2019
Another Broken Heart
Billy Winn Returns in Dreamland II, The Final EP of His Two-Part Series
Featuring Debut Single, “Another Broken Heart”
Billy Winn’s Dreamland II picks up where Dreamland I left off. Thematically, at least. Sonically, its debut single, “Another Broken Heart,” releasing May 24, turns up the drama with a heavy-octane dance number. “I love going back to EDM, where it all started for me,” Winn explains. “High energy dance is always a great place to get things started.”
Both EPs tell stories from the perspective of a queer kid of color who has had his heart broken. “It’s the only position that I can write from and it’s one that I can’t recall ever hearing in pop music,” Winn continues. “My hope is that regardless of where you come from, who you are now, or who you are becoming; you’re able to find something in these songs that resonates and makes you want to play them over and over again.”
“Another Broken Heart” was inspired by a series of circumstances in Winn’s life, including the death of his father. “He and I weren’t close but at the end of his life, I was asked to return home to take care of him and my family. It was an extremely emotional situation, and definitely something that I’m still healing from.”
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| Billy Winn |
He didn’t intend on making “Another Broken Heart” a dance record. Its original chorus was midtempo. The idea to speed up the melody and make it a dance record came from his production team, Johnie & Elliot. “Johnie turned the song into something rare,” Winn reflects. “It’s a dance track with a strong, relatable message about something we’ve all been through at least once. I think it’s the perfect summer song.”
Billy Winn is a Billboard-charting singer, songwriter, recording artist, and performer who regularly thrills audiences with his shows and music releases, ranging from high energy dance records to emotionally charged EDM. With Dreamland II, Winn notes his inspirations as being a mix of 90s R&B and the EDM of the last decade.
“I was listening to a lot of TLC and Janet Jackson while I was working on Dreamland II; specifically, Crazy, Sexy, Cool, Fanmail, and Janet’s Velvet Rope album. At the same time, I was listening to artists like Flume, Owl City, Robyn, and Tove Lo; trying to find a place musically where all those influences could exist or become something completely different altogether.”
Last year, Billy Winn released Dreamland I, an album that explored life as a perception of fantasy and guilty pleasures. Singles “Seal It with a Kiss”, “If You Really Cared”, and “Crash” were all presented as chapters in a larger story. “Another Broken Heart” is the next chapter in Winn’s Dreamland saga.
“In ‘Another Broken Heart’ and all of the songs in Dreamland II, the idea is that it’s all fun and games until someone catches feelings,” Winn says.
Dreamland II is a bit angrier than the first EP with a little more underlying pain because the perspective has changed. “I’m not only talking from one individual’s thoughts or feelings anymore. In Dreamland II, I consider multiple angles.”
It’s been a year since Winn released Dreamland I and the acclaim from the album has allowed him to tour and expand his fan base. It has also taught him to not doubt or second guess himself. “I’m trusting my instincts a lot more these days and I have to admit I’m pretty confident in the road ahead.”
“Things will happen that are outside of my control, but I’m not letting those forces control me.”
Billy Winn’s Dreamland II is being distributed by Ferocious Music and OneRPM and is available on iTunes, Spotify and all digital platforms. For more information, visit BillyWinn.com or follow him on Facebook.
Friday, May 24, 2019
Countdown To Crawfish
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| Aaron Neville |
New Orleans Returns to New Jersey as the Best of the Big Easy’s Music and Food Arrives for Milestone Weekend Celebration at Sussex Fairgrounds in Augusta
Tickets on Sale NOW!
A New Jersey tradition will be marking its milestone 30th anniversary celebrating two of New Orleans’ greatest traditions – music and food – with Big Easy backyard authenticity, when the likes of Aaron Neville, the Marcus King Band and over 20 other great Crescent City acts go “head to tail” with 10,000 pounds of specially imported crawfish and more at MICHAEL ARNONE’S 30TH ANNUAL CRAWFISH FEST, May 31-June 2 here at the Sussex County Fairgrounds.
Tickets are on sale NOW for the three-day festival, which annually draws close to 20,000 people for a unique weekend experience featuring the best music and food that New Orleans and all of Louisiana has to offer. The music spans Bayou-based Cajun, Zydeco, Delta Blues, New Orleans R&B, Brass, Gospel and Jazz across three stages, while the food highlights assorted other south Louisiana delicacies such as fresh Boiled Louisiana Crawfish trucked in alive, with Jambalaya, Crawfish Etouffee, Alligator Sausage, Po-boys (oyster, shrimp and catfish), Char Grilled Oysters, Southern Fried Chicken, along with the Louisiana chefs who prepare it all.
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| Marcus King Band |
Also scheduled to appear are Neville Jacobs, Rebirth Brass Band, Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience, Cowboy Mouth, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters, Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie, Bishop Gunn, Cory Henry and the Treme Funktet, John Papa Gros Band, Jonathon Long, Flow Tribe, Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes, Nathan and the Zydeco Cha-Chas, Darcy Malone and the Tangle, Amanda Fish, The Iceman Special, Jesse Lege and Bayou Brew, Tony Smith and the You Know How We Do Crew, and Big Mamou.
Festival goers can purchase 2019 Crawfish Fest Single Day, 2 Day Combo, Group, onsite 4 day/3 nights Camping/ Admission, and King Crawfish Krewe Tickets (main stage pit passes). Advance tickets start at $35 for adults (free for children under 14 with parent), and are available through the official website, www.crawfishfest.com.
“The great thing about this festival is its incredible authenticity,” says festival creator-producer and Louisiana import Michael Arnone. “It’s so real that for everybody who’s moved up North from Louisiana, everyone who’s homesick, this is like going home for a few days. The Louisiana atmosphere, the crawfish, the jambalaya, it’s all there. I tell people the music brings them, but the food keeps them.”
Saturday, April 13, 2019
Elise Testone - "This Is Love"
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| Elise Testone |
‘AMERICAN IDOL’ FINALIST, TO RELEASE HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED
2ND ALBUM “THIS IS LOVE” ON APRIL 17
EAST COAST TOUR TO BEGIN IN CHARLESTON, SC ON APRIL 17; MULTIPLE PERFORMANCES SCHEDULED DURING NEW ORLEANS JAZZ FEST
Soulful singer/songwriter ELISE TESTONE, a former American Idol finalist and powerhouse vocalist whose incredible stage presence and bluesy maturity rank with the best, is releasing her long-awaited sophomore album, This Is Love, on April 17 and immediately mounting an East Coast Tour that includes special performances during the world-renowned New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
Elise has toured extensively, with high profile TV appearances on The Tonight Show, Ellen, Live! with Kelly, Access Hollywood, Good Morning America and others.
Elise’s debut album, In This Life, released in 2014, received rave reviews, celebrating her ability to “wail the blues, rock like a b*tch and purr sexily” (Goldmine Magazine). Her unique style owes more to Ella Fitzgerald, Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, James Brown and Amy Winehouse than today’s disposable hit-makers.
“Love has come in and out of our lives in many different ways,” says the New Jersey native, now living in Brooklyn after establishing deep career roots in Charleston, SC. “Sometimes the love is real and sometimes we are bound together by an unhealthy passion or aggression and become trapped under the illusion that what we have is true, when in fact it is the opposite. This Is Love is an artistic expression of those experiences, starting with ‘Flying High,’ a composition focused on the most important love ― self-love.”
Co-written with guitarist Adam Fallen (Clay Aiken, Eric Benet) and Brooklyn jazz, hip-hop, and electronica multi-instrumentalist Jesse Fischer, and featuring Daru Jones (Jack White, Pete Rock) on drums, “Flying High,” starts the album floating joyously through a jazz-flavored, flute-enhanced classic soul orchestral groove. Other players on the album include Broadway’s School of Rock teen guitar phenom Brandon “Taz” Niederauer (also co-writer of album closer, “Tell Me Now”), drummer Robert “Sput” Searight (Snarky Puppy, Ghost Note) and bassist and experimental musician MonoNeon (Prince).
Of special note on This Is Love is “Holly,” written to honor the memory of Elise’s best friend and Charleston roommate, who committed suicide in 2015, two years after surviving life-threatening brain surgery.
“Holly had a light around her that was like no one I know,” Elise recalls. “She could make anyone smile within the first few seconds of seeing her. We bonded instantly and had a relationship built on honesty and playfulness. We looked out for each other. We were family. Both of us young at heart, we shared a deep passion for music. Holly always dreamed of being a music star but was always a little afraid to perform.
“Two years after her surgery, I moved to New York and she moved to Texas. She was very unhappy and ended up shooting herself in the head, or at least that is the story I was told. I know if I was near her that never would have happened. I felt like I mourned her twice in a way. And in no way did I think I would lose her that soon after I almost already did. This song took me three years to write because it was so important, but also because I had a real tough grieving process and felt stuck. I am so happy with how it turned out. I am so confident that every lyric was the right lyric, and I am so grateful to have had the time with her that I did. Hopefully this song can convey the positive mark she has left on me and the world.”
Elise Testone returns to the road, where she continues to wow audiences, when her tour commences April 17 with an Album Release Party, backed by an 11-piece band, at the Pour House in her “second” hometown of Charleston. Two weeks later, she heads to New Orleans with Doug Wimbish of Living Colour, Nigel Hall of Lettuce, and Leo Nocentelli of The Meters, among others, for several performances at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
Her heart more exposed with every note, it’s not uncommon to find Elise on her knees and out of breath at the end of a hard-driving soul tune – all in service of the music. A Top Six Finalist on American Idol in 2012, she has a wide range of fans that knows few barriers, from young festival goers to older music veterans, to jazz and hip-hop lovers.
Elise has opened for B.B. King, Taj Mahal, Snoop Dogg, Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds, and Dumpstaphunk, and has performed with Stevie Nicks, Bernie Worrell, Bernard Purdie, Stanton Moore, Skerik, Robert Randolph, The James Brown Band, Ghost Note; and members of Queen, The Meters, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Living Colour, Trey Anastasio Band, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Galactic, Van Halen, Turquaz, D’Angelo, Pete Rock, Cory Henry and the Funk Apostles, Snarky Puppy, Soulive and Lettuce, among others.
Indeed, nothing compares to seeing Elise Testone live. Her voice fully resonates as she seizes the moment to let the improvs naturally flow.
“I never know what I might do with my voice, and sometimes I’m personally shocked in a positive way when the notes bend unexpectedly,” she says. “I am also so grateful to a have a strong, passionate, talented and soulful group of musicians, who I call friends, available to play on stage with me in any situation. You never know what special guest may come through either. Always good energy and musicality!”
This Is Love will be available on all online platforms, as CD’s and Vinyl. Learn more at www.elisetestone.com
Wed, April 17th - Charleston Pour House, Charleston, SC (Southeast Album Release)
Thu, April 18th - Dead Dog Saloon, Murrells Inlet, SC (Southeast Album Release)
Sat, April 27th - Howlin' Wolf, New Orleans w/Bonerama Brass Band
Mon, April 29th – Blue Nile, New Orleans, LA (Wimbash, with Doug Wimbish of Living Colour)
Fri, May 3rd - New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival w/ Leo Nocentelli
Sat, May 4th - One Eyed Jax w/Ghost Note
Fri, May 17th - Camp Jam, Hammonton, NJ
Sat, May 18th – Rhythm & Brews Festival, Haddon Heights, NJ w/Philthy
Sun, May 19th - Nublu, NYC , Album Release Show co-bill w/Philthy
Elise Testone on the Web
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
Kingdom: The Mixtape
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| Gratuitous Skin Bought To You By... David Hernandez Prick up your eyes & ears, it's time for some David Hernandez! |
American Idol’s David Hernandez has released his highly anticipated second studio album Kingdom: the Mixtape through his own label. Self-produced and recorded in various home studios in Los Angeles, California — proving artists don’t need fancy studios to make a great record anymore — Kingdom: the Mixtape is David’s first full album release since 2011’s I Am Who I Am. The record displays a fresh sound for Hernandez and includes collaborations with fellow American Idol Blake Lewis and the Grammy winning producer of Black Eyed Peas, Printz Board. The music video for the album’s first single, “Shield (Coat of Armor)” is available now on Youtube. Kingdom: the Mixtape is available on all digital platforms including iTunes, Spotify, Pandora and Tidal.
“I’ve been sitting on most of this material for years, waiting for the right time to release it,” says David Hernandez of his new album, Kingdom: the Mixtape. “I’ve listened to too many people’s opinions about when to release, how, what images and content are appropriate… I was just over listening to what other people think I should do. One day I finally stepped back and realized I had a great body of work that deserves to be heard, now.”
In Kingdom: the Mixtape, David Hernandez delivers 20 original tracks plus a cappella versions of “Kingdom” and “Where Love Begins” as well as a bonus cover of Hailee Steinfeld’s “Starving,” featuring YouTube star Rajiv Dhall. Many of the songs reflect on the heartbreaks and loss Hernandez has experienced over the last decade since rising to fame on American Idol. They explore his rebuilding trust and love, his refusal to give up, his persistence to change for the better and to grow as a human. Other songs touch on forgiveness, joy and fun because as David explains, “Life isn’t always that serious and sometimes you just wanna let go and rage!”
From Pop to R&B, with influences of soul, no one song on Kingdom: the Mixtape is the same. The title track, produced by Mikal Blue (Jason Mraz, Colbie Caliet, One Republic) is a mid-tempo power ballad that soars with electric guitars, triumphant drums and a grand piano. “Beautiful” produced by Mark Grilliot, is a pop anthem while “Last Supper” and “Animal,” produced by Printz Board, are beat driven dance numbers.
Then there’s “Break,” an introspective mid-tempo song, produced by Alex Teamer, where David Hernandez opens up about his struggles with addiction. “I wrote the song at a time when I was drinking a lot and popping Xanax. It was an awful time. We were being evicted from our apartment and everything was going to shit. I ended up in rehab and eventually got clean of prescription drugs and life became much better.”
He admits it is a daily struggle that he prefers to battle privately but felt compelled to put the song on the mixtape because prescription drug addition has become an epidemic among youth. “Young people are dying and committing suicide. They need to know there is help,” he says.
David Hernandez began singing at age six, starring in musicals and performing with various theatre companies. At fifteen, he started writing original music and recording his arrangements. In addition to American Idol, he has showcased his talents on The Ellen Show, The Today Show, MTV’s TRL, EXTRA, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, Teen Choice Awards, Idol Tonight, FOX-TV’s Idol Gives Back. He was also named among TV Guides’ Sexiest Stars.
At the start of his recording career, Hernandez was signed to a major music label but couldn’t meet the high expectations of its executives. “Labels were always telling me to be me but then expected me to fit their mold of what David Hernandez was supposed to be. It was impossible. I felt powerless and lived in constant fear that I would get dropped.”
His feelings about the music industry are reflected in the cover art for Kingdom: the Mixtape. It depicts a crown, symbolizing David and his music, being held by a robotic hand: the music industry. It is intended to illustrate an industry that is fake and how it holds and controls an artist’s work and career.
“I hope listeners hear a piece of my soul in Kingdom: the Mixtape,” David Hernandez wraps up. “I hope they get where I am coming from, really see me for who I am, and that they, too, can relate to the songs. I want the Mixtape to be healing, enlightening, and revelrous.”
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Colton Ford's Next Chapter
OK, let's get the obvious out of the way and sweep it under the rug. Colton Ford is best known for being a porn star. That's so fifteen years ago...
Since then Colton has become an accomplished singer and actor. He has had hit singles and albums such as Tug of War. His current EP is Next Chapter. He recently starred in the premiere of the play (which I attended) And All The Dead, Lie Down by Harrison David Rivers directed by John Coppola in Los Angeles, CA.
With a portrayal of Sheriff Trout on Here's hit supernatural series The Lair thrown in for good measure, what's next?
It's time to turn the page on Colton's career. Hey, it's all about that falsetto...Let's meet the 2015 model of Colton Ford.
MS: Hey how are you?
CF: I'm driving and eating, it's one of those days where I have to schedule my bathroom breaks. (laughs)
MS: You recently moved back to Los Angeles.
CF: I've been back in LA for a year and a half. I lived in New York seven years prior to that. It was time to move back to LA. I got everything I needed to from New York and I didn't have to be there to do what I was doing. I love New York though and still make trips there.
MS: Obviously I saw you in the play And All The Dead, Lie Down. This was the first time it was done ever, correct?
MS: Kila and yourself had amazing chemistry!
CF: Yeah, we wanted to make it real and we worked hard on that. I really enjoyed it. I haven't had the opportunity to play a drama in quite some time with the things that I've done acting wise. It's usually been more cheeky, or like Sheriff Trout on The Lair stuff along those lines. So it was fun to explore that energy, there were more emotional things happening in this project than what I have been able to play in the other things that I have done.
MS: There was a lot of nudity and free balling in the show, I was told that was in it before I went, but was not expecting as much as there was.
CF: It wasn't supposed to be gratuitous. The whole idea and concept of this was that the audience is a voyeur. Your peeking in the window and watching a couple in their own natural habitat, without them having the knowledge of being watched. When they come out of the shower they take their towel off and they get dressed, when they go to bed and have sex they take their shit off...you know what I mean? It was the way it would be in real life and that's what the playwright & director wanted.
There is a thing about seeing a penis. We know Nicole Kidman was nude on Broadway, but when Daniel Radcliffe was nude we heard a lot more chatter about that. Some people are really taken aback by it and some just accept it as part of what the story is. The director was very cautious and concerned that it not be delivered in a way that was gratuitous.
MS: Mainly the conflict in the show stemmed from one of the couple being HIV + and the other being HIV - what are your thoughts on that?
CF: I think everybody has to figure out how they want to love. I am of the mind set that it would not be an issue for me if I was feeling somebody, and falling in love with somebody. We all should be educated about how you get it and how not to get it. We also have to recognize that we are a species that has to deal with sexually transmitted diseases, I don't care what it is you are at risk even if you practice safe sex. Personally I am not of the mindset that I am going to give someone head with a condom on, it's not for me. I make sure there are no cuts and sores in my mouth and I generally stay away from people cumming in my mouth. Just little things that make my experience safer. If your sexually active and not in a relationship chances are you are going to connect with someone that might be HIV +.
People now have undetectable viral loads, I don't live in fear around it. It certainly does not dictate whether or not I get to know somebody. That's the way that I look at it. The more that you are educated and the more you get to know the dynamic of HIV the less fear based you will be. You will be more open with regard to loving somebody without placing those kinds of conditions on that love.
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| Photo: Kevin McDermott |
MS: Let's talk about your current EP Next Chapter.
CF: OK.
MS: It's more hard R&B and less Electronica than your previous efforts.
CF: My roots are R&B/Soul that's where I have lived all my life. When I was signed with Virgin in the 90's it was straight R&B. I moved into House Music and subsequently EDM. There has always been a thread of soul in my music and certainly in my vocal arrangements, you can tell my roots are in that genre of music. Now that I am in my fifties I want to do music more reflective of where I live and who I am...I certainly love Dance Music. The new stuff I am working on is more R&B/Soul, but it has the ability to be re-mixed into a dance song. That is how I am shifting musically. My next album is definitely going to be more Soul/R&B/Contemporary. Depending on the single release we will have a re-mix package that will give all of the different musical vibes and energies, but the album version will be of the R&B/Soul genre.
MS: I really loved Love is Taking Over which you co-wrote.
CF: Thanks! I co-wrote all of them except for the covers of Yesterday and Something About You.
MS: Sorry I didn't stay and hang out to say Hello after the play. I figured it was OK since I saw you before. (laughs)
CF: No worries I figured you had something to do. (laughs)
Keep moving forward with Colton at:
Monday, February 23, 2015
KC and the Sunshine Band, Yep, Disco Never Died
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| I'm With The KC and the Sunshine Band |
KC AND THE SUNSHINE BAND PROVES DISCO NEVER DIED WITH NON-STOP ON-SCREEN APPEARANCES SINCE THE 70s INCLUDING 2015 BLOCKBUSTER HIT, KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE
Celebrating Over 40 Years Together, The Band Transcends Over 200 Musical Appearances in Films, Television Commercials, TV Shows and Video Games
I knew it in 20013 when I had an exclusive interview with KC himself, this band would hit the comeback road in a big way...thus I jumped at the chance to exchange sound bites with the legendary man himself check it out at the link below, and here's what he and his posse are up to now!!!
It's been over forty years since KC and The Sunshine Band danced onto the music scene, transforming the landscape of pop music, and creating a signature sound spanning generations young and old. With sales of over 100 million records, nine Grammy nominations, three Grammy Awards and an American Music Award, they are still known today as one of the most progressive bands of the 70s; and in the midst of a millennial, digital age, their music is still discovered daily by millions around the world through its continual placement in top box office movies, TV commercials, TV shows and video games. This month, the band celebrates international recognition with 1984 hit "Give It Up," licensed for use in one of the leading scenes in blockbuster action movie, KINGSMAN: The Secret Service -- marking over 200 on-screen musical appearances for KC and The Sunshine Band. Whether the scene is fun and light-hearted or violent like in KINGSMAN, (where "Give It Up" plays as the villain acts out his infernal plan), and new Australian indie film, Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead, (where "Get Down Tonight" is the anthem of choice as the lead character, a mad scientist, goes to town on terrified, live "cadavers" in his lab), KC and The Sunshine Band seems to have created an R&B, funk and disco infused soundtrack for pretty much every type of scene imaginable, whether its scored by music supervisors out of irony, or logic. "It makes me happy to know that my music has withstood the test of time," said Harry Wayne "KC" Casey. "Disco and funk have never really gone away. Look at Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars' current No. 1 Billboard smash, "Uptown Funk." That song takes it back to the sound of my day. I'm glad to see my musical style being preserved not only on-screen but in current radio hits too." Over the past forty years, the list of films and commercials KC's music has been summoned for is seemingly endless. In the early 70s, at the height of the KC and The Sunshine Band phenomenon, they made their on-screen debut with "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty," in Top of the Pops and The Brady Bunch Hour, before "That's The Way I Like It," made its way into a comedic skit inSaturday Night Live. Then, in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s, viewers and KC were reacquainted once again in Deuce Bigalow, Blow, Legally Blonde, Austin Powers, Saving Silverman, Rush Hour, The Simpsons, Dr. Dolittle, Forrest Gump, The Players Club, Space Jam, Picture Perfect and She's So Lovely, to name a few. More recently, in 2010, Sun Life Financial enlisted KC and his band as actors in its TV ad, humorously commissioning the band to change their name to the "SunLife Band," and their Saturday Night Fever hit, "Boogie Shoes," made its resurgence in 2014 in a Raisin Bran commercial. Other modern-day hit series like Scandal, The Big Bang Theory, Dancing With The Stars, Lovelace, Three Many Weddings, and the East Enders have all featured KC's music within the past two years. Furthermore, this March, Director Mark Moormann and Beacon Films, LLC will bring the music and career legacy of KC and The Sunshine Band to the Miami International Film Festival in the feature-length documentary, THE RECORD MAN, capturing the life of KC's long-time producer and record executive Henry Stone. Though so much history is written, KC and his band are not ready to call it quits. Their long-awaited new album Feeling You! The 60s, will impact stores, iTunes and Amazon on Tuesday, March 10. A tribute to the era that shaped H.W. Casey into the revolutionary artist he became in the 70s, the brand-new release is part one of the two-partFeeling You project, and features covers of songs by sixties legends Bob Dylan, Ben E. King, The Kinks, The Righteous Brothers, Jackie DeShannon, Aaron Neville and many more. “I’m excited for my fans to hear this album,” said KC. “I really went outside of the box vocally and creatively. Feeling You! The 60s is autobiographical, showing how I feel about love, life and the world through the music of that era.” Pre-order the album on Amazon here: http://hyperurl.co/kcthe60samazon, and look for it on iTunes beginning March 3. Fans who purchase the album early will receive the "instant grat" free track download from the album, "You Really Got Me," (originally recorded by The Kinks). KC and The Sunshine Band On Tour: 02.25 Soul Train Cruise / San Juan, PR 03.20 Hard Rock Hotel and Casino / Hollywood, FL 03.05 Fallsview Casino Resort / Niagara Falls, Ontario 03.06 Fallsview Casino Resort / Niagara Falls, Ontario 03.20 Hard Rock Hotel and Casino / Hollywood, FL 03.21 Seminole Casino Immokalee / Immokalee, FL 03.26 Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino / Lemoore, CA 04.11 Busch Gardens / Tampa, FL 04.18 Seven Feathers Casino – Grand Ballroom / Canyonville, OR 04.19 Snoqualmie Casino Ballroom / Snoqualmie, WA 05.31 Heineken Music Hall / Amsterdam, NL 06.01 Hammersmith Apollo / London, UK 07.04 A Capitol Fourth Independence Day / Washington, DC 07.11 Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheatre / Peachtree City, GA 07.17 Three Rivers Festival / Ft. Wayne, IN 08.08 Tropicana / Atlantic City, NJ 08.20 Indiana State Fairgrounds / Indianapolis, IN 08.29 Monticello Grand Casino / Santiago, Chile 08.30 Monticello Grand Casino / Santiago, Chile 10.03 University of Buffalo Stadium / Buffalo, NY To learn more about KC and the Sunshine Band and to find more details about their upcoming tour dates, visit heykcsb.com. |
Monday, July 14, 2014
Go Cruising With KC & The Sunshine Band
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| KC Is Hopping On Board The Soul Train Cruise To Spread Some Sunshine Photo: Webster PR |
KC & THE SUNSHINE BAND SET TO SAIL AS PART OF "THE SOUL TRAIN CRUISE"
It's time to shake your booty and get on the Soul Train Cruise with KC & The Sunshine Band...who knew?!?! While you are at it also check out my interview with KC I did last year, it's a groovy time! Interview Link: http://mshinafelt.blogspot.com/2013/03/shake-your-booty-kc-and-sunshine-band.html The Soul Train Cruise unveils a star-studded lineup for its 2015 voyage, which travels through the Caribbean from February 22, 2015 through March 1, 2015 with more than 30 R&B superstars performing nightly concerts and interacting with cruise guests during over 25 special events. The fourth sailing of the hippest trip at sea will star KC and the Sunshine Band, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Gladys Knight, James Ingram, The Spinners, Russell Thompkins, Jr. & The New Stylistics, Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes, Regina Belle, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr., original 5th Dimension stars, Valerie Simpson of Ashford and Simpson, Will Hart of the original Delfonics and comedian Alonzo Bodden. Also joining the cruise are Hitzville: Las Vegas Style Motown Revue, Chicago’s legendary R&B record store merchant “Uncle George” Daniels and cruise host Tony Cornelius. Held aboard the luxurious Holland America Eurodam, the Soul Train Cruise departs from Fort Lauderdale, FL for Turks and Caicos, San Juan (Puerto Rico), St. Thomas, the Bahamas and the private island of Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas. "Many times during the '70s we appeared on Soul Train with Don Cornelius," said Harry Wayne 'KC' Casey. "I only wish he could still be here to share this magic moment we are going to have on the Soul Train Cruise. I'm looking forward to bringing our music alive once again, as we did so many times on the TV show." "This cruise has become the ultimate luxury vacation for fans of great R&B music," says Michael Mitchell, StarVista/Time Life Vice President and Executive Producer of the Soul Train Cruise. “If you grew up watching Soul Train, this cruise will bring back all the memories-the great artists, fantastic songs, the dancers, the fashions and most of all the fun!" Chris Hearing, President of StarVista/Time Life, adds, "Our guests return time and time again for the music and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hang out with the biggest names in R&B history." The Soul Train Cruise not only offers more than 30 concerts throughout the seven-day voyage, but also invites travelers to meet the stars during over 25 special events, ranging from cooking demonstrations to dance lessons, Q&A panel discussions to tribute shows, a gospel hour, musician seminars, wine tasting and personal meet and greet sessions. The cruise will also film interviews with artists in front of a live audience, airing on television on a future date. And Soul Train Cruise partner SIRIUSXM will be aboard once again, recording exclusive radio shows with the artists and giving fans a backstage view into the excitement and the music that fill the ship while CENTRIC television also returns as title sponsor, hosting a number of the cruise’s most popular onboard activities. Soul Train has been an integral part of popular culture since its debut in 1970 and continues be a vital force in entertainment with its all-star Soul Train Awards shows. Soul Train is also one of the most successful shows ever created, holding the record for the longest, first-run, nationally syndicated television show ever and remains popular to this day. Vintage episodes have aired on CENTRIC in recent years, nearly 500,000 DVDs have been sold, and the Soul Train Awards draw international superstars to its annual ceremony. Reservations for cabins on this cruise may be made now by visiting SoulTrainCruise.com or by calling (toll free) (855) SOUL TRAIN (855-768-5872). Cabin rates start at just $1975 per person and include all meals, concerts, entertainment and onboard activities.
KC and the Sunshine Band On Tour:
07/09 Newport, RI - Newport Yachting Club 07/10 Stamford, CT - Alive At Five Concert Series 07/11 Rama, Ontario - Casino Rama 07/12 Salamanca, NY - Seneca Alleghany Casino 07/18 Manson, WA - Mill Bay Casino 07/19 Airway Heights, WA - Northern Quest Resort & Casino 07/24 Grand Rapids, MI - Meijer Gardens Amphitheater 07/26 Wisconsin Dells, WI - Crystal Grand Music Theatre 08/01 Biloxi, MS - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 08/02 Choctaw, MS - Arena at Golden Moon Hotel & Casino 08/07 Santa Ynez, CA - Chumash Casino 08/08 Cabazon, CA - Morongo Casino Resort & Spa 08/09 Modesto, CA - Gallo Center for the Arts 08/15 Lynn, MA - Lynn Auditorium 08/16 Atlantic City, NJ - Tropicana Hotel & Casino 08/21 Palmer, AK - Alaska State Fair 08/23 East Meadow, NY - Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre 08/24 Hampton Beach, NH - Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom 08/29 St. Charles IL - Arcada Theatre 08/30 Duquoin, IL - DuQuoin State Fairgrounds 09/13 Kansas City, MO - KC Power and Lights District 10/03 Lincolnville, ME - VinFest at Cellardoor Winery 10/31 Norman, OK - Riverwind Casino To learn more about KC and the Sunshine Band and to find more details about their upcoming tour dates, visit heykcsb.com.
Suggested Tweet:
.@kcandsunshineb @hwcasey set to sail on #SoulTrainCruise@SoulTrain @SoulTrainAtSea @CENTRICTV |
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