This is a blog used to help promote DJ Kool Emdee and dedicated to GOOD music and those
who love good music, be it old or new school. Any music or links posted are for SAMPLE PURPOSES ONLY. We wish that you would support all artists by purchasing their bodies of work.
A happy 54th birthday to Prince Rogers Nelson, known internationally simply as Prince. As talented as this guy is, I can go on and on about his skills and contributions to the world of music. If you're not familiar with him, crawl from under that rock and start your search. You're missing out on a living legend.
LOVE has been the subject in many places lately. I take it since spring is practically here, that feeling is soaring in the hearts of many. Hopefully, this feeling will be passed around to many and maybe we can do some type of healing and start having more compassion toward one another. Let's see if Stevie Wonder, Iman Williams, Chaka Khan, Sa-Ra Creative Partners, Rozzi Daime and a host of others can help us to get there with this mix on the subject of LOVE. For the full tracklisting of this mix, go here. ENJOY!
Photograph courtesy of Devonie Kemp-Baker, featuring myself with visual artists (and couple) Michael K. Taylor and Regina Agu. This was from my very first night of DJing at KHON'S wine.art.coffee.darts.
Vesta Williams
(December 1, 1957 – September 22, 2011)
Mary Vesta Williams was an R&B singer born in Coshocton, Ohio, known for her four-octave vocal range and often compared to Chaka Khan. Originally credited as Vesta Williams, she was sometimes simply billed as Vesta beginning in the 1990s. Although Williams never had any albums certified gold nor any Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, she scored six Top 10 hits on the US Billboard R&B chart from the mid 1980s to the early 1990s. Williams was known for the hits "Once Bitten, Twice Shy," "Sweet Sweet Love," "Special", and her 1989 #1 Hit song, "Congratulations".
Williams portrayed a saloon singer in the 1993 film Posse, directed by Mario Van Peebles. During this time period she had a hit with the SWV song, "Rain", recorded alongside smooth jazz musician, Norman Brown. Williams had a recurring role as "Monica", Jackee Harry's best friend, in the television series Sister, Sister in the 1994-95 season. In 2000, Polygram released a compilation album, featuring songs from Williams and Polygram artist, CeCe Peniston. By 2002, Williams became a radio personality and was co-hosting a morning show on KRNB, a radio station based in Dallas/Fort Worth. In recent years, Williams lost 100 pounds, going from size 26 to a size 6. It was at this time that Williams became an advocate for the prevention of childhood obesity and juvenile diabetes.
In 2007, Williams released an album of R&B songs on Shanachie Records entitled Distant Lover. Produced by Chris "Big Dog" Davis, Distant Lover was a cover album featuring songs originally recorded by Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Sade, and Deniece Williams. Her last recording was the song "Dedicated," released on December 7, 2010 on Stimuli Music. Her final performance was on September 17, 2011 in Portsmouth, Virginia, performing at the Autumn Jazz Explosion.
Our condolences reach out to the family of Vesta. We have lost another powerful and gifted voice. For her full bio, discography and more info, log on to VestaWilliams.com.
Multi Grammy Award winning singer and composer Chaka Khan (born March 23, 1953), got her start with the Baby Sitters, then was frontwoman for the funk band Rufus in the 1970's. She later embarked on a solo career that proved very successful. Her hits as a solo artist and with Rufus are "Tell Me Something Good", "Sweet Thing", "Ain't Nobody", "I'm Every Woman", "I Feel for You" and "Through the Fire".
A salute to the undisputed Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin (born March 25, 1942). Although known for her Soul recordings, Franklin is adept at azz, Blues, R&B, and gospel music. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All Time.
Franklin is one of the most honored artists by the Grammy Awards, with 18 competitive Grammys and two honorary Grammys. She has 20 #1 singles on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart and two #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100: "Respect" (1967) and "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (1987), a duet with George Michael. Since 1961, she has scored a total of 45 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. She also has the most million-selling singles of any female artist (14). Between 1967 and 1982 she had 10 #1 R&B albums---more than any other female artist.
Sir Elton John (born March 25, 1947), the English pianist, singer/songwriter and composer, has sold more than 250 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. His single "Candle in the Wind 1997" has sold over 33 million copies worldwide, and is the best selling single in Billboard history. He has more than 50 Top 40 hits, including seven consecutive No. 1 US albums, 56 Top 40 singles, 16 Top 10, four No. 2 hits, and nine No. 1 hits. He has won six Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Tony Award. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him Number 49 on its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time.
John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. He has been heavily involved in the fight against AIDS since the late 1980s, and was knighted in 1998.
Multi Grammy Award winning singer and composer Chaka Khan (born March 23, 1953), got her start with the Baby Sitters, then was frontwoman for the funk band Rufus in the 1970's. She later embarked on a solo career that proved very successful. Her hits as a solo artist and with Rufus are "Tell Me Something Good", "Sweet Thing", "Ain't Nobody", "I'm Every Woman", "I Feel for You" and "Through the Fire".
A salute to the undisputed Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin (born March 25, 1942). Although known for her Soul recordings, Franklin is adept at azz, Blues, R&B, and gospel music. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All Time.
