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 Light Up The Holiday Season

SHALAMAR Right On! Magazine Holiday Issue January 1982

page 30

SHALAMAR

BY CYNTHIA HORNER

(page 30)

Shalamar and I just keep running into each other. Jeffrey Daniel spent a whole morning in my office recently and Jody and Howard, and I attend a lot of the same social functions, so during all of our socializing we made plans to do a cover story.

A few days later, following a long photo session (as you know we strive for perfection), it's time for the interview at Solar Records. As usual, pretty Jody is the first to appear. "Is it always this way?" I ask, "Yes, usually" she admits in her quiet manner.

Just then Jeffrey walks in the door asking for Howard. Howard is usually the second to show up for appointments so Jeffrey was surprised not to find him there. "But I'm not always late" he protests.

"Yes, you are," I tell him. "Why?' "Well because my legs are the longest and it takes more time for me to get in and out of cars," he quickly makes up an excuse.

"He's so hyperactive it seems he'd be here early, Jody remarks.

"No, the reason why is I do so many things in one day," he explains. "That's what it is, I try to cram in a lot of things."

"I do too," Jody kids him."No today, I went to Pasadena and back put film in the shop to be developed, and…" his voice trailed off as Jody merrily bursts into laughter.

"Have you a new source of transportation now that you're more successful?" I ask him.

"Yep, a new skateboard. I always have ridden skateboards, unicycles and skates. I don't go out that much anymore, but I used to skateboard down Hollywood Boulevard. I'd take my skateboard with me to the movies and lay it across the armrests so I could use it to hold my refreshments. I have memberships to skateboard parks and used o go riding all the time. On the streets I get recognized, so I can't do it as much."

I kept hearing noise outside the doorway and felt I recognized the voices. Leon Sylvers peeped his head in to say hello through the doorway. William Shelby of Dynasty was somewhere around, and I later met Reggie Calloway of Midnight Star. Linda Carriere of Dynasty called on the phone and photos of of The Sylvers, Lakeside, and Carrie Lucas hang on the walls, I was excited to be within the record company, as all their artists have been to visit me at Right On!

It reminded me to tell Jeffrey how much everyone at our offices enjoyed having him visit one morning. "You probably created a good impression because you brought me flowers. That's a sign of good manners." I tease him.

"I'll tell you why I brought them," he says. "I know why you brought them; you don't want me to be angry with you for anything."

"That's not why," Jeffrey protests. "It was because that was my first invitation to come talk to you at your office. I was very happy to come." "Why?" "For the same reason you're enjoying your visit at Solar. I have always

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(page 31)

liked reading Right On! ever since I used to dance on Soul Train. Shalamar's been around the world and has gold records, but visiting Right On! was even more special to me."

"Me too," Jody chimes in. "I have all the old Right On!'s to prove I care. I entered the Miss Right On! contest when I was in 8th grade." "Don't use the old picture," warns latecomer Howard. "We don't want to shock anyone," he laughs. "I guess I take Right On! for granted," I surmise. "That's because you're there everyday," they chorus. "You can't see the forest for the trees," Howard adds.

"Who is the go between when the group has arguments," I wonder. "We don't have arguments," Jeffrey explains affectionately at his two favorite people. "Majority always rules. Like sometimes if I want to wear my hair one way and they want it another way, I have to go along with them. That happened with the photo session for the 'Friends' album which will come out in January," "What did you want to do?" Jody starts laughing, Jeffrey seriously says, "I have been wearing my hair sort of in dreadlocks except they didn't really dread. As you see,

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(page 32)
it's like that now, I only combed it for the photo session." "but your hair wasn't even combed when you first arrived; it was braided. I was so afraid to ask you to unbraid it that I didn't know what to do," I confessed. Jody chuckles with me sympathetically having been through this before."
"Oh well, I just came in from the airport; I ha been back home to attend a wedding in Michigan for Shalamar's drummer and that's why it was like that." Jeffrey says.
"Jody, were you the main objector to the way he wanted to wear his hair?" "Yes, well, no." "It was majority rules," Jeffrey hastens to add. "Do you get hurt feelings, Jeffrey?" I ask him. "Sometimes. If you believe in something…" "We all go through that," Jody says. "Jody takes it the hardest. If it's choreography or whatever, and Howard and I don't want to go for it, she'll pout for a second. She'll get quiet on us," Jeffrey smiles at his dance partner.
"She seems so reasonable," I say glancing at the 21 year old female lead vocalist. "She usually is," Jeffrey agrees. "Reasonable?" Howard questions. "Huh!" "Yes, she pouts," Jeffrey went on. "But Howard and I knock her out of it."
"Usually the three of us think along the same lines," Howard mentions. "When we first got together, it was a meant to be situation. Jeffrey and I being the two male elements of the group had to feel each other out at first, but everything worked out." "Yeah, I got tired of him beating me up," Jeffrey laughs.
"Jeffrey," I remind him. "Remember the time we talked about your feelings on being original? Why don't you go into more details for the readers."
"Oh, yes, look at me now." The two-thirds of Shalamar look him over from head to toe. He's wearing jeans, a sweatshirt and an odd looking cap. "I like anything that's odd and interesting; I don't wear designer clothing. You know what? That's why I dance the way I do. I don't like to do anything anyone else does. It would hurt me to dance one way throughout a whole song. It would give me a pain in my chest."
"Are you doing anything new with your dancing these days?" "Yep" "It's getting worse" Jody murmurs innocently.
"That's cold" Howard exclaims. "I'm trying to stretch out; I don't want to do the same things I've been doing. I create a lot of new steps in discos, that have nice sized dance floors. "Speaking of dancing, do you ever visit Soul Train?" "Yes, we all go down there," says Jeffrey who seldom misses a taping if he can help it." "How does Don Cornelius treat you now that you're all famous?" "Same as always." He lowers his voice perfectly matching Don's. "Hey, Jeff" Jody chuckles delightedly.
"What did you with the photo I gave you of the two of you onstage at Soul Train?" "It's hanging up on display. After all if it weren't for Don, there'd be no Shalamar. It brought me out of Grand Rapids, Michigan. This sounds awful, but I quit high school so I could get to Los Angeles to be on Soul Train, Don Cornelius and Dick Griffey put together Soul Train Records, and through that company Shalamar was formed. I have a lot of respect for Don and Dick because they're two successful black businessmen. They know a lot."
The two other Shalamar members bob their heads in agreement. I look at Howard a little more closely, noticing how much he's changed since joining the group. "That's what everyone says; I don't know why." Howard explains, his shirt unbuttoned exposing a sexy hairy chest. "The boy's got some money in his pocket!" Jeffrey teases.
"I remember the first time I came to Right On! for a photo session. I wasn't even ready for it," he shakes his head remembering how he looked. "I remember my wife Rainy was pregnant at the time." "That's the baby I see all the time now?" I exclaim in amazement.
"She's not a baby anymore -- that was at least two and a half years ago. Now, I have another little girl, little Rainy Daze, who is 6 months old. I wasn't able to be at the hospital for her birth since we were on tour, but I helped deliver my first. She was born in 36 minutes. Four or five years later I'd like to have a boy." "Does your wife travel with you?" "She and my older daughter like it. They hang pretty tough." "Does your wife get lonely and expect a call every night when you're apart?"
The happily married man's eyes crinkle with laughter as he reveals, "Let's out it this way. She gets a call every night."
"How does it feel to have so many fans in love with you after your gold album "Three For Love?"
Howard says "It feels good, I praise the Lord for it. If they weren't running after us, something would be wrong."
"Did the songs give your fans romantic ideas about you?" "You should read some of the fan mail. The part I wrote in "For The Lover In You" was dedicated to all the lovers out there, my wife in particular.
"Hey, enough of that," Jeffrey broke in. "The theme of this issue is Christmas, remember?" We can't forget what we're here for." I ask Jeffrey if he likes celebrating Christmas. "Yeah" "I'll bet you like getting presents" "No," he contradicts me. "I like giving presents, I break myself financially. I like to surprise people and make them happy. Jody and I always used to bring the Soul Train dancers together for the holidays and cook for them. This Christmas I think I'll be at Jody's new house raiding the refrigerator since she says she'll be cooking a lot." "You know what? I'd like to see how many people would enjoy Christmas if they didn't get presents. It's so crazy, Christmas is supposed to be the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. What does it matter if we get presents or not; it's not our birthday." Jody agrees. "We shouldn't wait for a holiday to come up to express love and show people we appreciate them. That's how we were taught in our household anyway."
Howard concludes, "We have a special message to give to our fans this season. First of all, they're not going to be called fans anymore; they've supported us to the point that we now consider them our friends. We want to remain friends with them.
And what better people to spend your holiday season with than your friends?

page 33 Right On! January 1982. Jody Watley, Jeffrey Daniel, Howard Hewett

SHALAMAR Rock and Soul Magazine

Howard Hewett, Jody Watley, Jeffrey Daniel in 1982

Article: SHALAMAR The Powers of Love by Ed Ochs

SHALAMAR - Jody Watley 1979

SHALAMAR FASHION FLAIR RIGHT ON MAGAZINE JULY 1982

Page 36, Right On Magazine July 1982

Caption: Jeffrey Daniels international travels have taken him to parts of Europe, the West Indies and Africa. He shares the contents of his wardrobe brimming with unique fabrics and accessories in a special fashion layout with his many friends and fans in mind.

Page 37, Right On Magazine July 1982

Caption: Jeffrey and his friend Donna model Japanese Kansai fashions he found in Paris. At let he's wildly reggae shown with his many cases of guitars. The long white robe and matching pants are West African which he picked up while on tour.

Page 38, Right On Magazine July 1982

CAPTION: Shalamar's backup singer Jermaine Stewart (a former Soul Train dancer) has gone New Wave too. His friends think he's very trendy. Jeffrey's Scottish kilt, admired by his RCA dog is just the proper outfit for his travels to the British Isles

Page 39 Right On Magazine July 1982

CAPTION: "Shalamar's only female member Jody Watley who is a longtime friend and dance partner of Jeffrey's enjoys the New Wave look too. She took advantage of the opportunity to purchase clothing and accessories which would compliment Jeffrey's wardrobe. Now they have to get their lead singer Howard Hewett into the act. He's resisted their attempts to convert him so far."

SHALAMAR The Look Billboard Magazine Advertisement 1983

Jeffrey Daniel, Jody Watley, Howard Hewett

Shalamar with a Billboard Magazine back cover full page ad announcing the release of "The Look" on Solar Records, Issue Date August 6,1983

Shalamar had split In July of 1983 prior to album release, see Jeffrey Daniel on Shalamar Split Melody Maker Magazine Issue dated July 16, 1983.

SHALAMAR True Friends In Blues and Soul

Howard Hewett, Jody Watley, Jeffrey Daniel Blues and Soul 1982

EXCERPT:

Shalamar's leap to super-stardom is one of the great success stories of 1982. Howard Hewett raps with B&S and explains how the Shalamar explosion happened, and reveals their immediate and long term plans...

The thing about Shalamar is that you get the distinct feeling that they would hang out together even if the Shalamar bubble burst tomorrow - not that there's a whole lot of chance of that happening, you understand! And not wishing to abuse any clichés but Jeffrey, Howard and Jody do genuinely appear to like each other.

I recall the first interview personally I had with Shalamar earlier this year, they seemed to possess a "oneness", a sort of three into one will go type of aura which was difficult to pinpoint but very easy to see and feel.

A flicker of the Daniel eye, a twitch of the Watley lip, a raising of the Hewett eyebrow - everything, which would normally be perfectly in order seemed to convey a secret message which only they understood.

I recall feeling slightly disoriented at the time but manfully struggled on and completed the interview--which appeared in B&S Issue 353.

Glancing through that interview, I note with interest that their "Friends" album had just been unleashed on an unsuspecting public, and my comment, although hardly a lone voice in the wilderness was pretty accurate and prophetic.

The album "Friends" is without a doubt, outrageously commercial and looks set to endorse the group's faith in it's own belief. The fact that it was also their debut Solar album under the WEA banner was also noted.

Shortly thereafter the whole Shalamar "thing" went into orbit: their recordings, which hitherto had attained pleasing results, suddenly became essential buys for what appeared to be the majority of the British record market whilst their live appearances became sell-out situations everywhere. Shalamar had become a very hot property indeed.

What happened?

The answer to this, and other questions was answered by Shalamar's Howard Hewett when I met up with him recently at the WEA offices in Soho.

"I don't think there is just one simple explanation for the success we have had this year.: smiles a relaxed, if tired looking Howard. "I believe one of the major factors was the switch from RCA to WEA Records which to be a viable and comfortable move for everyone, certainly as far as we're concerned!" "Naturally, the 'Friends' album didn't do us any harm either! We put a lot of effort into making that albumm just right - or what we hoped was just right -- and I guess without appearing too smug, we managed a reasonable job!"  "These two factors plus that indefinable something ... maybe it's the timing or the ability to catch the spirit or mood of the people...really made the difference this year."

Shalamar, of course, have always been an entertaining trio; their appeal is basic and uncluttered and effective. Howard's lead vocals, Jeffrey's dancing and Jody's...eh, well, Jody's all around talents have collectively proved to be the smash of the year..82's formula for success which shows little sign of easing up for 1983.

SHALAMAR Cover Black Enterprise July 1982

SHALAMAR: Howard Hewett, Jody Watley, Jeffrey Daniel July 1982 EXCERPT: Top Seller for Solar "Among the stable of Acts is Shalamar. gold single "The Second Time Around" and then followed it up with their recent smash "A Night To Remember." With sales of 40.7 million dollars, ten biggest Solar Sellers Include Shalamar at #1 with 1.8 million, the company catapulted to eleventh place in the 1982 Black Enterprise List of Top 100 Black Owned businesses. The only company ahead of Solar is Motown which has held the No, 1 spot since the Black Enterprise List began a decade ago." - By Stephan Gale

SHALAMAR in Smash Hits Full Page 1983

SHALAMAR SuperStylin In Record Mirror

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SUPERSTYLIN', SHALAMAR  Jeffry Daniel, Jody Watley, Howard Hewett, British Music Magazine, Record Mirror July 2, 1983

SHALAMAR Over and Over Vinyl 12 Inch Single | Lyrics | Review

Shalamar with Howard Hewett, Jody Watley, Jeffrey Daniel

Shalamar with Howard  Hewett, Jody Watley, Jeffrey Daniel

Over and Over was released after the departure of Jeffrey Daniel and Jody watley.
Chart:
#23 UK Pop
#26 US Soul

SHALAMAR Stand Out Style In Record Mirror 1982

Shalamar original members Jeffrey Daniel and Jody Watley along with Howard Hewett (third male lead vocalist to come into Shalamar),1982 Record Mirror (UK publication). Of many singing groups Shalamar not only had the hits, the perfect blend of pop/soul, Shalamar also had the dance moves with Daniel and Watley coming from the popular show Soul Train,they also had standout style that made them stand out from many groups of that time. Each member was distinct where many groups were anonymous.

SHALAMAR Promotional Black and White Photograph 1978

Jeffrey Daniel, Jody Watley, Gerald Brown

SHALAMAR On The Scene in 1978

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Jeffrey DanielS, Jody Watley, Gerald Brown March/April 1978: On The Scene Magazine Cover Story.

"On The Scene" Magazine March/April 1978 article from cover story "Shalamar Out To Do It All" for second album "Shalamar Disco Gardens." The album went on to produce one of the groups biggest singles "Take That To The Bank."  

Excerpt: "Jeffrey Daniels, Jody Watley and Gerald Brown comprise Shalamar, an exciting new vocal/dance trio distributed by Solar Records, distributed by RCA Records. The world may best know Shalamar for "Uptown Festival," the avant garde disco hit that took the nation by storm.." "Now Shalamar welcomes you to "Shalamar's Disco Garden," an invigorating illumunious musical fantasyland of an LP that establishes this band as more than one hit wonders. And don't use the word disco too loosely here, for Shalamar offers the fluttering essence of contemporary music -- lively R&B/pop mixtures and sultry ballads." "Many may doubt Shalamar's musical credibility because of it's storybook beginnings. Nevertheless, what you see is but a small portion of what you get." "Personally", beams Jeffrey, " I'd would like to become an entertainment standard--one of those entertainers known for giving us a lifetime of showbiz..I'd like to develop my skills as a songwriter and musician. Shalamar will give me that chance." "Gerald would also like to further his experience in entertainment, for him Shalamar is the topping of a singing career that began at thirteen. Jody, probably the most business minded of the troupe dreams of a chic dress shop to open after her career is in full swing. Those things are in the future. Right now the musical threesome is eagerly looking forward to the thrills, spills, and excitement that come along with being a group as fresh, new and exciting as Shalamar"