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| ’Man O' Man’ Concert in Detroit Peabo Bryson, the Floaters, Russell Thompkins Jr. & The New Stylistics and Harold Melvin's Blue Notes will perform on August 19, 2006 near the Detroit River in a "Man O' Man" benefit concert. "These are some of the most talented crooners of our time, and they will put on a show featuring so many classics, it will make it hard not to sing along, " said Rev. Horace Sheffield, who heads the Sheffield Center in Detroit. "We want everyone to come out for what we know will be a good time and an unforgettable time." Peabo Bryson - regarded as one of the premier soul crooners of the last quarter century, Bryson rose to the top of the male R&B class with such hits as, "Feel the Fire, " "I'm so Into You, " and also collaborated on two hits -- "Beauty and the Beast" and "A Whole New World" from the Disney films Beauty and The Beast and Aladdin. His 2005 album, "Live in Concert: Ladies Request" features his biggest hits and was followed in 2006, with The Very Best of Peabo Bryson, a great one-disc compilation of his biggest hits recorded on multiple record labels. Born in South Carolina, Bryson began performing at a young age. The Blue Notes are one of the dynamic groups that came out of the Gamble and Huff Sound of the Philadelphia Family. They have been previously known as Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, featuring Teddy Pendergrass. Among their credits, they have recordings of singles and albums that have reached Gold and Platinum status; "If You Don't Know Me By Now" was nominated for a Grammy Award, "The Love I Lost, " "Bad Luck, " and "Wake Up Everybody" are all timeless hits. Today, Harold Melvin's Bluenotes consist of -- Donnell Gillespie: Better known as Big Daddy, a native of Philadelphia, Donnell has been singing with Harold Melvin since 1990. Harold took Donnell into his school of teaching in the early 90's, which has proven to make Big Daddy one of the great lead singers of R&B music. Rufus Thorne: Fuss, as the ladies call him, is a native Philadelphian. He has been a part of Harold's camp since the 1980's. Fuss' tenor voice and unique dance style help to keep their unique stage performances that Bluenotes are known for alive. Anthony Brooks: From our nation's capital, Tony as he's called replaced the late Harold Melvin and keeps the smoothness there. His smooth dance style and voice aid the Baritone vocals of Mr. Gillespie. John Morris: Also a native of Philadelphia, John, who has been singing locally for many years, was asked to be a member of the camp. For more than 30 years, Russell Thompkins Jr. was the original lead singer of the Stylistics. His impeccable falsetto voice led the group to international fame and recognition, recording such hits as, "Betcha by Golly Wow, " "Hurry Up This Way Again, " and the GRAMMY-nominated, "You Make Me Feel Brand New." Russell's departure from the group, in April 2000, has culminated in two separate, but equally important, events. The first event was the release of his first solo CD, "A Matter Of Style, " in September 2002, with the collaboration of Christopher Biehler, President of ForEverMore Music and Records, based in Rochester, NY. The second event was the formation of "The New Stylistics, " who are dedicated to preserving the sound of the original recordings. The Floaters, talented quartet from Detroit is most noted for its classic hit, "Float On, " a timeless ballad that has given audiences around the world the chance to see their impressive live performances. The Floaters started as a quartet in the early 70s with members Larry Cunningham, Charles Clark, Robert Palmer and Paul Mitchell, and became a very popular club act in Detroit. Wooed by another local group with a small label contract, Palmer left and was replaced by Ralph Mitchell, who was with the group when they were subsequently discovered and signed by ABC Records Executive Otis Smith. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |