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Headline Star-Studded Lineup
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learn in the entertainment
field is finding the key to
survival. That's what The
Manhattans hcve done.
Early in the formation of
their *roop they decided
not to go the route of
trends; instead, they decid
ed to stick with the basics
talent, quality and style.
Keeping to that simple
format has allowed The
Manhattans the type of
longevity that has meant 20
years of recording artiste.
The smooth, resonant
harmonies that so charac
terizes The Manhattans,
today had its hirth on the
street corners of Manhat
tan. It is the same sound
that The Manhattans will
bring with them when they
perform at the Kool Jazz
Festival in Hampton, Va .,
Friday, June 28, beginning
at 7:30 p.m. v
The Manhattans’ story
began with five guys-Blue
Lovett, Kenny Kelley,
Sonny Bivins, Richard
Taylor and George Smith,
who all vowed to get to
gether after their stints in
the service were up and
pursue their first love
music.
The Manhattans
.Polished balladeers
It wasn’t until The Man
hattans won third prize at
<an Apollo Theater talent
contest in 1964 and were
spotted by Joe Evans, a
former alto sax player with '
in the Motown touring or
chestra. who had Just start
rubric leieviston Program
Deals With Problem Of Spouse
V 7 •
Wives, Shattered Lives”
that will be shown nation
ally over PBS. “Battered
Wives, Shattered Lives: A
North Carolina Follow-up”
will provide specific re
ferral information from the
North Carolina per
spective.
Panelists include Dis
trict Judge Richard G.
Chaney of Durham ; Faith
Holden, executive director
of the Onslow County Wo
men’s Center in Jackson
ville; Julia Nile of Turn
ing Point in Greensboro;
and Phillip J. Kirk Jr., v
state secretary ofthe North
--— -■-T
Carolina Department of
Human Resources. Mode
rator is Valeria Lee, man
ager of WVSP-FM radio in
warren ion.
“Battered Wives, Shat
tered Uvea'’ toramin— Hm
growing problem of domes
tic violence, its causes and
ways that women can re
move themselves from de
structive situations. .
Narrated and boated by
actor Edward Asner, the
national program com
bines Interviews with vic
tims, police officers, '
court officials, social
' Jriters and offenders.
ed Carnival Records, that
the aspiring group got a
break. Evans liked what he
saw and signed them to his
newly formed label.
Their first release, “For
The Very First lime” was
only a local hit in the city of
New York, but their follow
ing releases, "I Wanna Be
(Your Everything),” and
"Searching For My Baby,” .
broke out as national pop
and R&B hits. By 1968 The
Manhattans had earned
NATRA’s “Most Promis
ing Group” award.
Moving to a different
label the following year,
.The Manhattans soon
caught the attention of Co
lumbia Records, signing a
worldwide contract with
them in 1972. “For the first
time The Manhattans were
able to work on their own
production in the studio.”
Also, by this time some
personnel changes had
transpired. In 1970 when
the Manhattans were on a
black college tour, The
Manhattans met a young
man whose voice was so
impressive at a simple
sound check that the group
invited him to become a
part of The Manhattans.
The man was Gerald
Alston. He declined their
first offer, but later when
one of The Manhattans.
George Smith was struck
fatally ill, the offer was
again made to Alston and
on the second invitation,
Alston accepted.
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Seven years later The
Manhattans were to lose
yet another member.
Richard Taylor, joining the
Muslim order, went his
separate way, thereby
making The Manhattans a
quartet. However, despite
the changes in personnel,
the quality that has been a
trademark of the group has
prevailed, making them
one of the most enduring
groups around today.
Although The Manhat
tan are known for their
ballads, they are in no way t
confined to one style of
music. They cross the bar
riers singing country as <
well as Broadway hits.
TTiey have proven over the
years that it is talent, not i
trends, that contitute suc
cess.
r*7 ...
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