Blog

  • Evette Busby

    Evette Busby

    Evette has been singing since she could talk, but professionally for a little over 20 years. She started singing in her church choir at Hopewell Missionary Baptist church in Houston Texas. It is there where her 1st band leader discovered her in church and convinced her to join his band. Since then she has become “Houston’s Best Kept Secret”. 

    She has become a permanent fixture in and outside of Houston. Performing in clubs, weddings, festivals and corporate events. Audiences not only love her for being talented but for her friendly and approachable disposition. She has performed with many of the local bands in Houston, she is now one of the voices of “Orion the Band”.

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  • Kim Tibbs

    Kim Tibbs

    What some may call “Luck” others call DESTINY…​ 

    Since birth, Kim Tibbs has been honing her craft…Crediting her late father, Pastor Robert L. Tibbs for her musical ability, Kim has over thirty years of musical experience as an accomplished Arranger, B-3 Organist, Keyboardist, Lyricist, Pianist, Producer, and Songwriter. Kimberly is currently an Endorsed Hammond Artist with Hammond Organ Company USA, a Roland Artist with Roland Corporation US, a Peavey Artist with Peavey Amplifiers USA, and a Slick Audio Recording Artist; as well as a Staff Writer for the Songs of Love Foundation; Kimberly is also a Council Member of the Board of Advisers in the College of Arts located at J.C. Calhoun Community College. Kimberly holds a Bachelors of Arts and Science in Business Administration, Double Masters Degrees in Organizational Leadership and Masters of Business in Public Administration as well as currently working on a Doctorate of Business Administration in Leadership. Kim is also a Fashion Designer. Her fashion specializes in one of a kind bold, eclectic, and unique hand-crafted pieces ranging from women’s fashions to household goods.​ 

    As an Artist, Kim Tibbs has gained international acclaim with her forthcoming release, “…Kim.” Her first single, “I Need You For Your Love,” entered the Official U.K. Soul Charts at Number #24, November 6, 2016 and in two weeks, it skyrocketed to Number #1 separately along with the second single, “Soul!” staying there for Four Consecutive weeks; before ending the yearly chart at a respective Number #2 for both singles. The single, “I Need You For Your Love,” landed at Number #4 on the year end Official U.K. Soul Chart Top 100 Songs for 2016. The third, fourth and fifth Singles released called, “Drifting,” “For!” and “Move!” respectfully have been successful granting her movement the ability to now be traced in 36 countries and steadily growing to a wider audience daily, with “Drifting” and “For” both debuting on the Official U.K. Soul Charts at Number #9, getting to the Number #4 position on April 23, 2017. 

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  • Teri Tobin

    Teri Tobin

    There are layers to award-winning, soul singer/songwriter Teri Tobin.  Each layer reveals a lusher depth, a more meaningful experience, an expressive passion and an abiding generosity, in Tobin’s music and womanhood.  All of who Tobin is and what she’s lived through comes through her testimonial verses and agile instrument. 

    In its unvarnished truth and efforts to touch the experiences of her listeners, it may be the most mature work to-date by a talent who brought you the critically acclaimed Love Infinity (Sōl 2 Kēp Entertainment) and So Good To Me (Sōl 2 Kēp Entertainment) in just the last four years.  As with her previous soulful offerings, the prospect of love happening just around the corner and healing messages of self-love and acceptance thread this empowering and elevating work of intimate honesty.Born in Mesa, Arizona and raised in Southern California, Tobin has been cooing in key since coming out of the womb. As with many of the soul greats she admires, from Donny Hathaway to Marvin Gaye, Tobin’s training and early performances began standing flatfoot in front of the pews and belting past the church steeple.  A comfortable alto with lilting soprano notes, the young Tobin experienced her first studio session as a child with R&B legend Jeffery Osborne. A teenage Tobin was later recruited in high school to be a part of an R&B and hip-hop soul act, Simpli R.A.W., who despite getting signed, fell prey to unscrupulous industry practices. 

    Undaunted, after graduating from high school and a brief ATL move, Tobin had been promised a solo deal that never materialized, before finally landing at Howard University during a particularly charmed period in Washington, DC. Training in classical voice at the famed historically black college, Tobin was present for a storied time that boasted such artists as Shai, Sy Smith, and Eric Roberson as program peers and performing partners.  A member of HU’s famed Chorale, Tobin shared stages with Patti Labelle and Luther Vandross, and was part of history when the Chorale performed with icons like Diana Ross at President Clinton’s Inaugural Gala on the National Mall. Further getting her feet wet by gigging at landmark spots like Takoma Station and Old Glory,

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  • The Chestnut Brothers

    The Chestnut Brothers

    The Chestnut Brothers (Al and Ty) are a very talented singing, songwriting, production team born in Columbia, South Carolina and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They have entertained audiences in major U.S. cities, throughout the United Kingdom, Europe and Middle East. In addition to major label affiliation with Paramount, Mercury and MCA Records, they have been privileged to perform and record with a vast array of artists such as Luther Vandross, Grover Washington, Jr., Najee, The Oak Ridge Boys, Harry Connick, Jr., James Ingram, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, The Trammps, Billy Paul, Nile Rogers, Phil Perry, B.B. King, L.L. Cool J, Cheap Trick and Pete Seeger to name a few.

    This talented twosome has used their God-given singing, songwriting and production gifts to uplift the masses and since becoming actively involved with the international peace movement, they have attained a passion for social change. This can be heard in several of their original songs. Especially their theme, “Stop the Violence.” As a result, they’ve been anointed globally as Goodwill Ambassadors, Musical Messengers and Princes Of Peace. Many of their popular songs are also, loved by audiences for their romantic appeal and with a repertoire that covers a host of musical genres from Bach to Rock, their electrifying stage show has mesmerized audiences around the world.

    Included among some of their most notable performances are: Hard Rock Café grand opening, Presidential Summit, Inaugural Marian Anderson Humanitarian Award Gala (honoring Harry Belafonte) and Benefit Concert for National Union Of The Homeless, all in Philadelphia; 1996 Olympic Games festivities and the Heritage Festival, Atlanta; Lincoln Theater, Washington, D.C.; Birdland Theater, New York; Total Experience, Los Angeles; High Desert Music Festival, Adelanto, CA; Gasparilla Music Festival, Tampa; Konover Hotel, Miami; Resorts Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City; Jazz Café, London; Barnaby Joe’s & Diplomat Hotel, Bahrain; Parliament Jazz Club, Cyprus; Club Mojo and Q Jazz Bar, Istanbul.

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  • LAMONT DOZIER, JR.

    LAMONT DOZIER, JR.

    “Why Can’t We Be Lovers”/”I’m Gonna Take My Time”

    When it comes to enduring musical legacies, it’s always inspiring when the melodic, grooving evergreen apples drop so close to the tree. The son and namesake of legendary singer, songwriter and record producer Lamont Dozier – one third of the famed Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting and production team – Lamont Dozier, Jr. grew up a child of Motown, steeped in and influenced by gospel, jazz and old-school R&B and immersing in the magic and creative mentorship of the likes of Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and Diana Ross.

    More than simply living up to the promise of his unique lineage, he has forged a unique path towards his musical destiny. Since his first live performance at the age of 15, the Detroit born and raised, Las Vegas based Lamont has developed an extraordinary, multi-faceted career as a bandleader, club headliner and creative force behind the scenes, clocking studio time and sharing stages with everyone from The Temptations and Aretha Franklin to contemporary urban jazz greats Dave Koz, Rick Braun, Gregg Karukas and Greg Manning, and working on show productions featuring Jennifer Hudson and Jay Leno.
    Over the past handful of years, he contributed backing vocals to three hit albums by Koz (including Summer Horns II: From A to Z) and dynamic leads on keyboardist David Garfield’s arrangement of “What You Won’t Do for Love” (from the 2018 collection Jammin’ Outside the Box). These projects and others paved the way for Lamont’s emergence now as a recording artist in his own right. With an eye towards releasing his debut EP Introducing Lamont Dozier, Jr. later in 2020, he is dropping his first two highly anticipated singles which showcase the full range of his artistry as a singer, songwriter and producer.

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  • Ortheia Barnes

    Ortheia Barnes

    Despite never having a major national hit record, the late great Ortheia Barnes-Kennerly is one of Detroit, MI’s most beloved singers. She started singing in church, made some solo singles, and toured with Motown artists, though she never signed with the label. Barnes has enjoyed a full career, but unlike J.J. Barnes, her older brother, it hasn’t been scrutinized much, and a chronological discography of her work does not exist.

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  • Ady Croasdell

    Ady Croasdell

    Finding The First Copy

    Kenny Carter

    It’s a bitterly cold February ‘94 and I’m in New York City attempting to persuade Tony Middleton to come to Cleethorpes, one of north east Lincolnshire’s premier hot spots, to sing to his UK fans at our inaugural Northern Soul weekender. While I’m there I decide to pop in on Paul Williams, an old friend who used to buy Jackie Moore imports off me in 1974 when I was a West End barrow boy. He had worked his way up in the music business and was then a Vice President at the mighty RCA Records situated on 1540 Broadway, NYC.

    Paul knows my passion for all things Northern from those early 70s days and I had already faxed him with a list of what I consider to be the classiest 60s soul acts on his label. When we meet up on the 30 somethingth floor of this legendary building, I’m invited into a rather (definitely, by Kent standards!) opulent office, and after catching up on each other’s news and record company gossip, I am presented with a complete list of the recordings made at RCA by the acts I have queried Paul about.

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  • Karl White

    Karl White

    Soul Underground

    Richard Caiton on a visit to the UK in 2016, 19th November to be precise where he appeared at The Wilton Ballroom before an ecstatic crowd.

    Debbie Taylor (aka Maydie Myles) Live at The Wilton Ballroom 9th November 2013

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  • Sharon Shares 

    Sharon Shares 

    Extracts From My Book – The Last Note Book By Sharon McMahan

    A Budding Songwriter
    As I was growing up, I Started to take notice of the songs coming from the radio. One day when I came home from school, I was listening to the radio and one of the songs I liked came on. It was called Mother-in-law by Ernie K. Doe. I was twelve years old. I remember sitting at the piano and really talking time to concentrate on the beat and how the singing came in.
    The more I listened, I began to think to myself that I should be able to copy that beat on to the piano. I started out by finding the note in bas and I began to play it with the left hand, to the beat. After playing the bass for a few bars, I tried to find the cord that would match with the right hand.Once I had both the bass and the chord, I started playing them back and forth like a drum and I was able to get the rhythm going as I played along with the song on the radio.

    After the song was over, I sat there and thought about what I had just done. I was very surprised. I asked myself, “what just happened” ? After thinking about it for a minute or two, I concluded that I should be able to make up my own songs.

    Getting Stared
    Ollie would come by often. I had no idea how much work he was doing when in Detroit. I was far too young to understand it all. He would stop by about once a week at first. I did begin writing more songs. He would come by and listen. He was always encouraging and listing intently at everything I wrote.

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  • Ady Croasdell

    Ady Croasdell

    Finding The First Copy

    It was sad to hear of the passing of Tony Middleton this week. It immediately brought back memories of our first Cleethorpes weekender in 1993. Here’s a photo of that trip and the sleevenotes reminscence from the Cleethorpes CD. L to R Tony, Brad Comer, me, Mary Love on the fire escape at Ace Records, Harlesden.

    “There’s nothing like meeting and striking up a relationship with an act to get their full co-operation. I was given Tony Middleton’s number by soul sleuth Andy Rix, and was keen to get him on the first Cleethorpes Northern Soul weekender show as he was quite unknown as a live artist back then. He had a very strong Northern Soul recording history that would sound great live and hopefully draw in the customers. I was due to visit the States on a record-buying mission about six months before the show and arranged to meet up with Tony in a rather swanky Swedish restaurant that he had picked out. I immediately felt out of my depth when he turned up in a sharp suit and a leggy Swedish blonde, who evidently owned and hosted the joint, came up and greeted him as a personal friend.

    The prices didn’t make me feel any more at ease and the conversation was rather one-sided with Tony regaling me with all his achievements as a singer, actor and general man of the world. We got on well though and I think I probably upped my meagre offer for his fee just to save face: I really didn’t think he would go for it. However, he kindly said he would perform at our inaugural event because he liked me and it would be fun, even if the money was below his usual radar. I was extremely grateful and having got his word was happy to pay the sizeable bill and even throw in a tip to the Greta Garbo figure.

    When Tony arrived in England, he was an easy-going and down to earth fellow who spent a memorable night out with myself, soul fan and DJ Val Palmer and a very colourful American punk rocker called Mike Spencer from the Cannibals group, who Tony teased by telling him that his Harlem gang used to kick Mike’s hoodlum friends’ asses all around Central Park.

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  • Paul Tilman Smith

    Paul Tilman Smith

    The History of Paul Tilman Smith, so far..

    THIS IS A PHENOMENAL CD BUT NOT ONE PERSON HAS PURCHASED IT FROM MY HOMETOWN OF OAKLAND AND LIKE THE MUSIC WRITER FROM EUROPE SAID”
    Most records he has ever heard that a hundred percent of the money goes into a fund to help struggling ARTISTS is usually the most raggedy record you could ever find. Then he turned and stated in his article “The Higher Power Project is a collectors item”.

    Some have called Higher Power the national anthem of recovery.  Higher Power was recently named the inspirational song and video of the year by a national contest sponsored by Tyler Perry, B.E.T, Lions Gate Films and Pastor Marvin Winan’s. Pastor Winan’s proclaimed that Higher Power “was the winner by far”. The video was produced by BAJAZZS founder/drummer Paul Tillman Smith, Braxton Brothers bassist Nelson Braxton and longtime Prince sideman guitarist/Bassist Levi Seacer Jr.

    Donnie inspired my production team including my friend Norman Connors  to do this record when Donnie got kicked off of the American Idol TV program  because he made the mistake of informing the program that he got stopped by the police the night he celebrated with friends, making the final 32 and got a DUI while driving up Highway 580 in Livermore on the way to his home. He was on the same year as Fantazia and Jennifer Hudson. The singer they bought in to take his place George Huff came in sixth. Donnie should have won. Norman Connors is featuring three of Donnie’s new songs on his forthcoming record entitled “ROYALTY”. Donnie’s song Magazine Girl will be first on Normans new record, lol. Donnie finally won 1st. OOPPSS! I forgot, Donnie’s sister Terrill Carter Williams to me has the best song on the record called “Please Don’t Run Over Me”.

    Every certain type of woman in America is gonna want a copy of this song. It’s a domestic violence song. Me , late vocalist Freddie Hughe’s and pianist Robert Collier wrote it. Lastly, world famous vocalist Nora Jones told Norman she loves four of the songs from the Higher Power Project and that she could maybe see doing them herself.  That would a blessing if she even chooses to do one.

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  • Lorraine Feather

    Lorraine Feather

    LYRICIST/JAZZ SINGER

    Listen to ‘Waiting Tables’
    Some touring, off-Broadway work and the Broadway show Jesus Christ Superstar followed, interspersed with countless waitressing jobs up and down Manhattan’s West Side. Frequently out of work, and discouraged by more than one restaurateur from pursuing a career in the food service industry, Lorraine decided to try singing. She began working with various jazz and Top 40 bands in and around New York. She sang backup for Petula Clark and Grand Funk Railroad, and finally put her own act together, eventually moving back to L.A., where she sang at local jazz clubs. Soon after, she joined producer Richard Perry’s vocal trio Full Swing and recorded three albums with the group.

    Jane-Duke-Leonard
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