AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Lalah Hathaway

Artist:Lalah Hathaway

Song:Somethin'

Album:Lalah Hathaway

As the daughter of soul legend Donny Hathaway, one would think that singer Lalah Hathaway would be a surefire success. I'm sure that's what Virgin Records thought when they signed her. But that never happened and Lalah now records for her own label. She was born Eulaulah Hathaway Dec. 16, 1968 in Chicago. Of course her dad was soul legend Donny Hathaway. Her mom is session singer Eulaulah Hathaway. Lalah is a childhood nickname. Her sister Kenya Hathaway is also a singer. So Lalah grew up with the label First Daughter of Soul. That is very difficult to live up to. The name only goes so far. Lalah learned piano at the American Conservatory of Music. She started writing songs while attending the Chicago Academy for the Arts. And she attended Berklee in Boston. Lalah released her 1987 debut single Inside the Beat on Alllegiance Records with Capitol distribution. It went nowhere but Virgin A&R director John Brown liked Lalah enough to sign her to a record deal. On the 1990 album Lalah Hathaway, she worked with top producers. Somethin' was the third single. The song was written by David Foster and Brenda Russell and Brenda recorded it on her 1983 album Two Eyes. The song was produced by Andre Fischer who is best known for producing Chaka Khan. He produced three songs on the album. Angela Winbush was among the other producers. Four singles reached the R&B charts. But they didn't cross to pop so the album didn't sell. It's available as a budget CD. After Lalah's 1994 album A Moment did worse, Virgin released her. Since then she has recorded for Mesa/Bluemoon, GRP, Concord owned Stax Records and currently she writes and records for her own label. She released her latest album in 2024. She has won five Grammys including one for her 2013 performance of Somethin' on jazz fusion band Snarky Puppy's album Family Dinner. Unfortunately, that album is not available so I can't post the video. Here's the video for Somethin' by Lalah Hathaway. 

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Prem Joshua & Band

Artist:Prem Joshua & Band

Song:Funky Guru

Album:In Concert

Prem Joshua is a German musician who has had success in India and other eastern countries with his eastern influenced music. He was born in Germany in 1958 and started out playing flute and sax in local bands. At age 18, he traveled overland to India so he could learn about music from the countries along the way. When he got to India, Joshua learned to play the sitar. It's his main instrument today and he cites Ravi Shankar as his main influence. His spiritual master Osho gave him the name Joshua and has encouraged him to spread his music everywhere. Though the sitar is dominant in his music, Joshua mixes it with contemporary music. So it's not traditional Indian music. Joshua started recording in the early 90s as leader of Terra Incognita. They released two albums. Then he led Hamsafar for one album. Since then he has recorded solo and he has led Prem Joshua & Band since 2007. Because the song appeared on a Putomayo collection, Funky Guru is one of Joshua's better known songs. It is from the 2004 album Yatri: Mystics of Sound. It was released on the German label Spice Records. Joshua wrote and produced the album. The arranger is German musician Rishi and he also plays bass and keyboards. Kit Walker plays keyboards. He usually plays Smooth Jazz. The lead singer is Sandhya Sanjana from India. That album is not available. But Funky Guru was recorded on the 2008 album Prem Joshua & Band In Concert. It is on the German label Medial Music. Joshua's music is distributed in the US by meditational music company White Swan. Musicians are Satgyan Fukuda on vocals and bass, Chintan Relenberg on keyboards and Raul Sengupta on drums and percussion. Joshua last released an album in 2021. They just finished touring. So they may be working on a new album. Here's Prem Joshua & Band performing Funky Guru in Mumbai, India.

  

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Shaboozey

Artist:Shaboozey

Song:A Bar Song (Tipsy)

Album:Where I've Been Isn't Where I'm Going: The Complete Edition

The 2024 single A Bar Song topped the charts for nineteen weeks. Apparently that's some sort of record. It's the biggest hit for Collins "Shaboozey" Chibueze. The question is can he follow it up or is it a fluke. He was born May 9, 1995 in Woodbridge, VA. which is south of Washington, DC. His father was a farmer in Nigeria and he attended college in Texas. He dressed like a cowboy and was a country music fan. Shaboozey picked up on that and watched hip hop videos on BET. He started taking music seriously after graduating high school. He was also looking to make music videos and films. The name Shaboozey is how his real name is mispronounced. After self releasing a couple of singles, Shaboozey signed a deal with Hopeless Records owner Terence Sheldon that gave him shared rights to Shaboozey's music. He assigned Shaboozey's contract to his company Kreshendo and the 2018 album Lady Wrangler was released by Interscope. Though the album didn't sell, Shaboozey appeared on Duckwirth's song Start a Riot which appeared in the 2018 film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Shaboozey terminated his deal with Kreshendo in 2019. For the 2022 album Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die, he signed with indie label Empire Distribution. Shaboozey's idea was to mix hip hop with cowboy music. That album didn't sell either. But then he got a big break after the release of his 2024 album Where I've Been Wasn't Where I'm Going. This was around the time that Beyonce released the album Cowboy Carter. One of her people heard A Bar Song and Shaboozey appeared on two Cowboy Carter songs followed by an appearance on Saturday Night Live followed by an appearance on Beyonce's Christmas Day NFL halftime show. That's when A Bar Song topped the charts. A Bar Song is based on J-Kwon's 2004 single Tipsy. Shaboozey wrote and produced most of the album including A Bar Song with Nevin Sastry and Sean Cook. Both guys played guitar on the album. A Bar Song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 19 weeks. The album was certified Platinum. The Complete Edition of the album has six bonus tracks and is available on CD. None of Shaboozey's other songs have charted. So A Bar Song could be a fluke one hit wonder. Time will tell. Here's the video for A Bar Song (Tipsy) by Shaboozey. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Elevation Rhythm

Artist:Elevation Rhythm

Song:I Was, But God

Album:Victory Lap

Elevation Rhythm is yet another offshoot of Elevation Worship from the Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC. It started in their youth ministry. They started sharing the stage with Elevation Worship and they toured with Lecrae. They released a few singles and the 2019 single Never Walk Away topped the CCM charts. That led to the 2022 album Growing Pains and the 2023 EP This Is the Gospel. I Was, But God is from the 2025 album Victory Lap. The album producer is Josh Holiday and he also plays keyboards. Elevation Church leader Stephen Furtick is executive producer. He co-wrote several songs including I Was, But God. The other writers were Sydney James, Leeland Mooring and Davide Mutendji. It looks like Nate Diaz is lead singer on most of the songs and he also co-wrote some songs and arranged the vocals. Guest singers include Joe L. Barnes, Gracie Binion, Tiffany Hudson, Charles Weems, Abbie Gamboa and Zach Webb. Holiday claims that Elevation Rhythm's sound is supposed to be different from their other groups. It is also supposed to focus on the overarching theme of triumph. It's supposed to be aimed at a younger audience. I dunno. To me, it sounds like their other music. I don't hear anything different. But I know the faithful will love it. Victory Lap is available as a digital download. Here's the video for I Was, But God by Elevation Rhythm.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Five Americans

Artist:The Five Americans

Song:Western Union

Album:Their Greatest Hits

The 1967 single Western Union was a top ten hit and the biggest hit for The Five Americans. Some of their other songs charted. But most listeners will only remember Western Union. The members of The Five Americans were from Dallas. They were called The Mutineers when they formed in 1962 at  Southeastern State College in Durant, OK. The band members were Mike Rabon on lead vocals and lead guitar, John Durrill on rhythm guitar, Norman Ezell on keyboards, Jim Grant on bass and Jimmy Wright on drums. They started out as a cover band and they released a 1963 single that was popular at school. The key acquisition was when Ezell got a Vox Continental electronic organ which gave them a unique sound. They got the attention of Abnak Records owner John Abdnor Sr. he signed them and changed the band name to The Five Americans. Abdnor was a Fort Worth insurance man who started Abnak for his son's musical act Jon & Robin. They were distributed by Hanna-Barbera who were in the record business at the time. The Five Americans were Abnak's only successful act. A couple of The Five Americans' songs charted. But Western Union was the biggest hit. It reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album Western Union was produced by swamp rocker Dale Hawkins. Rabon, Durrill and Ezell usually wrote songs together. According to Ezell, Rabon was messing around with his guitar when he came up with the unique sound effect featured on Western Union. They wrote the song around that. The Five Americans stalled after that plus Abdnor had control of the band's finances and got a little greedy. This budget comp has all their hits. The Five Americans split up Rabon continued to use The Five Americans name on the 1969 album Now and Then. The rest of the band was all new members. He continued to tour until he returned to school and earned a degree in public school administration. Then he worked in the Oklahoma school system for 28 years. He died in 2022. Durrill is the only surviving member. Grant died in 2004. Ezell died in 2010. Wright died in 2014. Here's The Five Americans performing Western Union on The Steve Allen Show 1968. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Safaris

Artist:The Safaris

Song:Image of a Girl

Album:The Rock 'n' Roll Era: 1960

Not to be confused with The Surfaris (Wipeout), The Safaris were a white doo wop group who scored a top ten hit with the 1960 single Image of a Girl. It was their only big hit. But a couple of their songs charted so they are not technically a one hit wonder. But Image of a Girl is their only memorable song. The Safaris were from Los Angeles led by Sandy Weisman, Marv Rosenberg and Richard Clasky. They were called The Mystics when they formed in 1959. When a group called The Mystics had a hit with Hushabye, the group name was changed to The Enchanters. They released a couple of singles and changed their name again to The Dories. Weisman was replaced by Jim Stephens and the group name was changed to The Angels. They signed with Johnny Otis' label Eldo Records and released the single Image of a Girl. It reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was written and produced by Rosenberg and Clasky. They split up after having problems with their manager. Stephens formed a new version of The Safaris. They split up after a couple of singles. You can get Image of a Girl on this Time Life various artist budget comp. Rosenberg and Clasky formed The Suddens and they released a 1961 single. Then they recorded as The Four Evers. Then The Safaris reformed and released a 1963 single. It looks like they all quit the music business though they reformed for a 1989 album. Here's The Safaris performing Image of a Girl on a 1960 episode of a Dick Clark show. But I don't think it's American Bandstand because it's not in the studio in Philadelphia. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Michael Crawford

Artist:Michael Crawford

Song:The Music of the Night

Album:The Ultimate Collection

British actor Michael Crawford is best known for playing the title character in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical The Phantom of the Opera. He also appeared in the 1969 film Hello, Dolly! and in the 70s British sitcom Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em. But he is mainly known for The Phantom. He was born Michael Patrick Smith Jan. 19, 1942 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. He was raised by his mother and her parents. Her husband died during The Battle of Britain in 1940. Crawford was the result of a subsequent short lived relationship and she gave the child her married name. They moved in with her parents on the Isle of Shippey near Kent. She remarried after WWII and moved to London. He started to appear on stage in school. He was known as Michael Ingram. His stepfather was named Ingram. While appearing in a production for the English Opera Group in 1958, Crawford decided to be an actor. He changed his name to Michael Crawford to avoid confusion with a newsman named Michael Ingram. He appeared in a variety of stage and TV shows. His first film was the 1962 film The War Lover starring Steve McQueen followed by the 1963 film Two Left Feet. His appearance in the TV comedy show Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life got the attention of director Richard Lester (A Hard Day's Night) who cast him in the 1965 film The Knack...and How to Get It followed by the 1966 film adaptation of the Broadway musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and the 1967 films How I Won the War and The Joker. Then Crawford made his Broadway debut in the 1967 show Black Comedy with Lynn Redgrave. Gene Kelly spotted him and cast him in the 1969 film of the musical Hello, Dolly!. That film was generally considered to be a failure at the time. Crawford's career stalled and he returned to England. After appearing in the stage comedy No Sex Please, We're British, Crawford was cast as Frank Spencer in the sitcom Some Mothers Do 'ave 'em after Ronnie Barker and Norman Wisdom both turned it down. The show was very popular in England but it only lasted two seasons because show creator Raymond Allen chose to end it. But it led to opportunities for Crawford like the musical Billy based on Billy Liar and the 1981 film Condorman. That was followed by the 1981 musical Barnum as P.T. Barnum. And that's when The Phantom of the Opera came up. Andrew Lloyd Webber was developing the show as a vehicle for his wife Sarah Brightman. He showed Crawford a pitch video featuring Sarah and Cockney Rebal lead singer Steve Harley. Crawford didn't like it as being too "rock opera". But Lloyd Webber and producer Cameron Mackintosh were having second thoughts about Harley and replaced him with Crawford. Of course The Phantom of the Opera was a huge success not only in London but also on Broadway. Crawford won an Olivier and a Tony. He left the show in 1990 but he has returned to the role several times. This 2CD budget comp covers Crawford's entire career. It was sold on TV in England. He has appeared in other shows like as Professor Marvel in the 2011 revival of the musical The Wizard of Oz. But Michael Crawford will always be remembered for The Phantom of the Opera. He hasn't appeared anywhere lately but he's not retired. He recently announced plans to produce a documentary about his career. Here's the video for The Music of the Night by Michael Crawford.