Friday, November 1, 2013

2nd time around

KEEP IT OLDSKOOL ARTIST PROFILE 

Shalamar


Shalamar was the brainchild of Soul Train pioneer Don Cornelius and booking agent Dick Griffey. They were made up of initially Gary Mumford and Soul Train dancers Jody Whatley and Jeffery Daniel in 1977. The group was signed to SOLAR records also a product for Dick Griffey and Don Cornelius. By 1979 the most popular lineup would be Howard Hewitt, Watley and Daniel. Their first real hit was "2nd Time Around" which was produced by Leon Sylvers III.


The group was fragile from the beginning due to internal friction and members not being happy with the label and specifically Dick Griffey. Through all of this the group continued to have hits with songs like "A night to Remember" 

At some point both Watley and Daniel were fed up with the lack of payment of royalties that they felt were owed to them decided to leave the group. In 1984 a new lineup of Hewitt, Micki Free and Delissa Davis scored a hit from the Footloose movie soundtrack called "Dancin in the Sheets"  The group soldiered on for just another year  before Howard Hewitt himself left to go solo in 1985. Though never really a household name and the lineup changes hindered longevity who reading this column doesn't say when "The Lover in You" comes on "Oh snap this is my jawn"  Keep It Oldskool remembers Shalamar



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