Two things happened to two of the Temptations, 50 years apart today. On October 5th, in 1942, songwriter, singer and dancer-Richard (Allen) Street (l) was born in the Motor City, Detroit, Michigan. He’s infamously heard singing on the Temptations 1971 Number 1 Hit "Papa was a Rollin' Stone." However, Street was a vet, he started out with The Distants, and then went to the Temps.
He was seasoned, having stage experience, recording knowledge, steps and pipes before he joined them. He left the group after being yelled at by Otis Williams for not showing for a performance…Street (standing r) was in the hospital getting kidney stones removed. He did some solo work and sang with The Monitors after. He can be heard on over 50 Temptations songs (1971-1993). He passed in 2013 in Las Vegas. He was 70 years-old.
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Fifty years later, on the same day (1992), singer, songwriter and dancer-Eddie (James) Kendricks passed away from lung cancer in Birmingham, Alabama. Eddie was an original member of the Temptations. Originally, he’s a first tenor, which is higher than the norm, but out of need for the group, he sang falsetto. He can be heard singing lead on: Just My Imagination, The Way You Do the Things You Do, Get Ready, and The Girl’s Alright With Me.
He’s on almost all of their songs and has that distinct high pitch, which is very recognizable. Eddie (center) also has solo work, putting out 9 LPs over a 6-year span (1971-77). In my opinion, his solo LPs are some of his best work. The solo songs I feel are notable include: Intimate Friends, My People Hold On, If You Let Me, Girl You Need A Change of Mind and Keep on Truckin’. He was 52 years-old when he passed.
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On October 5th, in 1947, the former lead vocalist for the lesser known Rock Bands-Gobi Desert Canoe Club & Geordie, the man that sang lead on the LP that’s sold 49 million copies-Back in Black (AC/DC)-Brian (Francis) Johnson was born in Dunston, England, United Kingdom. If you’re not familiar, listen to Dope Beat by B.D.P. His style was super hyped-melodic, brash, not so much singing. He sings here and there, but mostly he speaks or screams.
You can understand him clearly, but he has his own voice. The type of voice to make your head nod without really knowing it’s nodding. He sounds angry, I can dig that. It’s like whatever he’s saying, he’s emphatic about it. It’s some ‘good’ music, and Hip Hoppers have been sampling it since Kool Herc & Bam made some of their breaks classics. ‘Angry Sir Francis’ linked up with AC/DC after their former lead Bon Scott passed away. Dig this though, Bon Scott knew Johnson. Scott had seen him perform with Gobi Desert. Johnson was screaming at the top of his lungs, and eventually had to be taken off stage-he had kidney stones.
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…‘say Candy and Ronnie, have ya seen them yet, ooh but they’re so spaced out, Bennie & the Jets’…On October 5th, in 1973, Elton John released the seminal Goodbye Yellow Brick Road LP. It was his 7th LP and his songwriter Bernie Taupin was in rare form on the creative tip. He penned the songs in a little over two weeks. The titles though? I’ve Seen that Movie too, Social Disease, This Song Has No Title, Jamaica Jerk Off, Sweet Painted Lady, Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting…the list goes on. Elton John composed, and arranged the music in about three days…
He was staying in Kingston, Jamaica at the Pink Flamingo Hotel when he did this…chalice! The titles, coupled with the vibe and location, pretty sure that’s not a coincidence. The double LP has sold over 30 million copies to date. It’s his best-selling LP, and his best LP hands down. Mary J. Blige made Elton’s Bennie & the Jets a household tune when her producers sampled it on Deep Inside. This LP has been sampled by numerous artists from a range of genres which bring the point home: there’s only two types of music…good and bad…
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Three things happened on this day in relation to Reggae, Jamaica & Stevie Wonder. Let’s get into it. First, in 1975, Stevie went to the Islands (Kingston, Jamaica). He was there for a benefit concert for the Jamaican Institute for the Blind. It was called the Wonder Dream Concert. He wasn’t ther only one that performed. The original Wailers performed for the last time at the same show.
That’s Bunny Wailer, Bob Marley & Peter Tosh. Now, Stevie put out Boogie On Reggae Woman the year prior (1974), so he knew about the Reggae movement. Just saying, no way Stevie went to Jamaica, performed with the Wailers, and didn’t pass the ‘dutchie’…pon the left-hand side…I can only imagine how live it was to see Stevie and the Wailers at the same show.
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32 years later, in 2006, The original Wailer, Reggae’s most known artist-Bob Marley (Robert Nesta Marley) was honored in London, England, United Kingdom. A heritage plaque was placed at his former London home (34 Ridgemount Gardens in Camden). The honor was held in conjunction with Black History Month in London. It highlighted the contributions of Afro-Caribbean community members. Bob Marley is one of the first reggae artists to expose the genre to the world. Before him, and during the Ska and Calypso height, Island music was largely a ‘local’ genre. When radio signals got better around the early 60s, Jamaicans began to hear more American soul music by way of Miami & the Gulf Coast.
This influenced their playing more, slowing down the tempo of Ska. They also removed much of the steel drum from Calypso-replacing it with African Drums, and after the Coronation of His Imperial Majesty-Haile Selassie I, Reggae was born…Bob’s legacy is legendary without a doubt. If you don’t know at least the chorus of one of his songs, then you’ve been living off the grid for a minute (over 50 years). Sidebar: not sure if anyone picked up on the fact that in the UK, Black History Month is in October…one of the longest months of the year…in America…well, you know the rest of the story…MAGA
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Nine years later to the date, Stevie pops back up on the scene, but this time, there’s no music, just finalization. In 2015, he made his divorce to his former wife-Kai Millard (well-known fashion designer) official. It was a long, drawn out process that spanned 3 years, he filed in 2012…yes, he filed…Man, she must’ve been some kind of woman…for him to file…Anyways, they got the state into their relationship (married) in 2001.
Then they separated in 2009. Stevie filed 3 years later. I’m not sure why it took so long, but I think it’s safe to say that the ‘legal’ system had to get their dime for as long, and for as much as they could. Such is the way of ‘justice’ (just us)…Previous posts have listed significant things that have happened to Stevie Wonder on the same day, but during different years. This is another one.
Michael Jackson Strikes Back-gets 10 stacks! On October 5th, in 2006, The King of Pop won a court case against XtraJet for $10,000. He sued the company for secretly videotaping him. Alright, so his pilot-Jeffrey Borer, found out that Mike was gonna fly. Before Mike boarded the plane, he had some employee plant hidden cameras. Then he taped him, he got caught, not sure how, but here’s the kicker. Borer was the owner of the private jet company.
Not only did he have to give up $10,000, he also got six months home detention…Honestly, even though it was a small amount for Michael to get, I feel him on suing off GP. Everyone was always trying to make scandal driven money off Mike, everyone…he’s gay, he’s white, he’s a child molester, he’s my baby daddy, he’s weird…I say, he’s dope, made some banging music, and can be whatever and whoever, and look like whatever he wants…he ain’t hurting you…don’t like him, don’t listen to his music. Big Up to MJ!
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Honorable Mentions:…‘Ms. Parker, Ms. Parker’…On October 5th, in 1957 King of Comedy Comedian, Actor, Def Comedy Jam comedian and sometimes Host-Bernie Mac (Bernard Jeffrey McCullough) was born in The City of Broad Shoulders-Chicago, Illinois. Most people got to know Bernie through Ice Cube (Friday, Player’s Club), Chris Rock (Head of State), & the Bernie Mac Show. However, Bernie put it down way before all of that. I associate him with Above the Rim, Get on the Bus and House Party 3. Pride shows his dramatic side. He’s in the vein of Robin Harris, too funny and gone too soon…
…‘My Girl Likes to Party All the Time’…On October 5th, in 1985, Rick James & Eddie Murphy were at full tilt. Rick had put together a smash hit for the SNL Comedian & Delirious star. The song: Party All the Time. I just laughed, for real. I can’t front, when it came out, I was like this is alright, it wasn’t lame…at the time…now? Man… Anyways, Rick wrote and produced the song. Eddie put a serious tenor on it. It actually was the number two song on the pop chart and the number 8 song on the R&B chart…which means, y’all can’t front either, y’all liked it..at the time…
Nashville’s Legacy-The Music City: Two things happened that are significant in soul music in Nashville, Tennessee. First, on October 5th, in 1963 The Impressions with Curtis Mayfield on lead, Fred Cash and Sam Gooden on back up, they hit number 11 on the R&B chart and number 4 on the pop chart with It’s All Right. The song would end up becoming their biggest hit. The Music City is where it was created, backstage at a concert in the Ville.
11 years later in 1974, the Pointer Sisters reached number 13 on the pop chart, and number 37 on the country chart with their song-Fairytale. They were on the ABC (Blue Thumb) imprint at the time, also touring. Eventually, they made it to Nashville and performed at the Grand Ole Opry. Now that’s dope, 4 sisters, literally and figuratively, singing in the 70s, at the Grand Ole Opry…
A concert I wish I never missed: On October 5th, in 1995, at Madison Square Garden, in NYC, NY…back when the Golden Era of Hip Hop was reaching its peak-the following acts performed: Wu-Tang Clan, Mary J. Blige, Biggie, Jodeci, Salt-N-Pepa, Run DMC and others. Shows with bills like this are once in a lifetime. I wonder how many of the Clan showed up and which ones, or which joints Big did….
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