Mothers Day 2014

Tracklisting for Sunday 30th. April 2014



Hour One
Bill Withers - Grandma's Hands
The Impressions - That's What Mama say
Gerald Albright - So Amazing (welcome bed)
Betty Wright Thank You for The Many Things You've Done
Jim Reeves - God Be With You Until We Meet Again
Maze - Lady Of Magic
Jamie Foxx - Wish U Were Here
Intruders - I'll Always Love My Mama
Kadice - Mama Was Right
Kem - A Mothers Love
Ms. Monique - Single Mama

Hour Two
The Floacist - Grandma
Jaheim - Back Together Again
2-Pac - Dear Mama
Kool & Gang - Lets Go Dancin
Barbara Acklin - Love Makes A Woman
Jean Knight - Mr Big Stuff
The Emotions - Best Of My Love
Nina Simone - My Baby Just Cares For Me
Natalie Cole - This Will Be
The Dramatics - Key To The World
Barbara Streisand - Guilty

Keni Stevens

This Weeks Play List, Sunday 23rd. March 2014



Hour One
Allen Stone - Is This Love
Vernonaeu - Waiting In Vain
Genny G - G Bop
Kase Sounds - Cover Me
Sam Salter - Your Face
Chaka Khan - One For All Time (born today 1953)
Bigg Robb - Can I Get To Know You
Hil St. Soul - Until You Come Back To Me
Don E - Unbreakable
Will Downing - Something Special
Wornell Jones - Must Of Been Love
Teddy Pendergrass - 3 AM

Hour Two
Keni Stevens x3
1 Spend The Night 2 You
3 Cannot Live Without Your Love

Carol Williams - Can't Get Away (From Your Love)
Zharne - Request Line
Eric Benet - Why You Follow Me
Glen Goldsmith - Dreaming
Jean Carn - Don't Let It Go..head
Jones Girls - Feeling's Killing Me
Alex Lattimore Keep Rising To The Top
Maze While I'm Alone

Keni Stevens Biography:

Keni Stevens is a British born soul singer. He is best known for his debut 1987 album, Blue Moods.Stevens is the son of a US serviceman, and began his career working in a record shop, selling deleted catalogues of soul and lovers rock, rock steady and reggae music. He first move into music came in the mid 1970s, when he joined as lead singer for the group Raw Energy. Raw Energy members included Alan Cooke (now a British actor starring in London Bridge) and Peter Hinds (who went on to play keyboards for 1980s Brit funk band Light of the World). Raw Energy were signed to Conflict Records, but disbanded after 18 months of playing gigs up and down the country.

Stevens was taken on as A&R man for Conflict Records, and being responsible for releasing lovers rock and rock steady music by artists such as Gregory Isaacs in the UK. Stevens also worked as a session singer with Eddy Grant and Marianne Faithfull, before signing to the Elite label as a solo artist in 1985.(more at Wikipedia)

Jean Carn

In the news this week... Happy Birthday to Jean Carn (Sarah Perkins) who celebrated her birthday on Saturday, Mr. Merry's Three-Inna-Row features her music today at 11am. Biography at foot of todays page.

Also this week we lost the Rt Hon Tony Benn, who's long political career included being the only surviving politician to have fought in WWII, sadly he was also the guy that implemented the new pirate radio laws that came into being in 1967, they held UK radio back 50 years in my mind! But still love him or hate him he was a very popular Labour politician and will be missed by many.

The wait is officially over! For those who thought that it would never come to surface, Universal Studios has finally delivered the trailer to the well anticipated James Brown biopic! Titled, Get On Up, the film is filled with an all-star cast that we’re sure will do the story much justice.

The Excitments are a soul and funk band that was formed in Barcelona back in 2010. Since then they've built themselves a reputation as one of the most energized and excting live acts on the European soul circuit. Their music is a self-penned cocktail of old school soul and gritty funk that takes its inspiration from icons like Etta James, Tina Turner and James Brown and labels like Chess and Stax. Fronted by the charismatic Koko-Jean Davis, the band's live performance have drawn comparison with Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings but through late March you can make up your own minds about that when the band embark on a mini UK tour.

This Weeks Play List Sunday 16th March, 2014



HHHour One
Hout One
Lytie - Still Here (soul mix)
Tony Toni Tone - Anniversary
Gerald Alright - Anniversary (hello mix)
Terry Garmon - Any Way
Sanchez - Amazing Grace
Williams Bros - Still Here
BeBe + CeCe Wynans - You
Sounds Of Blackness - I Believe
Ann Nesby - In The Spirit
Brandy - Missing You

Hour Two
Jean Carn x3: 1 Closer Than Close
2 Heartache 3 Flame Of Love

Plush - We've Got The Love
Sinclair - I Want You Back
T.S. Monk - Can't Keep My Hands..
Eddie Henderson - Prance
Valentine Bros - Let Me Be Close 2 You
The Staples - Love Me, Love Me..
Luther Vandross - Better Love

Jean Carn Biography:

Born Sarah Jean Perkins, Columbus, Georgia, USA, but was raised in Atlanta, where her parents encouraged her at the age of four to sing in the church choir and to take piano lessons. Indeed, to this day, Carn is an accomplished performer on piano, clarinet and bassoon. She first revealed her formidable musical talents as a teenager on a morning radio talk show, Today In Georgia, when she sang "Misty" to the accompaniment of Errol Garner's piano. After winning a music scholarship to Morris Brown College, she learned to play almost every instrument in the orchestra. Her recording career began in 1971 with her then husband Doug Carn, and together they made three albums for Black Jazz Records that brought widespread recognition, built upon by touring engagements across the USA. At this stage Carn was often praised for being one of the first Afro-American women to define her own voice and image, rather than being moulded by the industry. Afterwards, she performed with Duke Ellington, the last vocalist to do so before his death. She then teamed up with Norman Connors for four acclaimed albums, contributed "Reach For It" to George Duke's Gold album and sang on the first two albums by Earth, Wind And Fire.

The three albums Carn recorded for Gamble And Huff's Philadelphia International Records label between 1977 and 1979 are probably her best, and introduced the singer to pop and R&B audiences for the first time. Her hits during this period included "Free Love", "Don't Let It Go To Your Head" and "My Love Don't Come Easy'. She moved to Motown Records for 1983"s Trust Me, which provided her first major singles success with "If You Don't Know Me By Now" and a duet with Bobby Militello on "Let's Stay Together". Carn later found time to contribute to records by Kenny Gamble ("Love Is Beautiful When It's Right") and Stanley Turrentine ("Night Breeze"). Adding an "e' to her last name, she signed a new recording contract with the Atlantic Records imprint Omni and enjoyed immediate success with 1986"s chart-topping R&B hit, "Closer Than Close". Further hits followed in the late 80s, including "Flame Of Love", "Everything Must Change" and "Ain't No Way". Carne carried on recording into the 90s, completing a touching tribute album to the late songwriter Van McCoy. She continues to tour for six months every year, spending the rest of her time at home in Atlanta with her three children.

Thought for the day!

Anthony Hamilton

In this weeks news.. I regret to inform of the death of Charles Love, a founding member, guitarist and vocalist for the group Bloodstone. Love reportedly died of complications from pneumonia in his home town of Kansas City, Missouri. Bloodstone was formed in 1962 as a high school doo-wop group then called the Sinceres. more at: Soultracks

A singer claiming to be Michael Jackson‘s illegitimate son has DNA evidence as proof that he is the King of Pop’s child. TMZ reports that there is a 99.9 percent chance that Brandon Howard is Jackson’s son. At a press conference announcing the test results, FilmOn.com owner Alki David claims there’s a DNA match between Howard and Jackson. The late singer’s dental impression from a Beverly Hills doctor was obtained by David at an auction. That impression was used to retrieve DNA. Gospel singer Miki Howard is Brandon Howard’s mother, who was managed by Joe Jackson during her career. In 1982, the songstress went by the name “Billy.’ One year later, Michael Jackson released his hit ‘Billie Jean,’ which included the lyrics, “Billie Jean’s not my lover” and “The kid is not my son.”  Read More: Boombox

With Ledisi's latest "I Blame You" burning up the Urban AC Charts, we knew it wouldn't be too long before we heard about an upcoming album. On February 11, 2014, the Grammy-nominated songstress will release her fifth studio album The Truth. For soul and R&B fans, the wait for her follow up to Pieces of Me has been two years too long. The clarity, sensitivity and grit of Ledisi's voice make her a quantity that was sorely missed. We were somewhat satiated with her GRAMMY-nominated collaboration with Robert Glasper Experiment on "Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B.)," but there is nothing like a full-length project from this SoulBounce fave. We'll have to wait for her new body of work for a few more months, but we'll get to see her in action on Sunday, November 3rd on Black Girls Rock! on BET and her "I Blame You" video should drop soon as well. Now is definitely a great time to be a Ledisi fan. (ThisisR&B.com)

This Sunday's Play List, 9th March, 2014



Hour One
Marlena Shaw - Go Away Little Boy (Live)
Angie Stone - No More Rain In This Cloud
Gerald Albright - Trying To Find Away [welcolme]
Bigg Robb - Macaroni & Cheese Song
Shirley Brown - After A Night Like This
Barbara Mason - I'm Your Woman , She's Your Wife
Barbara Mason - Searchin' Up
Betty Wright - After The Pain
Ty Causey - No More Broken Hearts
BlackStreet - Don't Leave Me (rmx)
Aretha Franklin - IWanna Make It Up To You

Hour Two
Anthony Hamilton x 3:
1 The Point Of It All 2 Why 3 Fair In Love

Tyrone Lee - Hot2Nite
LaToya London - Practice Makes Perfect
Kenny Thomas - Turn It Up
Ledisi - My Sensitivity
Faith Evans - I Just Can't
Michael Cooper - Steppin' To A Love Song
Katie Cole - Think About It
Donel Jones - The Finer Things In Life
Jon B - Watchin' Her

Anthony Hamilton Biography:

Born: Jan. 28, 1971 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Raised in North Carolina.
Early Life & Career:

Getting his start at age ten singing in his church choir, Hamilton also performed as a teenager at various nightclubs and talent shows. In 1993, he moved to New York City, eventually signing with Uptown Records, which was at the time home to artists such as Jodeci and Mary J. Blige. By 1995, Uptown was set to push Hamilton's debut album, but the company went out of business, leaving the album unreleased. Hamilton then signed with MCA and recorded his largely overlooked 1996 album, XTC. Eventually he found himself at the Soulife label.
Soulife:
It was at Soulife (which was run by some of the singer's old Charlotte friends), that Hamilton laid down tracks for another solo album and also wrote songs for such artists as Donell Jones and Sunshine Anderson. Eventually however, Soulife went belly-up too. So with a second album unreleased, Hamilton spent the next two years selling songs and singing backup for artists. Then, in 2002 a lead spot singing on the Nappy Roots track "Po' Folks" garnered Hamilton some much-needed attention.

Chi-Lites (no Mr Merry this week 2-3-14)

In the news this week... Chi-Lites  singers Marshall Thompson reportedly suffered a stroke while attending the SoulTrain cruise. Thankfully, he is now stable and in the hospital.  We're sending out our prayers for a full and speedy recovery for our good friend Marshall.

Chi-Lites founding member and leader. Sadly, group member Frank Reed, who, along with Anthony Watson, took over lead vocal duties after the retirement of Eugene Record, has died. Reed was a talented singer who joined the group at a difficult time and served admirably through years on the road. He will be missed. (soultracks)

Live in Manchester Prince enforced a camera ban at his shows — this way fans can actually enjoy the songs instead of recording them — no one has really been able to see what goes down during one of his recent live performances. However, the lauded singer himself decided to share the action with his loyal supporters and released footage of his ‘Let’s Go Crazy’ performance with 3rdEyeGirl.

Taking place in Manchester, England, on Saturday night (Feb. 22), Prince looks like rock royalty while singing his 1984 hit. The crooner slowed the tempo and added some rock and roll flair to the track as he took center stage. And check out his attention to detail. His ’70s-inspired look is complete with round shades, bell-bottoms and an afro. Shredding on his guitar, the Purple One seems to channel his inner Jimi Hendrix during the set. He’s easily making American fans excited about his upcoming U.S. tour, which kicks off in June. According to the Guardian, Prince performed new tracks from 3rdyEyGirl’s album, ‘PLECTRUMELECTRUM,’ as well as a few classics during the show in England. (boombox)

Pharrell has the number one song in the USA. Topping the Billboard Hot 100 Thursday, Pharrell's number one comes in the form of "Happy," a runaway hit featured on the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack and his soon to be released album, "G I R L." Rising 2-1, unseating Katy Perry's hit single "Dark Horse," "Happy" is Pharrell's first Hot 100 chart-topper as a lead artist. "Happy" joins "Drop It Like It's Hot" (Snoop Dogg), "Money Maker" (Ludacris), and "Blurred Lines" (Robin Thicke), all of which topped the chart with Pharrell as a featured artist. "Happy" tops the Hot 100 fueled largely by a 22% gain to 402,000 downloads sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and leads Digital Songs for a second week. The sum marks the biggest sales week for a song outside the Christmas season since the week ending Sept. 15, 2013, when Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball" crashed No. 1 with 477,000 sold (after the song's buzz-worthy video had debuted on Sept. 9)," reports Billboard. "Happy" additionally pushes 4-2 on Radio Songs with a 28% surge to 139 million all-format audience impressions, according to Nielsen BDS, and hikes 7-4 on Streaming Songs with 6.1 million U.S. streams (up 38%), according to BDS." (singersroom)