2D
A & E/^tie Cliarlotte ^ost
Thursday, August 10, 2006
LAKE NORMAN COUPLE HOST FESTIVAL
Black filmmakers get their due
Continued from page 1D
“Hollywood is slowly open
ing up to show that there are
different sides of black life,”
she said. “One of the good
things about the film festival
is that HBO picks up a lot of
our movies.”
This year, Ben Vereen and
Karyn Parsons (“Fresh
Prince of Bel Air) will partici
pate in the festival. Parsons
has developed an animated
film titled “The Journey of
Henry Box Brown.” Vereen is
one of the stars of “Idlewild.”
Though it is too late for this
year’s festival, which kicks off
Thursday, Run and Shoot
accepts screenplay and film
submissions. Registration
forms are available on the
festival’s web site,
www.mvaaff.com.
Tferrylyn Phillips of Raleigh
is the lone North Carolinian
in the screenplay finals.
The festival runs through
Sunday. For more informa
tion, log on to
www.mvaaff.com.
Your source for
community news
and information.
FORMER MEMBER OF DESTINY’S CHILD
LeToya Luckett finds success as solo act
THE ASSOC/AtED PRESS
NEW YORK-Former Des
tiny’s Child singer Lelbya
Luckett spent the past six
years trapped in pop’s ‘What
ever happened to ...?” dun
geon.
LeTbya, who simply goes by
her first name, was an origi
nal member of the chart-top-
ping girl group, along with
Beyonce, KeUy Rowland and
LeTavia Roberson, and
helped co-write hits like the
Grammy-winning “Say My
Name.” But she was uncere
moniously booted from Des
tiny’s Child along with Rober
son after a conflict in 2000,
just before the group had its
breakthrough pop success.
While her former best
fnends went on to conquer
the music world, racking up
No. 1 hits, multiplatinum
albums and Grammys,
LeToya’s career foundered
after several false starts and
disappointments.
Now LeToya is finally
emerging from shadows of
Destiny’s Child. She already
scored a major hit with the
ballad “Torn” and just
released her self-titled debut
album, which features fellow
Houston natives Paul Wall
and Mike Jones.
The Associated Press talked
with LeTbya about her musi
cal rebirth.
AP: Are you surprised at
the success of “Tbm?”
Le'Ibya: Very surprised.
It’s been a great song to me..
That’s one of my favorite
songs on the whole album so
I knew it would have some
success because, one, people
can relate to it. I’ve been
through that situation before
and I know other people have
or know somebody that has.
That’s why I wanted to make
the single because I knew
people would be able to feel
that record. But the way they
have supported me and
everybod^s been like “Aaah-
hh! This is great and you’ve
come back,” I didn’t expect
that, so that felt good.
AP: Now that you have to
start again in the music
industry do you regret leav
ing Destin/s Child when
they were starting to rise?
Le'Ibya: I never left Des
tiny’s Child. It was a dispute
between myself, LaTbvia and
management and they decid
ed to do what they did.
Instead of me looking at it
like, “I hate them and this is
the worst thing that could
ever happen to me,” I didn’t
feel like that. Obviously, God
had something else planned
for me and I’m not going to
worry or fret. The thing that
made it difficult for me was
the fnendships we lost and
not having my fnends around
anjTnore. I know they have
had and wiU continue to have
success so all I can do is wish
them well.
AP: What happened with
the project that you and fel
low ex-DC member LaTavia
were putting together?
LeTbya: Unfortimately, the
production company folded so
we went our separate ways.
La'Tavia and I are stiU fnends
but that situation didn’t work
out. I think coming out of the
Destiny’s Child situation and
then getting into this situa
tion 1 kind of took a hint that
the group thing isn’t what I
need to be doing.
AP: From Destiny’s Child
to you and LaTavia not work
ing out, did you ever feel
turned off by the music
industry?
LeTbya: I was turned off by
the politics. I’ve never been
turned off from doing music.
If I got back into a career in
the music industry I wanted
it to be right.... I wanted to be
a part of it whether it was
A&R or doing something like
that.
AP: Are you still in touch
with the other girls in Des
tiny Child, specifically Bey
once and Kelly Rowland?
Le'Ibya: Not so much in
touch with them but when we
see each other it’s cool.
AP: How did you keep busy
during your hiatus from the
spotlight?
LeToya: LaTavia and
myself decided to move down
to Atlanta and form a four-
Weekend for music and literature
By Chens F. Hodges
cheris.hodges@fhecTiartoTfeposT.com
From comedy to literary festivals, Charlotte
is abuzz with activities this weekend.
In celebration of their highly-anticipated
new album, “Feedback,” Interscope recording
artists Jurassic 5 will launch a massive nation
wide tour.
TheyTl come to Charlotte’s Neighborhood
Theatre Friday at 9 p.m. Tickets are $25.
Feedback follows J5’s critically acclaimed
releases “Power in Numbers” and “Quality
Control.” The album’s first single is “Work It
Out,” a soulful collaboration with the Dave
Mathews Band. 'The song is the cuhnination of
a close relationship the two groups formed
while touring together, and an introduction to
J5’s new effort.
“It’s a step up for us because we have been
basically known as an underground group.
We’ve been known as a backpacker group. This
album still has elements of that because that’s
All the hits. All your favorite Doo Wop stars.
Doo Wop’s Best »
Thu, August 17 ^
8 pm ■ J ‘ *
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cffi^LOTTE
Community. Tiievision.
girl group that ended up not
working out. Then I moved to
L.A. and basically was just
trying to figure out what it
was that God wanted me to
do. I met up with a produc
tion company called Noon
time and they put me in the
studio with a great writer,
Dave Young. At first I was not
comfortable being a solo
artist but he just kept push
ing me and we came up with
about five great records and
we shopped them around to
different labels. Not to men
tion I opened up my boutique
in Houston, Lady Elle Bou
tique, and we’re going into
our third year.
On the Net:
wwwletoyajxet
historic “P'” T>iesday.Sunday
CxtelsKur Club
921 Beatties Ford Rd. • 704-334-5709
^ mt\
y (Exctlgior G
Club .1/
• TUESDAY ...“FISH FRT’ ■ Only $5
Doors open at 5, Fish Fry at pm • Disco at 9pm
Don’t forget, come try your hand at a game of “Whist”
• WEDNESDAY
“Why Not Wednesday?”
With “Comedy” sy-.so
Featuring; “Reggie Byrd”
Followed by a “Guest D.J. ”
August 16th, Doors Open at 6pm
“An all adult environment, 30 and above. ”
• THDRSnAY “DIRTY THIRTY THURSDAY”
Lets get this party started right now!
• FRI. & SAT. The Best “DISCO” In Totvn
• SUN Soft music with friends!
August26th ■ KC.KO.’s
Annual Card Tournament, 12 Noon
who we are, but at the same time we are also
tr3ang to step into another realm,” said Soup,
one of the group’s four emcees.
DJ/Producer Nu-Mark handles the majority
of the album’s production, including the tracks
“Future Sound,” “Red Hot,” and ‘Where We
At,” which features a vocal bit from Mos Def.
If you want to laugh, then check out Rickey
Smiley and Friends at Grand Central on Cen
tral Avenue.
'There will be four shows on Friday and Sat
urday nights at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Smiley’s down-home southern humor has
resonated with audiences nationwide. He has
performed for sold-out crowds at Madison
Square Garden, Universal Amphitheater, and
the Lincoln Center as well as performing at
some of the nation’s top comedy clubs.
Smiley’s best known for his most original
impressions, from “Bernice and her church
announcements” to “Coach McClainy and his
lack of motivational skills.”
afffcdl Haw abotA-...-
• • BilliatdKs
« SpcMttins *Kayaiafis
* Wbne lastins
«Aito in smU tiri!5r«daNgj Sw ip«QipJfe,
Call us at 704-210-8082
or visit us online at www.lotsofeventsnc.com today.
vents
Iventures
The best new way to meet singles!
COCA-COLA “CITIZEN” OF THE MONTH
“Frank Coley’’
Un-Sung Hero of
Westover Hills Community
The son of sharecropper parents, our
“Citizen of the Month,” Frank Coley, knows first hand what it
means to share and give back. Coley’s committment to his com
munity began over thirty years ago as he along with Tom
Bradley Sr. and Robert Moten brought Community Watch to the
neighborhood. A 2000 retiree from Charlotte Police Department. Coley was once
only one of five police officers living in Westover Hills. As crime in the area
increased, one by one all but Coley fled. Nestled near uptown Charlotte, Westover
Hills is worth revitalizing, said Coley. Not only does he still reside in the area, but
has been a major factor in reinvesting by bringing homes to the area to refurbish, and
saved residents from losing their dwellings as well. It’s not uncommon to see Coley
sprucing up the area by personally landscaping needed property, whether he owns it
or not. And, it’s nothing for him to pick up the phone to check on aging neighbors
when things don’t appear right at their homes. To Coley, it’s all about giving back
because someone once helped him.
A native of Wayne County, Coley was one of eleven children born to Isaac T.
Coley Sr., and Elnora Whitley Coley. In 1964 a cousiil affiliated with' N.C. Mutual
Imsurance saw great potential in Coley and with the help of fraternity brothers Dr.
Moses Belton and Rev. Raymond Worsley helped him enter Johnson C. Smith
University during late registration. Even though he came to Charlotte homeless, to
Coley it seemed the doors were beginning to open. His experiences at JCSU helped
prepare him for the future. Due to the untimely death of his father, Coley dropped
out to care for his mother and sisters, but the stage for success was solidly set. As a
Charlotte police officer he made a difference, and now makes a difference as campus
security for Harding High School, a position he’s held since 2002.
Frank and his wife of 36 years, Josephine Garrett Coley, have two children, son
Lt. Commander Te-Ali Garrett Coley, a pilot with the Coast Guard, and daughter
Carraalla Jo Garnett Cole, retired Air Force sergeant.
Best Wishes “Frank” from
Coca Cola Bottling Company Consolidated of Charlotte
Coca Cola KeaC