- Page 88-Ttre Chronicle, Thursday, SepierriDer 21
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Play Mates Diahann
Carroll and Billy DeeH/ViflVams form a
TV's "Dynasty." But in real life, Williams is no
Spotlight
For Phyllis St. J
"Ain't No Turnin' Back" may be the debut Moto>
singer - songwriter Phyllis St. James, but the lady
troduction to the music industry. As as a background
sion contractor^songwriter and arranger. St. James
with some of the biggest names in pop music, from th
to the Jacksons. Considering her background, it's littli
during her debut album project, produced by Velto
with Benny Medina and Kerry Ashby serving as e
ducers, St. James contributed six of the nine songs, g;
cians for the sessions, even had a hand in the album
cept.
"I'm so excited about the whole thing," St. James j
thought the day would come. After you've worked ii
as long as l nave, you see plenty of deserving talent th<
chance. I've definitely been blessed."
Despite her musical experience, ironically, St. Jam*
raised in Oakland, Calif. ? originally pursued a cai
tress. Tainsure.success in thefield^sheattained abaci
in dramatic arts at the University of California, I
parents weren't professional musicians - her mother
the house," and father simply manned the hous
However, the music she heard came out of thos
assorted jazz, and pop, like Johnny Mathis, Barbra :
later the Motown sound - coupled with her earli
school and church choirs, obviously sparked a flame
die.
In the Bay area, St. James sang with many gospel
, including friends like the Hawkins Family and Andre
tackling her first pop gig in 1976, with Boz Scaggs <
claimed "Silk Degrees" LP. Since then, the projec
Hollywood Today
Pry0r writes t
By VINCENT TUBBS
C/tlnmnlat
Richard Pryor ($41 million, y' remember) has i
tionalized biographical movie titled 44Jo Jo Dancer
filming in January, covering the low days of the accic
the high, clean days he's now enjoying.
The carrion birds are swooping down on Jeannie B<
her?) to write a book about her idyllic days with the
Burton, who met her while filming Black filmmak
ander's 4 The Klansman" and took her to Switzerland
You know, of course, that both of our Miss A
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The Arts, Leisure,
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handsome couple as they make sparks fly on
match for Carroll's new love.
antes, it's only the bi
nx\ album for stopped coming and her credits r
needs no in- eluding Ray Charles, Tina Tum<
vocalist, ses- Reddy. She has appeared on m
\ has worked "SQlid^GolcL" "Merv Griffin^
e Beach Boys her voice augments national com
e wonder that Jack In The Box, Haggar Jeans, C
n Ray Bunch the next mountain left to conquei
xecutive pro- Teaming with producer Velton
athered musi- Motown Records A&R executives
t cover s con- Medina and Ashby liked what th
a ; went into the studio,
says. "I never
i the business ^"he result- No Turnir
it never gets a culmination of her pop mfluenci
pth ? r 1 Lr a *U a J t. 1 - i i ^
l^vauivsiia iiis.t inc uailtCclUlC V^an
M born-and of "Livin' ?n The Border'
eer as an ac- "Phonemate" all pose to natural"
helor's degree ~just why ber-tafcms we so in Hrma
ierkeley Her " -jeach.trarlr its own identity, xocall]
"sang around ~ during another.
ehold stereo. "To me, the album is a reflecti
e speakers - an artist,'' St. James says. "Wh
Streisand and because this is only the beginning
er activity in accomplished. It can only get bet
that wouldn't St. James says she's got a whole
cupy her future. "I've got plenty
aggregations, to write a book and screenplay a
Crouch, until like to get back to my acting."
during his ac- In any case, it's clear to see; fc
ts have never "Ain't No Turnin' Back."
took on accident;
struck it rich in Hollywood: Var
are snikering would not wear a b
written a fic- mcnt of "Love Boat," has been
*? tKat Crime." Suzette will be doina e
lent as well as "Loving' in October, playing ai
ell (remember Millionaire Michael Jackson Y
*, late Richard Rain.*' Naturally, he made no coi
:er Bill Alex- has also not done about her new
i and France. Adrian Lyne, describes it as 44j
mericas have about a white doctor who gets ca
%
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<end
Music, Columns
4
Bfoadwqy l? My Beat
Carroll: Damor
By JOEY SASSO i
Syndicated Columnist .
Observations in covering the Night Beat:
Romance is blooming betweep singer-actress
Diahann Carroll and crooner Vic Damone, say
, friends. Diahann, the newest cast member of
"Dynasty," has known Vic for years, but their
long friendship has blossomed into love, the
sources sdy. The two recently attended a special
fashion show together at Georgio's, a posh
clothing shop in Beverly Hills, and spent a cozy
weekend in Boca Raton, Fla., as guests at a
benefit.
Their dates are being kept secret because
"Dynasty" producers don't want real-life
romance to overshadow a sizzling TV love affair
Diahann will have with Billy Dee Williams on the
series next season. "Vic told me that he has fallen
head over heels for Diahann," says a close friend
of the singer. "He told me they share so much in
common and enjoy many of the same things ^
Diahann has brought new meaning into Vic's life
and he's behaving like a young man again."...
Gary, Ind., is the town that knew'him when. It's
where singing phenomenon Michael Jackson and
his brothers grew up. But Gary isn't on the
itinerary for the friuch-hyped Jackson Victory
Tour, and that has some residents growling.
In fact, City Council President Vernon Smith
accuses Jackson of insensitivity in failing to respond
to 10,000 letters from Gary school children
who urged him to visit the city. But other residents
say they're simply proud the Jackson name is
associated with the city and point to a practical
reason why The Gloved One won't appear: The
largest hall in Gary seats a mere 8,000 to 10,000
people for a concert....
Wearing all those gold chains became a real
pain in the neck for Mr. T recently. The burly star
was nearly choked by his jewelry while filming a
scene for "The A-Team," and only the lightningfa^t
response of co-star George peppard got him
off the hook.
It was the tail end of a sweltering day, and the
cast and crew were trying to wrap up an
episode.The script called for Peppard to come to
Mr. T's aid after the muscleman had been knocked
down by a hearse. But Mr. T. needed George
v m
>ginning ^Bfl
ead like a Top 10 who's who in- I
;r, The Commodores and Helen
any television shows, including
md "Saturday Night-Live," and ~
mercials for products including
)lde English. Her own album was
r
Ray Bunch, the two approached
Benny Medina and Kerry Ashby.
tey heard, and the four of them
r Back," not suprisingly, is a
;s over the years. St. James comdlelight
Afternoon," the passion
and the downright funky ,
rop 40 flair. Vocally, she exhibits f
nd behind the scenes, as she gives BHBK
^.caressing-one^ong^letting loose - I K
on of most of my experiences as
o's to say if it is my best work, ^
, but I'm very proud of what we '
ter from here."
i file cabinet full of projects to oc- . ?n|
of songs already written. I'd like Hicnara uirr
nd after a couple of albums, I'd i
Cneatin on i
>r Phyllis St. James, there simply Saturday, S?|
former queen g(
tessa, who some detracting locals and is shelte
ikini when she appeared in a segset
for a nick titled "Partners in *ftcr c?
ight episodes of ABC-TV's soap Shootout
i exotic European model. can { dance
party oy doi
las seen Prince's movie, "Purple Meanwhili
nment. Which is what Diana Ross University a
film, "Silence", whose director, students in i
mother strange love story." It's on the lot, v
lught up in the Chicago race riots movie pictui
"N
ie's her real love
even sooner. As Mr. T stretched himself out on
the ground to pick up the action after the hearse
had "hit" him, his heavy jewelry swung around*
and tangled around his throat. He sat bold
upright, gasping and sweating, and fumbled frantically
with his chains. George was at his side instantly,
untangling the chains and soothing his
ovcr-neaiea, out-oi-oreatn co-star....
"Break Out," the second RCA-Planet LP by
the Pointer Sisters, was recently certified
platinum, signifying sales of more than one
million unitfejhe current single from the album is
the chart-mover "I'm So Excited," previously
released on the Pointers' debut RCA-Planet LP,
"So Excited."
With the success of the top-10 hit "Jump (For
My Love)" from "Break Out" and its highlyacclaimed
video, interest in "I'm So Excited" was
rekihdled on the radio, retail and club levels, so
RCA repackaged "Break Out" to include "I'm So
Excited" and the album sales soared. Meanwhile,
The Pointer Sisters' videos -- "I'm So Excited"
and "Jump (For My Love)" - are being seen on
MTV, other major music-oriented TV programs
and in video clubs around the country. In live performances,
Pointer Sisters June, Ruth and Anita
have just completed a highly successful summer
tour of major U.S. venues....
Sigmund's estrainged wife Enid dropped the
$660,000 bombshell three weeks after Sigmund,
better known as Jackie Jackson, secretly filed for
a divorce. Enid, 30, estimates her lead vocalist
hushnnrl 'c ^arninoc ii/itki ?
o vui niii^j "mi uit jnvAAMii jiu^crs
at $264,000 a month. As part of her $52,800 monthly
claim she says she needs $3,036 a month for
clothes and $1,300 a month for entertainment....
Lovely Lena Home set attendance records on
^ Broadway with her one-woman show -- but she
once married a man she didn't love just to further
her fledgling career. Now taking London by
storm, the lady says she owes her distinct musicaj
style to second husband Lennie Hay ton, a, music
director at IVJOM -?and.a,white maq,.^/\t ,first |
became involved with him soM could break into
white society," she confesses. I thought Lennie ^
would be useful to my career." And indeed as a
manager he could get her into more places <han
any black musician or manager could, back in the
Please see page B7
Z
/ i ?? ?< * J
iples" Fields joins the Soul Train Gang doing
atest hits, "Jazzy Lady" and "Your Wife Is
Js." Fields can be seen locally on the show on
Dt. 29 at 7 p.m. on WJTM-TV.
its T V contract?
red by a Black hooker who is mute.
mpleting work on "Fast Forward" (formerly
) director Sidney Poitier, who claims he's arythmic and
a lick, shocked his cast and crew at the film's closing
ng the moonwalk like a champ.
e, Columbia Pictures has Christina Murrav of Howard
tnd Sharon Langlcy of Clark College among seven
ts summer intern program. They'll spend seven weeks
working in various departments and learning all about
es.