Kirkland Burke will bring us a host of information on many different subjects, along with info on some of our favorite recording artists and much more.
January 2011
A Moment in Black History
Subject ... "The Green Book"
The real history of the USA that they won't teach in school.
Lest We Forget!
During the Jim Crow era in the United States, it was neither easy nor safe for African-Americans to travel from town to town. For three decades, The Negro Motorist Green Book: An International Travel Guide was an indispensable resource for finding a place to stay, eat, or buy gas in towns across America. Not necessarily the best places, but any place that would provide accommodations at all if you weren’t white.
A Harlem postal employee and civic leader named Victor H. Green conceived the guide in response to one too many accounts of humiliation or violence where discrimination continued to hold strong. These were facts of life not only in the Jim Crow South, but in all parts of the country, where black travelers never knew where they would be welcome. Over time its full title — “The Negro Motorist Green Book: An International Travel Guide” — became abbreviated, simply, as the “Green Book.” Those who needed to know about it knew about it. To much of the rest of America it was invisible, and by 1964, when the last edition was published, it slipped through the cracks into history.
TEENA MARIE MAKES HER TRANSITION
From the "Urban Buzz"
Heartfelt condolences to the
family, friends and fans of Teena
"Lady T" Marie who died in her
sleep in Los Angeles.
Teena Marie, born Mary Christine Brockert on March 5, 1956 in
Venice, California was 54.
Teena is survived by her
20 year-old daughter Alia Rose.
Many of the new reports both on TV and the internet have erroneously reported Tenna Marie was the first white person signed to MOTOWN Records
She was not the first white artist signed to MOTOWN Records. That distinction belongs to Richard Dean Taylor who recorded under the name R. Dean Taylor. He was signed as a singer/song writer in 1964 and his first single was released in 1965. There were several other white artist such as Pat Boone, Tom Clay, Rare Earth and KiKI Dee who came before Teena Marie who actually recorded on the Gordy imprint and not MOTOWN.
A personal reflection from my days at Warner Bros. Records:
As I recall, Teena's first appearance in Chicago was at the Uptown Theater where she performed with Rick James who headlined the show. The opening act was Warner Bros. Records recording artist Prince. It was more than 30 years ago however, I don't think Teena did a solo performance but appeared as a guest during Ricks show.
Patricia Smith reviewed the show for the Chicago Sun-Times Newspaper and she reported that Prince stole the show that night implying that Prince had dethroned the King of Punk-Funk as Rick was called at that time. Rick never forgot that review nor who wrote it. A couple of years later, he was on the Budweiser Funk Fest at Soldier Field. At the VIP party hosted by Budweiser, when Patricia was introduced to Rick, as soon as he heard the name Patricia Smith, his face turned into a scowl and he said, "yeah I know who this b---- is, you're the one that wrote that (expletive omitted) review on me." He then turned around and walked to the other side of the room. Shortly after that several of his entourage came over in a threatening manner and told Ms. Smith that she had to leave the party. Words were exchanged between Rick's people and another record rep who had brought her to the affair. The conversation started to get heated, and before things got physical, Patricia offered to leave to defuse the situation. The party was hosted by Budweiser, not Rick so he had no right to have someone put out which led to the confrontation.
Years later I was with Rick in Indianapolis and someone brought up that incident however, Rick admitted that there was a large part of his early career that he had little or no recollection of.
Kirkland Burke
The Force M. D.'s "Tears" - "Tender Love" & "Love Is A House"
The decade of the 80s gave us the last era of true R & B groups and artist who sang what used to be called "Soul Music". There were recording artist who could actually sing whether in the studio or live in concert. Around 1986 one of the last of these groups The Force M. D.'s emerged out of Staten Island, N.Y. with the song "Tears". In 1987 "Tender Love", a song also included on the "Krush Grove" soundtrack and "Love Is A House", ensured them a place in music history as one of the last groups to successfully fuse Do-Wop and R & B. Although there were a few like R. Kelly who continued to keep R & B alive, in reality, R & B music died in the 90's and was buried by the cross-over general market success of Rap and Hip-Hop music.
The Force M. D.s who were discovered while they were actually singing for their supper on the Staten Island Ferry for tips. Below are three classics by the group. While at Warner Bros. Records, I had the pleasure of working "Tender Love" and "Love Is A House". When the group was on tour in the Midwest, we had some great times. Group members, T. C. and Mercury have since made their transition, may they rest-in-peace, however, we have their music to remember them by. I hope you enjoy their music.
(Note: Below are YouTube links that will push your memory button)
