ONE SINGER I have always felt was underrated is the late, great Ronnie Dyson, who died in 1990 at the age of 40. What a fantastic, distinctive voice! His first hit is one of my all-time favorite songs, “(If You Let Me Make Love to You Then) Why Can’t I Touch You?”
In addition to being the first person to sing “Aquarius” as an original member of the cast of “Hair,” Dyson was successful with “The More You Do It (The More I Like It Done to Me),” “One Man Band (Plays All Alone)” and a remake of Chuck Jackson’s “I Don’t Want to Cry.”
The whole “cell phone phenomenon” is completely passing me by. Just not interested. And how anyone could enjoy movies or television programs on a screen that small escapes me.
Viola Davis, who recently won a Tony Award for her work on Broadway in “Fences” and earlier received an Oscar nomination for her work in “Doubt” starring Meryl Streep, is not one for resting on her laurels.
“I can’t stop to bask in the glory,” she said. “Now that I have this Tony, I really have to step up to the plate with the next role.” She added, “You stay the line and eventually people begin to notice you.”
Some singers get tired of doing their biggest hits, but not Johnny Mathis. “As long as people want to hear them, I am happy to sing them,” he said.
Ne-Yo has a new album coming out in September. His last one, “Year of the Gentleman,” was great. And guess who is returning after an eight year absence — Alexander O’Neal. The album is titled “Five Questions: The New Journey.”
No shame in Dolly Parton’s game when it comes to cosmetic surgery. Had to smile when she said, “If it sags, bags or drags, I’m gonna have it sucked, plucked or tucked.”
The end section of “Reflections” got left off last week. Sorry about that. As for the line it cut off at, it said, “Aretha Franklin appeared at the Apollo Theater recently and wore a purse on her shoulder as she was on stage performing. Well, that’s different. The occasion was Franklin being inducted into the Apollo Theater Hall of Fame.”
BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW….that Randy Jackson (not the “American Idol” judge) had a Top 20 hit in1990 with “Love You Honey,” billed as Randy & the Gypsys.
MEMORIES: “Get It Right” (Aretha Franklin), “Don’t Walk Away” (Jade), “Turn Your Love Around” (George Benson), “The Sweetest Thing This Side of Heaven” (Chris Bartley), “Never Knew Love Like This Before” (Stephanie Mills), “I Want You” (Marvin Gaye), “To Sir With Love” (Lulu), “Easy Lover” (Philip Bailey with Phil Collins), “Just Because” (Anita Baker), “A Breath Taking Guy” (the Supremes).
BLESSINGS to Lori Eusery, Theodora Ragland, Herb Boyd, J.J. Barnes, Keena Green, Frank Pettis, Rita Ross, Donnie Simpson, Clarence Rome, Esther V. Smith and Myron H. Wahls Jr.
WORDS OF THE WEEK, from Oprah Winfrey: “Be thankful for what you have and you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never have enough.”
Let the music play!
(Steve Holsey can be reached at Svh517@aol.com and PO Box 02843, Detroit, MI 48202.)
