Remembering Dick Griffey Founder of SOLAR Records

Co-founder of Soul Train Records with Don Cornelius and founder of SOLAR Records Dick Griffey born on this date November 16 in 1938 (passing away in 2010, Sept. 24)

Jeffrey Daniel Throwback Thursday Fan Sketch

Susy wrote she was a fan of SHALAMAR especially Jeffrey Daniel in 1983.

Before the internet, teen music fans used to be pen pals and connect through writing in to pop music magazines. This fan sketching of original member and former Soul Train dancer was looking to make friends with boys that like to dance and do the robot, a popular street dance move back then. 

Source: No1 Magazine, United Kingdom August 1983

Shalamar Supersoul Sunday Song Of The Day

This is from the last album from the classic lineup of Howard Hewett, Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel. A masterclass balladeer performance from Hewett, with signature SHALAMAR ™ harmonies to finish it off. Written by Gamboa, Hewett, Sylvers, produced by Leon Sylvers III

SHALAMAR 1996 Reunion of The Classic 3 Lineup

The lineup of originals Jeffrey Daniel and Jody Watley and Howard Hewett reunited in 1996 by mega producer artist BabyFace with his remake of one of their classic hits "This is For The Lover In You." His remake also included rapper/actor LL Cool J. The single peaked at #17 in 1980 for SHALAMAR ™.  The BabyFace remake from the album "The Day" would become a Top 10 Pop Hit on Billboard at #6 and #2 Hot R&B. The single also reached #12 in the UK.

SHALAMAR ™ with Daniel, Watley and Hewett appeared in a splashy video directed by Hype Williams. They would also reunite for an appearance for a taping of British television show "Top Of The Pops" In 2014, the lineup agreed to reunite for an appearance on the BET Awards as surprise performers but the performance was riddled with creative differences ultimately derailing the performance.

Friday Flashback - Former Shalamar Label Solar Records Legal Woes

SOLAR Records in it's heyday, 1980. SHALAMAR ™
was one the labels premiere acts.

SHALAMAR ™ Howard Hewett, Jody Watley, Jeffrey Daniel  Bankable with hits in 1982

The former label of  SHALAMAR ™ was Solar Records, at one time one of the hottest small labels in the business began to unravel in 1986. Ultimately sold to EMI in 1995,  This Los Angeles Times article gives an insight on bad deals, the eviction of label founder Dick Griffey from office building, lawsuits and disputes with Griffey and accusations regarding the major label distribution system. Griffey would later go on to be involved with Death Row Records' and Suge Knight.

The Solar Catalog (Whispers, Shalamar, Dynasty, Lakeside, Carrie Lucas, et al) is now owned by Unidisc Music and other companies worldwide after changing many hands. The music legacy lives on long after the lawsuits, evictions and bad deals.

Read the Los Angeles Times article: Here

Musical Quote of the Day from Giorgio Moroder

Disco music has had it's backlash but has rebounded in many forms of dance music still packing dance floors around the world including the resurgence of the modern disco house. No question about it people will always love to to dance.

Tuesday Trivia with Shalamar of 1980

Jeffrey Daniel, Jody Watley, Howard Hewett - Photo via Getty Images /Michael Ochs

#TuesdayTrivia  #Shalamar "The Second Time Around" The song is the first single from the album, Big Fun featuring the lineup of Jody Watley, Jeffrey Daniel and Howard Hewett . The single went to number 1 on the soul chart and was Shalamar's most successful hit on the Hot 100 pop chart, reaching number eight in early 1980 "The Second Time Around" also went to Number 1 on the Disco/Dance chart in January 1980. The song was produced by Leon Sylvers III, who cowrote the song with William Shelby.

In 1980, the band made a promotion of "The Second Time Around" for the radio station KJR in Seattle, called "The Sonics Came to Play," dedicated to the Seattle SuperSonics who had won the NBA Championship the previous year.

Supersoul Sunday with Former Shalamar Lead Sydney Justin

Another of the male lead vocalists was Sydney Justin (1985-1991); recording albums (Circumstantial Evidence, Wake Up, the 10th for the music group with many changes) on Solar Records that folded in 1995. Justin was former cornerback for the Los Angeles Rams and Indianapolis Colts and is currently the lead vocalist for The Miracles  (The Sound of The Miracles).

SuperSoulSunday Shalamar of 1982 Makes You Feel Good

Shalamar of 1982 with Howard Hewett, Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel make you feel good, from "Friends" album.