Aaron Neville - You Never Can Tell

 Aaron Joseph Neville (born January 24, 1941) is an American R&B and soul singer. He has had four platinum albums and four Top 10 hits in the United States, including three that reached number one on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. "Tell It Like It Is", from 1966, also reached the top position on the Soul chart for five weeks.

He has also recorded with his brothers Art, Charles and Cyril as the Neville Brothers and is the father of singer/keyboards player Ivan Neville. Neville is of mixed African-American, Caucasian, and North American Indigenous (Choctaw) heritage.

The first of his singles that was given airplay outside of New Orleans was "Over You" (Minit, 1960). Neville's first major hit single was "Tell It Like It Is", released on a small New Orleans label, Par-Lo, co-owned by local musician/arranger George Davis, a friend from school, and band-leader Lee Diamond. The song topped Billboard's R&B chart for five weeks in 1967 and also reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 (behind "I'm a Believer" by the Monkees). It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.^[2] It was not the label's only release, as some sources claim. At least five other Par-Lo singles, three of them by Neville himself, are known to exist.

Neville released his first solo album since the late 1960s in 1986 with the independent release Orchid in The Storm. In 1989, Neville teamed up with Linda Ronstadt on the album Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind which included four duets by the pair. Amongst them were the No. 1 Grammy-winning hits "Don't Know Much" and "All My Life". "Don't Know Much" reached No. 2 on the Hot 100, and was certified Gold for selling a million copies, while the album was certified Triple Platinum for US sales of more than three million.^[3]

Following the success of Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind, Ronstadt produced his 1991 album Warm Your Heart including the hit single "Everybody Plays the Fool", a cover of the 1972 Main Ingredient song, which reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100  and another duet with Ronstadt "Close Your Eyes". Warm Your Heart was certified platinum in 1997 for more than a million sales in the U.S.

During 1993 and 1994, Neville expanded his repertoire as a recording artist and ventured into making country music. In 1993, Neville released the platinum-selling The Grand Tour on A&M Records with lead single "Don't Take Away My Heaven" reaching No. 4 on the Adult Contemporary chart (where previous hits "Don't Know Much", "All My Life", and "Everybody Plays the Fool" all reached number one). The follow-up single "The Grand Tour", a cover of country music legend George Jones' 1974 hit, peaked at No. 38 on the Billboard country singles chart, and was highly acclaimed by fans and critics, resulting in a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance at the 36th Annual Grammy Awards in 1994. He followed the album up with another platinum seller Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas.

Neville's next country music project involved appearing on 1994's Rhythm, Country and Blues, an album of duets featuring R&B and Country artists performing renditions of classic country and R&B songs. Neville recorded a version of "I Fall to Pieces", a major crossover hit for Patsy Cline originally released in 1961, with Trisha Yearwood that resulted in Neville and Yearwood winning the Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals at the 37th Annual Grammy Awards. As a result, Neville became one of the only African American recording artists to win a Grammy within the Country genre. In April 1994, Neville appeared on Sesame Street to sing the song "I Don't Want to Live on the Moon" as a duet with Ernie.

Aaron's 1995 R&B flavored release, The Tattooed Heart, featuring covers of classics by Bill Withers and Kris Kristofferson went gold, while 1997's pop-orientated ...To Make Me Who I Am included songwriting contributions from contemporary hitmakers Babyface and Diane Warren as well as two new duets with Ronstadt, including a cover of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face". This was followed by a 2000 gospel album Devotion which topped the US gospel album chart, and his 2003 debut for Verve Records entitled Nature Boy: The Standards Album which topped the US jazz album chart. The album saw Neville covering selections from the Great American Songbook, including another Ronstadt duet "The Very Thought of You".

In August 2005, his home in Eastern New Orleans was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina; he evacuated to Memphis, Tennessee, before the hurricane hit. He initially went to Austin temporarily visiting his friend Clifford Antone, then moved to Nashville, Tennessee, after the storm. and, failing to return to the city by early 2008, caused the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival to temporarily change its tradition of having the Neville Brothers close the festival. However, the Neville Brothers, including Aaron, returned for the 2008 Jazzfest, which returned to its traditional seven-day format for the first time since Katrina. He then decided to move back to the New Orleans area, namely the North Shore city of Covington. Neville performed Randy Newman's "Louisiana 1927" during NBC's A Concert for Hurricane Relief on September 2, 2005.

Neville signed to SonyBMG's new Burgundy Records label in late 2005 and recorded an album of songs by Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Sam Cooke and others for Bring It On Home...The Soul Classics, released on September 19, 2006. The album, produced by Stewart Levine, features collaborations between Neville and Chaka Khan, Mavis Staples, Chris Botti, David Sanborn, Art Neville, and others. The album's first single was a remake of The Impressions' 1963 classic "It's All Right".

Neville's career has included work for television, movies and sporting events. Neville sang the US national anthem in the movie The Fan starring Robert De Niro and Wesley Snipes. He also sang the anthem at the WWF's SummerSlam 1993 and at WCW's Spring Stampede 1994. Neville sang the theme music to the children's TV series Fisher-Price Little People. He also sang a new version of "Cotton", for Cotton Incorporated which was introduced during the 1992 Summer Olympics. In 1988 he recorded "Mickey Mouse March" for Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films, one of Various Artists. In 2006, Neville performed a rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner", alongside Aretha Franklin and Dr. John on keyboards at Super Bowl XL in Detroit, Michigan. In addition, Neville (along with brothers Art and Cyril) did background vocals for the songs "Great Heart", "Bring Back the Magic", "Homemade Music", "My Barracuda", and "Smart Woman (in a Real Short Skirt)" on Jimmy Buffett's Hot Water, released in 1988.

Neville is interviewed on screen and appears in performance footage with the Neville Brothers in the 2005 documentary film Make It Funky!, which presents a history of New Orleans music and its influence on rhythm and blues, rock and roll, funk and jazz. The Nevilles perform "Fire on the Bayou" in the film.

On October 27, 2006, Neville made a guest appearance on an episode of the soap opera The Young and the Restless. He sang "Stand by Me" and "Ain't No Sunshine", from his album, Bring It On Home ... The Soul Classics. In 2008 he released Gold, which includes a double album of his hits.

In 2008 Neville's song Christmas Prayer was featured on ER (TV Series). In ER (season 15) episode The High Holiday.

In 2009, Neville, along with the Mt. Zion Mass Choir, released a version of the song "A Change Is Gonna Come" on the compilation album Oh Happy Day.

In 2010, Neville and his brother Art performed with The Meters.

Neville was the featured artist for the 100th Anniversary Celebration of the University of Memphis Centennial Concert September 30, 2011, at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts.

In 2011, Neville, along with The Blind Boys of Alabama and Mavis Staples had toured New Zealand.

In January 2013, paying tribute to the songs of his youth, Blue Note Records released Neville's My True Story, a collection of 12 doo-wop tunes, produced by Don Was and Keith Richards, with backing by musicians such as Benmont Tench and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

In March 2015, he was named the year's recipient of the Laetare Medal.

In October 2015, Keith Richards selected the song "My True Story" as one of his Desert Island Discs.

In May 2021, the 80-year old Neville announced his retirement from touring, but said he may still record albums or perform occasionally for special events or festivals.

Etta James - Holding back the Years

Jamesetta Hawkins (Los Ángeles, 25 de enero de 1938-Riverside, California, 20 de enero de 2012), más conocida por su nombre artístico Etta James, fue una cantante estadounidense de géneros soul, jazz y rhythm and blues, considerada una de las grandes voces en la historia del rhythm & blues.​

James fue prodigiosa en su tono de voz y esto le permitió convertirse en una cantante de góspel, interpretando en el coro de su iglesia de barrio en Los Ángeles. Empezó a hacer interpretaciones en la radio a los cinco años, bajo la tutela e instrucción del profesor James Earle Hines. Se trasladó a San Francisco en 1950, formando de inmediato un grupo con otras dos cantantes. Cuando tenía 14 años, presentó su primera audición con el director de orquesta Johnny Otis.​

A petición de su madre, Etta regresó a Los Ángeles para grabar "Roll With Me Henry" (rebautizada en la galleta del disco como "The wallflower") con la banda Otis y el vocalista Richard Berry para la compañía discográfica Modern Records. Otis llamó al trío vocal The Peaches (más tarde, un apodo de Etta). La canción "Roll with me Henry" llegó a los primeros puestos de las listas de éxitos en 1955.

The Peaches se disolvió pronto, y Etta siguió cantando para Modern Records durante toda la década de 1950 (frecuentemente bajo la supervisión del saxo Maxwell Davis). "Good Rockin' Daddy" fue otro éxito a finales de 1955, aunque otras canciones como "W-O-M-A-N" y "Tough Lover" no lo fueron tanto.

En 1960 comienza a trabajar con la discográfica Chess Records de Chicago, cantando para la subsidiaria Argo. Inmediatamente, su carrera alcanzó un nivel altísimo de popularidad; no solo hizo un par de dúos con su novio (el cantante líder de los Moonglows, Harvey Fuqua), sino que individualmente grabó canciones como la apasionada balada "All I Could Do Was Cry", alcanzando lo más alto de las listas de éxitos de R&B.

Leonard Chess entendió a Etta como una cantante clásica de baladas con un potencial añadido para la canción popular, e hizo que la acompañase una orquestación de violines para su grabación de los temas «At Last» y «Trust in me» en 1961. No obstante, Etta no abandonó su lado más áspero: en 1962 grabó «Something's Got a Hold on Me», con tonos de góspel, en 1963 un vibrante disco en directo (Etta James Rocks the House) grabado en el New Era Club de Nashville, y en 1966 un dueto blusístico, «In the Basement», con su amiga Sugar Pie De Santo.

En 1967 grabó uno de sus temas clásicos, «Tell Mama», una balada soul optimista que contrastaba con otros temas más dramáticos de la misma sesión como "I'd Rather Go Blind". A pesar de la muerte de Leonard Chess, Etta permaneció en la compañía hasta 1975, aproximándose finalmente a la música rock.

Tras unos años difíciles, regresó en 1988 con un disco para Island titulado Seven Year Itch, que reafirmó su maestría en el soul sureño.

Sus siguientes discos fueron variados, aproximándose tanto a la música más contemporánea (en 1990 con Sticking to My Guns) como a la emotividad más explícita (en 1992 con The Right Time), pasando por algunas aproximaciones al jazz y a la música navideña, como en 1998 con Etta James Christmas.

El 23 de diciembre de 2011 fue ingresada en el hospital Riverside Community de California con una leucemia terminal.​ La cantante, ganadora de seis premios Grammy, fue adicta a la heroína durante muchos años. Falleció el 20 de enero de 2012 a los 73 años, lo anunció su amiga y representante Lupe de León.​Christina Aguilera conmemoró a Etta cantando en su funeral el sencillo "At Last".

The Temptations - Remember the Time

 The Temptations es una banda estadounidense formada en Detroit, Estados Unidos. Este grupo vocal estadounidense está considerado uno de los más exitosos en la historia de la música.​ Ha vendido decenas de millones de álbumes​ y es famoso por ser una de las formaciones más relevantes de Motown Records.

Su repertorio incluye una gran variedad de géneros: R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, y música adulto contemporáneo. En un principio se llamaban The Elgins, y siempre sus integrantes han sido, al menos, cinco vocalistas/bailarines masculinos. El grupo original contenía componentes de dos bandas locales de Detroit, The Distants (Otis Williams, Elbridge "Al" Bryant y Melvin Franklin) y The Primes (Eddie Kendricks y Paul Williams). Entre los más destacados Temptations futuros estaban David Ruffin, Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, Damon Harris, Ron Tyson, Ali-Ollie Woodson, Theo Peoples y G. C. Cameron. La formación cambió frecuentemente, particularmente en las últimas décadas.

Conocidos por sus coreografías, por sus distintivas armonías y por llevar siempre elegantes trajes sobre el escenario, se ha dicho que su influencia en el soul es equivalente a la ejercida por los Beatles en el pop y el rock.​ Son los segundos que más tiempo permanecieron en la Motown (por detrás de Stevie Wonder). En total 40 años: 16 entre 1961 y 1977, y 24 más desde 1980 a 2004 (desde 1977 a 1980, firmaron con Atlantic Records). En el año 2009, los Temptations continúan actuando y grabando Para Universal Records con el único miembro original que sigue con vida, el cofundador Otis Williams.

En el transcurso de su carrera, han conseguido cuatro sencillos n.º 1 en Billboard Hot 100, y 14 sencillos n.º 1 en Billboard R&B. Su material les ha proporcionado tres Premios Grammy, y dos más por componer y producir el éxito de 1972 "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone". The Temptations fue el Primer grupo de Motown que ganó un Grammy. Seis Temptations: Dennis Edwards, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, David Ruffin, Otis Williams y Paul Williams entraron en el prestigioso Rock and Roll Hall of Fame en 1989. Algunos de sus clásicos son: “My Girl", "War", "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" o “The Way You Do the Things You Do"

Beverley Skeete - On the Road Again

 Beverley Skeete started her carreer in the early 80's with club tracks such as Warm to a top 5 with Gat Decor. Beverley has worked with the biggest names in the music industry from Chaka Khan, Elton John, Annie Lennox, Sting, Robbie Williams and Jamiroquai to De la Soul and Mark Morrison. She also did main and backing vocals for many eurodance projects and artists : Pagany (I don't wanna hurt you was one of her first works along Media Records), Clubhouse, Clock, Gina G, Sharada House Gang, Anticappella, 49ers (in the Club Mix of Rockin my body Ann Marie Smith does the main vocals "Rockin your body...and I'll be yours tonight" and Beverley sings "Uuuuhh again again again")... In 1993 she released the solo eurodance single The Power Of Love under the name Beverly. Since 1997, she's been a member of The Rhythm Kings.

Outlaws - Sweet Home Alabama

 Outlaws are an American Southern rock band from Tampa, Florida. They are best known for their 1975 hit "There Goes Another Love Song" and extended guitar jam "Green Grass and High Tides" from their 1975 debut album, plus their 1980 cover of the Stan Jones classic "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky".

In April 2005, four of the six classic band members; Hughie Thomasson, Henry Paul, Monte Yoho, and David Dix reunited as The Outlaws. In addition to them, the band included former guitarist Chris Anderson, and new members, bassist Randy Threet, and keyboardist Dave Robbins. All three of whom had been with Paul's country group BlackHawk. Paul and Robbins left to resume their careers in BlackHawk in early 2006, but the remaining band soldiered on. They were part of the Charlie Daniels Volunteer Jam tour in the summer of 2007. Outlaws put on their last show with Hughie only a day before his untimely death, at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Nevada.

Band leader Hughie Thomasson died on September 9, 2007, of a heart attack in Brooksville, Florida.^[13] No release date has been announced for the studio album, Once an Outlaw, which was finished before Thomasson's death. The Thomasson family was going to release an album in early 2010, but it was cancelled. However, the album has been illegally leaked onto the internet.

A cover version of their trademark epic 10-minute track "Green Grass and High Tides" is featured as the finale in the set list for guitar and bass in the video game Rock Band and features two complicated solos.

In December 2007, 2008 Outlaws tour dates were released. At the same time, it was revealed that the band will continue despite Thomasson's death. Henry Paul became the new lead singer, frontman and bandleader. In January 2008, the Outlaws lineup would be revealed to include Henry Paul (guitars/vocals), Monte Yoho (drums), Chris Anderson (guitars/vocals), and Randy Threet (bass), along with newer additions Billy Crain (guitars), Jon Coleman (keyboards), and Brett Cartwright (bass). Cartwright left the band shortly thereafter. This would be the first lineup in Outlaws' history without Hughie Thomasson on guitar and vocals, as from the band's formation to his death, he was the only constant member, garnering him the nicknames "Mr. Outlaw" and "The Lone Outlaw".

According to the band's web site, the Outlaws announced their intention to continue to tour throughout the summer and fall of 2009 with this lineup and planned to participate in the Simple Man Cruise with Lynyrd Skynyrd in January 2010.

In May 2010, the Outlaws were featured, along with the Marshall Tucker Band, Molly Hatchet, Blackberry Smoke, and the Chris Hicks Band, on stage at Long Island Southern Jam 2010 in Babylon, N.Y. at Overlook Beach. The all-day concert featured a unique jam fest for all the bands.^[14]

For the 2010 tour, Dave Robbins returned on keyboards and Henry Paul was involved in a lawsuit brought about by Hughie Thomasson's widow, Mary, which alleged trademark violations. It was also stated on the website that the band would change its name to 'Henry Paul Band' if they were to lose the case, but to continue touring with the same setlists. In April 2011 the case was ruled upon in favor of Henry Paul, Monte Yoho and the co-defendants. They continue to touring and recording under the name Outlaws.

On July 30, 2012, it was announced on the band's website that "their first new album in 12 years" will be released on September 25, 2012, titled It's About Pride. It was also accompanied by a separately released DVD documentary about the making of the new album, called Hidin' Out In Tennessee. Led by Henry Paul, the album was critically acclaimed. A few years before the album, Paul recruited an old friend from the Henry Paul Band, lead guitarist Billy Crain to join the band. Paul and Crain collaborated on writing many of the songs for It's About Pride. The final track was a cover of the Henry Paul Band song "So Long" from its 1979 debut album, Grey Ghost.

In 2013, Billy Crain left the band group due to health issues and Steve Grisham, who performed on the 1986 album Soldiers of Fortune, rejoined as guitarist.

In 2016, the Outlaws released a 2-CD concert set titled Legacy Live.

In 2018, Dale Oliver (guitar), former touring guitarist with country band BlackHawk, replaced Chris Anderson. Paul and Yoho asked Anderson to leave due to several disagreements.

Later in 2018, Monte Yoho took a break due to his health problems. At the time, drummer Jaran Sorenson joined the band. Yoho returned in 2019 and Sorenson also continued in the band. Outlaws have two drummers again, until Yoho retired in 2021, since which Henry Paul is the only original member. The band continue touring with Sorenson. Sorenson left the band in February 2022 and Michael Grando replaced him. In September 2022 Mike Bailey replaced Grando.

The band’s new album Dixie Highway was released in 2020.

Steve Grisham retired in June 2021, after which he was replaced by Jeff Aulich. Dale Oliver fell ill in the fall of 2021 and took a break from touring. Guitarist Jimmy Dormire is currently touring with Outlaws.