Diamond Cafe: New upcoming young artist [sounds like MJ]

I recently heard this new and upcoming artist on our local radio station named "Diamond Cafe". He writes his own material and has a sound that is very reminiscent of Michael Jackson, Prince and 80's synth R&B. After being on the music scene for several years, he was just signed to Warner Music Canada. Here is his latest single. Great stuff.

https://youtu.be/HI07BTqVfRg?si=6F5oHtR3c29-Qn5V

After finally watching that Soul TV special after over 50 years with Martha and the girls, there was an act on it called the Soul Sisters. Who were they? When I google them, every group but those three comes up. I never saw them before or after this tv special. Novelty act they appeared to be with one girl seemingly pushing 7 ft in height. What happened to them? The little short lead singer had a great voice

Let's say the Velvelettes did get an album release and you were in charge of what songs went on it. So, what songs are you picking?

My choices:
Needle in a Haystack LP:
Needle in a Haystack
He was Really Saying Something
A Bird in the Hand
Lonely, Lonely Girl Am I
Throw a Farewell Kiss
He's the One
Everybody Needs Love
Should I Tell Them
Save Me [[My Ship of Love is Sinking)
These Things Will Keep Me From Loving You
I'm In Love [[And I Know It)
Your Heart Belongs to Me

On another note, I sometimes wonder if there is some way to convince Motown to release an anthology Velvelettes set on vinyl, even if it is just a limited edition and requires a kickstarter or something like that. It's really sad that there are so many phenomenal Velvelettes tracks that have never seen a vinyl and I would dearly love to have that changed.

Those creative folks at AXS TV are at it again, as they broadcast an episode in which they counted down the Top Ten recording artists from New Jersey. It was somewhat tongue in cheek because the commentator mentioned how the state gets a bad rap in other ways, so the idea was to instead show a positive side by highlighting all the great music that has come from the state. So I will be interested to see what you guys think of it. [[Who was in the wrong position? Who was left off altogether, etc.?)

I assume by the way that this was a one-time thing just for New Jersey. After all with some states [[CA, TX, NY, LA, MI for example) you could do a Top 50 and not scratch the surface. On the opposite end, I doubt seriously if we will ever see a Top 10 artists list for Montana, Wyoming, Delaware, etc.!

Anyway, here is the top 10 for NJ........

10) Paul Simon
9) Dionne Warwick
8) Queen Latifah
7) Sugarhill Gang
6) The Fugees
5) Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons
4) Frank Sinatra
3) Whitney Houston
2) Bon Jovi
1) Bruce Springsteen

Fans of the Four Seasons who first heard 'My Eyes Adored You' in late 1975 and then in the UK....'The Night' as it was re-released to rise high into the UK Charts first got to hear surprisingly previously unheard songs pulled together by Russ Terrana for the 'Inside You' album.

So after decades of research fans now have another albums worth of 'lost tracks' in Disc 22 of the Snapper Music Box Set in 2023.

That is now on You Tube and can be heard at this link.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...oh8nQHqh5JtHfe

More stunning music and there is more.....and I will post some further links as I ask why we can't get to hear more and explore the recording sessions from my research for the book...'The Rise and Fall of the NEW Four Seasons

Casey Chameleon

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Hi Folks,
I'm doing a voice identification for someone whose uncredited non-released rehearsal tapes are guessed to be The Contours [[and possibly some other Motown artists). A couple sound like Billy Gordon's falsetto mellow style, but I'm not certain. I tried to match them to his lead on "That Day When She Needed Me", and need to be more sure, as they didn't match unquestionably.

I've got 4 others that I can't identify. They are definitely NOT Joe Stubbs or Dennis Edwards.

I need to find out if the uncredited voices on tape match closely to the voices of Joe Billingslea [[the group's original lead singer), Hubert Johnson, Sylvester Potts [[who, I seem to remember, DID do a solo part on at least 1 of their recordings), Billy Hoggs, Council Gay, or Jerry Green.

The 4 remaining recordings are likely from 1962, 1963, 1964, and '65 or '66.

Can anyone here inform me as to which Contours' members out of Billingslea, Potts, Johnson, Hoggs, Gay, and Green sang lead on which particular Contours' songs, and which sang any distinguishable solo parts in any multiple lead songs?

I'd also like to find out if Gordon used his mellow [[non-gravelly but smooth crooning) style on any other Contours' songs other than "That Day When She Needed Me", and which songs they were).


I'll be very grateful [[short of monetary remuneration) for such a favour. :cool:

Thanks for any help,

Robb_K