Ray Chapa Blog: Teena Marie - 'Wishing On A Star'

Ray Chapa Blog: Teena Marie - 'Wishing On A Star': Her voice is so satisfying, one  couldn`t help but adore her. Teena Marie was one of the Largest Show Stoppers around for a number of years...

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Ray Chapa Blog: Timeless Classic The Main Ingredient - Spinning Ar...

Ray Chapa Blog: Timeless Classic The Main Ingredient - Spinning Ar...: A Great Time in Music History- The 1970`s. A care free time when almost every aspect in music was at it`s peak. Groups like The Main Ingre...

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Timeless Classic The Main Ingredient - Spinning Around (1970)

A Great Time in Music History- The 1970`s. A care free time when almost every aspect in music was at it`s peak. Groups like The Main Ingredient helped unite people with tunes such as this one. This song has a beautiful melody with a vocal quality un-matched by many of the times. 
The group was formed in Harlem, New York in 1964 as a trio called the Poets, composed of lead singer Donald McPherson, Luther Simmons, Jr., and Panama-born Tony Silvester. They made their first recordings for Leiber & Stoller's Red Bird label, but soon changed their name to the Insiders and signed with RCA. After a couple of singles, they changed their name once again in 1968, this time permanently to the Main Ingredient, taking the name from a Coke bottle.
The Main Ingredient then teamed up with record producer Bert DeCoteaux. Under his direction, the Main Ingredient reached the R&B Top 30 for the first time in 1970 with "You've Been My Inspiration." A cover of The Impressions' "I'm So Proud" broke the Top 20, and "Spinning Around (I Must Be Falling in Love)" went into the Top 10. They scored again with the McPherson-penned black power anthem "Black Seeds Keep on Growing," but tragedy struck in 1971: McPherson, who had suddenly taken ill with leukemia, died unexpectedly. Stunned, Silvester and Simmons regrouped with new lead singer Cuba Gooding, Sr., who had served as a backing vocalist on some of their previous recordings and had filled in on tour during McPherson's brief illness.                                                                                                                            The Gooding era began auspiciously enough with the million-selling smash "Everybody Plays the Fool," which hit number two R&B and number three pop to become the group's biggest hit ever. The accompanying album, aptly titled Bitter Sweet, became their first to hit the Top Ten on the R&B charts.
It gives me such pleasure to write about this decade and the music that made it all happen.
Thanks for commenting. Ray Chapa.

Teena Marie - 'Wishing On A Star'

Her voice is so satisfying, one  couldn`t help but adore her. Teena Marie was one of the Largest Show Stoppers around for a number of years. Her presence on stage only accented her great voice. She sang a number of different styles of music along with writing and producing much of her own material. Some of her works are still enjoyed  on the R&B,  Jazz, and Dance charts. Indeed, Teena has been missed for she passed away a few years ago. I hope you enjoy this version of this song as only she could do. RIP Teena.
Thanks for commenting. Ray Chapa.

Ray Chapa Blog: Frankie Valli - Swearin' To God (Disco Mix) (Slayd...

Ray Chapa Blog: Frankie Valli - Swearin' To God (Disco Mix) (Slayd...: Frankie Valli is an American popular singer, most famous as frontman of The Four Seasons beginning in 1960. He is well known for his u...

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Frankie Valli - Swearin' To God (Disco Mix) (Slayd5000)

Frankie Valli is an American popular singer, most famous as frontman of The Four Seasons beginning in 1960. He is well known for his unusually powerful falsetto voice.                                                                   Valli began his professional singing career in 1951 with the Variety Trio (Nickie DeVito, Tommy DeVito and Nick Macioci). Valli's desire to sing in public was initially granted when, having heard Valli sing, the group offered him a guest spot when the group performed. In late 1952, the Variety Trio disbanded and Valli, along with Tommy DeVito, became part of the house band at The Strand in New Brunswick, New Jersey. For his part, Valli played bass and sang. He cut his first single, "My Mother's Eyes", in 1953 as "Frankie Valley", a variation on a name he adopted from "Texas" Jean Valli, a favorite female singer. Around this time, Valli and Tommy DeVito left the house band at The Strand and formed The Variatones with Hank Majewski, Frank Cattone and Billy Thompson. In 1956, as part of an audition backing a female singer, the group impressed New York record man Peter Paul, who had them auditioning at RCA Victor a week later. Renamed The Four Lovers, the group recorded several singles and one album's worth of tracks. They had a minor hit with "You're the Apple of My Eye" in 1956. Nickie DeVito and Hank Majewski left in 1958 to be replaced by Nick Macioci (now Nick Massi) and Hugh Garrity. Massi was in and out of the group, and, occasionally Charles Calello joined on accordion. The group continued to perform until 1959, when Bob Gaudio became a member. After a few more changes, the group was renamed "The 4 Seasons" in 1960. As the lead singer of The Four Seasons, he had a string of hits beginning with the number one hit "Sherry" in 1962. As a footnote to this period of Frankie's career with The Four Seasons, the group's bassist and vocal arranger Nick Massi was replaced in 1965 by Charlie Calello, the group's instrumental arranger, and, then shortly thereafter, Charlie was replaced by Joseph LaBracio, who went by the pseudonym Joe Long. Finally, Valli ended the '60s with a string of recordings that were included in the Valli/Four Seasons album 'Half & Half' or released as various singles. The only hit to emerge at this time was the recording of "The Girl I'll Never Know (Angels Never Fly This Low)," reaching number 52. Then another major event happened, a Valli solo recording from 1966 became a surprise hit in Great Britain as part of the Northern soul scene and hit number eleven on the British pop charts in December 1970.  Going forward in 1975, Valli's single "My Eyes Adored You" hit number 1 on Billboard's Hot 100. In the same year, he also had a number 6 Billboard hit with the disco-laden "Swearin' To God", while a further UK Chart success came with "Fallen Angel" written by Guy Fletcher & Doug Flett and produced by Bob Gaudio; Back in the U.S. and  Taking the Disco Charts by storm in the late 1970s` was Frankie Valli with a number of hits including this Dance Smash. In the Night Clubs, TV Dance Shows, On the Radio, School Events, and in everyone s neighborhood people were listening to this Hot Disco Tune. You see,"  Popular Songs like this always made things go a little smoother on the Dance Floor, where it all  happened."  If ever a musical style defined a decade, Disco was the definition of the 1970s. Although its popularity was relatively short-lived, the genre hosted a great deal of songs and artists that people are still dancing to today. As for Frankie Valli- What a guy. They always say that no one does it better, and just by chance maybe they were right. So turn back the years for a few moments and enjoy this tune once again, It may one song you won`t forget.  Thanks for commenting, Ray Chapa.

Ray Chapa Blog: Jonathan Butler Sarah Sarah

Ray Chapa Blog: Jonathan Butler Sarah Sarah:  In 1988, it was a great time for music of all genres. South Africa had a guy with a exception voice and charm. Jonathan Butler was his na...

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