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Performers

Chaka Khan

Chaka Khan (born Yvette Marie Stevens on March 23, 1953 in Great Lakes, Illinois) is an American singer best known for her 1984 cover of Prince's "I Feel For You", for her smash hit "I'm Every Woman" and as a member of the funk band Rufus, with whom she recorded the legendary soul records "Ain't Nobody, Sweet Thing,Tell Me Something Good, Fools Paradise and Little Boy Blue" to name just a few of her many hits with Rufus as well as a successful solo artists. In her career she has earned many accolades, including eight Grammy awards. Though regarded an R&B singer, she has in fact explored numerous musical genres including funk, disco, jazz, ballads, hip hop, adult contemporary and pop standards.In 2006 She Recieved The BET Legend Award for her achievement as a solo artist and a member of the Funk Band Rufus.She is working currently on her next solo cd and with a tour to follow.
Chaka Khan
Peabo Bryson
Howard Hewett

HOWARD HEWETT

With his silky smooth, straight-from-the-heart soulful style, Howard Hewett is gifted with one of the most instantly recognizable voices in contemporary music: with the 2007 release of his Groove Records’ debut IF ONLY, his loyal worldwide audiences will be reminded of just why Howard Hewett has endured, sustained and maintained a solid career as a solo artist for over two decades.

As popular as ever, Howard is most frequently asked - at the many concert and club dates he does on a regular basis - when he’ll be putting out new music. For those eager to hear more from an artist who one “Rolling Stone” writer described as “the premier vocalist in the post-Marvin Gaye era of romantic pop,” the answer, thankfully, is now!

“This will be my first R&B album in a few years,” says the Akron, Ohio-born, Los Angeles-based award-winning singer/songwriter. “I’m not a ‘fast food’ kind of artist: I have to be able to say something with my records and this new album really reflects what I want to portray at this point in my life and my career.”

An artist of the first order known, Howard Hewett has been a consistent favorite among the legion of classic soul, traditional R&B and pop listeners since his days with Shalamar through his solo albums for Elektra Records in the ‘80s and ‘90s and on to inspirational recordings such as 2001’s critically-acclaimed “The Journey”: with IF ONLY, Howard continues the tradition of creating music that is honest, authentic and for real.

A prime example: the first single, the beautifully-crafted “Enough” which has gained immediate airplay and attention among radio programmers from coast-to-coast awaiting new sounds from Mr. Hewett. As Howard explains, “The concept of the song is based around the importance of asking questions in a relationship. Some people may hear it and think it’s a ‘breakup’ song but I don’t see it that way. At some point, you have to sit down and ask questions of each other to make sure you’re both on the same page in the relationship…”

Written by Brandon Howard (son of soul stylist Miki Howard), “Enough” was produced by longtime friend and musical associate, the renowned George Duke; others contributing to this much-awaited project from Howard include Marc Nelson (formerly of the group Az Yet, whose credits include songwriting for Babyface, Toni Braxton and Brandy) who produced the album’s future-slow jam classic title track; and Chicago-based producer Butch Stewart, with Howard and consistent Hewett collaborator and writing partner Monty Seward bringing a number of songs to the CD.

IF ONLY also represents a reunion of sorts for Howard who serves as executive producer the album with Ralph Johnson, one of the founding members of supergroup Earth, Wind & Fire. With a big smile, Howard recalls that his first-ever recording session in Los Angeles was produced by Johnson! “That’s a great story,” Howard recounts. “I had only been in L.A. for a few weeks when I started hanging out at a popular club called Maverick Flats. It was the kind of place where you could find celebrities like Richard Pryor, Lionel Richie, Chaka Khan. In fact, it’s where I first met (future Shalamar partners) Jody (Watley) and Jeffrey (Daniels) because the dancers from “Soul Train” would head over there after the show. Anyway, I was there one night, just mackin’ on this woman. She was just so fine! I asked her to dance and the song was LTD’s “Love Ballad” and I’m singing in her ear, you know, trying to get over. After the dance was over, this guy comes up to me: he had been dancing close by with his lady friend. He said, “Man, I heard you singing to that girl on the dance floor. I’ve got some demos I’m doing that need vocals. Would you want to come in and work with me?’ That guy was Ralph Johnson from EW&F! Of course, I said ‘yes’ when he told me who he was and that was my first time in the studio!”

Fortuitous indeed and Howard Hewett’s career has indeed followed a similar course from his early years in Ohio singing as a pre-teen on the gospel circuit with his older sisters as a member of The Hewett Singers through to joining the group Shalamar in 1978 as the trio was on the verge of achieving international success. Howard’s voice quickly became known to listeners the world over via hit singles like “Take That To The Bank,” the chart-topping “Second Time Around” (a No. 1 hit in the U.S. and the U.K.), “Make That Move,” “A Night To Remember,” “Dead Giveaway” and the now-classic “This Is For The Lover In You” (a Hewett composition, revived in 1996 by Babyface with the original members of Shalamar). A series of best-selling Solar Records’ albums - including “Big Fun, “Go For It,” “Friends,” “The Look,” “Three For Love” and “Heartbreak” – and an exciting live show established Shalamar as one of the most popular groups of the ’80s.

In 1985, Howard launched his solo career, scoring a immediate major R&B hit with “I’m For Real” (which featured an all-star set of musicians including George Duke, Stanley Clarke and Wilton Felder), followed by “Stay” (a Top 10 R&B single), “I Commit To Love” (the title track for Howard’s Elektra debut album) and the all-time Hewett perennial “Say Amen,” an inspirational song that was Howard’s personal testimony and remains a staple in his repertoire whenever he performs.

Throughout the late ‘80s and into the early ‘90s, Howard remained a fixture on the R&B charts with cuts like “Strange Relationship,” “Show Me” (another major Hewett cut that reached the upper reaches of the R&B listings) and a memorable cover of The Eagles’ “I Can’t Tell You Why,” recording another three albums for Elektra (1988’s “Forever & Ever,” a 1990 self-titled set and 1992’s “Allegiance”); Howard’s ‘80s and ‘90s duet partners also included Anita Baker (“When Will This Be”), Dionne Warwick, Brenda Russell and Stacy Lattisaw. In 1994, Caliber Records released the critically-acclaimed “It’s Time” album with the majority of songs Hewett originals along with a superb cover of the Marvin Gaye tune, “Just To Keep You Satisfied.” Speaking of the album, Howard noted, "Just as I believe that I can't compromise romance," says Hewett "I can't compromise my music. I want songs like 'This Love's Forever,' 'On and On' and 'Your Body Needs Healing' to disclose secrets about myself and expose my heart. "I want to be clear -- 'Crystal Clear' is the name of the song -- about how I need love. Ballads seem to express that need best. That's why I'm thrilled that It's Time is about ballads, ballads and more ballads." In 2001, Howard recorded his first all-inspirational album, “The Journey” for Sony Music, releasing a live recording of songs from it in 2002 as “The Journey Live…From The Heart.” Four years later, Shout Factory! released a ‘live’ DVD entitled “Intimate,” an aptly-named description of the mood and flavor of Howard’s in-person performances. Given what he calls “the state of the state of the recording industry,” particularly for artists such as himself who put a premium on making meaningful music, Howard focused his attention “having a good time making personal appearances, both across the U.S. and overseas,” performing with Jeffrey Daniels on Shalamar shows in Europe, three and four times a year and taking his own dynamic show to concert halls and clubs throughout the country as well as appearing on bills with such artists as Jeffrey Osborne, Freddie Jackson, Regina Belle and George Duke among others.

His decision to return to recording was the result of a meeting with old EW&F pal, Ralph Johnson: “Ralph came to me and told me about Groove Records. People had come to me in the past about making another album but they wouldn’t really know what it took to put out a record in a marketplace that has changed so much in the past few years. I sat down with the folks from Groove and I got a good feeling, I realized they understood that it’s not about jumping on a bandwagon but about creating a bandwagon to jump on! An artist has to stay true to themselves and it’s as much about what you bring to a record company as anything else. You have to know where you are as an artist in your career: I worked hard in the beginning years of my career so I could do what I’m doing now – performing and recording when it feels right and I thank God that it’s shaped up that way.”

Howard’s many fans will doubtless be thrilled that he’s taken his time to release a new album: for, with such standout tracks as “I’ll Be Right Here,” “Enough” and the exceptional title track, IF ONLY is a further testament to Howard Hewett’s enduring artistry and a reminder that when it comes to great music, good things truly do come to those who wait!
Freddie Jackson
Jeffrey Osborne

Links

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