SOUL TRAIN * USA 1971 - 2008 * Love, Peace .. and Soul

[Mysterious]

... lange vor den ersten geburtswehen von SOUL TRAIN ...


55 min snippets aus den 60ern ...enjoy!

... mehr als ein pausenfüller! Ab 52:12 sind die J5 dran "Who's lovin' you"
Wurzeln.

Es ist schon erstaunlich, wieviel man von den Songs "eigentlich" schon aus Kindertagen kennt und in akustischer Erinnerung hat, wenn man sie dann wieder hört.
Sie müssen viel im Radio gelaufen sein, denn Platten hatten meine Eltern nicht von ihnen.

[rip.michael]

... wollte schon schreiben "so empfinde ich es auch" was die erinnerung betrifft. Aber ... die erinnerung stammt wohl weniger aus meinen kindertagen (denn meine eltern hatten einen eher konservativen musikgeschmack, erst recht keine platten in der richtung, noch wurde solche musik im radio gehört) eher aus meinen späten jugendjahren, wo so langsam der geschmack an anderen, als den damals gängigen und von mir favorisierten musikrichtungen wuchs. Soulmusik hat mich in meiner jugend fasziniert, auch wenn ich damit ziemlich allein dastand im kreis meiner freunde. Das schwappte lustig hin und her soul - britpop - britpop - soul - neue welt - alte welt. Ich mag beides noch immer ... aber soul ... der geht rein und nie mehr wieder raus! Bin froh, dass es so ist.

Freue mich schon auf heute abend, auf Palace of Groove und auf Marvin Gaye & co.

[Mysterious]

... wollte schon schreiben "so empfinde ich es auch" was die erinnerung betrifft. Aber ... die erinnerung stammt wohl weniger aus meinen kindertagen (denn meine eltern hatten einen eher konservativen musikgeschmack, erst recht keine platten in der richtung, noch wurde solche musik im radio gehört) eher aus meinen späten jugendjahren, wo so langsam der geschmack an anderen, als den damals gängigen und von mir favorisierten musikrichtungen wuchs. Soulmusik hat mich in meiner jugend fasziniert, auch wenn ich damit ziemlich allein dastand im kreis meiner freunde. Das schwappte lustig hin und her soul - britpop - britpop - soul - neue welt - alte welt. Ich mag beides noch immer ... aber soul ... der geht rein und nie mehr wieder raus! Bin froh, dass es so ist.

Freue mich schon auf heute abend, auf Palace of Groove und auf Marvin Gaye & co.

Also ich glaue schon, das die akustischen Erinnerunen bei mir aus der Kindheit und frühen Jugend stammen.
Denn ich habe ab ca. meinem 18. Lebensjahr selbst sehr viel Soul gehört, neben Rock und Jazz.
Aber es war mehr Soul der in den 70ern und 80ern aktuell war.

[Gittu]

Freue mich schon auf heute abend, auf Palace of Groove und auf Marvin Gaye & co. [/QUOTE]........JA, ICH AUCH!!!....ich hoffe sie werden auch von seiner Duettpartnerin Tammi Terrell erzählen, die leider eine sehr kurze Karriere und Leben hatte. Sie verstarb im Alter von nur 24 Jahren, und somit nur 2-3 Jahren mit Marvin Gaye gesungen hat....Sie hatte eine Tolle Stimme.
Marvin Gaye ist auch viel zu früh gestorben, mit 45 Jahren, durch Streitigkeiten von seinem eigenen Vater erschossen.....Traurige Geschichte.

[rip.michael]

Leider wurde Marvin Gayes duettpartnerin Tammi Terrell nicht erwähnt. Das mag wohl daran liegen, dass die beiden nie duettmässig bei SOUL TRAIN auftraten.

Ich finde, ihre erfolge als duo sollten nicht unerwähnt bleiben, denn sie klingen einfach grossartig zusammen.
Hier ihre gemeinsamen erfolge, quelle wiki:


1967: "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" #19 US
1967: "Your Precious Love" #5 US
1967: "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You" #10 US
1968: "If This World Were Mine" #68 US
1968: "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" #8 US
1968: "You're All I Need to Get By" #7 US
1968: "Keep On Lovin' Me, Honey" #24 US
1969: "Good Lovin' Ain't Easy to Come By" #30 US^
1969: "What You Gave Me" #49 US^
1970: "The Onion Song" #50 US^
1970: "California Soul" #56 US^

... noch ein paar "Memory Chest"; "Two can have a party"; "Oh how I'd miss you"; "You ain't livin till you're lovin"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Classic Soul Album Spotlight: Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On?
One word describes Marvin Gaye’s classic album What’s Going On? : Genius.

Smokey Robinson hailed What’s Going On? as the greatest soul album of all time. Indeed, Gaye poured his whole soul into the making of this album. It is perhaps the most important album in soul music history.

“What’s Going On? was the quiet moment in the raging storm that swept through so much of Marvin’s life,” wrote David Ritz, author of the Marvin Gaye biography Divided Soul. Prior to the recording of the album, Gaye was in seclusion and despair. His brother, Frankie Gaye, was in the Vietnam War, the death of his duet partner Tammi Terrell affected him tremendously, and the state of the world at the time and his own personal demons from his past and present were weighing heavily on Gaye’s mind. What Gaye did was put all of his despair, emotions and confusion into his art, which resulted in What’s Going On?.

Recorded in only ten days in early 1971, Gaye collaborated with several co-writers–The Funk Brothers, who were the musicians responsible for the majority of most of Motown’s early hits, and one of the best musical arrangers of the time David Van De Pitte. In fact, Gaye’s album was the first time that the Funk Brothers and any musicians for that matter received credit on a Motown album, due to Gaye’s insistence.

Gaye told writer David Ritz: “I wanted to treat the album as an album, not as a string of small songs. So I found a theme and I tried to explore it from different angles. At first I was afraid, because I didn’t know whether this had ever been done before. But when I got started I actually found that the process came naturally; I was traveling down a path of the heart.”

The album begins with the title track, which was composed by Gaye, Al Cleveland, and Four Tops member Renaldo “Obie” Benson. The track begins with the sounds of a party atmosphere with people greeting one another (the dialogue was supplied by several of Marvin’s friends and members of the Detroit Tigers football team). The song segues into Gaye crying out to his mother, his brother (referring to his brother and the other men in Vietnam, acknowledging that there were “far too many of you dying”) and father, with whom he had very little communication (“father, father, there’s no need to escalate.”). Gaye cried out for the need of love among the human race and that “war is not the answer, for only love can conquer hate.” It remains a relevant song 41 years later.

The album continues with “What’s Happening Brother,” which speaks to the returning Vietnam veterans who were wondering what was going on in the U.S. since they had been away fighting in the war, and the sad plight that many of them could not find work.

The next track was the haunting “Flyin’ High in the Friendly Skies,” which was Gaye’s commentary on his own drug use. This segued into the very touching and poignant “Save the Children,” which speaks to the plight of the children of the world, capped by the question “Who really cares?” This segued into “God Is Love,” which takes a look inside Gaye’s spirituality and adherence to God. A slower version of this song was recorded as the B-side to the “What’s Going On” single.

“Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)” was Gaye’s commentary on the dangers threatening planet earth, such as the oil spills in the oceans and radiation in the sky. In “Right On,” a title taken from a popular urban catchphrase of the time, Gaye sings about the enjoyment of his fame, a fame which he sings led him into “drowning in the sea of happiness.” The last track on the album was the dark, chilling “Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)” which takes a look at the harsh conditions of those living in the ghetto. This segues into a brief slower reprise of the title track, given a jazzy feel by its piano background. The album ends reminding the listener with the question “What’s Going On?”
What's Going On (Deluxe Edition) - Marvin Gaye
Buy music from Marvin Gaye on iTunes


Due to Motown’s policy of releasing pop friendly sounding R&B, the label refused to release Gaye’s album with its dark, socially conscious songs. In an interview with David Ritz, Gaye said, “They (Motown) didn’t like it, didn’t understand it and didn’t trust it. Management said the songs were too long, too formless and would get lost on a public looking for easy three-minute stories. For months they wouldn’t release it. My attitude had to be firm. Basically I said, ‘Put it out or I’ll never record for you again.’” Against Motown’s wishes, the album was released, but in time the label would be glad it released the album after all.

The album was a commercial and critical success. Time magazine stated, “The LP laments war, pollution, heroin and the miseries of ghetto life. Musically it is a far cry from the gospel or blues a black singer-composer might normally apply to such subjects.” Indeed, the album is a combination of soul, blues, jazz and gospel and this mixing of musical genres forged a masterpiece.

The album, released May 21, 1971, reached number six on the pop charts and number one on the soul charts, where it stayed nine weeks at the top position. It was also the recipient of an NAACP Image Award and yielded three hit singles: the title track, reaching number two for three weeks on the pop charts and number two for five weeks on the Soul charts; “Mercy Mercy Me,” reaching number four on the pop charts and number one on the Soul charts for two weeks (its B-side contained a slow, jazzy reworking of “God Is Love” with a new title, “Sad Tomorrows”); and “Inner City Blues,” reaching number nine on the pop charts and number one on the Soul charts for three weeks.

One month after Gaye’s tragic death in April 1984, a reissue of What’s Going On? re-entered the charts, reaching number 49.

The album cover even showed a different side of Gaye. Whereas in the sixties Gaye was clean-shaven, for this album and for the rest of his career and life Gaye sported a beard. The album’s close up photo shows Gaye looking serious with light rain falling on him and its back cover shows a full body shot of Gaye standing in the rain in a long black coat with a serious expression on his face. The front and back cover of the album mirrors the dark and serious mood and tone of the music contained within the album.

Oddly enough, such a fine production received no Grammy Awards. But nevertheless, the album’s reward was its lasting appeal as a piece of musical artistry. Whereas some albums are only hits for the moment or for that time, Gaye’s What’s Going On? is a hit for all time. Every track on the album is relevant today as it was forty-one years ago, which makes it an important piece of not just music but art as a whole. Gaye was well ahead of his time when he created this work of genius. “What’s Going On” is a timeless masterpiece that will last for many years to come.

–Stephen McMillian


The Forefathers of R&B: Marvin Gaye & Teddy Pendergrass
August 5, 2013


Whenever someone mentions Marvin Gaye or Teddy Pendergrass, one word comes to mind: Legendary. Gaye and Pendergrass were talented vocalists who changed the sound of R&B music. Their musical approaches were different but their music wasn’t out of the ordinary. Marvin and Teddy took risks and weren’t afraid to show their true identity as singers. They were truly one of a kind; Marvin and Teddy sang, recorded classics, and they were fine like wine. They had the total package.

Everyone loved Marvin because he was cool, calm, and suave when he spoke with his fans, television personalities, reporters, or producers. He was poised and full of eloquence. And this is why Marvin was so irresistible each time he sang “Let’s Get It On,” his Grammy Award-winning hit, “Sexual Healing,” “You’re All I Need to Get By featuring Tammi Terrell, “You’re A Special Part of Me” featuring Diana Ross, “Troubled Man,” or “Just to Keep You Satisfied.” Each time Marvin sang a song, you sensed the current stage in his life. His songs can make you excited, sad, or sexually aroused. Surprisingly, Marvin was shy but he knew how to set the mood for his fans. On the other hand, he was a messenger for the African American community because he discussed controversial topics in his music: racism, war, poverty, and violence. He mentioned these topics in “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler),” “Mercy Mercy Me,” and “What’s Going On?” Even though Marvin battled with his own personal demons, he was and still is a purveyor in R&B. He supplied us with soul music that enthralled people’s hearts, minds, souls, and spirits. Over the past three decades, Marvin’s music has been categorized as “sophisticated soul, contemporary soul, or quiet storm.” I believe all of these labels exemplify Marvin’s music because he talked about the highs and lows of being in love and raising awareness about what’s going on in the world. One artist that has followed in Marvin’s footsteps is the “Pied Piper of R&B,” R. Kelly, because he knows how to be versatile in his music.

TeddyMeanwhile, Teddy was our “black Elvis,” because he was extremely popular back in the 70s. He wasn’t afraid to show sex appeal on stage. Teddy was a sex symbol, without a doubt! Women were chanting his name when he performed his sensual moves on stage; ladies were throwing their panties and bras at this man! Now, that’s swag! Ladies had a special connection with Teddy when he sang “Turn Off the Lights,” “Come Over to My Place,” or “Close the Door.” Teddy wasn’t afraid to admit he was wrong or showing his appreciation to the ladies. You can hear it in songs “When Somebody Loves You Back,” “Only You,” “Love T.K.O,” or my favorite, “You’re My Latest, My Greatest Inspiration.” I loved my late grandfather even more when he forced me to listen to Teddy’s “You’re My Latest, My Greatest Inspiration” when I was a little girl. When my grandfather played the song he said, “Nicky Nack, this is how a young man should treat you. Teddy said it best.” This song will be played at my wedding when I dance with my husband. The melody to the song is so beautiful and heartfelt. Teddy’s music will always leave a long lasting impression on people.

Marvin and Teddy are no longer with us but their music will forever be remembered. I am more than honored to know about two men who set the mark for other singers in the entertainment industry, and elated that my mom and grandparents made me appreciate Marvin’s and Teddy’s contributions to R&B music. Each time we hear a song from Marvin or Teddy, they knew how to dance, party, laugh, cry, or be affectionate with the crowd. And if you don’t believe me, just listen to the music and see for yourself!

–Dominique M. Carson

Quelle: Soultrain.com


Marvin Gaye trat 4 x bei SOUL TRAIN auf:
Episode 89./ 16. Feb. 1974; 222./ 7. Mai 1977; 348./ 17. Jan. 1981; 395./ 19. Juni 1982; 417./ 11. Juni 1983

Quelle: List of Soul Train Episodes, wiki



Hier kann man sich die komplette episode von 1974 anschauen (über proxy)


Wer die Episode 5 von Palace of Groove nicht sehen konnte ...

"Let's get it on" 1974

"All the way around"

"Got to give it up"

"Sexual healing" (.. über proxy)

"Til tomorrow" (proxy)

James & Deanna Brown "Hell!"

Billy Preston "Nothing from nothing"

Interview 20.10.1973

Turning 30: Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing”
August 2, 2012

In 1982, after a dramatic exit from Motown—the label that made his legendary career- Marvin Gaye sauntered back onto the scene with a new single, “Sexual Healing”. Short on pretense and slick metaphor, “Sexual Healing” was a bold, in-your-face testament from a lover, imploring not only to get it on for the sake of getting it on, but getting it on to fix what’s been going wrong.

In 1982, Marvin Gaye was rebounding from a lot that had gone wrong. From a failing marriage and separation from his second wife and their three children, to a debilitating drug habit that had nearly ruined his career, he was led back to the music, declaring loudly that he was not down for the count. “Sexual Healing” was the first from his new album Midnight Love. Marvin’s new home, Columbia Records, released the album in September of 1982, not prepared for it to shoot to #1 on the R&B charts less than a month later. By the next year, he had won three Grammy Awards for the song along with an American Music Award.

There are countless stories of how the song “Sexual Healing” came to be. On Wikipedia, you can read about how a reporter from Rolling Stone magazine sparked the song’s name when remarking that Marvin Gaye needed “sexual healing” after seeing countless pornographic comic books littering Marvin’s hotel floor. Other stories suggest that Marvin came up with the title himself. Whatever the story, the energy of the song is unmistakably all Marvin. “Sexual Healing” is Marvin Gaye in his element—emoting raw sexuality, playful charm and soulful banter. Through this song, we caught one of our last glimpses of the soul crooner who has influenced more than one generation with his unparalleled gifts. As “Sexual Healing” celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, we reflect on the distinct memory of Marvin Gaye and understand that through song, his legacy is undeniable.

-Khadijah Z. Ali-Coleman

Quelle: soultrain.com


Sugar Hill Gang - Rappers Delight / Ep. 361, 5/16/1981

[Gittu]

rip.michael Ich finde, ihre erfolge als duo sollten nicht unerwähnt bleiben, denn sie klingen einfach grossartig zusammen.

da gebe ich Dir vollkommen recht!... Schade das die beiden so kurz zusammen arbeiten konnte. Ich wusste nicht das sie als Duo nie bei SoulTrain auftraten. Vielen Dank für deine Mühe echt klasse von Dir!......

[rip.michael]

Danke @Gittu .. gerne!
Jedenfalls habe ich nix über einen gemeinsamen auftritt bei SOUL TRAIN herausfinden können.
Wenn doch, bitte berichtigen!


Noch gefunden:

Diary of an Ex-Soul Train Dancer: Freddie Maxie

Freddie Maxie is one of the first female dancers to do the locking dance move professionally. Her locking movements were one of the visual treats of Soul Train and the Soul Train road tours. Her journey before and after Soul Train is truly incredible.

Soultrain.com: My first question is where are you originally from?

Freddie Maxie: Shreveport, Louisiana.

Soultrain.com: When you were a child, did you have any desires or ambitions to dance or be in show business?

Freddie Maxie: I more or less come from a musical family. I loved singing more than dancing. Several of my relatives sang in church, but I was shy and quiet and never sang for or in front of anybody. My older sister was more talented and she was a big inspiration in my life to be involved in the entertainment and music industry.

Soultrain.com: When was the first time you sang in public?

Freddie Maxie: I was 12 years old when I first sang in public in church in front of my family. My uncle, my grandfather’s twin brother and my mother cried when they heard me singing “Oh Rugged Cross” and they could not believe my delivery of that song.

Soultrain.com: When did your love of dancing occur?

Freddie Maxie: I was about 8 or 9 when I began dancing. Me and my older sister and other relatives always danced around the house and being that I grew up in a Pentecostal church, we danced during church service, too.

Soultrain.com: When did you and your family move to Los Angeles?

Freddie Maxie: In 1970. My mom wanted to move to LA to get a better job. All of her sisters were living in Los Angeles also. So we rode from Shreveport to Compton in a big yellow Cadillac and we arrived July 4, 1970. That car was packed! We rode “ten deep” in that canary yellow Cadillac! (Laughs)

Soultrain.com: How did you become a Soul Train dancer?

Freddie Maxie: The story with that began at the Watts Writers Workshop, which was a program for young people who aspired to be in the arts and they put on productions and plays. A lot of famous people came out of that program. It was at this workshop [where] I met Jimmy “Scoo B Doo” Foster and we became good friends. He trained me on locking movements. He was already a dancer on Soul Train so one Sunday he took me to the show for a taping.

Soultrain.com: What do you remember most about your first time being on Soul Train?

Freddie Maxie: Becoming friends with Pat Davis. You see, that previous Monday I had beaten Pat in a dance contest at a club but she and her partner Gary Keys were so nice to me afterwards. So that Sunday when I went to the show, Pat remembered me and she told the dance coordinator, Pam Brown, that I beat her in a dance contest, that I was a great dancer and that I can lock. At this time, Pam was looking for dancers to be a part of Soul Train’s upcoming On the Road tours. So after Pam watched me dance at that taping, she wanted me to be on the tour and invited me to come back to the next tapings so that the TV audience could become familiar with who I was by the time the tour began.

Soultrain.com: So your friendship with Pat Davis helped you get opportunities with Soul Train?

Freddie Maxie: Yes! Pat was always kind to me and looked out for me. She always acknowledged me, never laughed at or made fun of me and she always had a kind word for me. It was because of Pat telling Pam about my dance skills that I became a part of the Soul Train tour. If it weren’t for Pat, I wouldn’t have had those great experiences with Soul Train.

Soultrain.com: What was your experience with the Soul Train road tours?

Freddie Maxie: Wonderful! Before our first show at the Los Angeles Forum, I had to take the SAT at Long Beach State then that night I had to rush back to the Forum. We opened up for the Whispers, the Sylvers, Eddie Kendricks, and the Moments. But I was so nervous! There were thousands of people there and I had butterflies in my stomach. I never experienced that before.

Soultrain.com: How did you deal with being nervous in front of that large crowd?

Freddie Maxie: I said to myself ‘don’t look at the crowd, don’t look at the people’s faces, just look at my partner’. The other dancers also helped me get over my nervousness. So when Don Cornelius called out my and my partner’s names and we did our routines, I was fine. After that we played the Cow Palace in San Francisco and then an arena in San Diego. By the time we played the Apollo in New York, I was okay.

Soultrain.com: Performing at the legendary Apollo must have been a truly memorable experience!

Freddie Maxie: It really was, but it almost didn’t happen. Not too long before the Apollo gig, Soul Train had a national dance contest and the winners were a couple from New Orleans. Don Cornelius wanted them as well as Damita Jo Freeman– who was also part of that contest–on the tour. So during a rehearsal at the park that Tuesday night for the tour, Don told Connie Blackino and I that we were eliminated from the tour, but he did pay us for coming to the rehearsals so they went to New York without us.

Soultrain.com: That must have been very disappointing for you,

Freddie Maxie: Yes. Even the other dancers on the tour were unhappy we were not performing with them at the Apollo. Pam Brown felt really bad about it and told Don to put us back on the show. It turned out that Damita didn’t join the tour and the winners of the dance contest could not go because they were going to school, although they did come to some other Soul Train tapings. So one day, a black limo pulled up to Connie’s house in L.A. and to my house in Compton and we got our suitcases packed and we flew first class to New York City!

Soultrain.com: What kind of dance routines would you do during the tour?

Freddie Maxie: Since I am a locker, I would do locking routines with Scoo B Doo and Greg Pope. They would do these handshakes and hand claps, but they were so fast . . . and rough! (Laughs) They would also go between my legs then jump out into the audience and kiss the girls then hop back on stage!

Soultrain.com: Did you ever experience any jealousy while you were on Soul Train?

Freddie Maxie: No, not really. One time though I was in the park in Compton and the music was on and we were all dancing. Several guys saw me locking and wanted me to teach them the moves. The other girls there got jealous. One of them was a member of the Crips and she wanted to start a fight with me, but then she said, “Don’t I know you?” She remembered me from a talent show we performed in together. That saved me from getting beat up! (Laughs)

Soultrain.com: Do you have any OMG moments from Soul Train?

Freddie Maxie: Yes. Two actually. First was when the Jackson 5 came on the show. Pat Davis already knew the Jackson family so when they arrived at the studio and went to the dressing room, she introduced me to Katherine Jackson and Janet Jackson, who both sat in the audience. Afterwards, Pat said to me, “Come on, come on, let’s go! You’re going to meet the Jackson 5!” When we got to the dressing room, Pat knocked on the door and said, “Hey, I want you to meet my friend, Freddie.” The door opened and Michael and Marlon stood at the door and the dressing room was full of feathers in the air and on the floor because the group was just having a pillow fight and they weren’t even in their stage outfits yet! (Laughs)

Soultrain.com: (Laughs) That’s a funny way of being introduced to the Jackson 5. What happened next?

Freddie Maxie: Pat told Michael that I could do the Robot real good and that I could make my arms go behind my back. Michael got excited and asked if I could come to this house after the taping and show him how to do the Robot. I said, “Michael, you just have to practice.” But Michael pressed further and asked, “Are you gonna come?” Suddenly, Pat and I heard Pam Brown’s voice saying, “Pat and Freddie! I know you are back here! We need you downstairs!” Pat and I ran into the ladies room, went in the stalls and stood on the toilets. Pam came in and said, “I know you two are in here. Come on downstairs!” (Laughs)

Soultrain.com: (Laughs) That’s hilarious!

Freddie Maxie: It sure was! A little later on, Michael and his brothers came out to the stage in their outfits looking neat with their afros picked out, not like they were in the dressing room. I was standing right near the stage during their performances. When they performed “Dancing Machine” and Michael did the Robot, I said to myself, “Michael you don’t need me to teach you to do the Robot!” That was a fun day. Many of us wore J-5 T-shirts that were passed out to us.

Soultrain.com: Did you ever accept Michael’s invitation to come to his house?

Freddie Maxie: I did, but after the taping, Lynn (another Soul Train dancer) and I were supposed to go to a party hosted by the grandson of Buckwheat (The Little Rascals character). I told Lynn that Michael invited me to his home but she said we would go later. So we went to the party and it was great. Afterwards, Lynn and I went to the Jacksons home in Encino. But it was midnight! I rang the bell. Mrs. Jackson answered the intercom and said, “I’m sorry baby, everyone went home.”

Soultrain.com: You wanted to strangle Lynn, didn’t you? (Laughs)

Freddie Maxie: Yes! (Laughs)

Soultrain.com: What was your other OMG moment from Soul Train?

Freddie Maxie: Marvin Gaye! We had no idea he was going to be a guest on the show so when he walked in the studio and stood near Don and the production staff, we just all stared at him. Don Cornelius literally let Marvin run the whole show that day and everyone just wanted to talk to him. We were so happy he came to Soul Train. There was magic in the air when he came on.

Soultrain.com: What was Marvin’s personality like?

Freddie Maxie: He was very relaxed but seemed a bit down at first. But once we started screaming when he performed, he felt alright. The dancers grew up in an era where people wanted to be able to meet and see people like Marvin, Michael, and Aretha, and there they were on Soul Train for us to meet and see.

Soultrain.com: The Soul Train Gang was featured heavily in Right On magazine due to your popularity on the show and a series of photos were taken of all of you for numerous issues of the magazine. Looks like all of you had fun during those photo shoots.

Freddie Maxie: Did we! The photos were shot at Griffith Park in Los Angeles. Flo Jenkins (then editor of Right On magazine) wanted to spotlight the Soul Train dancers who were part of the Soul Train road tours. The photos were used to promote the Soul Train tours, not the Soul Train show. Some of the other dancers who were not part of the tour showed up at the shoots and pushed their way into the photos.

Soultrain.com: There was a certain 1940s style that several of the girls were into during the time you were on the show.

Freddie Maxie: Yes. The Billie Holiday look influenced the style of dress of some of the girls on the show, like Pat. But when the Pointer Sisters first came to the show, and they were dressed in 1940s fashions, Pat, and later Fawn Quinones, began to dress in those styles.

Soultrain.com: Was it hard for you to leave Soul Train?

Freddie Maxie: It was difficult. Pat and I left about the same time. I wanted to go to college, but I didn’t feel mentally ready for it. Dick Griffey, who was forming a musical group called the Soul Train Gang, knew I could sing and wanted to be a part of the group, which would be recording, traveling and touring. But both my grandmother and Pam Brown advised me to go to school. It was rough leaving the life of entertainment and just going to school. It was heartbreaking, but it was something I had to do. So I enrolled in California State Fullerton and earned my degree in performing arts.

Soultrain.com: What was your journey like in college?

Freddie Maxie: During my time there, I enrolled in a Black Ensemble class. My professor, Stan Breckeridge, wanted me to sing the Rufus song “Sweet Thing.” When he and the rest of the class heard me singing, they were blown away. After that, I began to work with my professor and I performed at shows in beach areas and in weddings. Years later, when I formed my own band called Maxie, I worked in Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm.

Soultrain.com: What was it like performing in Disneyland?

Freddie Maxie: Disneyland had held an audition for singers and dancers for the All American College Band. I auditioned but I wasn’t hired because I was too light and they only wanted brown skinned singers. But some years later, a relief band was needed when the All American College Band wouldn’t be available to play at Disneyland. So this was when my band Maxie performed.

Soultrain.com: Did you ever do any recording?

Freddie Maxie: My uncle worked with people like Willie Hutch and Paul Anka, so I did do some backup singing in the studios.

Soultrain.com: What are you doing currently?

Freddie Maxie: I’ve been with General Mills for 22 years and during the course of those years I was still doing singing gigs here and there and did show tunes with my family at restaurants. I also met my husband through his aunt in church. We will be married 14 years December 1st and we have a 13 year old son.

Soultrain.com: Has your son seen old footage of you dancing on Soul Train?

Freddie Maxie: (Laughs) My son gets tickled when he sees me in those old Soul Train episodes. I was gratified when I went to my husband’s job and to see how they reacted to me because I was a former Soul Train dancer.

Soultrain.com: Since you were one of the first girls to do locking professionally, what do you think of how this dance step has evolved into a movement?

Freddie Maxie: To see a dance move that was introduced over 40 years ago and is still being done today is incredible.

Soultrain.com: Are you still in touch with the Soul Train Gang?

Freddie Maxie: I had lost touch with them over the years, but thanks to a fan of mine named Alicia Thompson, she got me back in touch with many of them. Several of us had dinner together in 2005 and had a wonderful time. When we get together, we all are one. The Soul Train Gang is so important and in many ways, we are an inspiration to others.

Soultrain.com: Any final thoughts you’d like to share?

Freddie Maxie: Dancing is just a part of my life. It’s like breathing. It makes me happy. We need to keep dancing. Dancing is good for you and very healthy. Don’t stop dancing.

Quelle: soultrain.com



Diary of an Ex-Soul Train Dancer Presents: Thelma Davis Martin

Thelma Davis Martin was one of the more familiar faces seen on Soul Train. Known for her short afro hairstyle, she was not into gimmicks or trying to copy other dancers. She had her own definitive style and originality which set her apart from the other dancers on the show. Her accomplishments were equally as important as the other dancers that became famous. During her ten years on the show, Thelma was solely committed to “the dance.”

Soultrain.com: Was dancing always your passion?

Thelma Davis Martin: Yes. I started training when I was around seven. I danced in local shows around the city but then I moved away from formal dance and I started street dancing. Club and street dancing was more my forte but I trained in jazz, ballet and modern dance.

Soultrain.com: How did your journey with Soul Train begin?

Thelma: When the show came to Los Angeles, I was already dancing at local clubs in Los Angeles. Fliers were being passed out that dancers were being sought for a new dance show so I went to the auditions at Dinker Park–I lived four or five blocks away and frequented [it] often. The rest is history. Pam Brown was really excited about me and said I was a different kind of dancer since I did street dancing and also had formal training, so my dancing was a little different. But then I got disqualified.

Soultrain.com: Really? Why?

Thelma: At the time, one of the criteria was that you and your dance partner had to attend the same school or live in the same neighborhood, and I was going to a different school than the partner I had auditioned with. Although I lived near Dinker Park I was going to a different school in Compton. I got a call from a staff member from the show and was told even though I was accepted as a dancer it was found out that I didn’t go to the same school as my dance partner and I couldn’t come on the show. But then Pam called me back personally and said that the rules had been bent a little bit for me and I got on the show.

Soultrain.com: What do you remember about your first time being on Soul Train?

Thelma: The set had railroad tracks laid out in black masking tape, the risers were little flat pieces of steps, and a piece hung on the back wall with signs saying New York, Chicago, etc. But it was fun! However, there was no rhythm or rhyme to the format of the show. They had a format, but they didn’t have it down pat as to how it was going to go–when they were going to tape the performers or when the dancers were not going to be taped. They didn’t have a set schedule in the early days.

Soultrain.com: You always did some effervescent dancing during the dance segments and the Soul Train line.

Thelma: In the show’s beginning, there was no Soul Train line. If you look at some of the shows in the early days, there were no Soul Train lines. Don Cornelius said the line was something that was done at parties in Chicago and he borrowed the concept from his party days in Chicago and brought it to the show.

Soultrain.com: Your look was also unique and very afrocentric with the very short afro hairstyle you wore when at the time everyone else wore big afros. You really stood out.

Thelma: Well thank you! I wasn’t as popular as some of the other dancers; I was just me. I didn’t fall into the trap of dressing like everyone else or wearing my hair like everyone else. I was just going to be who I am. I always had an individuality about myself. I never wanted to be like anybody else. I think I was basically more of a trendsetter than a follower. With me it wasn’t about being famous, it was just about the dance.

Soultrain.com: Indeed. What are some of your favorite memories from being on the show?

Thelma: I was a dancer who was like the welcoming committee. I made newer dancers felt at ease and Pam started using me with the performers to help them out with wardrobe and other duties. You may see me one time at the beginning of the show then you would see me on the riser and then you wouldn’t see me anymore. That’s because I was in the background working with the performers in the back with their wardrobe or getting them coffee.

Soultrain.com: What were your favorite dances while you were on the show?

Thelma: Every week was a new dance! [Laughs] I don’t remember the names of half of them. There was a segment in the early seventies where Don would pick a couple that came up with a new dance, a dance of the week. The dancers would be doing different weird little steps. We’d just make up steps on the spot and Don would say, “Come up and do it!” Me and one of my partners, Ralph Witherspoon, did a dance called The Scrunch.

Soultrain.com: Did you enjoy dancing on the risers more than on the floor?

Thelma: I preferred to dance on the floor because the risers were harder to dance on. When I was on the show, the cameras would pan to the risers, but they would show more floor shots.

Soultrain.com: Who were some of your favorite artists that came to the show?

Thelma: I liked The Whispers because they are my favorite group and of course The Jackson 5. I also loved Labelle and Marvin Gaye. I worked closely with these artists.

Soultrain.com: Did you realize back then that you were becoming part of a legacy?

Thelma: I didn’t realize then the impact that whole era with the Soul Train Dancers, the Civil Rights movement, the black exploitation films and the “Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud” movement was having. At the time, no one realized the impact these things were having on the world.

Soultrain.com: The Soul Train dancers are definitely iconic.

Thelma: Initially, we were called the Soul Train Gang and we had ID cards and we were able to go to all of the nightclubs. We had privilege. However, somewhere around 1975, our names were changed to the Soul Train Dancers and some of that privilege was lost. Don’s attitude was sort of like, ‘I made the dancers, the dancers didn’t make me.’ But shortly before he passed away, he admitted that without the dancers his show didn’t look equal and that the entertainers and the dancers were equal. I still feel like people weren’t tuning in to the show solely for the entertainment but also for the dancers. Black people got to see a reflection of themselves in a light that was positive, fun and upbeat.

Soultrain.com: Did you have any favorite dance partners on the show?

Thelma: It’s hard to say who was a favorite because all of my partners had different styles. I was kind of the “pass around girl” on the dance floor because I get bored and people wanted to do the same little routines and steps over and over again. I wanted to try something new.

Soultrain.com: Did you ever have any problems with jealousy while you were a dancer?

Thelma: I never personally experienced any of that. I was more of a peacemaker. I would be in the middle of the other people’s turmoil and trying to smooth things out. I was like let’s make love and not war.

Soultrain.com: Did you ever get recognized in public as a result of being a Soul Train dancer?

Thelma: I still get it. People walk up to me all the time and ask, “Didn’t you dance on Soul Train?” [laughs]

Soultrain.com: Did you ever travel or tour as a Soul Train dancer?

Thelma: I did a lot of promotion work for Johnson Products. Me and other dancers, such as Little Joe Chism and Jeffrey Daniels, would be sent to different cities around the country to various stores like Woolworth’s that carried Johnson Products. We would do in-store promotions for Afro Sheen and Ultra Sheen as well as sign autographs. We were also sent out to judge the Soul Train dance contests around the country for the finals in Los Angeles. We would go to different cities and judge those dancers that became part of the contests. The dancers would also do half time shows for The Jackson 5 and other entertainers when they would do celebrity basketball games.

Soultrain.com: You really have seen and experienced a lot as a Soul Train dancer.

Thelma: The early days of Soul Train were the hardest days. We didn’t have all of the amenities back then. I saw all the transitions and the upgrades during my ten years on the show, when we went from eating Golden Bird Chicken, which was a black owned business, to KFC. I’ve seen all the set changes, even the new tunnel on the set that replaced the old tunnel, which was just a black hole. Soul Train was a place where you could see a reflection of yourself. Don didn’t employ anyone that wasn’t black. Some people on the staff were not black but Don definitely employed many people of color, from camera people to stage managers.

Soultrain.com: During Soul Train’s heyday in the early seventies, Soul Train gave Dick Clark’s American Bandstand some serious competition. So along came this show called Soul Unlimited, which Dick created to compete with Soul Train. Do you remember any of that?

Thelma: I remember that very well. Some of the Soul Train dancers were also dancing on Bandstand. Dick would try to coordinate his tapings the same day as Soul Train’s tapings. It was almost like Dick was challenging Don. Dick never tapped into black dance initially. A lot of racism and segregation was still prevalent in the seventies. I never wanted to go on Bandstand. The camaraderie wasn’t there. No one was ready to tap into the fact that black people were photogenic or that the television screen would like them or there was an audience for them. I think Dick put together Soul Unlimited as a way to challenge Don. I wasn’t one of the dancers that went to that show because, for one thing, they were both being taped at the same time and I couldn’t possibly be on Soul Train working with the entertainers in the back and dancing on the show then go to Soul Unlimited.

Soultrain.com: You and several of the other dancers were a part of the movie Five On The Blackhand Side in the wedding scene. What was it like being a part of that classic movie?

Thelma: We had so much fun doing that film. We were in several other movies such as Disco 9000 and Youngblood. We also did other television programs such as the Jerry Lewis Telethon in Las Vegas.

Soultrain.com: What did you do professionally after you left Soul Train?

Thelma: I started working in Japan. I initially went there as a dancer with a band but I wound up hating it because they didn’t have any respect for dancers. They didn’t disrespect you but they didn’t have the level of respect that I wanted and so I left and said I would never go back. But then some lady who appeared at the club I performed in called me once I got back to Los Angeles and said that she was in the process of opening up some dance studios, spas and some gyms and she needed someone to come and be her lead dance coordinator. So eventually I began going back and forth from Japan to Los Angeles teaching dance and then doing Soul Train tapings.

Soultrain.com: The dancing on Soul Train in the seventies was so free, uninhibited and creative. Do you feel dancing has evolved over the years?

Thelma: I like some of the stuff that I see. Dance has been taken to new levels. The dancers have stretched the limits of what one can do with dance. I appreciate and applaud the dancers that are coming up. Some things I am torn on, like some of these dance groups that are sort of cookie cutters where everything is the same–the steps and gimmicks that are indicative of Slim the Robot from the Lockers, for example. I see a lot of other dancers besides black dancers that are taking over the urban dance scene. When I was in Japan a lot of dancers were starting to emulate what was happening with black people, so we as a race are definitely trendsetters. There is room for everyone.

Soultrain.com: In the later years of Soul Train, the look and feel of the show was different. What did you think of the show back in the late 80s to its final days?

Thelma: The format changed so much. It never should have been about certain looks; it should have been about creativity and what the audience wanted to see, not what the coordinator wanted to see.

Soultrain.com: You and Little Joe Chism put together the first annual Soul Train Gang reunion. That was a wonderful event to attend and quite an experience.

Thelma: When we first started talking about it, it was going to be a small thing like a house party with some of the original dancers. But then I told Joe there were other people that wanted to come as well. I wanted to get people together who haven’t seen each other in years and I wanted it to be a reunion party. Joe said that was a good idea, so then we started planning it. Joe did most of the contacting of people since he knew everybody. I was the logistics person and handled the decorating and the coordinating of the food. It was so sad when Little Joe passed a year later. Damita Jo Freeman and I were at the hospital when he died. I miss him so much.

Soultrain.com: Don’s death was very shocking to us all. What do you want to say in honor of his memory?

Thelma: Don was a visionary. He was a great man in terms of recycling black dollars and doing the right thing in the community and making sure people of color were afforded the same opportunity through his enterprise. He was a ruthless no nonsense kind of guy, but he was very protective of the dancers in the early days since he felt others were trying to exploit us. His legacy will live on forever.

Soultrain.com: Did you want to share the personal losses you experienced this year?

Thelma: I lost my best friend, my husband, and my mother the same month. Three weeks after he passed, my mother died. Then my husband’s mother died in October and I just lost my mother-in- law last week. So it’s been a tumultuous year for me. But my greatest loss was my husband, because he was my soul mate and my backbone. A lot of the dancers knew him since he was at all of the reunions and they attended the memorials for both my husband and mother. I’m moving forward and I’m stepping up to the plate but the memories will always be with me. One of me and my husband’s favorite theme songs was “And The Beat Goes On” by The Whispers.

Soultrain.com: What are you doing currently?

Thelma: I’m still a student of dance. I’m taking African dance classes now. I try to stay active. Also, my daughter decided to be a dancer and she is in New York to hone her craft.

Soultrain.com: What word of wisdom do you want to share with readers?

Thelma: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

–Stephen McMillian

Quelle: soultrain.com

[aurelia]

Geht ziemlich lange, aber es lohnt sich.

[rip.michael]

Wer die ep. 6 nicht sehen konnte ...

Auch diese Folge von „Palace of Groove – Die Soultrain-Archive“ wartet mit einer Traumbesetzung auf:
Neben Stargast Stevie Wonder sind Prince, Ike und Tina Turner sowie Donna Summer bei historischen Live-Auftritten zu erleben. Außerdem beleuchtet die Sendung eine weitere Musikrichtung, die Kult wurde: den Funk

Stevie Wonder wirkte in den Soul Train episoden mit:
46. Stevie Wonder / The Moments / Fully Guaranteed (Special Guest: Judy Pace) January 13, 1973

67. "The Best of Soul Train" featuring James Brown, The Jackson 5, Chuck Berry, The O'Jays, The Temptations, Al Green, Curtis Mayfield, The Supremes, Teddy Brown, The Four Tops, and Stevie Wonder August 11, 1973

303. A Tribute to Minnie Riperton (featuring Stevie Wonder / Wintley Phipps / Professional Dance Routine: Lorraine Fields and Larry Vickers) September 15, 1979

408. Michael McDonald / Janet Jackson / Music Video: Stevie Wonder December 18, 1982

671. Tribute to Stevie Wonder September 21, 1991

797. Georgianna Robertson Stevie Wonder / Jody Watley / Vertical Hold June 17, 1995

Quelle wiki

Classic Soul Train Album Spotlight: Stevie Wonder’s Talking Book ... artikel bei soultrain.com weiterlesen ..
Classic Soul Album Spotlight: Stevie Wonder’s ‘Inner Visions’ ... artikel bei soultrain.com weiterlesen
The 80s: The 1985 Grammy Award Synthesizer Jam ... artikel bei soultrain.com weiterlesen




PRINCE trat bei SOUL TRAIN auf am 9. April 1994 mit diesen 4 songs:

The Most Beautiful Girl In The World
Now
Acknowledge Me
Love Sign (with Nona Gaye)

Die performance von PRINCE ....
und hier die kompl. SOUL TRAIN episode



IKE & TINA TURNER resp. TINA TURNER solo
... traten bei SOUL TRAIN auf:

30. Ike & Tina Turner / Jerry Butler & Brenda Lee Eager April 22, 1972
124. Ike & Tina Turner / Lonette McKee January 18, 1975
461. Dan Hartman / Champaign / Music Video: Tina Turner December 1, 1984

Thursday Throwback – Ike and Tina Turner ... artikel bei soultrain.com weiterlesen



Johnny Nash

47. Johnny Nash / Billy Butler & Infinity / Brighter Side of Darkness January 27, 1973
86. Johnny Nash / Kool & the Gang / The Originals January 12, 1974
121. Johnny Nash / The Commodores / Lonnie Youngblood December 28, 1974

"I can see clearly now" 1973 (proxy)

Thursday Throwback: Johnny Nash ... artikel bei soultrain.com weiterlesen



"Nothing from nothing" Billy Preston

"Dancing machine" Jackson 5

"Freak out" Chic

"You can't stop the music' Village People

"You should be dancing" Bee Gees ST line

"Rappers Delight" Sugar Hill Gang

[aurelia]

[rip.michael]

Morgen wieder bei Palace of Groove, Arte .... SOUL TRAIN ...

ab 23:00 h - Al Green;
ab 23:30 h - Michael Jackson

*freufreu*

cu

[Tijaju]

23:30 ENDLICH!

Wie immer.....das beste zum Schluß!

[rip.michael]

Palace of Groove: Die Soul Train Archive (7/8)

Diese Folge ist dem großen Soulmusiker Al Green und seiner Karriere gewidmet. Nicht nur auf der Musikbühne war er erfolgreich.
zoom

Nach mehreren Schicksalsschlägen suchte er Zuflucht in der Religion. Er beschäftigte sich mit Gospel und übte sich als Prediger. Außerdem stehen Barry White und Snoop Dog live auf der Bühne. Daneben erfährt der Zuschauer Wissenswertes über die Popmusik.

Palace of Groove – Die Soul Train Archive zeigt in acht 26-minütigen Folgen Highlights der weltweit einzigartigen Fernsehshow, die den prägenden Musikströmungen der letzten 40 Jahre von Soul über Funk und Disco bis hin zum Hip-Hop eine Bühne bot.

.... schon mal vorschusslorbeeren für Al Green .
Er war einer der pioniere bei SOUL TRAIN und war von 1971 bis 2008 13 mal zu gast:

• Bill Withers / Al Green / Viola Wills October 30, 1971
  
• Al Green / Mel & Tim March 3, 1973
  
• "The Best of Soul Train" featuring James Brown, The Jackson 5, Chuck Berry, The O'Jays, The Temptations, Al Green, Curtis Mayfield, The Supremes, Teddy Brown, The Four Tops, and Stevie Wonder August 11, 1973
  
• Al Green / The Impressions April 6, 1974
  
• Al Green April 5, 1975
  
• Al Green / Fatback Band March 19, 1977
  
• Al Green / The Dells / Soul Train History Book: LaBelle January 10, 1981
  
• Al Green / Third World June 5, 1982
  
• A Taste of Honey / Jeffrey Osborne / Soul Train History Book: Al Green July 10, 1982
  Season 12 (1982–1983)
  
• Al Green / Planet Patrol October 29, 1983
  
• Al Green / Evelyn "Champagne" King / Music Video: Sly Fox May 17, 1986
  
• Al Green / The Impressions January 6, 2007
  
• Al Green / The Impressions July 19, 2008

Quelle: wiki liste aller ST episoden



The Soul Train History Book: Al Green Takes the Soul Train to Church!
November 1, 2011

By 1974, Al Green was on top of the soul music world. He, along with Marvin Gaye and Barry White, was revered as one of the most sensuous soul singers of the time.

Nothing can improve upon Don Cornelius’s introduction of Green on his fourth appearance on Soul Train in 1974. Cornelius said: “We have run out of superlatives to use to describe this man, but I will say that his eight consecutive gold singles and no less than four consecutive albums is unprecedented. He’s the closest thing the music world has come to having its own messiah.”

Indeed, Green was the “soul green giant” of the music industry and he brought his band along for a truly soulful ride for this taping of Soul Train.

Green had a busy week leading up to the Saturday taping of Soul Train. Earlier that week, he performed at the Sybil Brand Institute (a women’s prison in Los Angeles) and in Bakersfield, CA. At both shows he performed with a sprained arm in a sling, the result of an incident which occurred six weeks earlier in Milwaukee. During Soul Train’s Question and Answer segment, one of the dancers, James Phillips, bluntly asked Green, “What happened to your arm?” Green replied, “I fractured it in Milwaukee trying to get into the car. 35 people (fans) didn’t agree that I could leave at that time.” He then added that the cast would come off later that day, which was right in time for a concert he would be doing at the Los Angeles Forum that night where he mesmerized a sold out crowd following the Soul Train taping.

A sprained arm did not stop the “Green Machine” from giving highly energetic performances at the concerts or on this Soul Train appearance. He did all of his numbers live, as he’d done on his previous appearance on the show in 1973. He opened up this edition of Soul Train with a track from his new album Living For You titled “Sweet 16”, a funky, uptempo number featuring celebratory horns and organs. Many female members of the Soul Train Gang were clustered close to the stage during his performances. Dancer Patricia Davis remembers, “He was a sex symbol. All of us looked at him with dreamy eyes and he was so polite to us and very classy.” Green sang, danced, and hopped around the stage with the enthusiasm, energy and smoothness that embodied the true artist that he is.

After that number, Green slowed the pace down with a gospel track from his previous album Call Me entitled “Jesus is Waiting.” Green wrote in his autobiography “Take Me to the River” that “Jesus is Waiting is somewhere between an invitation and a challenge. A test and a tease . . . a part of me, deep down inside cried out and the hunger I felt was so powerful, I didn’t even know it sought to be satisfied.”

On Soul Train, Green began the song by reciting the Lord’s Prayer as some of the Soul Train Gang recited along with him. As he began singing, the Soul Train Gang was mesmerized, shouting and clapping as if the Holy Spirit had overtaken them.

During one point in the song, Green apologized for ignoring the love of Jesus and he repeatedly sang he was sorry as some of the Soul Train Gang comforted him by saying “That’s alright!”. With Green’s gospel-tinged singing and the band’s soulful playing, along with the catch and call responses of the Soul Train Gang, Green literally took the Soul Train Gang to church. It remains one of the best performances of his career.

Green’s voice is the embodiment of soul. On this cut, he sang in high falsetto, tenor, and baritone. The different ranges of his voice touch the very core and depth of one’s soul, which is what true soulful singing is supposed to do.

Later in the show, Green answered questions from the Soul Train Gang, including a question from a dancer named Sherry who wanted to know his astrological sign since she never knew it during the past times he had been on the show. Green jokingly replied, “I don’t know if she’ll find out this time”, but then answered that he was an Aries, which elicited some cheers from fellow Aries in the audience.

After the Q&A, Green performed his current single “Living For You”, which went number one in January 1974 and became another gold single for Green. Backed by the mellow horn section, Green sang in a very relaxed tone, which complemented the song’s mid-tempo, laid back groove, but near the end of the song, Green’s voice got higher and he became totally “soulfied” in the performance.

Green closed the show with “Here I Am Come and Take Me,” a number two hit from the late summer of 1973. Again, the Soul Messiah tore into the song, singing from the far depths of his soul, captivating all of the female members of the Soul Train Gang. He captivated them even further by handing out red and yellow roses. Many hands reached out to grab one of those long stemmed roses while Green became enmeshed in the performance, taking the Soul Train Gang “back to church” once again when, toward the end of the performance, he sort of quoted a line from the Impressions hit “People Get Ready” when he told the Soul Train Gang “It don’t take no money, you don’t need no ticket, just get on board the Soul Train!” Green seemed as if he didn’t want to stop performing until he said abruptly, “I gotta go” and walked off the stage, but not before kissing one of the female members of the Soul Train Gang.

Green illustrated what being an artist is all about. He was totally absorbed in his performances, giving them and the audience his all. This episode should be a requirement for all up and coming singers as an example of what being an artist is all about. Green personified the term “master performer”, not letting a sprained arm keep him from throwing down. Sprained arm or not, Green delivered. That is true artistry.

The other guests on this episode were the aforementioned Impressions, who did a track titled “If It’s In You To Wrong,” a beautiful ballad, and their current single, “Finally Got Myself Together,” a number one Soul hit from June 1974. Both of these tracks were from their current album Finally Got Myself Together. Cornelius asked group member Fred Cash if Curtis Mayfield (former Impressions member) still produced for the group, to which Cash responded, ‘When we can get a hold of him. He stays so busy.” Mayfield left the group in 1970. Mayfield was replaced by Leroy Hutson, who then left to pursue a solo career; Huston was replaced with two singers, Reggie Torres and Ralph Johnson (the new lead singer), who, along with veteran group members Fred Cash and Sam Gooden, gave the Impressions four members instead of three.

An interesting note about this episode is the costume Soul Train regular Patricia Davis wore, in which she dressed like a little girl with her hair in pigtails while sucking on a baby bottle. She looked like a cute windup doll as she “roboted” several times throughout the episode.

Stay tuned for the next edition of the Soul Train History Book. Much love, peace and soooooooooul!!

–Stephen McMillan

Quelle


Soul Retrospective: The Phenomenon That Is Al Green
April 2, 2013

Everyone remembers where they were when they first heard Al Green’s voice. Since the late 60s, Al Green has been continually surprising people and earning new converts.

Whether its been good fortune or a supernatural talent, love for Al Green hasn’t abated and he’s one of the last R&B singers to attain such devotion.

It started with Al Green Gets Next to You, a pastiche of high pitched moans, groans and fuzz guitar. “Tired of Being Alone” was the big single. Right there, the template was set. Unlike other singers of the times, he was equally liked by both sexes. In short, and on “Tired of Being Alone” in particular, the men could commiserate while the women fell out. “Let’s Stay Together” soon followed and that was it; Al Green was a superstar.

While Green’s mellifluous voice opened the doors, Green’s producer, arranger, and mentor Willie Mitchell fine tuned the talent he heard and saw a few years earlier. Mitchell asked Green to cut his hair (see the cover of Al Green Gets Next To You) and attempt to dress more “conservatively.” Willie wanted Al to be the “All-American boy.” It worked. Unlike acts before and after him, Green could actually be “Al Green” with minimal alterations or overtures to the pop market. Green’s talent was so pervasive that the pop market came to him.

From 1971 to 1974, Green had eight gold singles, including “Look What You’ve Done For Me,” “I’m Still In Love With You,” and “Sha La La (Make Me Happy).” Even more important is the fact that Green became a solid album seller, getting 5 gold or platinum albums from 1972 to 1975. 1972’s I’m Still In Love With You all but set the standard. As Call Me was more critically acclaimed, I’m Still In Love With You went platinum on the strength of the hit singles and the potent album tracks “For the Good Times” and “Love and Happiness.”

Through the gold and platinum streak, Green presented a very interesting character. He was intimate, enigmatic, and eccentric. Green’s virtues can all but heard in a song like “Call Me.” All of the ingredients are there: the likable weirdness, the brilliant voice, the passive aggression. While these traits wouldn’t make him the world’s greatest guy, they do make him fascinating in a way very few people are.

If Green’s career had continued to be this charmed, it might be too boring. To add more layers, Green had a religious conversion in 1973. Didn’t matter. By this time the Green/Mitchell alliance was so solid they could have recorded in a war zone. At the peak of his 1970s career, Green released 1974’s Al Green Explorers Your Mind. A truly enduring product, The Willie Mitchell/Al Green machine was cracking with Al Green Explores Your Mind. Among the highlights was the cutesy “Sha La La (Make Me Happy).” Green even worked in the tawdry, old as the hills religion/sex imagery of “Take Me to the River.” Not surprisingly, that song was performed more than “You Ought to Be With Me.”

Something happened, though. The grits incident. If there ever was a question of whether Green was a pop or R&B artist, that incident answered the question: straight up R&B. The rock charts seemed to have had it with him, especially after the arguably premature though great Greatest Hits,which all but closed a chapter too soon.

If anything, Green still remained interesting. His 1975 album, Al Green Is Love,was filled with great Memphis shuffles and arresting melodrama. As odd as it all began to sound on record, it didn’t affect his appearances too much. Green’s 1975 Soul Train performance is all but a watershed moment. Green always did great (and more often than not) live work on Soul Train, but this appearance was different. In a weird way, it all but integrated all aspects of Green’s persona–the eccentricity, the religious focus, the charisma and the intelligence. This Green is basically the one you see today. The circa late 70s Al Green seen on Live In Chicago was probably too much for us all, Green included.

After albums like Full of Fire and Have a Good Time didn’t sell all that well, and or found Green sounding bored, Green split with Willie Mitchell. By 1977 religious matters were taking precedence. Green produced The Belle Album, which went on to critical acclaim and changed the course of his career. In the early 1980s (as odd as it sounds), Green was a full-time religious artist, releasing albums like The Lord Will Make a Way and Higher Plane. In 1984, a brilliant documentary called Gospel According to Al Green was released and it added to the myth. Throughout the decade, Green found his way to the secular via hits like “Everything’s Gonna Be All Right” and “Put a Little Love In Your Heart” with Annie Lennox.

In recent years, the phenomenon has continued. Green was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. Green appeared on TV shows like Late Show with David Letterman and Ally McBeal, did two more albums with the late Willie Mitchell, and 2008’s critically acclaimed Lay it Down was produced by Questlove. Throughout his career Green has remained uniquely himself and didn’t change for record sales or for public consumption. That, along with his iconic voice, has earned Green multi-generational adoration and respect.

–Jason Elias

Ersatzweise eine andere versionen von "The Lord will make a way"
und "I feel like going on" gesungen von Ref. Al Green in seiner kirche:

James Brown "Get on the good foot" - leider YT Das tut uns leid.jpg

Christina Aguilera - Genie in a bottle - leider YT Das tut uns leid.jpg

ST Music Awards 1993 - Remember the time - leider YT Das tut uns leid.jpg

[BlaueBlume]

rip.michael Morgen wieder bei Palace of Groove, Arte .... SOUL TRAIN ...

Wiederholung am Donnerstag, 29.08. um 5:30 Uhr

MICHAEL JACKSON Michael Jackson, King of Pop und Superstar der letzten 30 Jahre, ist der Hauptgast dieser Sendung.
Live zu erleben sind Alicia Keys, die ihr Debüt im SOUL TRAIN gibt, und Billy Paul mit seinem legendären Song 'Me and Mrs. Jones'.

[rip.michael]

Palace of Groove: Die Soul Train Archive (8/8)

Michael Jackson hat die Massen polarisiert mit seiner Musik und seinem Tanz. Sein Album Thriller ist das Meistverkaufte weltweit.

Michael Jackson, King of Pop und Superstar der letzten 30 Jahre, ist der Hauptgast dieser Sendung. Live zu erleben sind außerdem Alicia Keys, die ihr Debüt im Soul Train gibt, und Billy Paul mit seinem legendären Song Me and Mrs Jones.

Palace of Groove – Die Soul Train Archive zeigt in acht 26-minütigen Folgen Highlights der weltweit einzigartigen Fernsehshow, die den prägenden Musikströmungen der letzten 40 Jahre von Soul über Funk und Disco bis hin zum Hip-Hop eine Bühne bot.

Quelle


YT Das tut uns leid.jpg Leider kann man das YT video des debüts von Alicia Keys am 03.03.2001 mit "Fallin' " nicht anschauen.


Soul Train History Book Presents: Alicia Keys
August 27, 2012

On the March 3, 2001 taping of Soul Train, an unknown 19 year old singer from Harlem graced the stage, with her hair done in beautiful cornrows and a voice that belted out pure soul. Her name was Alicia Keys.

Keys only made one appearance on the Soul Train weekly series, but she made quite an impression on television viewers as well as the studio audience (including myself) present at this taping.

This was only Keys’ third appearance on television. Her first appearance was on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and her second was on BET’s 106 & Park, shortly before taping her appearance on Soul Train.

Host Shemar Moore said in his introduction, “Coming straight out of the Big Apple is a truly gifted lady who flies under the wings of the notorious Clive Davis and his J Records label. Please welcome as fine as she wants to be, Ms. Alicia Keys!”

Keys then performed her first single, the jazzy, seductive and melancholy “Fallin’” which has a feel similar to James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s, Man’s World.” Sitting at the piano, Keys, along with her background singers, sang each vocal with soulful yearning as her cornrows seemed to flow back and forth each time she played the piano keys. With the onslaught of hip-hop taking full swing, “Fallin’” was a unique kind of song that had not been heard in quite a while. It was a throwback to a time of when soul music was at its best and this song fit right along in that category.

All of the dancers, particularly myself and the other male dancers, were mesmerized not only by Keys’ look, but her sound. She was visually and vocally something new and fresh that was sorely needed in the music world.

After receiving thunderous applause, Shemar Moore came on stage and welcomed Keys to the train with, as he stated, her “fine, sexy and talented self.”

Several of the other guys and I whistled and rooted at Keys during the interview, during which she told us, “I’m feeling all of you, too!”

Keys told Moore that she was classically trained on the piano, having studied for 12 years and attended the Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan and majored in music theory, vocals and choir courses.

“You knew you were going to do this from being a young shorty?” Moore asked.

“Absolutely,” Keys replied. “Ever since I was four.”

Moore asked Keys where her influences came from and does it run in her family to which Keys answered, “I just have a love for the music. I feel like it was born in me.” She also cited some of her influences such as Mary J. Blige, Biggie Smalls, Jay-Z, Nina Simone, Miles Davis and Beethoven.

Moore noted that he and Keys are both bi-racial and asked if she felt that, because of that fact, she had to pick between sides. Keys responded, “It allowed me to embrace all sides and understand all people and have an understanding of everything.”

She later returned to perform another tune from her album Songs in A-Minor called “Girlfriend,” an uptempo dance number with a hip-hop feel. We Soul Train dancers really danced our butts off on this number.

Although she made only one appearance on Soul Train, she appeared on other Soul Train related specials, including the 7th annual Lady of Soul Awards performing her rendition of Prince’s “How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore,” and received the prestigious Sammy Davis, Jr. Award for Entertainer of the Year on the 16th annual Soul Train Music Awards. She even co-hosted the 18th annual Soul Train Music Awards.

After Keys’ one and only Soul Train appearance, her popularity went into orbit. She was on the cover of many magazines, appeared on all the other major TV shows and was the new “it” girl. Although cornrows were not a new hairstyle, Keys brought that look back and many girls began to cornrow their hair again as a result of her popularity.

Keys also went on to win six Grammys at the 2002 Grammy Awards ceremony.

Keys’ single “Fallin” dominated the charts, soaring to number one on the pop charts for six weeks and number one on the R&B charts for four weeks. It became the most played song in the United States at the time and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America

Her album Songs in A-Minor debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 charts, selling over 236,000 copies in its first week. It sold over 6.2 million copies in the United States and twelve million copies worldwide. Rolling Stone magazine named Songs in A Minor the second best album of 2001, while ranking it number 95 on its list of the best albums of the 2000s decade. On June 28, 2011, the album was re-released as deluxe and collectors’ editions commemorating the 10th anniversary of the album, featuring previously unreleased material and a documentary

Keys went on to became one of the most celebrated artists in the new millennium and continues to be a driving force in the music industry.

–Stephen McMillian

Quelle: soultrain.com

The Jacksons - Shake your body (down to the ground) - leider YT Das tut uns leid.jpg

Michael Jackson - 1995 live Soul Train Awards - Dangerous / Smooth Criminal performance

Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross " That's What Friends Are For " - leider YT Das tut uns leid.jpg

Hier eine andere version D. Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Elton John, Gladys Knight

Soul Train Line "September" Earth Wind & Fire - leider YT Das tut uns leid.jpg