On July 1st, 1971, singer, rapper, songwriter, producer, dancer, actress, former member of the group Sista, and frequent Timbaland collaborator-Missy ‘Misdemeanor’ Elliott (Melissa Arnette Elliott) was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. Missy has been singing since she was four years old. In high school, she co-founded an all-female group called Fayze. She was friends with Timbaland, and recruited him to producer their tracks. They released a demo for First Move in 1991, and Jodeci member DeVante Swing was highly impressed. He renamed them Sista, had them signed to Elektra Records, and made them a part of his Swing Mob production company. Missy helped sing backing vocals for Jodeci projects, and co-produced Raven Symone’s first single. In 1994 Sista completed their debut LP, 4 All The Sistas Around the World. The album was never released, and Swing Mob dissolved in 1995.
Former Swing Mob artists Missy, Ginuwine, Magoo, and Timbaland all continued to create music-working as producers/writers for SWV, Aaliyah, and 702. Missy wrote several of the hits on Aaliyah’s second LP One In A Million, including Hot Like Fire, If Your Girl Only Knew, 4 Page Letter, and One In A Million. Destiny’s Child and Total were also blessed with tracks from Missy. She released her debut solo LP Supa Dupa Fly in 1997. The album sold extremely well, and showcased the production & writing talents of Timabland & Missy respectively. After the success of this LP, artists like Whitney Houston, LSG, and TLC all came calling to work with Missy. In 1999 she released her second LP, Da Real World. The album also sold well and led her to collaborating with Mariah Carey. Missy Elliot is 48 today.
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On July 1st 1960, singer, songwriter, producer, and spouse of jazz guitarist Freddie Fox-Evelyn 'Champagne' King was born in The Bronx, New York. She’s most known for her vocals on hits like Shame, Love Come Down, and I’m In Love. Evelyn was raised in Philadelphia by her parents, who were former entertainers. She worked with her mother, as an office cleaner at Philadelphia International Records. King was singing while cleaning the bathrooms, and was overheard by producer Theodore Life. He started giving her vocal lessons, and got her signed to RCA Records.
At the young age of 17, she released her debut solo LP Smooth Talk. The album sold moderately well, featuring one Top 10 single Shame. In 1981 she released her second LP I’m In Love, in which the title track became a #1 Hit. She followed up with Get Loose (1982), which produced two hit singles-Betcha She Don’t Love You and Love Come Down. She released five more albums during the 1980's, all of which charted except 1989’s The Girl Next Door. By the end of the decade the R&B market saw a change in sound, from early 80's Punk Funk made famous by Rick James, to the New Jack Swing sound created by Teddy Riley. There would be was a six year lull before King released another LP-I’ll Keep A Light On (1995). She took another 12 years off, before returning in 2007 to release Open Book. Although none of her releases charted after 1988, she managed to leave a legacy of funk for generations to come. Evelyn 'Champagne' King is 59 today.
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On July 1st, 1945, punk rock singer, songwriter, actress, model, lead singer for Blondie, and one of the first females to record a rap verse on a song-Debbie Harry (Angela Trimble, Deborah Ann Harry) was born in Miami, Florida. She’s most known for her vocals on songs like Rapture, Heart Of Glass, and Call Me. Debbie was adopted when she was three months old, which was revealed to her when she was four. She moved to New York City in the late 1960's, worked as a secretary for BBC Radio, became a server at Max’s Kansas City, and eventually landed a spot as a Playboy Bunny. She also sang backup vocals for The Wind In The Willows-a folk/rock outfit. Shortly after she joined The Stilettoes, who were a predominantly female group, with future lover Chris Stein on guitar (1974).
Harry & Stein left to form Angel And The Snake, before forming Blondie around 1975. The name came from what men would say to Debbie when she walked the streets: "Hey Blondie!" They started gigging at CBGB and Max’s Kansas City, and in 1976 they released their self-titled debut LP. In 1977 they released their second album Plastic Letters. Their third LP, Parallel Lines (1978), was the first to produce a #1 US/UK hit with Heart Of Glass (which is considered a disco cut). She became a punk icon, and appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine (June, 1979). Their fourth album Eat To The Beat (1979) went platinum. In 1980 she and Stein began hanging out in The South Bronx with Fab Five Freddy, and used rap on the song Rapture (off their 1980 LP Autoamerica). Andy Warhol also used Debbie for one of his pop art pieces. Debbie Harry is 74 today.
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HONORABLE MENTION: On July 1st, 1915, seminal bluesman, vocalist, songwriter, composer, arranger, bassist (electric & double), rock ‘n’ roll pioneer, Chicago Blues icon, and In-House producer for Chess Records-Willie Dixon (William James Dixon) was born in Vicksburg, MS. TOV covered the artist’s death in the January 29th post. Please refer to it for more information. If there’s one musician that can attributed to the creation of The Chicago Blues Sound, and 1960's rock ‘n’ roll-it’s Willie Dixon. He wrote the bulk of the songs released by artists like Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Bo Diddley, Little Walter, Etta James, and KoKo Taylor. Songs from their discographies became rock ‘n’ roll staples. He was 76 when he passed.
On July 1st, 1952, jazz musician, breakbeat innovator, pioneering fusion jazz drummer, funk trailblazer, sideman, educator, percussionist, producer, and former member of The Percussive Arts Society-Leon ‘Ndugu’ Chancler was born in Shreveport, LA. Ndugu means ‘earth brother’ in Swahili. Ndugu is one of the funkiest drummers of the late 1960's-early 1980's of funk/jazz/soul. He worked with Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, George Duke, Patrice Rushen, Tina Turner, George Benson, and Weather Report. He co-wrote Let It Whip by The Dazz Band, played drums on Billie Jean, and taught jazz at The University of Southern California. His breaks have lots of space between the snare and kick drum combinations, with less hi-hat, making them funky and great for sampling. Leon ‘Ndugu’ Chancler was 65 when he passed.
On July 1st,1995 we lost 1970's pop icon, infamous DJ, TV personality, former part-time host of The Midnight Special, and full-time host of The Wolfman Jack Show-Wolfman Jack (Robert Weston Smith). Wolfman Jack became famous for his witty rhymes, and raspy voice working as a DJ for KCIJ in Shreveport Louisiana. His alter ego was born there, and was inspired by Bluesman Howlin’ Wolf’s name-and Ray Charles’ Hit The Road Jack. His DJ style and voice was borrowed from the urban youth, and pimp culture of the late 1940's/early 1950's. The ‘hip cats’ spoke with witty lines and rhymes similar to Muhammad Ali’s style of bragging. Most music historians cite Alan Freed as his inspiration; but Fred also borrowed from the urban youth/pimp culture. Wolfman Jack was 57 at the time of his passing.
On July 1st, 1999, we lost a reggae guitarist, songwriter, multi-label recording artist,pioneer of lovers rock (romantic reggae, relationship driven subgenre), and the man Bob Marley considered to be the best reggae singer of all-time-Dennis (Emmanuel) Brown aka 'The Crown Prince Of Reggae.' The Kingston native was one of the major figures that made it ok for a Rasta to talk about love. He helped influence musicians yet to come, and showed that Rastas could be masculine and loving. He recorded at Studio One, with Big Youth, Delroy Wilson, and many others. Dennis Brown was 42 when he died.
On July 1st, 2005, we lost seminal balladeer, soul singer, 80's R&B legend, backup vocalist, songwriter, producer, pianist, composer, multi-label recording artist, former member of both The New York City Band & Change-Luther (Ronzoni) Vandross Jr aka ‘The Velvet Voice.' TOV covered the artist’s birthday in the April 20th post. Please refer to it for more information. He’s most known for hits like Never Too Much, Superstar, A House Is Not A Home, The Glow Of Love, So Amazing, Creepin', If Only For One Night, Til My Baby Comes Home, If This World Were Mine, Bad Boy (Having A Party), and so much more. He also worked as a producer, writer, and session vocalist for Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Deniece Williams, and Whitney Houston. On the real, his music realistically spawned the the births of hundreds, if not thousands of children. He was 54 when he passed away.
For more information on any musician or event reviewed in posts, or for additional information on The Wandering Eyes Blog overall, use the search bar and search the artist or event using keywords. It’s like a Google search for the site. A wide variety of information, covering several topics exists on this site going back to 2013 when it was created. PEACE