Staple Singers
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One Day I Was Walking: Soulful Gospel from the Swan Mellarks (Update!)
Just to give you some warning… Lynnell Harris (misspelled as Lindell Harris on the label) has an amazing tone and vocals that are SOOOOO bananas. This record was recorded for tiny Valberst Records in the 70s here in Chicago at Pervis Staples’ (of the Staple Singers) Studio. “One Day I Was Walking” has been in my head…
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Tom Tom 84 goes Hollywood.
Tom Tom Washington (pictured at left) is basically my hero. He’s also a very humble and cool individual to be around. As a Chicagoan and a music lover, his distinctive Horn and String Arrangements are like home to me. Tom Tom came up in Chicago’s Ida B. Wells Projects and studied music under the tutelage…
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John H. White: Five Minutes of Light
Chicago-based photographer John H. White (whose work has been highlighted here many times) was awarded the Pulitzer for general excellence in photography in 1982. This general excellence award is no longer awarded. This is the story of the photo (above) that won him his award. Mr. White was assigned to go to a local dance…
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Wattstax (1973) Cult Movie of the Week
Movie trailer for the 1973 black documentary, Wattstax. Perhaps the closet thing to “BLACKstock” we’ll ever see. Great performances from Memphis’ Stax Recording artists of the time and an indelible message of unity, self-determination, and respect (and fly fashion). I can’t be 100% certain, but I’m pretty sure that the chemical pink ensemble (complete with white,…



