On January 15th, 1967, singer, dancer, songwriter, and actress-Lisa Lisa (Lisa Velez) was born in Hell’s Kitchen, NY. She was the youngest of nine siblings, bilingual (English & Spanish), and proud of her Puerto Rican heritage. Her mother was highly religious, and allowed Lisa to sing in their church choir (Church Of The Scared Heart Of Jesus, Manhattan, NY). In high school she sang secular music in a vocal troupe that did old soul, pop, and musical covers. And at the age of 17, she began dancing at The Funhouse in Manhattan, where she was approached by Mike Hughes and asked to audition for Full Force. She traveled to her audition in Brooklyn, they liked her, and matched her with Alex Spanador Moseley on keyboards and Mike on drums-thus forming Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam.
The group released their debut single, I Wonder If I Take You Home, independently in 1984 (with Full Force on production & singing back up). The single did so well that it caught the attention of Columbia Records, who then signed them and re-released the track in 1985. I Wonder If I Take You Home became a Top 20 hit in both The US & UK. Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam became a staple band during the 1980s, releasing four Top 40 charting LPs between 1985 to 1991, two of which went platinum (self-titled debut-1985 & Spanish Fly-1987). In 1991, following the release of Straight Outta Hell’s Kitchen, Lisa went solo. She released her debut album LL77 on Pendulum Records in 1994. She also did some acting in the early 2000s (Taina-2001 & Law & Order-2003). She’s 52 today.
| | |
On January 15th, 1982, the seminal 80s Rock band-Hall & John Oates received some well-deserved credit from The RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America). Their 10th LP-Private Eyes was certified platinum (1 million copies sold). Daryl Hall & John Oates started recording in 1972, and released their first album Whole Oates on Atlantic Records. Hall had a background in Soul and Doo Wop, working with Gamble & Huff in Philly. Oates brought in a rock foundation, with a pop edge. They combined to make a blue-eyed soul outfit, that produced good music for the masses. If you know some of their tunes, it’s hard to say they don’t have at least one or two that you like. Private Eyes was a follow up to their 1980 Voices LP, that featured the hit Your Kiss Is On My List. Thus, their name was already established at the beginning of the decade. The LP had three singles that did very well on the charts: Private Eyes, Did It In A Minute, and I Can’t Go For That.
The latter went to #1 on The US Pop & R&B charts. Other tracks on the LP include: Looking For A Good Sign, Mano a Mano, Head Above Water, Tell Me What You Want, Friday Let Me Down, Unguarded Minute, Your Imagination, and Some Men. The musicians featured on the album were: Larry Fast, Charles DeChant, Jay Gomez, Chuck Burgi, G.E. Smith, Jimmy Maelen, Jeff Southworth, Mickey Curry, John Siegler and John Jarrett. The project was produced by Hall, Oates & Neil Kernon, with at last one of them retaining songwriting credits on all the songs. They recorded it at Electric Ladyland Studios in NYC, NY, in the spring of 1981. Private Eyes became a Top 40 LP in Australia-and cracked The Top 20 in Sweden, New Zealand, Canada, UK, and Germany. Private Eyes turns 38 today.
| | |
On January 15th, 1998, Bluesman, singer, harmonica player, and songwriter-Junior Wells (Amos Wells Blakemore Jr) passed away in Chicago, Illinois. TOV covered the artist’s birthday in the December 9th post. Please refer to it for additional information. Wells was a West Memphis native, that moved to Chicago in the late 1940s. He started off playing harp and singing with The Aces (Louis & Dave Myers-guitar, Fred Below-drummer). In 1952, he made his recording debut with Muddy Waters at Chess Records. His first solo recordings were released in the early 50s on States Records, and in 1965, he released his full-length debut LP-Hoodoo Man Blues (featuring Buddy Guy) on Delmark Records. The story behind Wells’ insatiable need to play blues harp is told by him in the liner notes of the LP.
Wells says that he was arrested for stealing a harmonica from a pawn shop. He worked all week to buy the harmonica, and even skipped school to earn the $2 needed to buy it. When he went to get paid, he only got $1.50. He went to the pawn shop to buy the harmonica anyway, and tried to negotiate the price down to $1.50. The clerk refused, but left the harp on the counter, and walked away. Wells laid down his $1.50 and took the harp. When he got to court, the judge asked him why he took it. He said he had to have it, and played it for the judge. The judge heard how good he could play, gave him $0.50, and dismissed the case. In 1971, he released South Side Blues Jam, which was received well by the public. He & Buddy Guy continued to work together, and also with other 70s Rock acts, such as: Santana, The Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, and Bonnie Raitt. He was 63 when he died.
| | |
On January 15th, 2015 producer, impresario, promoter, songwriter, and LA Sex Industry employee-Kim (Vincent) Fowley passed away in Hollywood, California. Fowley was born and raised in LA, and went to high school with Nancy Sinatra, Sandra Dee, and Jan & Dean (University High School). He was a victim of polio when he was 18 (1957); and after successfully treatment, began managing The Sleepwalkers (featuring Phil Spector and Sandy Nelson). He also worked in the sex industry from 1957 to 1958. In 1959 he returned to working in the music industry, and produced the pop tune Charge by The Renegades.
In the early 1960s, he produced several novelty singles for The Hollywood Argyles, B. Bumble & The Stingers, The Murmaids, and Paul Revere & The Raiders. In the mid 60s, he got into psychedelia and recorded a solo LP-Love Is Alive & Well. He also is featured on Mothers Of Invention’s debut Freak Out! In 1968 he released Outrageous on Imperial Records; and later that year he joined up with St. John Green to co-produce their self-titled debut with Michael Lloyd. He produced and wrote songs for a number of artists during the early 1970s, including: KISS, Leon Russell, Warren Zevon, Alice Cooper, and Helen Reddy.
Fowley met Joan Jett in 1975, and started putting together the all-female Punk band The Runaways. They fired him in 1977; but he continued to work in the industry until his death at the age of 75.
Fowley met Joan Jett in 1975, and started putting together the all-female Punk band The Runaways. They fired him in 1977; but he continued to work in the industry until his death at the age of 75.
| | |
On January 15th, 2018, gospel music innovator, songwriter, singer, producer, choir director, composer, arranger, and producer-Edwin (Reuben) Hawkins passed away in Pleasanton, California. Hawkins starting singing in his family’s gospel group at a very young age; and by the time he was seven, he had become their keyboardist. As a teen, he co-founded The Northern California State Youth Choir Of The Church Of God In Christ with Betty Watson. In 1968, Hawkins and Watson needed money for the 50 member choir to attend an annual choir competition in Washington, D.C.; so they recorded the LP Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord (on Century 70 Records) to raise funds for the trip. A San Francisco Bay Area radio station KSAN DJ got a promotional copy of the LP, and played Oh Happy Day. Within months, the would rise to become a Top 10 Hit (#2 in The UK & #4 in The US). Dorothy Combs Morrison sang the lead.
By 1969 the choir had come to be known as The Edwin Hawkins Singers, and released 10 LPs over the next two years (six in 1969 alone). That’s an average of five per year! Hawkins himself released more than 40 LPs between 1968 and 1998, won four Grammy Awards, and was inducted into The Christian Music Hall Of Fame in 2007. The circumstances that made Oh Happy Day a major hit, truly illustrate the amount of power and influence DJs have over the public and the musician. It shows their ability to 'break' a record. Without that chance spin on KSAN, who knows if it would’ve been a ‘lost’ record or a big hit. He was 74 years old when he passed away.
| | |
HONORABLE MENTION: On January 15th, 1992 The 7th Annual Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony, at The Waldorf Astoria Hotel in NYC, NY, honored Jimi Hendrix, The Isley Brothers, The Yardbirds, Sam & Dave, Bobby Blue Bland, Booker T & The MGs, Bill Graham, and Johnny Cash. This class included four genres, that all had an effect on the evolution and sound of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Blues, Soul, Pop & Country. Add some Jazz and Rockabilly, and you pretty much got what they call Rock ‘n’ Roll.
On January 15th, 1941, poet, singer, painter, shehnai player (Indian flute), songwriter, producer, actor, clarinet player, saxophonist, harmonica player, and co-founder of The Magic Band, Captain Beefheart (Don Van Vliet) was born in Glendale, California. TOV covered his death in the December 17th post. Please refer to it for additional information. Vliet was a highly talented and innovative musician, that worked with Zappa in the late 60s. He’s also a gifted sculptor and painter. His Safe As Milk (1967), and Trout Mask Replica (1969) LPs are considered classics-and some of his best work. He was 69 years old when he died in 2010.
On January 15th, 1930, Bluesman, guitarist, bandleader, and session musician-Earl Zebedee Hooker was born in Quitman County, MS. Earl played slide guitar for musicians like Junior Wells, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Muddy Waters, and John Lee Hooker. He released his debut LP The Genius Of Earl Hooker in 1968, and released eight LPs on six imprints (Cuca, Arhoolie, Bluesway, Blue Thumb, Blues on Blues and Red Lightning) through 1972. Hooker was a childhood friend of Bo Diddley. His career was cut short, when he died suddenly at the age of 40, in 1970.
On January 15th, in 1909 the infamous jazz drummer, sideman, bandleader, composer, arranger, producer, and actor-Gene Krupa (Eugene Betram Krupa) was born in Chicago, Illinois. He started playing drums in his early teens, and had a career that spanned nearly 50 years (1925-1973). He worked with Benny Goodman in the 1930s, before starting his own band later. He also appeared in the 1941 movie Ball Of Fire (performing Drum Boogie). The Gene Krupa Story, a biographical film depicting his career was released in 1959. He died, at the age of 64, on Oct 16th, 1974.
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!