TRIBUTE CD’s

Tribute cd’s from some of soul musics’ most influential artists…
Artist that have provided us with classic songs that have stood the test of time..
Artist such as Marvin Gaye, Teddy Pendergrass, Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Frankie Beverley & Maze, The Isley Brothers, just to name a few… Memories by the score..

Simply click on the RED links below to listen to the cd’s.. 

TRIBUTE TO THE ISLEY BROTHERS CD

The Isley Brothers founding members were O’Kelly Isley, Rudolph Isley and Ronald Isley.  Starting their careers in the Gospel performing circuit in the early 1950s, they eventually crossed over to secular music first finding modest success in Doo-Wop until the release of their first million-selling hit, “Shout“, in 1959. After several flops resulted in them being dropped from their record label, they found success again with sixties hits such as “Twist & Shout“, later covered successfully by The Beatles and the Motown hit, “This Old Heart Of Mine” in 1962 and 1966 respectively. The group didn’t find success again until the end of the decade when their 1969 single, “It’s Your Thing”, (with Ernie Isley on bass guitar) was released.  The song brought them success in the then-fledgling funk genre. After forming their own label, T-Neck Records, the group found modest success with their own recordings between 1969 and 1972 until revamping the group into a sextet in 1973 with the release of their landmark album, 3+3 album, this time featuring younger brothers Ernie & Marvin Isley and brother-in-law Chris Jasper.   The addition of Ernie, Marvin, and Chris led to their most successful period as they successfully mixed their brand of R&B with rock, soul and funk elements. Other hits they would have during that period included “Fight The Power” (written by Ernie), “For The Love Of You” and “Between The Sheets“.  The group disbanded after the departure of Ernie, Marvin and Chris (who formed Isley/Jasper/Isley and reached #1 on the charts with ‘Caravan of Love’ in 1984). O’Kelly Isley, died that year. Rudolph and Ronald released Spend The Night in 1989, collaborating with Angela Winbush.

In 1990 Ronald, Ernie and Marvin began working together again. In 1997, Marvin retired from the group and show business after developing diabetes forcing Ronald and Ernie to continue the group as a duo. The duo scored their final top 40 hit with “Contagious” in 2001. The Isleys were inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame by Little Richard in 1992 and are the recipient of a single Grammy Award.

TRACKLIST

  1. INTRO – INTRO
  2. THE ISLEY BROTHERS – SECRET LOVER
  3. THE ISLEY BROTHERS – IF U EVER NEED SOMEBODY
  4. THE ISLEY BROTHERS – LET’S MAKE LOVE TONIGHT
  5. THE ISLEY BROTHERS – BETWEEN THE SHEETS
  6. THE ISLEY BROTHERS – BABY COME BACK HOME
  7. THE ISLEY BROTHERS – SMOOTH SAILING
  8. THE ISLEY BROTHERS – ONE OF A KIND
  9. THE ISLEY BROTHERS – CARAVAN OF LOVE
  10. THE ISLEY BROTHERS – HERE WE GO AGAIN
  11. THE ISLEY BROTHERS – FOR THE LOVE OF YOU
  12. THE ISLEY BROTHERS – FOOTSTEPS IN THE DARK
  13. THE ISLEY BROTHERS – MAKE YOUR BODY SING
  14. THE ISLEY BROTHERS – CHOOSEY LOVER
  15. THE ISLEY BROTHERS – MAKE ME SAY IT AGAIN
  16. OUTRO – OUTRO

TRIBUTE TO FRANKIE BEVERLEY & MAZE CD

Frankie Beverly, born Howard Beverly, December 6, 1946, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Beverly started the group as Raw Soul in 1970. They recorded a couple of singles on the small Gregar label, but without any major hits. But with a few personnel changes, a relocation from Philadelphia to the San Fransico Bay area in California in 1971, and an introduction to Marvin Gaye, the group became an immediate success. Gaye took the group on the road with him as one of his opening acts, and in 1976 he suggested that they changed their name from Raw Soul to Maze.

Maze signed a recording contract with Captial Records in 1976, and released their debut album, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, in 1977. From that album, the hit singles included “Happy Feelin’s,” “While I’m Alone,” and “Lady of Magic“; ultimately giving them their first gold record and earning Maze a devoted fan base. They also had success with the following albums Golden Time of Day (1978), Inspiration (1979) and Joy and Pain (1980).

TRACKLIST

  1. INTRO – INTRO
  2. MAZE – YOU
  3. MAZE – FEEL THAT YOUR FEELING
  4. MAZE – WHAT GOES UP
  5. MAZE – SILKY SOUL
  6. MAZE – THE LOOK IN YOUR EYES
  7. MAZE – JOY & PAIN
  8. MAZE – MAGIC
  9. MAZE – AFTER THE MORNING AFTER
  10. MAZE – WE ARE ONE
  11. MAZE – CAN’T GET OVER U
  12. MAZE – CALL ON ME
  13. MAZE – SOMEBODY ELSES ARMS
  14. MAZE – HAPPY FEELINGS
  15. OUTRO – OUTRO

TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL JACKSON CD

Michael Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, the eighth of ten children to an African American working-class family, in Gary, Indiana, an industrial suburb of Chicago. His mother, Katherine Esther Scruse, was a devout  Jehovah’s Witness, and his father, Joseph Walter “Joe” Jackson, a steel mill worker who performed with an R&B band called The Falcons. Jackson had three sisters: Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet, and five brothers: Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy.  Referred to as the King of Pop, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by The Guinness Book of Records. His contribution to music, dance and fashion, along with a much-publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades.   He debuted on the professional music scene along with his brothers as a member of The Jackson 5 in the mid-1960s, and began his solo career in 1971.  Jackson’s 1982 album Thriller is the best-selling album of all time. His other records, including Off The Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995), also rank among the world’s best-selling. Jackson is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice.

  • August 29 1958 – June 25 2009

TRACKLIST

  1. INTRO – INTRO
  2. MJ – OFF THE WALL
  3. MJ – ROCK WITH U
  4. MJ – BABY BE MINE
  5. MJ – ROCK MY WORLD
  6. THE JACKSONS – HEARTBREAK HOTEL
  7. MJ – P.Y.T
  8. MJ & PAUL McCARTNEY – THE GIRL IS MINE
  9. THE JACKSONS – GIVE IT UP
  10. THE JACKSONS – THAT’S WHAT U GET
  11. MJ – I CAN’T HELP IT
  12. MJ – ONE MORE CHANCE (REMIX)
  13. THE JACKSONS – BLUES AWAY
  14. MJ – BUTTERFLIES
  15. MJ – HEAVEN CAN WAIT
  16. THE JACKSONS – PUSHING ME AWAY
  17. MJ – THE LADY IN MY LIFE
  18. MJ – HUMAN
  19. OUTRO — OUTRO

TRIBUTE TO TEDDY PENDERGRASS CD

Theodore DeReese Pendergrass was born at Thomas Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the only child of Jesse Pendergrass and Ida Geraldine Epps. Pendergrass‘ father left Teddy at an early age and later was murdered when Pendergrass was 12.  Pendergrass first rose to fame as lead singer of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes in the 1970s before a successful solo career at the end of the decade. In 1982, he was severely injured in an auto accident in Philadelphia, resulting in his being paralyzed from the waist down.  After his injury, the affable entertainer founded the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance, a foundation that helps those with spinal cord injuries. Pendergrass commemorated 25 years of living after his spinal cord injury with star filled event, Teddy 25 – A Celebration of Life at Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center. His last performance was on a PBS special at Atlantic City’s Borgata Casino in November 2008.

  • March 26 1950 – January 13 2010

TRACKLIST

  1. INTRO – INTRO
  2. TEDDY P – WHEN SOMEBODY LOVES U BACK
  3. TEDDY P – YOU’RE MY CHOICE TONIGHT
  4. TEDDY P – TIME FOR LOVE
  5. TEDDY P – LOVE TKO
  6. HAROLD MELVIN – U KNOW HOW TO MAKE ME
  7. TEDDY P – CLOSE THE DOOR
  8. TEDDY P – 2AM
  9. TEDDY P – LOVE IS THE POWER
  10. TEDDY P – COME ON AND GO WITH ME
  11. TEDDY P – TURN OFF THE LIGHTS
  12. TEDDY P – THE WHOLE TOWNS LAUGHING
  13. HAROLD MELVIN – AFTER YOU LOVE ME
  14. HAROLD MELVIN – HOPE THAT WE
  15. TEDDY P – GREATEST INSPIRATION
  16. HAROLD MELVIN – I MISS YOU
  17. OUTRO – OUTRO

TRIBUTE TO EARTH, WIND & FIRE CD

Earth, Wind & Fire is an American funk, formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1969. Led by Maurice White, they are best known for their hits of the 19, among them “After the Love Has Gone”, “September,” “Reasons,” “Fantasy” and “Shining Star.”and Maurice White to a reunion the group.

Earth, Wind & Fire became the first black performers to headline throughout the world without an opening act, to receive Madison Square Garden’s Gold Ticket Award for selling more than 100,000 tickets and to receive the Columbia Records Crystal Globe Award for selling more than five million albums in foreign markets. They have gained the BET’s Lifetime Achievement Award and ASCAP’s Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award.

EW&F was disbanded in 1983, but in 1987 CBS Records convinced Philip Bailey 

The group managed to continue into the 90’s with releases such as “Heritage”,”Millennium”,and “In the Name of Love ” in 1997.  However, due to Parkinson’s Disease, Maurice retired from the road but still continued to produce and sing on the group’s recordings.

In 2002’s That’s The Way Of The World: Alive In ‘75; Live In Rio which was recorded during their 1979 “I Am World Tour;

In 2000, the original ’70s edition of Earth, Wind & Fire reunited for one night only in honor of their induction into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

TRACKLIST

  1. INTRO
  2. EWF – LOVE MUSIC
  3. EWF – ON YOUR FACE
  4. EWF – SUNDAY MORNING
  5. EWF – SUPPOSE U LIKE ME
  6. EWF – TAKE U TO HEAVEN
  7. EWF – MY LOVE
  8. EWF – EARTH, WIND & FIRE
  9. EWF – ROUND & ROUND
  10. EWF – ANYTHING YOU WANT
  11. EWF – CAN’T HIDE LOVE
  12. EWF – WANNA BE WITH U
  13. EWF – LET ME LOVE U
  14. EWF – HOLD ME
  15. EWF – THAT’S THE WAY OF THE WORLD
  16. EWF – LOVE’S HOLIDAY
  17. EWF – BE EVER WONDERFUL
  18. EWF – REASONS
  19. EWF – AFTER THE LOVE HAS GOOD

TRIBUTE TO TEENA MARIE CD

  • March 05, 1956 – December 26, 2010

No white artist sang R&B more convincingly than Teena Marie, whose big, robust vocals were so black-sounding that when she was starting out, some listeners wondered if she was a light-skinned African-American. Marie grew up in west Los Angeles in a neighborhood that was nicknamed “Venice Harlem” because of its heavy black population. The singer/songwriter/producer was in her early twenties when, around 1977, she landed a job at Motown Records. It was at Motown that she met her mentor and paramour-to-be, Rick James, who ended up doing all of the writing and producing for her debut album of 1979, Wild and Peaceful. That LP, which boasted her hit duet with James, “I’m Just a Sucker for Your Love,” didn’t show Marie’s picture — so many programmers at black radio just assumed she was black. When her second album, Lady T, came out, much of the R&B world was shocked to see how fair-skinned she was. But to many of the black R&B fans who were eating her music up, it really didn’t matter — the bottom line was she was a first-rate soul singer whose love of black culture ran deep.

By her third album, 1980′s gold Irons in the Fire, Marie was doing most of her own writing and producing. That album boasted the major hit “I Need Your Lovin’,” and Marie went gold again with her next album, It Must Be Magic (which included the major hit “Square Biz“). It Must Be Magic turned out to be her last album for Motown, which she had a nasty legal battle with. Marie got out of her contract with Motown, and the case ended up with the courts passing what is known as “The Teena Marie Law” — which states that a label cannot keep an artist under contract without putting out an album by him or her.

Switching to Epic in 1983, Marie recorded her fifth album, Robbery, and had a hit with “Fix It.” In 1984, Marie recorded her sixth album, Starchild, and had her biggest pop hit ever with “Lovergirl.” Though Marie had often soared to the top of the R&B charts, “Lovergirl” marked the first time she’d done so well in the pop market. Ironically, Marie was a white singer who had enjoyed little exposure outside the R&B market prior to “Lovergirl.”

Three more Epic albums followed: 1986′s Emerald City, 1988′s Naked to the World (which contained her smash hit “Ooh La La La“), and 1990′s Ivory. Unfortunately, Marie’s popularity had faded considerably by the late ’80s, and Epic dropped her.

In 1994, the singer released Passion Play on her own Sarai Records label. Ten years later, she signed to Cash Money and released La Doña, featuring assistance from Gerald LeVert, Rick James, and MC Lyte. Sapphire followed two years later. Though both La Doña and Sapphire peaked at number three on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, she switched to Stax for her next album, 2009′s Congo Square. Marie unexpectedly died in her sleep at her home in Pasadena, CA on December 26, 2010; she was 54 years of age..

TRACKLIST

  1. INTRO – STAR TRIBUTE
  2. JINGLE – JINGLE
  3. TEENA MARIE – I NEED YOUR LOVING
  4. TEENA MARIE ft LENNY KRAVITZ –MAIN SQUEEZE
  5. TEENA MARIE – STILL IN LOVE
  6. TEENA MARIE – BABY I LOVE U
  7. TEENA MARIE – STOP THE WORLD
  8. TEENA MARIE – THE WAY U LOVE ME
  9. TEENA MARIE ft GERALD LEVERT – A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME
  10. TEENA MARIE – WILD HEROES
  11. TEENA MARIE ft DE DE O’NEIL- I LOVE HIM TOO
  12. TEENA MARIE – TURNING ME ON
  13. TEENA MARIE ft HOWARD HEWITT – LOVERS LANE
  14. TEENA MARIE – CUPID IS A REAL STRAIGHT SHOTTER
  15. TEENA MARIE – DÉJÀ VU
  16. TEENA MARIE – PORTUGESE LOVE
  17. OUTRO – OUTRO

TRIBUTE TO GERALD LEVERT CD

  • July 13, 1966 – November 10, 2006 

Gerald LeVert grew up in the shadows of his father, Eddie LeVert, Sr., of the O’Jays. As a child, his father’s status in the music industry nurtured and helped prepare Gerald for his prosperous music career as a writer, arranger, producer, and performer. As Gerald was entering his adulthood, he, good friend Marc Gordon, and his brother Sean formed the trio LeVert. They recorded their first single, entitled “I’m Still,” on the independent Tempre label. Even though Gerald was still maturing as a vocalist, his powerful, stirring delivery on the single is worthy of praise. Peaking on the Billboard R&B charts at number 70, it survived for eight weeks.

Nonetheless, that single set up a deal with Atlantic Records the following year, and it could not have been a better move. Initially, Gerald recorded with the group, scoring five number one singles, seven Top Ten singles, and four Top 20 singles on the Billboard R&B charts, including the Reggie and Vincent Calloway-written and produced number one single “Casanova,” which also peaked at number four on the Billboard pop charts. He also managed to make room for a duet with labelmate Miki Howard, recording the number four single “That’s What Love Is.” In 1991, Gerald released his solo debut album, Private Line. The title track spawned his first number one single as a solo artist on the Billboard R&B charts. The following year, Gerald came back with a duet with his father and scored another number one single with “Baby Hold on to Me” and the number three single “School Me,” reminiscent of Babyface’s “Whip Appeal.” However, in the midst of all his success, Gerald’s only major pop appeal remained the “Casanova” single.

In addition to his impressive string of hits, the Cleveland, OH, native rendered his services as songwriter, vocalist, and producer to many artists, such as the O’Jays, Barry White, Stephanie Mills, Troop, Teddy Pendergrass, the Winans, Patti Labelle, Rude Boys, and on and on. In 1997, Gerald added another dimension to his prosperous career; he joined forces with R&B vocalists Keith Sweat and Johnny Gill under the acronym LSG, spawning the hit single “My Body.” As a solo act, he released Love & Consequences the year following, returning in 1999 with G. He continued to be extremely productive throughout the early 2000s, releasing the albums Gerald’s World, G Spot, Stroke of Genius, and Do I Speak for the World before 2005. Shortly after completing a personal memoir with his father, as well as another album, Levert died on November 10, 2006, at the age of 40. By mistake, he had taken a lethal combination of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. The album he had just completed, In My Songs, was released a day before Valentine’s Day 2007. Something to Talk About, recorded with his father, followed that June.

TRACKLIST 

  1. INTRO – INTRO
  2. GERALD LEVERT – STROKE OF GENIUS
  3. GERALD LEVERT – KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
  4. GERALD LEVERT – TOP OF MY HEAD
  5. LEVERT – LOVE THE WAY U LOVE ME
  6. LEVERT – SMILING
  7. LEVERT – LET’S GET ROMANTIC
  8. GERALD & EDDIE LEVERT – SLIP AWAY
  9. GERALD & EDDIE LEVERT – GET YOUR THING OFF
  10. LEVERT – DON’T U THINK IT’S TIME
  11. LEVERT – I START YOU UP
  12. GERALD LEVERT – CAN’T WIN
  13. LEVERT – DO THE THANGS
  14. GERALD LEVERT – OVER & OVER
  15. LEVERT – ALL SEASON
  16. GERALD LEVERT – SAME PLACE, SAME TIME
  17. GERALD LEVERT – SCHOOL ME
  18. GERALD LEVERT – GOT LOVE

TRIBUTE TO THE WHISPERS CD

Group Formed: 1964

The Whispers are a veteran R&B quintet with an impressive 23-year legacy of R&B hits. Formed in Los Angeles by twins Walter and Wallace Scott, Nicholas Caldwell, Marcus Hutson, and Gordy Harmon (who left in 1973), the Whispers turned up on the Dore label in 1964 with “I Was Born When You Kissed Me.”

In 1969, the quintet climbed the soul charts for the first time with “The Time Has Come” on Soul Clock, and they cracked the R&B Top Ten the next year with “Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong.” They’ve remained hitmakers ever since for the labels Janus, Soul Train, and Solar, with smashes like the solid gold chart-topper “And the Beat Goes On” in 1980 and another number one urban contemporary hit, “Rock Steady,” in 1987.

After being their backbone and selling point since the group’s inception, twin lead vocalists Walter and Wallace Scott took time out for solo careers in 1993, but remain with the Whispers.

TRACKLIST

  1. INTRO – INTRO
  2. WHISPERS – LET’S GO ALL THE WAY
  3. WHISPERS – DISCO MELODY
  4. WHISPERS – IS IT GOOD TO YOU
  5. WHISPERS – COME ON HOME
  6. WHISPERS – I’M I THE ONE FOR U
  7. WHISPERS – NEVER TOO LATE
  8. WHISPERS – LOVE IS WHERE U FIND IT
  9. WHISPERS – IN THE MOOD
  10. WHISPERS – PRETTY LADY
  11. WHISPERS – SMALL TALKING 
  12. WHISPERS –SAY YES
  13. WHISPERS — GIVE IT TO ME
  14. WHISPERS — SAY YOU (WOULD LOVE FOR ME TOO)
  15. WHISPERS — LADY
  16. WHISPERS — WHAT WILL I DO
  17. OUTRO — OUTRO
Twitt

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 25th, 2010 at 6:34 pm. It is filed under Uncategorized and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.