On January 19th, 1963, singer, songwriter, pianist, composer, producer, and co-founding member of Soul II Soul-Caron (Melina) Wheeler was born in Acton, England. She was raised in Jamaica, and got her musical start singing and playing piano as a child. Her major vocal influences were The Ronettes, The Shirelles, and The Marvelettes. She used this style, and added a reggae foundation. She began her professional career in 1976 with co-vocalists Pauline Caitlin and Carol Simms. They formed the vocal trio-Brown Sugar, and released the hit single I’m In Love With A Dreadlocks on Lover’s Rock Records in 1977. In 1978, they toured with the legendary reggae artist Dennis Brown. They released a few singles in 1979, and one in the early 1980s, before they parted ways for solo careers.
In 1982, Wheeler, soul vocalist Naomi Thompson, & Claudia Fontaine formed a vocal backing group called Afrodiziak. They were similar to The I-Threes (Bob Marley), and sang for Elvis Costello, Aswad, Howard Jones, and Japan. She stayed with the group, touring and recording, until she met Jazzie B in 1988. He approached Wheeler and asked her to be a member of Soul II Soul. The original lineup included Jazzie B, Jazzie Q, Aitch Bee, Rose Windross, Nellee Hooper, Doreen Waddell, and Caron Wheeler. They released their debut LP-Club Classics Vol. One on Virgin Records in 1989. It went triple platinum in the UK and sold 900k in the US. Wheeler went solo in 1990, and signed with EMI Records. Her solo debut-UK Blak did moderately well in both The UK & US; but nothing like the success she had with Soul II Soul. She released two more LPs, before returning to Soul II Soul in 1994. This vegan advocate, and singer is 56 today.
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On January 19th, 1949, singer, bassist, guitarist, pianist, drummer, songwriter, and producer-Robert Palmer was born in Battley, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. TOV covered his death day in the September 26th post. Please refer to it for more information. Palmer was influenced more so by the Blues, Jazz, Soul genres, than by specific musicians. Palmer used these genres as a foundation for his singing style on all the music he’s recorded throughout his career. In his early teens he joined The Mandrakes; and when he was 20, he got his big break with The Alan Bown Set band. They released a solid single, before Palmer joined the 12-piece jazz band Dada. He stayed with them for a year, and then joined the soul rock outfit Vinegar Joe.
They had a three LP career from 1972 to 1973. Palmer left them in 1974, went solo, and started recording out of New Orleans with Allen Toussaint. He was heavily influenced by Island music, and signed with a label that had a title reflective of his new passion-Island Records. Eventually, he moved to the Bahamas and continued to record. He released some strong numbers between 1974 and 1984, before joining Power Station in 1985. Most people know him from his stint with Power Station (with elements of Duran Duran & former members of Chic), and even after, with songs like Some Like It Hot, Addicted to Love, Simply Irresistible, Get it On (T. Rex cover), and my personal favorite-I Didn’t Mean To Turn You On. Palmer was 54 years old when he died.
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On January 19th, 1943, Psychedelic/Blues Rock singer, music innovator, songwriter, and member of Big Brother & The Holding Company-Janis Joplin was born in Port Arthur, Texas. TOV covered the artist’s death in the October 4th post. Please refer to it for more information. Janis was an awkward child, as told by her parents. She didn’t really mesh well with the other kids, and was a bit shy. She really didn’t get interested in singing until her high school years, when some of her friends introduced her to the music of Bessie Smith, Lead Belly, and Ma Rainey. Always an opened minded individual, Janis had friends of all walks of life and ethnicities. She enrolled in college in 1960, but left for San Francisco in 1963.
She started singing, and recorded a few singles with Jorma Kaukonen (guitarist with Jefferson Airplane). They recorded seven tracks in all, most in 1964. Their songs were released later as a bootleg-The Typewriter Tape. She got into drinking and drugs heavily during this time, methamphetamine mostly. When she returned to Port Arthur in 1965, she was a slim 88lbs. She got her act together, kept signing, moved to Austin, and started singing solo. She was discovered by Big Brother manager Chet Helms, and he moved her back to San Francisco to join the band in June of 1966. She performed with them from 1966 thru 1968, developing a strong following for her gritty vocals and stage presence. In 1968, they billed the band as Janis Joplin & The Big Brother Holding Company. Things went downhill after this. She left them in 1969. Janis was 27 when she passed away.
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On January 19th, 2006, singer, songwriter, Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall Of Famer, and southern soul music icon-Wilson Pickett passed away in Detroit, Michigan. He came from a large family of 10 siblings, and got his musical start singing in the Baptist choir in Prattville, Alabama. When he was 14, he moved to Detroit to live with his father (1955). Once there, he got into the secular music scene and started developing his powerful vocal style. He joined The Falcons in 1959. He also released a single with The Primettes (The Supremes) as background vocalists. In 1962, The Falcons had a Wilson Pickett co-penned hit with I Found A Love. He then recorded I’m Gonna Cry, featuring Don Convey. By this time, Pickett was making a name for himself with his soulful, unique, and strong vocals.
In 1963, he had his first solo hit, with It’s Too Late (#7 R&B, #37 Pop). Jerry Wexler at Atlantic quickly picked Pickett up, and signed him to the label. In 1965 Atlantic sent him to their subsidiary Stax in Memphis, and had him record In The Midnight Hour. Booker T & the MGs served as backing musicians. From 1965 to 1967 he recorded some of his best and most memorable songs at Stax & Muscle Shoals Fame Studios, such as: Mustang Sally, Land Of 1,000 Dances, Funky Broadway, Ninety-Nine And A Half (Won’t Do), and 634-5789 (Soulsville, USA). He remained on Atlantic from 1967 until 1972, doing mostly ‘Pickett Versions’ of pop covers like Hey Jude, You Keep Me Hangin’ On, & Sugar Sugar. As the sales of his singles gradually declined, he signed with RCA and continued to generate hits like International Playboy & Mr Magic Man. He was 64 when he died.
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On January 19th, 2012, singer, songwriter, and the man that produced the most sampled dub track of all time (Stalag 17)-Winston (Delano) Riley passed away in Kingston, Jamaica. He got his start as a singer and songwriter in the early 1960s. In 1962, he formed the band-The Techniques, a solid rocksteady vocal group. They performed and recorded a few sides during the early to mid 60s. In 1968, he decided to start his own label-Double Barrel Records. Winston produced several LPs for artists like Hortense Ellis, Alton & Johnny Osbourne. However, his own song Double Barrel became an international hit (UK & Dutch #1) in 1970. He had Dave & Ansell Collins perform the song. This duo is also responsible for his Stalag 17 (riddim, 1970). This song is the backing track for All Massive Rudeboy Riddims ranging from Bam Bam, by Sister Nancy (also one of Winston’s artists) to Maxine by Kardinal Offishal.
The single was reissued as Stalag 18, Stalag 19, Stalag 20, and Ring The Alarm Quick. It never gets old and is very universal. Artists have sampled it, rhymed over it, sang to it, played additional instruments over it, etc. Throughout the 1970s Winston produced great music with a lot of prominent artists on the Island, helping to shape the sound of Dub and Reggae. In 1979, he produced General Echo’s LP The Slackest-which was critically acclaimed and highly influential. Winston also made his way into the 80s and 90s with style. He furthered Dancehall, making it an official sub-genre of its own. He also helped jump start the careers of Cutty Ranks, Buju Banton, Frankie Paul, & Lone Ranger. He was 68 at the time of his death.
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HONORABLE MENTION: On January 19th, in 1952, saxophonist, flautist, and featured woodwind player for Prince-Eric Leeds was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was taught sax by Prestige Records artist Eric Kloss. In the early 1970s, he played baritone in a band called On The Corner around the Pittsburgh area. His brother Alan became tour manager for Prince, right after his Purple Rain tour ended. Alan introduced him to Prince, who put him on with The Family in 1985. Leeds also played on The Black Album, Love Sexy, & Batman when he was with The New Power Generation. He’s 67 today.
On January 19th, 1953 actor, dancer, musician, singer, bandleader, and co-star of I Love Lucy-Desi Arnaz Jr AKA Little Ricky was born in Los Angeles, California. He was taught percussion and drums by his father Desi Sr. He appeared as the family’s son on the show. He also played in bands unrelated to the show as early as age 12 (Dino, Desi & Billy). In the 70s, he appeared on several sitcoms like The Brady Bunch and SNL. In the 80s and 90s, he continued to make special appearances, and preserved the infamous Boulder Theatre. He’s 66 today.
On January 19th, 1988, 1980s hard rock hair band manager for Motley Crue & Bon Jovi-Doc McGhee got caught attempting to import over 40,000 lbs of marijuana from Colombia to The US. He packed his 'cargo' on a shrimp boat that the US Coast Guard caught up with. He got a lenient sentence in my opinion-a $15K fine, a five year suspended prison sentence, and had to create and fund an anti-drug foundation. If he were Joe Blow or Jane Lame from anywhere America, he'd still be locked up right now. Just saying.
On January 19th, in 1994, The Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall Of Fame was hosting it’s Ninth Annual Induction Ceremony at The Waldorf Astoria Hotel in NYC, NY. This class inducted the first reggae band/musician-Bob Marley & The Wailers. His induction, in some ways, validated reggae as a culture and music that influenced several other Hall Of Fame musicians like The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, and Eric Clapton. Others artists inducted included: The Grateful Dead, John Lennon, The Band, Elton John, The Animals (with Eric Burdon), Duane Eddy, and Rod Stewart.
Interesting Fact: Bruce Springsteen and Axl Rose performed Come Together at the event.
Interesting Fact: Bruce Springsteen and Axl Rose performed Come Together at the event.
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 myriad of information, covering several topics exists on this site going back to 2013 when it was created. PEACE