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Ernest Berger
Heatwave is a funk band formed in London, England in 1975. Its most popular line-up featured Americans Johnnie Wilder Jr. and Keith Wilder (vocals) of Dayton, Ohio; Englishmen Rod Temperton (keyboards) and Roy Carter (guitar); Swiss Mario Mantese (bass); Czechoslovak Ernest "Bilbo" Berger (drums); and Jamaican Eric Johns (guitar). They are known for their singles "Boogie Nights", "The Groove Line", and " Always and Forever". History Heatwave's mainstream years 1976–1982 Founding member Johnnie Wilder was an American serviceman based in West Germany when he first began performing; upon his discharge from the US Army, he stayed in Germany. He sang in nightclubs and taverns with an assortment of bands while still enlisted. By mid-year, he decided to relocate to the United Kingdom and through an ad placed in a local paper he linked up with songwriter/keyboardist Rod Temperton. Touring the London nightclub circuit billed as ''Chicago's Heatwave'' during the mid-1970s allowed t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Baltimore Afro-American
The ''Baltimore Afro-American'', commonly known as ''The Afro'' or ''Afro News'', is a weekly African-American newspaper published in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the flagship newspaper of the ''AFRO-American'' chain and the longest-running African-American family-owned newspaper in the United States, established in 1892. History Initially the ''Afro-American'' was known as the ''Home Protector'' which was established and edited by The Reverend, Reverend William Alexander in 1889. With the help of a group of investors, including John R. Cole, Charles H. Richardson, James E. Johnson, and William H. Daly, the ''Home Protector'' became the ''Afro-American'' on August 13, 1892. In the spring of 1895, the Northwestern Family Supply Company (NFSC), assumed control of the ''Afro-American''. Although this seemed to be a turn for the best, that prominent business firm went bankrupt leading to near end of the newspaper. In 1897, the machinery used to print the ''Afro-American'' went u ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Barry Blue
Barry Blue (born Barry Ian Green; 4 December 1950) is an English singer, producer, and songwriter. As an artist, he is best known for his hit songs "Dancin' (on a Saturday Night)" and "Do You Wanna Dance" (both 1973). Blue has also been a prolific songwriter and producer for many artists and has had over forty worldwide hits, including those by Andrea Bocelli, Diana Ross, Celine Dion, The Saturdays, The Wanted, and Pixie Lott. In film and television, Blue has provided soundtracks and/or themes for productions including ''Eyes of Laura Mars'', ''The Long Good Friday'', and ''Escape to Athena''. Early days At the age of 13, Blue (born Barry Ian Green) made his first television appearance with his school band, the Dark Knights, performing on Stubby Kaye's ''Silver Star Show'', a weekly children's talent show hosted by Kaye via ITV Granada, Granada TV. By the age of 14, Blue had signed with record producer Norrie Paramor, whose assistant was Tim Rice; the producer of Blue's firs ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thriller (Michael Jackson Album)
''Thriller'' is the sixth studio album by the American singer and songwriter Michael Jackson, released on November 29, 1982, by Epic Records. It was produced by Quincy Jones, who previously worked with Jackson on his album ''Off the Wall'' (1979). With the ongoing backlash against disco music at the time, he moved in a new musical direction, resulting in a mix of pop music, pop, post-disco, rock music, rock, funk, synth-pop, and contemporary R&B, R&B sounds, and darker themes; Jackson wanted to create an album where "every song was a killer". Paul McCartney appears as the first credited featured artist on a Jackson album. Recording took place from April to November 1982 at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California, with a budget of $750,000. Upon its release, ''Thriller'' was lauded by critics. It was Jackson's first number-one album on the US Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' Top LPs & Tapes chart, where it spent a record 37 non-consecutive weeks at number one, from Feb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Off The Wall (album)
''Off the Wall'' is the fifth studio album by the American singer Michael Jackson, released on August 10, 1979, by Epic Records. It was Jackson's first album released through Epic Records, and the first produced by Quincy Jones, whom he met while working on the 1978 film ''The Wiz''. Several critics observed that ''Off the Wall'' was crafted from disco, pop, funk, R&B, soft rock and Broadway ballads. Its lyrical themes include escapism, liberty, loneliness, hedonism and romance. The album features songwriting contributions from Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Rod Temperton, Tom Bahler, and David Foster, alongside three tracks penned by Jackson himself. Between 1972 and 1975, Jackson released a total of four solo studio albums with Motown as part of the Jackson 5 franchise. Before recording his next album, Jackson desired to create a record not sounding like a Jacksons record, but rather showcasing creative freedom and individualism. While ''Off the Wall'' was a reintrod ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significant figures of the 20th century. Over a four-decade career, List of Michael Jackson records and achievements, his music achievements broke Timeline of African-American firsts, racial barriers in America and made him a dominant figure across the world. Through songs, stages, and fashion, he proliferated visual performance for artists in popular music; popularizing street dance moves including the Moonwalk (dance), moonwalk, the Robot (dance), robot, and the anti-gravity lean. Jackson is often deemed the greatest entertainer of all time based on his acclaim and records. The eighth child of the Jackson family, Michael made his public debut in 1964 at age six, as a member of the Jackson 5 (later known as the Jacksons). After signing with Motown ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (March 14, 1933 – November 3, 2024) was an American record producer, composer, arranger, conductor, trumpeter, and bandleader. Over the course of his seven-decade career, he received List of awards and nominations received by Quincy Jones, many accolades including 28 Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Tony Award as well as nominations for seven Academy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards. Jones came to prominence in the 1950s as a jazz arranger and conductor before producing pop hit records for Lesley Gore in the early 1960s (including "It's My Party") and serving as an arranger and conductor for several collaborations between Frank Sinatra and the jazz artist Count Basie. Jones produced three of the most successful albums by Michael Jackson: ''Off the Wall'' (1979), ''Thriller (album), Thriller'' (1982), and ''Bad (album), Bad'' (1987). In 1985, Jones produced and conducted the charity song "We Are the World", which raised funds for victims ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer. He started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. Hancock soon joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the post-bop sound. In the 1970s, he experimented with jazz fusion, funk, and electro-funk, electro styles using a wide array of synthesizers and electronics. It was during this time that he released one of his best-known and most influential albums, ''Head Hunters''. Hancock's best-known compositions include "Cantaloupe Island", "Watermelon Man (composition), Watermelon Man", "Maiden Voyage (composition), Maiden Voyage", and "Chameleon (composition), Chameleon", all of which are jazz standards. During the 1980s, he had a hit single with the electronic instrumental "Rockit (song), Rockit", a collaboration with bassist/producer Bill Laswell. Hancock has won an Academy Awards, Ac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Benson
George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American jazz fusion guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the 1960s, playing soul jazz with Jack McDuff and others. He then launched a successful solo career, alternating between jazz, pop, rhythm and blues, R&B singing, and scat singing. His album ''Breezin''' was certified triple-music recording sales certification, platinum, hitting No. 1 on the Billboard (magazine), ''Billboard'' album chart in 1976. His concerts were well attended through the 1980s, and he still has a large following. Benson has won ten Grammy Awards and has been honored with a List of stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame#B, star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Biography Early career Benson was born and raised in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At the age of seven, he first played the ukulele in a corner drug s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Brothers Johnson
The Brothers Johnson was an American funk and R&B band consisting of the American brothers George ("Lightnin' Licks") and Louis E. Johnson ("Thunder Thumbs"). They achieved their greatest success from the mid-1970s to early 1980s, with three singles topping the R&B charts (" I'll Be Good to You", " Strawberry Letter 23", and " Stomp!"). Background Formation Guitarist/vocalist George and bassist/vocalist Louis formed the band Johnson Three Plus One with older brother Tommy and their cousin Alex Weir while attending school in Los Angeles, California. When they became professionals, the band backed such touring R&B acts as Bobby Womack and the Supremes. George and Louis Johnson later joined Billy Preston's band and wrote selections for his albums '' Music Is My Life'' and '' The Kids & Me'' before leaving his group in 1973. In 1976, the Brothers covered the Beatles' song, "Hey Jude", for the musical documentary ''All This and World War II''. Quincy Jones hired them to play o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rufus (band)
Rufus is an American funk band from Chicago best known for launching the career of lead singer Chaka Khan. They had several hits during their career, including " Tell Me Something Good", " Sweet Thing", " Do You Love What You Feel", and " Ain't Nobody". Rufus and Chaka Khan were one of the most popular and influential funk bands of the 1970s; they had four consecutive number-one R&B albums, ten top 40 pop hits, and five number-one R&B singles among other accolades. Biography Origins In 1968, the American Breed ( Gary Loizzo, guitar/vocals; Al Ciner, guitar; Charles "Chuck" Colbert, bass; and Lee Graziano, drums) had a top ten hit with the classic-rock single " Bend Me, Shape Me". After their success, Colbert and Graziano (without Loizzo, who pursued a successful production career) created a new group adding later-day American Breed members Kevin Murphy (keyboards) and Paulette McWilliams (vocals) as well as James Stella (vocals), and Vern Pilder (guitar) from the bar ba ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Central Heating (Heatwave Album)
''Central Heating'' is the second studio album by funk-disco band Heatwave. It was released in 1977 on the GTO label in the UK and in 1978 on the Epic label in the US. It was produced by Barry Blue. ''Central Heating'' sold more than a million copies in its first two years of release. It was the last Heatwave album to feature bassist Mario Mantese and guitarist Eric Johns, as well as the first to feature new member Roy Carter on guitar. The album was also the final performance of Rod Temperton as an official member of Heatwave, although he would continue to write songs for the band after his departure until 1982. The song "Star of a Story" appeared on George Benson's album '' Give Me the Night'', a song written by Temperton, which was produced by Quincy Jones. The album was remastered and reissued with bonus tracks in 2015 by Big Break Records. The two singles taken from the album were both hits. " The Groove Line" reached No. 7 in the US and No. 12 in the UK, while "Mind ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joel Whitburn
Joel Carver Whitburn (November 29, 1939 – June 14, 2022) was an American author and music historian, responsible for setting up the Record Research, Inc. series of books on record chart placings. Early life Joel Carver Whitburn was born in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, on November 29, 1939."Joel (Carver) Whitburn". '' Contemporary Authors''. Detroit: Gale. 2002. He started collecting records in his teens, first subscribed to '' Billboard'' in 1953, and when the Hot 100 was introduced in 1958 started recording the chart placings of records on index cards. After graduating from Menomonee Falls High School in 1957, he attended Elmhurst College and the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, but did not receive a degree from either institution. Career Whitburn worked on record distribution for RCA in the mid 1960s, using his chart statistics to inform radio stations, before founding his own company, Record Research, Inc., in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, in 1970. He put together a tea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
