AGMP Presents
Shalamar are one of the most successful soul groups of all time, selling 25 million albums worldwide.
Soul Train producer Dick Griffey had the idea of a Soul Train singing group and drafted in Jeffrey Daniel to start forming the band. Jody Watley and Gary Mumford joined the group and they were named Shalamar.
At the time, Jody had no prior vocal recording experience and The Whispers and Carrie Lucas were brought in to help with background vocals. After Gary Mumford voiced his reluctance to tour and be away from his vocal teaching sessions in the Bay Area, Jeffrey brought in Gerald Brown who was a vocalist in the previous Soul Train singing group. Added to the mix was producer and new maestro of the music scene, Leon Sylvers. After the hit song ‘Take That to the Bank’ made the first legitimate waves for Shalamar, Gerald left the group to be replaced by local club singer Howard Hewett, again recruited by Jeffrey.
The timing was perfect for this new line-up and their next single ‘Second Time Around’ would be Shalamar’s first Platinum selling single.
Famed in the UK for Jeffrey Daniel’s body-popping Moonwalk on Top of The Pops in 1980 (a world TV exclusive), which inspired Michael Jackson to adopt the move and for Daniel to co-choreograph the video’s for Jackson’s “Bad” and “Smooth Criminal” Shalamar had a string of massive worldwide hits through the ‘80s.
These included such guaranteed floor-fillers as ‘A Night to Remember,’ ‘There It Is’, ‘I Can Make You Feel Good,’ and many others and the group were touring the world filling arenas and stadiums, when Jeffrey left the group at its peak to pursue a solo career.
Jody Watley followed suit to also pursue a solo career and thus came the end of the original line up of the most revered R&B group since The Jacksons.
Shalamar are back with Howard Hewett, Jeffrey Daniel and Carolyn Griffey to perform all the hits and more with the backing of their full band.
