{"key":"12327","name":"Stevie Wonder","bio":"Stevie Wonder is a stage name of Stevland Hardaway Morris (b. Stevland Hardaway Judkins, 13 May 1950 in Saginaw, MI, USA - aka Little Stevie Wonder), a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist. He d\u00e9buted, as Little Stevie Wonder, with the single \"I Call It Pretty Music, But the Old People Call It the Blues\" (1961, Tamla Motown) and his latest album is \"A Time 2 Love\" (Oct 2005, Motown)Stevland he lost his sight shortly after birth and, when four, his mother left his father and moved, with the children, to Detroit. She changed her name back to Lula Hardaway and later changed her son's surname to Morris - partly, because of relatives - which has remained Stevie Wonder's legal name, ever since.Wonder signed with Motown's Tamla label at the age of eleven, and continues to perform and record for Motown to this day. To date, he has recorded more than thirty U.S. top ten hits and received twenty-two Grammy Awards, the most ever awarded to a male solo artist. In 2008, Billboard magazine placed Wonder fifth in their list of the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists. He has recorded several critically acclaimed albums and hit singles, and writes and produces songs for many of his labelmates and outside artists. A multi-instrumentalist, Wonder plays the drums, guitar, synthesisers, congas, and most famously the piano, harmonica, and keyboards. Wonder forged his divergent styles into a trademark sound, putting his musical signature on a quartet of albums that would change music forever: 1972's Talking Book, 1973's Innervisions, 1974's Fullfillingness' First Finale, and 1976's Songs in the Key of Life. By the end of the decade, Wonder had won a record fifteen Grammys, as well as numerous other awards.In the following decades he wrote, among other classics, his 1982 collaboration with Paul McCartney, \"Ebony and Ivory\", which remained number one for seven weeks in a row. 1984's The Woman in Red soundtrack produced the enduring classic \"I Just Called to Say I Love You\", yet another number-one hit that gained him an Academy Award.In 1989 Wonder was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside The Rolling Stones. His contribution to worldwide social and political change is just as impressive; he championed the effort to make Martin Luther King's birthday a national holiday, as well as becoming a driving force behind 1985's USA for Africa campaign.","featuredImage":"https:\/\/assets.allamericanmusic.com\/images\/12327_h_0.jpg","feeRange":"500,000 - 1,000,000"}

{"key":"230351","name":"Cuba Gooding Sr.","bio":"Became lead singer with The Main Ingredient after death of Donald McPherson. Don passed in July 1971 of leukemia. Gooding's first hit with the Main was Everybody Play's the Fool from the album \"Bitter Sweet\". Gooding is father of Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr and actoe Omar Gooding(Baby Boy). Gooding is a smooth soul singer with just that touch of swagger to make him popular.","featuredImage":"https:\/\/assets.allamericanmusic.com\/images\/230351_h_0.jpg","feeRange":"please contact"}

{"key":"6915","name":"The Jackson 5","bio":"The Jackson 5 (also spelled The Jackson Five or The Jackson 5ive, abbreviated as J5, and later known simply as The Jacksons) was an American popular music quintet from Gary, Indiana. The group, active from 1964 to 1990, regularly played from a repertoire of R&B, soul, funk, and later disco. Considered \"one of the biggest phenomenons in pop music\" during the early 1970s, the Jackson 5 are also notable for launching the career of their lead singer, the late Michael Jackson.The primary members of the group were all the sons of Katherine and Joseph Jackson: Jackie Jackson, Tito Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Michael Jackson, and Randy Jackson. Joseph Jackson formed the band in 1964 and served as its manager, with Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and unrelated youths Reynaud Jones and Milton Hite comprising its original lineup. Within a year, Michael and Marlon joined the band, and Michael became lead singer as the group developed a following in the eastern and midwestern United States during the mid-1960s. Signed to the Motown label from 1969 to 1975, and to CBS Records (as \"The Jacksons\") from 1975 until their disbanding in 1990, the Jackson 5 were one of the most popular groups of the era and became the first recording act to have their first four major label singles (I Want You Back, ABC, The Love You Save, and I'll Be There) reach the top of the American charts. Several future singles, among them \"Mama's Pearl\", \"Never Can Say Goodbye\" and \"Dancing Machine\", were Top 5 pop hits and number-one hits on the R&B singles chart. Most of the early hits were written and produced by a specialized songwriting team known as The Corporation\u2122; later Jackson 5 hits were crafted chiefly by Hal Davis.While not the first act considered a \"boy band\", The Jackson 5 is one of the earliest examples of the type as it is defined today: five adolescents specifically packaged and marketed by a record label for crossover pop success. Upon their departure from Motown for CBS in 1975, the Jacksons, were forced to change their name and trade Jermaine (who remained at Motown) for Randy. The group took control of their songwriting, production, and image, and their success continued into the 1980s with hits such as \"Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)\" and \"State of Shock\", and a highly successful 1984 Victory tour. The Jacksons officially disbanded in 1990.HistoryEarly worksThe Jacksons were a working-class family from Gary, Indiana. Katherine, being a Jehovah's Witness, raised the children as such, while their father, Joe, was not of that faith. Their father, a steel mill employee who often performed in an R&B band called \"The Falcons\" with his brother Luther, was a strict disciplinarian. Many of the Jackson children recall being severely beaten by Joe for misbehaving.The children found an outlet in music, with elder brothers Jackie (born Sigmund Esco Jackson, 1951), Tito (born Toriano Jackson, 1953), and Jermaine (b. 1954) borrowing their father's guitar without his permission and playing along to the radio. Younger brothers Marlon (b. 1957) and Michael (b. 1958) were allowed to watch as long as they did not tell. Joseph eventually discovered that the older three boys were playing his guitar when one of the strings broke. Although he was furious at first, Joseph realized the boys had talent and began making plans to create a musical act for them.In 1965, Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine began performing around the Gary area with two neighborhood children, Milford Hite (on drums) and Reynaud Jones (on keyboards), in a group called The Jackson Brothers. Joe Jackson served as the manager, at first only part-time, and then eventually quitting his job at the steel mill. Jermaine sang lead and played bass, and Tito played guitar.In 1966, younger brothers Marlon and Michael, joined the group as its tambourine and bongo players. Already showing talent as a singer and dancer, Michael replaced Jermaine as lead vocalist by mid-1967. Shirley Cartman, Tito's junior high orchestra teacher, noticed the group's talents and served as an early mentor to the group, by then calling itself The Jackson Five.During this period, the boys toured Indiana extensively, and after winning a major local talent show in 1966 with a rendition of The Temptations' \"My Girl\", led by Michael, they began playing professional gigs in Chicago, Illinois and across the mid-eastern U.S. Many of these gigs were in a string of black clubs and venues collectively known as the \"chitlin' circuit\", and the young kids sometimes had to open for strip teasers and other adult acts in order to earn money.Shirley Cartman got the Jackson Five a record deal with Gordon Keith's local Steeltown label, and the group began making their first recordings in 1967. Their first single, \"Big Boy\", became a regional hit. During this period, Johnny Jackson (no relation) on drums and Ronnie Rancifer on keys replaced Milford Hite and Reynaud Jones.The Jackson Five had a number of admirers in their early days, including Sam & Dave, who helped the group secure a spot in the famous Amateur Night competition at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. The group won the August 13, 1967 competition during the Amateur Night showdown at the Apollo, impressing Motown Records artist Gladys Knight of The Pips. Knight recommended the group to Motown chief Berry Gordy, but Gordy, who already had teenager Stevie Wonder on his roster, was hesitant to take on another child act because of the child labor laws and other problems involved.The Jackson Five's sound was influenced by many of the biggest stars of the 1960s, especially including family funk bands Sly & the Family Stone and The Isley Brothers, soul pioneer Marvin Gaye, doo-wop boy band Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, and soul shouters like Wilson Pickett, Jackie Wilson, Stevie Wonder and James Brown . At the time of their early success, soul and funk stars, especially coming from Motown Records, were among the most popular musicians; Motown had launched the careers of dozens of the decade's biggest stars, most notably Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, and Diana Ross & the Supremes.InfluencesFrom these sources, The Jackson Five developed many of their vocal arrangement styles and dance movements. The group's multi-lead vocal style was inspired by that of The Family Stone, while young Michael adapted Jackie Wilson and James Brown's impassioned singing and dancing styles into his own.Joining MotownBy 1968, the Jackson 5 were a headlining act for the All Star Floor Show at Chicago's The Guys' and Gals' Cocktail Lounge and Restaurant. From July 12 - 27, 1968, the Jackson 5 opened for Motown group Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers at Chicago's Regal Theater. Taylor was also very impressed with the boys, and he decided to make the commitment to bring them to Detroit and Motown. Joseph and the Jackson Five stayed on the floor of Bobby Taylor's Detroit apartment the night of July 22, while Taylor and Motown executive Suzanne de Passe arranged for the Jackson Five to audition for the label.On July 23, the Jackson Five had their Motown audition, for which they performed James Brown\u2019s then current hit \"I Got the Feelin\u2019\". Berry Gordy was not in attendance, but the audition was videotaped and sent to him in Los Angeles. Gordy's initial reluctance to sign the group disappeared when he finally saw the boys perform. Gordy decided to sign the Jackson Five to Motown, and hosted a party at his Detroit mansion on November 25, 1968 to introduce them to the Motown staff and stars.Motown began negotiations to buy out the Jackson Five's Steeltown contract, completing the deal in March 1969. By the summer, Bobby Taylor began producing the group's first recordings at Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. recording studio in Detroit. The early Taylor-produced Jackson Five records were all covers of both contemporary hits and Motown-standards, including Sly & the Family Stone's \"Stand!\" and their famous rendition of The Miracles' \"Who's Lovin' You\", written by Smokey Robinson.In mid-August 1969, Gordy moved the Jackson Five and Joseph to California, and he and Suzanne de Passe began the process of grooming them as the label's next big act, while the rest of the family remained in Gary. While looking for a house in California, Joseph, Jermaine, Tito, and Jackie lived with Berry Gordy, while Michael and Marlon lived with Motown star Diana Ross.","featuredImage":"https:\/\/assets.allamericanmusic.com\/images\/6915_h_0.jpg","feeRange":"please contact"}

{"key":"19925","name":"Mayer Hawthorne","bio":"Mayer Hawthorne (real name Andrew Mayer Cohen) grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and vividly remembers, as a child, driving with his father and tuning the car radio in to the rich soul and jazz history the region provided. \u201cMost of the best music ever made came out of Detroit,\u201d claims the singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, who counts Isaac Hayes, Leroy Hutson, Mike Terry, and Barry White among his influences, but draws the most inspiration from the music of Smokey Robinson, Curtis Mayfield and the legendary songwriting and production trio of Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland and Eddie Holland Jr.The \u201cretro\u201d tag is added to almost any contemporary work that sounds like it was originally recorded between 1966 and 1974, and Hawthorne, among the newest contributors to the genre, is aware of how trends come and go. After being introduced to Stones Throw Records label head Peanut Butter Wolf by mutual friend Noelle Scaggs of the Rebirth, even his current boss was skeptical. \u201cHe showed me two songs and I didn\u2019t understand what I was listening to,\u201d Wolf recalls. \u201cI asked him if they were old songs that he did re-edits of \u2013 I couldn\u2019t believe they were new songs and that he played all the instruments.\u201dAnd after meeting in person, it was even harder for Wolf to believe that Hawthorne was also the lead vocalist. Few expect such heartfelt sentiment to come from a 29-year-old white kid from Ann Arbor, but he has caught the ear of his family at Stones Throw, as well as BBC Radio 1 host Gilles Peterson and producer\/DJ Mark Ronson. Expectations are high for the admitted vinyl junkie who never planned on taking his crooning public. Hawthorne\u2019s hanging-by-a-string falsetto and breakbeat production on his first recorded effort, the tender \u201cJust Ain\u2019t Gonna Work Out,\u201d are simultaneously Smokey and J Dilla \u2013 equal parts \u201cThe Tracks of My Tears\u201d and \u201cFall in Love.\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s soul,\u201d he explains, \u201cBut it\u2019s new.\u201dHawthorne has produced and played instruments for much of his life, but never intended to become a singer. He isn\u2019t formally trained, and never sang in a choir or in any of the bands he was in before founding the County (formerly the County Commissioners). But here he is, new school soul sensation, who has taken the Motown assembly-line production model and eliminated nearly every element but himself and a few hired hands. \u201cI think Mayer is the only artist in the history of the label that I\u2019ve signed after hearing only two songs,\u201d says Peanut Butter Wolf. \u201cSometimes, you just know it\u2019s the right thing to do.\u201dAnd for those willing to believe anything is possible, be grateful to have Mayer Hawthorne on the scene. It\u2019s not just throwback music anymore \u2013 this revival is all about progression.","featuredImage":"https:\/\/assets.allamericanmusic.com\/images\/19925_h_0.jpg","feeRange":"40,000 - 75,000"}

{"key":"21454","name":"Lionel Richie","bio":"Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. (born June 20, 1949 in Tuskegee, Alabama) is an American R&B singer, songwriter, composer, and occasional actor. He got his start as the front man for the Commodores, a nationally popular Motown band during the 70's. They had several hits such as Easy, Three Times A Lady, and probably the Commodores' most famous hit, Brick House. Richie quit the band in 1981 for a solo career. He released his self-titled debut in 1982. The album hit No. 3 on the charts and sold over 4 million copies. His follow up album, Can't Slow Down, sold over twice as many copies and won the Grammy for Album of the Year in '84. His third album, '86's Dancing on the Ceiling spawned such hits as Say You, Say Me, Dancing on the Ceiling, and Se La, but would be the end of his commercial success. His 90's albums such as Back to Front, Louder Than Words, and Time all failed to achieve the previous decade's commercial success. Some of his recent work, such as the album Renaissance, has returned to his older style, hoping to achieve more success.","featuredImage":"https:\/\/assets.allamericanmusic.com\/images\/21454_h_0.jpg","feeRange":"300,000 - 500,000"}

{"key":"12350","name":"Commodores","bio":"Commodores are a highly successful soul and funk inspired group from Tuskegee, Alabama, USA that formed in 1968. They achieved mainstream popularity in the 70s, and their soulful hits such as \"Easy\" and \"Nightshift\" have had strong airplay for decades. They met as freshmen at Tuskegee Institute and signed to Motown having first caught the public eye supporting The Jackson Five on tour.Original Band Personnel * Lionel Richie (vocals, saxophone, piano) - born on 20 June 1949, in Tuskegee, Alabama. * Thomas McClary (lead guitar) - born on 6 October 1950, in Eustis, Florida. * Milan Williams (keyboards) - born on 28 March 1948, died June 9th, 2006 in Houston. * William King (trumpet) - born on 30 January 1949, in Florida. * Ronald La Pread (bass guitar) - born on 4 September 1946, in Alabama. * Walter Orange (vocals, drums) - born on 10 December 1946, in Florida.Many of their hit tunes were written or co-written by Walter \"Clyde\" Orange, the original lead singer before Lionel Richie came on board. Lionel and Clyde alternated as lead singers. Clyde was also the lead singer on \"Nightshift\" and \"Brick House\" among others. Clyde now lives with his family in Coral Springs, Florida and has three children named Paula, Colin and Cody.Band members typically alternated lead vocal duties. After Richie left to pursue a solo career, former Heatwave singer J.D. Nicholas assumed co-lead vocal duties with drummer Walter \"Clyde\" Orange. However, with the exception of the Grammy-winning \"Nightshift\" (a tribute to Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson) the band never achieved the same level of success it had enjoyed with Richie. Ironically, \"Nightshift\" won The Commodores their only Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals.La Pread and McClary left the group subsequently, leaving Orange, King and Nicholas as the remaining performing members.","featuredImage":"https:\/\/assets.allamericanmusic.com\/images\/12350_h_0.jpg","feeRange":"please contact"}

{"key":"4485","name":"The Drifters","bio":"The Drifters are a long-lived American doo wop Pop R&B band, originally formed by Clyde McPhatter (of Billy Ward & the Dominoes) in 1953 from New York City, NY, USA. There have been over 60 members since 1953. www.theofficialdrifters.com shows the current lineup and tour dates.The original DriftersAhmet Erteg\u00fcn of Atlantic Records approached Clyde McPhatter after he left The Dominoes and signed him. McPhatter first recruited several members of his former group, The Mount Lebanon Singers: William \u201cChick\u201d Anderson (tenor), David Baldwin (baritone), and James \u201cWrinkle\u201d Johnson (bass), plus David \u201cLittle Dave\u201d Baughan (tenor). This aggregation lasted for only a single session (from which \"Lucille\" was the only song released), after which Atlantic asked McPhatter to form a different group. He finally settled on Gerhart Thrasherand Andrew Thrasher on baritone and second tenor, respectively, Bill Pinkney on high tenor, Willie Ferbee as bass, and Walter Adams on guitar. This is the group on the second session, which produced the group's first major hit: \"Money Honey\".After the session, Ferbee was involved in an accident and left the group and Adams died (to be replaced by Jimmy Oliver). Ferbee was not replaced and the voice parts were shifted around: Gerhart Thrasher became first tenor, Andrew Thrasher was now the baritone, and Bill Pinkney shifted down to bass. The group released several more hits (\"Such A Night,\" \"Honey Love,\" \"Bip Bam,\" \"White Christmas,\" and \"What'cha Gonna Do\") before McPhatter was drafted in May 1954 (after which he pursued a solo career). McPhatter had demanded a large share of the group's profits, which he had been denied in The Dominoes, but, upon his departure, did not ensure that this would continue for his successor. He sold his share of the group to [bandmember from=1953 to=1956George Treadwell, manager, former jazz trumpeter, and husband of legendary singer Sarah Vaughan. As a result, the Drifters cycled through copious members, none of whom made much money. McPhatter later expressed regret at this action, recognizing that it doomed his fellow musicians to unprofitability.McPhatter was first replaced by David Baughn, who was on the group's first session. While his voice was similar to McPhatter's, his erratic behavior made him unsuitable in the eyes of Atlantic Records executives. Baughn soon left the group, and was replaced by Cleveland native Johnny Moore (of The Hornets). This lineup had a major R&B hit in 1955 with \"Adorable,\" followed by several others (\"Ruby Baby,\" \"I Got To Get Myself A Woman,\" and \"Fools Fall In Love\"). Johnny Moore was drafted in November 1957 and replaced by Bobby Hendricks (who had briefly been with The Swallows), but to no success; the group was not able to break into mainstream markets.In the mid 1950s, the Drifters began working with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, legendary songwriters, who eventually became the group's producers as well. This is widely considered the group's golden age, inaugurated by the 1956 hit \"(April, 1993)I Gotta Get Myself a Woman.\" Low salaries contributed to burnout among the members, particularly Bill Pinkney, who was fired after asking Treadwell for more money. Andrew Thrasher left as well, in protest. Pinkney formed another group, called The Flyers, with lead singer Bobby Hendricks (before he joined the Drifters to replace army-bound Johnny Moore).Bill Pinkney was replaced by Tommy Evans (who had replaced Jimmy Ricks in The Ravens). Charlie Hughes, a baritone, replaced Andrew Thrasher. By early 1958, the lineup was: Bobby Hendricks (lead tenor), Gerhart Thrasher (first tenor), Jimmy Milner (baritone), Tommy Evans (bass), and Jimmy Oliver (guitar). By May 1958, both Hendricks and Oliver had quit, returning only for a week's appearance at the Apollo Theater. During that week, one of the members got into a fight with the owner of the Apollo. That was the last straw for manager George Treadwell, who fired the entire group.Since Treadwell owned the rights to the name \"Drifters,\" and since he still had a year's worth of bookings for the Apollo, he recruited another group, The Five Crowns, featuring lead singer Ben E. King. The group changed its name to the \"Drifters\" and went out on the road to tour for almost a year, although this new group had no connection to the prior Drifters.Bill Pinkney's \"Original Drifters\"Meanwhile, Bill Pinkney and other \"fired\" Drifters once again joined with the Thrashers and David Baughan to begin touring as \"The Original Drifters\" (although their first recordings, for End in 1959, were as the \"Harmony Grits\"). Baughan left after a short time, leaving the group a trio. Bobby Lee Hollis joined in 1964 and took over the lead spot. Later that year, Andrew Thrasher was out and Jimmy Lewis was in. Bobby Hendricks returned, making the group a quintet for a short time, before Lewis left. Andrew Thrasher returned, replacing Hollis. Hollis and Baughan bounced in and out through the 1960s. By 1968, the group was Pinkney, Gerhart Thrasher, Hollis, and Hendricks. At this point, the group split.Pinkney met with an existing group, The Tears, and recruited them as the new Original Drifters. The Tears were Benny Anderson, George Wallace, Albert Fortson, and Mark Williams. Shortly after recruiting them, they broke away from Pinkney and continued touring as the Original Drifters for over a decade (Pinkney filed suit and successfully stopped them at that time).Pinkney then brought in new members Bruce Caesar, Clarence \"Tex\" Walker, and Bruce Richardson. The lineup changed rapidly. In 1979 the group was Pinkney, Andrew Lawyer, Chuck Cockerham, Harriel Jackson, and Tony Cook. Their 1995 album Peace in the Valley, on Blackberry Records, credited vocals to Pinkney, Cockerham, Richard Knight Dunbar, Vernon Young, and Greg Johnson. They appeared on the PBS special, Doo Wop 51 with Pinkney, Dunbar, Johnson, and Bobby Hendricks. The current lineup is Pinkney, Cockerham, Dunbar, Young, and Clyde McPhatter's son, Billy McPhatter. Greg Johnson is now in Bobby Hendricks' Drifters.The second DriftersTreadwell had approached Lover Patterson, the manager of The Five Crowns. All but one member of The Five Crowns went along with the name change to become the Drifters. The new line-up consisted of: Benjamin Earl Nelson (known professionally as Ben E. King; lead tenor), Charlie Thomas (tenor), Dock Green (baritone), and Elsbeary Hobbs (bass). James \"Poppa\" Clark was the fifth member; he was not included in the new group.This new lineup released several singles that became chart hits: \"There Goes My Baby,\" the first commercial rock-and-roll recording to include a string orchestra, \"Dance With Me,\" \"This Magic Moment,\" \"Save The Last Dance For Me,\" and \"I Count The Tears.\" However, personnel changes started almost immediately. Lover Patterson (who had managed the Five Crowns and was now the Drifters' road manager) got into a fight with George Treadwell. Since Patterson had Ben E. King under personal contract, he refused to let King tour with the group. Thus, King continued to record with the group for about a year before beginning a successful solo career. New member Johnny Lee Williams did the touring (although he can be heard leading \"True Love, True Love\"). Williams was subsequently replaced by Rudy Lewis (of The Clara Ward Singers), who led the Drifters on hits such as \"Some Kind Of Wonderful,\" \"Please Stay,\" and \"Up on the Roof.\" While recording \"Please Stay,\" songwriter Burt Bacharach met Dionne Warwick, a backup singer, thus beginning a legendary partnership.Bass Elsbeary Hobbs was drafted and eventually replaced by the returning Tommy Evans (from the 1958 group). Dock Green left in 1962 and was replaced by Eugene Pearson (of The Rivileers and Cleftones). Tommy Evans left again in 1963 and was replaced by Johnny Terry. After his military service and a failed solo career, Johnny Moore returned in 1964, making the group a quintet of Moore, Charlie Thomas, Rudy Lewis, Gene Pearson, and Johnny Terry.Later that year, the group was scheduled to record \"Under the Boardwalk\" on May 21. However, Rudy Lewis died the night before the session, and Johnny Moore took over as the sole lead (he and Lewis had been alternating). Terry was replaced in 1966 by Dan Dandridge for a couple of months, then by William Brent, who had been with Johnny Moore in The Hornets in 1954. Gene Pearson was replaced by Rick Sheppard that same year. By late 1966, baritone\/bass Bill Fredricks replaced William Brent. Charlie Thomas, the group's last \"original member\" (from the day The Five Crowns had become the Drifters), left in mid-1967 and was replaced by Charles Baskerville, a former member of The Limelites. Baskerville stayed only a short time, leaving before a session (which was done as a trio). Baritone Milton Turner was added by the end of 1967. In late 1969, Milton Turner left and was replaced by another singer named Charlie Thomas (who took the nickname Don Thomas to avoid confusion with the former member). This lineup lasted only a few months. By March 1970, the Drifters had broken up. Johnny Moore and Bill Fredericks reunited in January 1971 (along with two unknown singers) to do an independently-produced session that was subsequently sold to Atlantic. \"A Rose By Any Other Name\" and \"Be My Lady\" became the Drifters' last Atlantic release.Post-Atlantic careerAfter this, the Drifters moved to [place[England and underwent the usual bewildering personnel changes. Throughout the 1970s, the only charted records for the group were on the British charts - notably \"Kissing In The Back Row Of The Movies\", \"There Goes My First Love\" and \"You're More Than A Number In My Little Red Book\". Along with Moore and Fredricks, Butch Leake and former Ink Spots mamber Grant Kitchings[\/bandmember were members initially. Fredricks was replaced by Clyde Brown the next year, and Kitchings by Billy Lewis the year after. Leake was replaced by Joe Blunt in 1976, making the lineup Johnny Moore, Clyde Brown, Joe Blunt, and Billy Lewis. This year, Faye Treadwell renamed the group's management company Treadwell Drifters Inc.Moore left in 1978 and was replaced by Ray Lewis. Blunt and Billy Lewis left in 1979 and were replaced by the returning Johnny Moore and former Temptations lead Louis Price. Moore left again in late 1982, along with Clyde Brown. They were replaced by two returning members, Ben Nelson (a.k.a. Ben E. King) and Bill Fredricks.Around this time, members left and rejoined frequently. Fredricks, Lewis, and Price left in 1983 and were replaced by the returning Johnny Moore, Joe Blunt, and Clyde Brown. In 1986, the group changed all of its members and the new lineup consisted of new member Jonah Ellis and former members Ray Lewis, Billy Lewis, and Louis Price. The next year, more former members came in as replacements, making the group Moore, Billy and Ray Lewis, and Gene Jenkins (replaced shortly after by George Chandler, then John Thurston). Ray Lewis was out in 1988, and was replaced by Joe Cofie. In 1989, Billy Lewis left, and replaced by the returning George Chandler, then Tony Jackson, Keith John, and finally Peter Lamarr in 1990.Thurston was out at the end of the year and was replaced by Roy Hemmings. Patrick Alan was in for Lamaar briefly. Lamaar left in 1991 and was replaced by Rohan Delano Turney. This lineup lasted until 1996, when Cofie was out and Jason Leigh was in. Leigh was replaced after two years by the returning Peter Lamarr.Tragedy struck in 1999 when the group's longest serving member, Johnny Moore, died. Patrick Alan returned to the group, keeping it a quartet. Lamarr left again in 2003, and was replaced by Victor Bynoe. Hemmings left in 2004 and was replaced by the again-returning Lamarr. The group's current lineup is Peter Lamarr, Rohan Delano Turney, Patrick Alan, and Victor Bynoe. This line up is fully endorsed by Johnny Moore's wife and in Allan, Lamarr and Turner actually contains three of the longest serving Drifters members.In 2001, Faye Treadwell left the United Kingdom, allegedly due to bankruptcy. Two members of her company, Mark Lundquist and Phil Lunderman, started a new management company, Drifters UK Limited, to run the group. Their new duties included stopping a patent by an imposter Drifters group. As of December 2006, writs have been served in the London High Court by Tina Treadwell, daughter of George and Faye, against Lundquist and Lunderman, alleging they are not the rightful controllers of The Drifters. Tina's group features Roy Hemmings and Jason Leigh. It should be noted that Hemmings remained with Lundquist and Lunderman initially, leaving three years after the formation of Drifters UK Limited. It will be interesting to see how things transpire should Treadwell win her case, since the current Drifters lineup touring the UK has built up a fan base selling out one tour after another with Johnny Moore and continuing after his death. The Vocal Group Hall of Fame has inducted both 'The Original Drifters' (1998) and 'Ben E. King and The Drifters'(2000).In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked The Drifters #81 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.On July 4, 2007, Bill Pinkney died of a heart attack in his room at the Hilton Hotel, Daytona Beach, Florida, where he was in town to perform for the 4th of July Red, White and Boom Event.In 2009, the lineup consists of Damion Charles, Michael Williams, Steve V. King and Maurice Cannon. For tour dates and more info go to www.theofficialdrifters.com There was also a Japanese vocal group called the Drifters although the romanisation of their name (\u30b6\u30c9\u30ea\u30d5\u30bf\u30fc\u30b9)\u3000yields many variations: Doriftas, Dorifutas, Dorihutasu, etc.","featuredImage":"https:\/\/assets.allamericanmusic.com\/images\/4485_h_0.jpg","feeRange":"200,000 - 50,000"}

{"key":"23662","name":"The Spinners","bio":"There have been at least three groups called The Spinners: a soul group, a 1960s folk group and a Turkish punk band.1. A soul group of the early '70s, creating a body of work that defined the lush, seductive sound of Philly soul. In the UK they were known as \"The Detroit Spinners\" to avoid confusion with British band The Spinners. The band's roots lay in Detroit, where they formed as a doo wop group during the late '50s. Throughout the '60s, the Spinners tried to land a hit by adapting to the shifting fashions of R&B and pop. By the mid-'60s, they had signed with Motown Records, but the label never gave the group much consideration. \"It's a Shame\" became a hit in 1970, but the label continued to ignore the group, and dropped the band two years later. Unsigned and featuring new lead singer Phillipe Wynne, the Spinners seemed destined to never break into the big leagues, but they managed to sign with Atlantic Records, where they began working with producer Thom Bell. With his assistance, the Spinners developed a distinctive sound, one that relied on Wynne's falsetto and the group's intricate vocal harmonies. Bell provided the group with an appropriately detailed production, creating a detailed web of horns, strings, backing vocals, and lightly funky rhythms. Between 1972 and 1977, the Spinners and Bell recorded a number of soul classics, including \"I'll Be Around,\" \"Could It Be I'm Fallin in Love,\" \"Mighty Love,\" \"Ghetto Child,\" \"Then Came You,\" \"Games People Play,\" and \"The Rubberband Man.\" Wynne left in 1977 and the Spinners had hits for a few years after his departure, but the group will always be remembered for its classic mid-'70s work. Originally, called the Domingoes, the Spinners formed when the quintet were high school students in the Detroit suburb of Ferndale in 1957. At the time, the group featured Bobbie Smith, Pervis Jackson, George W. Dixon, Billy Henderson, and Henry Fambrough. Four years later, they came to the attention of producer Harvey Fuqua, who began recording the group \u2013 who were now called the Spinners \u2013 for his Tri-Phi Records. The band's first single, \"That's What Girls Are Made For,\" became a Top Ten R&B hit upon its 1961 release and featured Smith on vocals. Following its release, Dixon was replaced by Edgar \"Chico\" Edwards. Over the next few years, the group released a series of failed singles, and when Tri-Phi was bought out by Motown in the mid-'60s, the Spinners became part of the larger company's roster. By that time, Edwards had been replaced by G.C. Cameron. Though the Spinners had some R&B hits at Motown during the late '60s, including \"I'll Always Love You\" and \"Truly Yours,\" they didn't have a genuine crossover success until 1970, when Stevie Wonder gave the group \"It's a Shame.\" Motown never concentrated on the Spinners, and they let the group go in 1972. Before the band signed with Atlantic Records, Phillipe Wynne replaced Cameron as the group's lead vocalist. Wynne had previously sung with Catfish and Bootsy Collins. At Atlantic Records, the Spinners worked with producer Thom Bell, who gave the group a lush, seductive sound, complete with sighing strings, a tight rhythm section, sultry horns, and a slight funk underpinning. Wynne quickly emerged as a first-rate soul singer, and the combination of the group's harmonies, Wynne's soaring leads, and Bell's meticulous production made the Spinners the most popular soul group of the '70s. Once the group signed with Atlantic, they became a veritable hit machine, topping the R&B and pop charts with songs like \"I'll Be Around,\" \"Could It Be I'm Falling in Love,\" \"One of a Kind (Love Affair),\" \"Ghetto Child,\" \"Rubberband Man,\" and \"You're Throwing a Good Love Away.\" Not only were their singles hits, but their albums constantly went gold and charted in the Top 20. Wynne left the band to pursue a solo career in 1977; he was replaced by John Edwards. Though none of Wynne's solo records were big hits, his tours with Parliament-Funkadelic were well-received, as were his solo concerts. In October 1984, he died of a heart attack during a concert in Oakland, CA. The Spinners, meanwhile, had a number of minor hits in the late '70s, highlighted by their disco covers of \"Working My Way Back to You\" and the medley \"Cupid\/I've Loved You for a Long Time.\" During the early '80s, they had several minor hits before fading away from the charts and entering the oldies circuit, reprising their earlier material for 1999's new studio effort At Their Best. Long time founding members Billy Henderson and Pervis Jackson have since deceased.2. The British folk band The Spinners consisted of:Hughie JonesCliff HallMick GrovesTony DavisJohn McCormick was the group's bassist and musical director for the final seventeen years. Cliff Hall was born in Jamaica and came to the UK to serve in the Royal Air Force. The group was unusual for its time in having a multiracial membership.They produced over forty albums and made numerous concerts and TV appearances. They retired in 1989 after thirty years together, though some members still perform. They were immensely popular by reviving some of the greatest folk music and singing new songs in the same vein. Critics say that their style was musically simple, cosy and sentimental but this is what appealed to the fans.One of their best known songs, particularly in their native Liverpool, was \"In My Liverpool Home\", written by Peter McGovern in 1962.3. The Spinners were a female punk band from Turkey, active in the late 80's and early 90's. They released a demo called \u201cLalala\u201d in 1991.","featuredImage":"https:\/\/assets.allamericanmusic.com\/images\/23662_h_0.jpg","feeRange":"please contact"}

{"key":"26717","name":"Emma Bunton","bio":"Emma Lee Bunton (born 21 January 1976 in Finchley, London, England, United Kingdom) is an English pop singer, songwriter, and occasional actress, originally from the girl group Spice Girls, where she was known as \"Baby Spice\".She started her solo career in 1999 with a collaboration single along with Tin Tin Out for their single \"What I Am\", which peaked number 2 on the UK charts. Her debut solo album entitled \"A Girl Like Me\" was released in 2001, and spawned the UK number-one hit \"What Took You So Long?\", as well as the top five hits \"What I Am\" (a cover of a 1998's song earlier recorded by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians) and \"Take My Breath Away\" (which was not a cover of Berlin's 1986's hit), and top twenty hit \"We're Not Gonna Sleep Tonight\". The album sold around 125,000 in the UK.In spring of 2003, she returned as Emma (losing the Bunton), with the top five hit \"Free Me\" and later that year released \"Maybe\", which also went top ten and outsold the previous single. In spring of 2004, the single \"I'll Be There\" and the album \"Free Me\" were released. The album contained '60s-style pop gems and went on to outsell her first album, something other solo Spice Girls have yet to achieve. The album Free Me was released in the United States on January 25, 2005.Emma released \"Downtown\" the official charity single for the BBC's 2006 Children in Need appeal, it reached number three. The album \"Life in Mono\" was released on (4 December).","featuredImage":"https:\/\/assets.allamericanmusic.com\/images\/26717_h_0.jpg","feeRange":"please contact"}