Johnny 'Guitar' Watson

Supreme soul maven Avery Sunshine is back with another round of good music. Releasing her latest single, “Call My Name,” the songstress will have you asking your lover, “What’s my name?!”
Set to be featured on her upcoming album, The SunRoom, the song speaks on a love the seems to have gone astray. Cooing out, “When was the last time you heard me call you sweet darling? And when was the last time I heard you say, ‘hey baby’?” Avery will have you yearning for more with her sultry vocals.
While her album may not hit stores until May 27, Avery is preparing for her North American tour that kicks off in Atlanta on April 26. Serving as a follow-up to her debut album that premiered four years go, The SunRoom is sure to be a masterpiece.

Happy birthday to Mica Paris today! Paris' roots are in soul and gospel music. She grew up singing in her grandparents' church and by her mid teens was making regular appearances with 'The Spirit of Watts' gospel choir (with whom she featured on the 1985 EP Gospel Joy). She abbreviated her forename to Micha, before adopting a "phonetic version". At the age of seventeen, she got her first break as a backing vocalist with the UK band Hollywood Beyond. Paris appeared on their album, If (1985).
In 1988, she released her debut, platinum-selling album So Good with 4th & Broadway when she was 19 years old. "My One Temptation" was the lead single. This led to a collaboration with American soul singer Will Downing on a cover version of a classic "Where Is the Love", made famous by Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack in the early 1970s.

Playlst for Sunday 27th April 2014



Deniece Williams - 'cus You Love Me Baby
Joe - Can't Get Over You
George Howard - No, No
Livin Out Loud - Lately
Ruben Studdard - Close The Door
Anthony David - Body Language
Masa - Pouring Rain
Betty Wright - Whisper In The Wind
Nu Life - Now That I Found U
Hil St. Soul - Feel Good Factor
Angie Stone - Rich Girl
Algebra Blessett - U Do It For Me
Zola McFarlane - Police & Thieves

Johnny Guitar Watson x3
1 Love Jones 2 Cop & Blow
3 Children Of The Universe

S.O.S - Band High Hopes
Alexander O'Neal - What's Missing
Marwan Soulflow ft: Pat Rice - If You Want It
Luther VanDross - Get It Right
Taheesha Renee - Love's Taken Over
Don-E - Little Star
S.O.S. Band - Groovin' (That's What We're Doin')
Raw Silk - Do It To The Music

Johnny 'Guitar' Watson's Biography:

John "Johnny 'Guitar'" Watson, Jr. (February 3, 1935 – May 17, 1996) was an American blues, soul, and funk musician and singer-songwriter. A flamboyant showman and electric guitarist in the style of T-Bone Walker, Watson recorded throughout the 1950s and 1960s with some success. His creative reinvention in the 1970s with disco and funk overtones, saw Watson have hits with "Ain't That a Bitch", "I Need It" and "Superman Lover". His successful recording career spanned forty years, with his biggest hit being the 1977 "A Real Mother For Ya". (more at wikipedia)

Angie Stone

Linda Clifford at her store

This Saturday was Record Shop Day, a day that we remember and even visit those lovely people who used to look after our every musical needs. Staff that would remember your musical choices and recommend new stuff. Vinyl is not dead as many predicted with the on-sort of digital storage, instead uncaring money-grabbing shops have closed down and all those wonderful little independent record businesses still survive. Photo here shows Linda Clifford visiting her local record store this weekend.

Big hi to Newstyle's DJ Rassman who also enjoyed a traditional Jamaican meal this week end and shared a photo of it on his Facebook page, also happy birthday to DJ Paul Ruben this Easter Sunday who shares his birthday with Luther Vandross & Tito Puente. The station's music programming has changed a little this 'Mixmasters Weekend,' with Mr. Merrys' show starting at 9 A.M. instead of 10. It's a good job he does a Blog so people that missed the first hour can now catch-up!

Two dances coming up this Summer in July and August that look back at the PCRL's years as a radio station here in Birmingham. The first show will be in remembrance of the late and much loved DJ, Angel A, who passed away 10 years ago in 2004. The 26th July show is being put together by her friend Ranking Bev who was also a PCRL DJ from days gone by. The other show is a Lovers Rock themed show on August 2nd, the event put together by PCRL's founder Cecil Morris and Observer and will feature many of the Lovers artists that made the genre so popular in the 1980-90's. The photograph shows Ranking Jacko, one of Cecil's first singles released in 1985, the year PCRL started broadcasting. Sadly the Station was forced to close in 2004.

Finally please have a lovely Easter from Mr Merry & Mickey! :-)

Easter Sunday's play list 20-04-14



Hour One (9 am)
Quincy Jones - Heaven's Girl
Sam Salter - Your Face
George Duke - Whatever It Takes
Patti Austin - That's Enough For Me
Jill Scott - Family Reunion
Jon B - Keep It Real
Luther Vandross - She Loves Me Back [born today]
Lo-Key - Tasty
May J Blige - Your Child
Zara McFarlane - Police & Thieves
Jeniqua - Making Love

Hour Two

Angie Stone x3

1 Sisters 2 Pissed Off 3 No More

Rain (In This Cloud)

Gary Bartz - Music Is My Sancturary

Curtis Hairston Chillin' Out &

Morning After

Glady's Knight - OLd School

The Dramatics - Key To The City

Shorty Corleone - While I'm Alone

Woody Cunningham - Intimate Connection

Matt Covington - We Got One

Angie Stone Biography:

Born Angela Laverne Brown, Columbia, South Carolina, USA. This gospel-trained soul singer endured a difficult childhood before moving to New York in her late teens. Reinventing herself as Angie Born she joined the mid-80s prototype female rap trio Sequence, a group who were too far ahead of their time to break into the male-dominated hip-hop market. Subsequent gigs included a spell as saxophone player and backing vocalist with Lenny Kravitz, lead vocalist with soul trio Vertical Hold, and moderate success as a songwriter for Mary J. Blige and SWV. She also sang backing vocals for her ex-boyfriend, leading urban R&B singer D'Angelo, but for all her efforts was forced to endure mundane day jobs to feed her young family. Stone's big break came when she was signed to Arista Records as a solo artist. She began work on her debut album with the help of Kravitz and D'Angelo as co-producers. Black Diamond, released in September 1999, was a classic soul record, reminiscent of both old school singer Gladys Knight and contemporary neo-soul artists Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu. Stand-out tracks included the Knight-sampling "No More Rain (In This Cloud)", "Everyday", a mellow duet with D'Angelo, and "Bone 2 Pic (Wit U)", featuring Ali Shaheed Muhammad (ex-A Tribe Called Quest).

Stone then followed Arista boss Clive Davis to his new venture, J Records. Her debut for the label, Mahogany Soul, appeared in late 2001. The album stayed true to the neo-soul formula of her debut albeit with less stand-out tracks, although the slow-burning "Wish I Didn't Miss You" and the Musiq Soulchild duet "The Ingredients Of Love" were the match of anything on Black Diamond. Stone's second album for J was released in summer 2004. Stone Love featured an incongruous cameo from rapper Snoop Dogg but was otherwise another solid collection.

Luther Ronzoni Vandross (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005)

The Whispers

Harvey Perry

In a week that we lost Motown arranger Gil Askey (5-4-14) & Jazz musician Wayne Henderson (9-04-14,) we give thanks for the Citizen Award that was given on Friday here in Birmingham to Harvey Parry, who was just 15 months old when  he had to have both his legs amputated after contracting meningitis. The eight-year-old from north London has now become one of the most successful disabled athletes for his age. His success has earned him one of this year's Rotary Young Citizen Awards. More about his life so far at this address.

Bob's RS issue

Bob Marley, The Ultimate Guide to His Music and Legend, Rolling Stone Special Collectors Edition, 2014. This Rolling Stone Special Collectors Edition spotlights BOB MARLEY. It's crammed with photos and text...a must-have keepsake for any fan of this
remarkable Jamaican musician and "jamming" legend! Chapters : Introduction, How Bob Marley Changed the World, An Encounter With the Legend, Visiting Bob Marley's Jamaica, One Love, Bob Marley's 50 Greatest Songs, & The Living Legacy. Book stands until June 26.

Stevie back in UK soon!

Stevie Wonder will be  playing live at the Calling Festival on Clapham Common, Sunday 29th June. Yes, it's been confirmed, 63 year old Stevie will be headlining a new strand of the Hard Rock Calling event which takes place on Clapham Common from Saturday 28th June to Sunday 29th June. Organiser, Toby Leighton Pope commented, "We're thrilled to welcome Stevie Wonder to Calling Festival. His music is timeless and this show will be one of the highlights of the summer! Happy birthday is you were born today, you share this day with; Al Green, Peobo Bryson, Wayne Lewis (Atlantic Star) & Lester Chambers (Chambers Bros.)


 Sundays play list, for 13th April 2014 



 Hour One 
Teena Marie - Dayja Vu
Anita Baker - Angel
Kenny G - If I Ain't got You
Toni Braton/Babyface Take It Back
Tania Marie -Come With Me
Kenny Lattimore - What Must I Do
Rhonda Dorsey - Chocolate Sound
LaToya London - Scandalous
Sharon Jones/Dap Kings - We Get Along
Joe - Closer
Maze - I Wan't To Feel I'm WAnted
Gerry Woo - Help Yourself
CeLow Green - My Kind Of People
Dylan Janet Colins - Could It Be

Hour Two
The Whispers x3
1 Lady 2 Say Yes 3 Never To Late

Eloise Whitiker - Falling In Love
Terri Wells - I'll Be Around
St. Gernaine - Sure Thing
Sister Sledge - Easier To Love
Lionel Richie - Love Will Find Away
Patrice Rushen - Hung It Up
Dianna Ross - It's My House

The Whisper Biography:

Formed in the Watts section of Los Angeles, California, USA in 1964, soul group the Whispers were originally comprised of Nicholas Caldwell (Born 5 April 1944, Loma Linda, California, USA), twin brothers Wallace and Walter Scott (Born 23 September 1943, Fort Worth, Texas, USA), Marcus Hutson (Born 8 January 1943, St. Louis, Missouri, USA) and Gordy Harmon. The group recorded its first single, "It Only Hurts For Awhile", for Dore Records but it was not until 1969 that they reached the R&B charts with "Time Will Come", on the Soul Clock label. Their first Top 10 soul record, "Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong", followed in 1970 and the group switched to Janus Records for the next four years, during which time Leaveil Degree (Born 31 July, 1948, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA) replaced Harmon. In 1975 the group switched labels again, to Soul Train, and scored such hits as "One For The Money" and "Make It With You", a remake of the Bread pop hit. The Soul Train label evolved into Solar Records in 1978, where the Whispers stayed for 10 years, reaching their commercial peak. Emphasizing lush arrangements and sweet vocal harmonies, the group earned hits with the US number 1 R&B single "And The Beat Goes On", which also reached number 2 in the UK pop chart. The group continued their success in the US R&B charts with six Top 10 entries; "Lady" (1980), "It's A Love Thing" (1981, also a UK Top 10), "In The Raw" (1982), "Tonight" (1983), "Keep On Lovin' Me" (1983), "Contagious" (1984), and another R&B number 1 and their only US Top 10 pop entry, "Rock Steady", in 1987. Maintaining the same line-up, the group signed to Capitol Records in 1990, releasing More Of The Night, which still stressed a refined, slick soul sound. In 1993 the Scotts began recording as Walter & Scotty, releasing the My Brothers Keeper album. They carried on working with the Whispers, however, who chalked up 30 years in the music business the following year.

Sisters With Voices (SWV) + Marvin Gaye

Tracklisting for Sunday 6-4-2014

Hour One
Jones Girls - Sweet Ecstasy
William DeVaughn - Be Thankful
Steel Pan - Pump Me Up
Aretha Franklin Giving Him Something He Can Feel
Toni Braxton/Babyface - Sweet
Will Downing - Stuff That I Like
Giovanca - Pure Bliss
Lisa Stansfield - You Can't Deny (US mix)
Betty Wright - Tired (Classic Betty mix)
Walter Christopher - Slendor
Phil Perry - You Send Me

Hour Two
SWV x3
1 If Only You Knew 2 That's Wht I Need
3 Use Your Head

SWV's Biography

Acronym for Sisters With Voices, these "ghetto sisters" from Brooklyn and the Bronx, New York, comprised the talents of Coko (Born Cheryl Gamble), Taj (Born Tamara Johnson) and Lelee (Born Leanne Lyons). Shaped by swingbeat producer Teddy Riley to reflect streetwise dress and attitude, the trio's sound was somewhat harder than that which might be expected of "new jill swingers". On tracks like "Downtown" they revealed themselves happy to engage in intimate details of the sex wars. Their 1993 debut also encompassed both rap and a cappella vocal stylings, and included three massive crossover US hit singles, "I'm So Into You" (number 6), the chart-topping "Weak" and "Right Here/Human Nature" (number 2). The latter also provided the trio with a UK number 3 hit single. Nominated for a Grammy in 1995 they returned in 1996 with the equally slick A New Beginning, and repeated the formula in 1997 with Release Some Tension. More sexual innuendo recorded to perfection, but too smooth for some people's taste in urban R&Born The group broke up in 1998, with Coko releasing her solo debut the following year.

Sunday's Playlist cont...
Jaheim - My Sensitivity
Michael Cooper - Steppin' To A Love Song
Eric Benet' - Better & Better
Katie Cole Think About It

Marvin Gaye's
30th Anniversary: (1/4/84-1-4-2014)
1 Sexual Healing
2 Let's Get It On 3 After The Dance
4 Come Live With Me Angel

After an argument between father and son escalated into a physical fight on the morning of April 1, 1984, Alberta Gay was trying to calm her son in his bedroom when Marvin Sr. took a revolver given to him by Marvin Jr. and shot him three times in his chest. Marvin Gaye's brother, Frankie, who lived next door, and who held the legendary singer during his final minutes, later wrote in his memoir that Marvin Gaye's final, disturbing statement was, "I got what I wanted....I couldn't do it myself, so I made him do it."




 Community Announcement: :

(Message from Tony Sealey:)


Re: The Ashleigh Merelle Sealey Memorial Trust

On 20th April 2010 our beautiful Daughter Ashleigh sadly passed away at the tender age of 23 years old following an Illness (Juvenile Arthritis) that she had battled bravely since her diagnosis with the condition aged just 12 years old.

Ashleigh’s ambition and passion was to become a qualified Lawyer