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Shalamar

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For other uses, seeShalimar.

Shalamar
Shalamar in 1983 (left to right: Howard Hewett, Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel)
Shalamar in 1983 (left to right:Howard Hewett,Jody WatleyandJeffrey Daniel)
Background information
OriginLos Angeles,California,U.S.
Genres
Years active1977–1991, 1996–1997, 1999–present
LabelsSoul Train
SOLAR
MembersHoward Hewett
Jeffrey Daniel
Carolyn Griffey
Past membersJody Watley
Gary Mumford
Gerald Brown
Delisa Davis
Micki Free
Sidney Justin
Websiteshalamar.info

Shalamar(/ˈʃæləmɑːr/) is an American R&B andsoul musicvocalgroupcreated byDick GriffeyandDon Corneliusin 1977 and active throughout the 1980s. Shalamar's classic lineup on theSOLARlabel consisted ofHoward Hewett,Jody Watley,andJeffrey Daniel,together with dancerJermaine Stewart.It was originally adisco-driven group created bySoul Trainbooking agentDick Griffeyand show creator andproducerDon Cornelius.[1][2]They went on to be an influentialdancetrio,masterminded by Cornelius.[3]As noted in theBritish Hit Singles & Albums,they were regarded as fashion icons and trendsetters, and helped to introduce "body-popping"to theUnited Kingdom.[3]Their name was created by Griffey.[4]

Career

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The firsthitcredited to Shalamar was "Uptown Festival"(1977), which was recorded atIke & Tina Turner's studioBolic Soundin 1976.[5]It was released onSoul Train Records.Its success inspired Griffey andDon Corneliusto replacesessionsingers with popularSoul TraindancersJody WatleyandJeffrey Daniel,to join original Shalamar lead singer Gary Mumford. Gerald Brown took over the spot vacated by Mumford for the group's second album,Disco Gardens(1978), which featured the hit "Take That to the Bank".After conflicts over lack of payment from Griffey andSOLAR(short for Sound of Los Angeles Records), Brown left the group.[6]Howard Hewettreplaced Brown in 1979.[2]The group was joined up withproducerLeon Sylvers IIIin 1979, signed with SOLAR, and scored aUSmillion seller with "The Second Time Around"(1979). The" classic "lineup of Hewett, Watley and Daniel would be the most successful.

In theUK,the group had a string of hits with songs such as "Take That to the Bank" (1978), "I Owe You One" (1980), and songs from theFriends(1982) album: "I Can Make You Feel Good"(1982),"A Night to Remember","There It Is",and the title track" Friends ".[1]The album, which crossed the genres ofpop,disco, andsoul,was also a big seller in the UK in 1982.[7]The band's record sales in the UK increased when Daniel demonstrated hisbody-poppingdancingskills onBBC Television's music programme,Top of the Pops,which had premiered themoonwalkon television for the first time.[8]Michael Jacksonwas afanof Shalamar, particularly Daniel and his dance moves, after watching him onSoul Train.[8]Jackson and Daniel met afterward, and Jackson took his then 12-year-old sisterJanetto see Shalamar perform atDisneyland.Daniel and Jackson co-choreographed Jackson's "Bad"and"Smooth Criminal"videosfrom the albumBad(1987).[9]

Shalamar in 1982
Shalamar in 1982
Shalamar in 1982

The Hewett-Watley-Daniel lineup of Shalamar scored a total of fivegold albumsin the U.S.:Big Fun(1979);Three for Love(1980), which eventually wentPlatinum;Friends(1982), which also wentPlatinum;The Look(1983) andHeartbreak(1984).[1]In 1983, prior to the release ofThe Look,Watley and Daniel left Shalamar due to conflicts within the group as well as issues with Dick Griffey and SOLAR.[10]AlthoughThe Lookwasn't as successful asFriendshad been the previous year, it still yielded a number of hit singles in the UK, including "Disappearing Act", theGrammy-nominated "Dead Giveaway", and "Over and Over", and featured more of anew wave/synth-popsound than previous albums.

AfterMicki Freeand Delisa Davis replaced Daniel and Watley in the group's lineup,[2]Shalamar reached #17 on theBillboardHot 100 with "Dancing in the Sheets",featured on theFootloosesoundtrack album, and contributed "Don't Get Stopped in Beverly Hills," written by Hewett, Free, andDavid "Hawk" Wolinski,to theBeverly Hills Copsoundtrack, which won the 1985Grammy Award for Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special;the award was given to all 14 of the soundtrack's songwriters. Both "Dancing in the Sheets" and "Don't Get Stopped in Beverly Hills" were included on Shalamar's eighth album, the gold-sellingHeartbreak,released in November 1984.

Hewett departed the group in 1985 to begin a solo career.Sydney Justintook over as lead vocalist forCircumstantial Evidence(1987),[2]coproduced byBabyfaceandL.A. Reid,andWake Up(1990), Shalamar's final pair of albums before they disbanded.

Reunions

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In 1996, Watley performed with Hewett and Daniel onBabyface's million-selling single "This Is for the Lover in You,"acoverof a hit single from Shalamar's platinum albumThree for Love(1980).[1][11]A music video was shot in which the three former members of Shalamar were digitally reunited on screen.[12]Hewett, Watley, and Daniel subsequently joined Babyface and LL Cool J to perform the song on the UK'sTop of the Popsin 1996. They are credited on this single release under their individual names; however, it marked the classic trio's first and only live performance together since 1983.[13]

In 1999,Howard HewettandJeffrey Danielreformed Shalamar and played in Japan. This was followed by UK tours in 2000, 2001, and 2003. From 2001, Shalamar continued touring with the line up ofHoward Hewett,Jeffrey Daniel,andCarolyn Griffey(a long-time friend andfanof the original band's, and daughter of Shalamar's creator and Dick Griffey). Carolyn's mother isCarrie Lucas,for whom Watley sang backing vocals. In 2005, this lineup appeared on the UKtelevision seriesHit Me, Baby, One More Time.Shalamar reached the grand finale ofHit Me, Baby, One More Timein May 2005, ultimately losing out toShakin' Stevens.This was followed by annual concert tours in the UK, Cannes, USA, Nigeria, and Japan.

Shalamar was featured in an episode ofTV One's seriesUnsung,in which Watley, Daniel, and Hewett shared their stories about the group's creation, the lack of payments and royalties from SOLAR, success, egos, and the breakup of the classic lineup. Dick Griffey, Micki Free, Delisa Davis, andSidney Justinwere also interviewed for the episode. In October 2009, the reconstituted Shalamar of Hewett, Daniel, and Griffey performed as a part of "The Ultimate Boogie Nights Disco Concert Series", atO2 ArenaEntertainment inLondon.[14][15]This prompted their return to the UK in April 2010 for a tour. Shalamar returned to IndigO2 in October 2011, December 2012, December 2013 and December 2014.[16]Shalamar performed a series of eight UK tour dates in April 2015 and another tour of four UK dates in July 2015.[17][18]

In 2017, Shalamar released their first single since 1991 called "The Real Thing"[19][20]

As of July 2018, Carrie Lucas and Carolyn Griffey, wife and daughter of Shalamar creator Dick Griffey, officially own all Shalamar licensing across the UK[21]and 28 countries of Europe.[22]

Carolyn Griffey once challenged Jody Watley's trademark of Shalamar in the United States, claiming that she (Griffey) was the sole owner of the name. Watley countered, and theTrademark Trial and Appeal Boardruled in her favor, saying that the petitioner (Griffey) never submitted evidence of her claims. Watley owns the Shalamar trademark in the United States.[23][24]

Personnel

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  • Jeffrey Daniel- vocals, guitar(1977–1983, 1996-1997, 1999–present)
  • Jody Watley- vocals(1977–1983, 1996–1997)
  • Gary Mumford[25]- vocals (1977–1978)
  • Gerald Brown - vocals(1978–1979)
  • Howard Hewett- vocals, piano, guitar(1979–1985, 1996–1997, 1999–present)
  • Delisa Davis - vocals, keyboards(1983–1991)
  • Micki Free- vocals, guitar(1983–1991)
  • Sidney Justin- vocals, keyboards(1985–1991)
  • Carolyn Griffey- vocals(2001–present)

Discography

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Main article:Shalamar discography
Studio albums

See also

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References

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  1. ^abcdRoberts, David (1998).Guinness Rockopedia(1st ed.). London: Guinness Publishing Ltd. p.385.ISBN0-85112-072-5.
  2. ^abcdErlewine, Stephen Thomas."Shalamar Biography".AllMusic.RetrievedOctober 20,2011.
  3. ^abRoberts, David (2006).British Hit Singles & Albums(19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 493.ISBN1-904994-10-5.
  4. ^Warner, Jay (2006).American Singing Groups: From 1940 to Today - Jay Warner - Google Boeken.Hal Leonard Corporation.ISBN9780634099786.RetrievedDecember 11,2012.
  5. ^"Ian Dewhirst".Red Bull Music Academy.RetrievedJuly 12,2020.
  6. ^"Unsung Shalamar Unfiltered Part 8 Gerald Brown" Take That To The Bank "Conclusion".YouTube. December 30, 2010.Archivedfrom the original on December 22, 2021.RetrievedDecember 11,2012.
  7. ^"SHALAMAR | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company".officialcharts.RetrievedApril 12,2020.
  8. ^ab"The Story of 1982".Top of the Pops.June 17, 2016.BBC.RetrievedJune 5,2023.
  9. ^"Jeffrey Daniel".IMDb.RetrievedApril 12,2020.
  10. ^"Shalamaronline".Shalamaronline. March 7, 2014. Archived fromthe originalon May 5, 2014.RetrievedJuly 3,2014.
  11. ^Roberts, David (2006).British Hit Singles & Albums(19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 37.ISBN1-904994-10-5.
  12. ^"Babyface - This Is For The Lover In You".YouTube. November 24, 2009.Archivedfrom the original on December 22, 2021.RetrievedDecember 11,2012.
  13. ^"Unsung Shalamar Part 7" Reunions And More "Jody Watley Unfiltered".YouTube. November 17, 2010.RetrievedDecember 11,2012.[dead YouTube link]
  14. ^"Shalamar – A shadow of their former selves?".Archived fromthe originalon November 22, 2009.
  15. ^"Upcoming Events".Archived fromthe originalon July 6, 2011.
  16. ^"Zoeken - Getty Images NL: GBR: Shalamar Perform At Indigo2 At The O2 Arena In London".Gettyimages. October 29, 2011.RetrievedDecember 11,2012.
  17. ^"Shalamar".Shalamar.info.February 19, 2020.RetrievedMarch 14,2020.
  18. ^Woolway, Tony (April 4, 2015)."Shalamar in Cardiff was definitely A Night To Remember".Wales Online.Archived fromthe originalon April 10, 2015.
  19. ^"First Listen: Shalamar returns from long absence with" The Real Thing "".November 4, 2017.RetrievedDecember 6,2021.
  20. ^"Shalamar Release" The Real Thing ", Their First New Single in 20 Years".Jazz World.October 23, 2017.RetrievedDecember 6,2021.
  21. ^https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk/ipo-tmcase/page/Results/1/UK00003260269.{{cite web}}:Missing or empty|title=(help)
  22. ^https:// tmdn.org/tmview/#/tmview/detail/EM500000017877810.{{cite web}}:Missing or empty|title=(help)
  23. ^"Trademark Board Affirms Jody Watley's Ownership of the Shalamar Name".February 21, 2018. Archived fromthe originalon July 11, 2021.
  24. ^"Jody Watley Prevails in Shalamar Trademark Registration Challenge. - Official Jody Watley Website".Jodywatley.net.February 21, 2018.RetrievedSeptember 10,2022.
  25. ^"Gary Mumford".Discogs.RetrievedSeptember 10,2022.
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