[Music] foreign
they weren't even supposed to be a real group but that would all change when their very first song
made waves on the dance r b and pop charts after a couple of early member changes the classic lineup
of Shalimar would go on to experience several years of major success then conflicts began to
arise between the members and their record label as well as among the members themselves that would
ruin everything that classic lineup many would come to know and love consisted of Howard Hewett
Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel Jeffrey was born and raised in La so he was in the right place at
the right time from the very start as a dancer one of his dreams was to Showcase his talent on
a new musical variety TV show that debuted in the early 70s called Soul Train chicago-born Jody also
had dreams of one day making it to LA to get on the show as fate would have it her family
actually ended up moving to the city both would find themselves on the set of the iconic show at
the same time and eventually become dance Partners they also began dating meanwhile
Soul Train's booking agent dick Griffey and the show's Creator Don Cornelius decided to further
milk the popularity of the show by creating a record label and thus Soul Train records was
born in shalimar's unsung episode the story that was told was that an independent producer came to
the label with a track and asked if they wanted to release it dick and Dawn agreed now they just
needed to find someone to sing it later some controversy would erupt over who was really
the driving force behind not only getting the song released but also putting Shalamar together
a British man of French and Moroccan descent by the name of Simone Susan is the producer that the
track is attributed to and it's been said that he tapping into his middle eastern Heritage came up
with the group's name however another producer Ian twist also came out and said that the song
was his idea and he came up with a group name as a nod to a female vocal group of the 60s called
the shalamars Ian also says that he even worked on the song with Simone but didn't receive any
credit could he be the independent producer referred to in The Unsung episode Carrie
Lucas wife of Dick Griffey has yet another version claiming that the rights and ownership of the name
Shalimar was purchased by her husband and Dawn in the mid 70s we'll talk more about that issue later
the song called Uptown Festival part 1 a medley of several Motown classics sung over a 70s disco
beat was recorded by a group of Studio musicians assembled to record just that particular track
it was after the song became a hit that Simone decided to form an actual group to perform it and
record more material which turned into the group's first official album of the same name in 1977 the
lead singer he recruited was Gary Mumford one of the session singers the other two members were
Soul Train dancers Jeffrey Daniel and Jody Watley as great as the group success was Dawn decided to
step away from the record label and focus on his TV show so dick bought him out and carried on
under the new name solar which stood for sound of Los Angeles records even more changes were on the
horizon Gary ended up leaving the group creating an opening that Gerald Brown ultimately took over
this new Trio released their second album titled disco Gardens in 1978. it featured the hit take
that to the bank as the group was on their way up though Gerald was on his way out years later he
would explain in detail what happened as it turned out the money that the members were expecting to
be waiting for them after coming off their tour was nowhere to be found little did they know
that money was being put back into the label to produce their other acts then on top of that he
didn't even have a contract with Shalimar which naturally made it easy for the powers that be to
get away with not paying him Gerald felt he had no other choice but to leave Howard born
and raised in Akron Ohio discovered his talent for singing at a young age around 10 he joined
his siblings in their own group called The Hewitt singers by 20 he felt La calling him so he packed
up his things and headed out west Jeffrey and Jody would come to know Howard just in passing
when they would see him perform with his group at a local hot spot that the Soul Train dancers
would frequent after the blow up with Gerald Howard found himself one day in a meeting with
a producer in the Motown office when the phone rang it was Jeffrey asking him to join Shalamar
as their new lead vocalist it just so happened that solar's office was located in the very same
building Howard went in blew them away with a few bars of a Peabo Bryson song and the rest is
history the group's next project would be 1979's big fun it features their most successful hit on
the Hot 100 the second time around and became their first body of work to go gold [Music]
memorize they've done it this Trio's chemistry was undeniable and it reflected in their
accomplishments whatever chemistry that they did have on stage though did not translate offstage
in their unsung episode Jody said that she and Howard didn't hit it off right away and there
was a lack of respect around this time Jody and Jeffrey's dating relationship came to an end and
that factor probably contributed to some tension among the members as well issues with their label
also began to rear their ugly head as Dick's lack of respect for Jody and Jeffrey who he always
considered as just dancers and only there to back up Howard intensified fun fact singer-songwriter
and Dancer Jermaine Stewart served as a touring backing vocalist for Shalimar for several years
developing a very close friendship with Jody as the late 70s gave way to the early 80s disco
began getting on everyone's nerves and needed to go take a nap even though Shalamar were enjoying
riding the wave of the genre they knew they now needed to switch gears hence the much more Soulful
three for love the group's fourth album released in 1980 it went gold and features the popular slow
jam this is for the lover in you the group's next two albums according to Jeffrey were recorded at
the same time but served two different purposes 1981's go for it served as the final album solar
Ode to their distributor RCA before they left to join Elektra it received in different promotion
and only one single sweeter as the days go by was issued that other album though that one
would make up for everything friends released the very next year would go gold in the U.S
platinum in Britain and release four singles including the top 10 r b hit a night to remember
another change the members felt needed to happen was with their style and so they did
heavily influenced by the wave of new British pop acts coming on the scene the Brits loved
Shalimar too which was clearly evident in the group's increasing record sales in the UK after
Jeffrey made a solo trip over to demonstrate his body popping dancing skills on the BBC music
program top of the pops Jody and Howard weren't in attendance due to her being on maternity leave and
Howard dealing with his marriage coming to an end it was also on that show where Jeffrey premiered a
dance move he called the backslide on television for the first time that move would later be
renamed the moonwalk by a very famous entertainer naturally after topping the charts the tours and
being showered with love around the world the trio expected their bank accounts to reflect the fruits
of their labor unfortunately that wasn't happening this Revelation would spark the beginning of the
end as the saying goes The Show Must Go On so back to the studio they all went to record their
next album 1983's The look just before its least however things would come to a head between Jody
and Howard while in the UK to promote the project a video shoot was organized for the lead single
and Future grammy-nominated Track dead giveaway on the set Howard and Jody got into a nose to nose
confrontation that ended with Jody refusing to do the video and quitting the group on the spot after
some threats of a lawsuit were levied the video was completed on schedule with the participation
of all the members prior to the release of the album Jody and Jeffrey would depart the group
dick was determined to keep the Shalimar train going so he continued to add more new faces the
faces may have been new but the same old tension between the members continued behind the scenes
after Mickey free and Elisa Davis replaced Jeffrey and Jody Shalimar made it back into the top 20 on
the pop charts with the song Dancing In The Sheets featured on the soundtrack for the musical drama
film Footloose another movie soundtrack song don't get stopped in Beverly Hills for Beverly Hills Cop
would give the group an even greater success with a Grammy for best album of original score written
for a motion picture or television special both songs were included on shalimar's Eighth album
the gold selling heartbreak released in 1984. Howard felt now was the time for him to move
on and pursue his solo career so he did Sydney Justin then took over for 1987 circum substantial
evidence and 1990s wake up which ended up being shalimar's final pair of albums before the group
completely disbanded around this time Jody's solo career was heating up her debut album dropped in
87 and included her number two paw pit and number one dance and R B hit looking for a
new love the following year the project would win her a Grammy award for best new artist she's gone
on to release over a dozen Studio albums and EPS Howard went on to have a successful solo career
as well throughout the late 80s and into the 90s he achieved several top 10 r b hits and today has
released numerous solo albums Jody Howard and Jeffrey finally did reunite sort of in 1996 on
babyface's hit single this is for the lover in you a cover of the hit single from the group's
fourth album three for love a music video was shot in which the three former members of Shalimar were
digitally reunited on screen later they would end up in the same room for real during a top
the Pop's performance of the song with Babyface things must have smoothed out between the former
colleagues well enough since around the same time Howard and Jeffrey would get back in the studio
with Jody to work on a song for her upcoming album the song ended up not being used but Jody has made
a point to mention the experience since neither Howard nor Jeffrey have ever done so and continue
to run with The Narrative of their still being major beef between them in 1999 Howard and Jeffrey
officially reformed Shalimar two years later they added Carolyn Griffey a longtime friend and fan of
the band as well as the daughter of Dick Griffey this version of Shalimar has been together ever
since and continues to tour and promote the brand Jody who back in 1987 in an interview with the
LA Times requested to not be asked any questions about Shalimar was now apparently ready to speak
her piece about her experience in the group she helped make famous what could be the motivation
behind wanting to open up now you ask well it all started with the group's unsung episode
in 2009 after it aired Jody decided to set the record straight about some information included
in the show that she felt wasn't accurate in a series of YouTube videos called unsung Shalimar
Jody Watley unfiltered it's unclear as to why but all of the videos have since been deleted in 2015
she spoke with I love oldschoolmusic.com about some of the Shady and dramatic experiences that
happened inside the group one issue was the role dick played in facilitating the growing
tension among the members by singling out Howard as his favorite she also touched on the physical
and verbal abuse from Jeffrey during the time they were dating things got taken up another notch when
Jeffrey started dating and eventually married soul singer Stephanie Mills he would rub the fact that
he was with Stephanie in Jody's face causing them to come to blows backstage in the dressing room
also that year Jody released a statement letting everyone know that as of May 2014
she became the legal and registered trademark owner of Shalimar she felt compelled to pursue
ownership after Howard and Jeffrey reincarnated the group with Carolyn while using Jody's likeness
On promotional materials she invites people to check out Shalimar reloaded consisting of
herself at the helm plus two other new members she also encourages fans to follow them on their
new website and social media pages so yes that makes two separate groups using the same name
and both featuring members from the classic lineup a week or so after Jody's statement
dick griffy's wife Carrie took to her Facebook to make a response she writes in part over the
last 35 years dick never forfeited his ownership of Shalimar and monitored its use and Goodwill
including placing our daughter Carolyn at shalimar's Helm and Performing for the last
15 years in Shalimar although failing Health began to lessen involvement dick maintained mentoring of
Shalimar until his death in September of 2010 there is no moral credit or right to recent
filings of so-called ownership of Shalimar already purchased and administered by dick Griffey since
1977. she concludes that she and her family will fight for the return of their rightful Legacy then
as what could be looked at as some sort of final Declaration on September 6 2016 Jody posted an
extremely lengthy open letter on her website it starts my hope is after this lengthy post all of
you who need to can move on instead of telling me to when I have moved on my life as well as solo
career represents that I've said for decades I'm thankful for the lessons learned and experience of
my brief tenure in Shalimar I've never been angry resentful or any number of things I'm accused of
I thank all of them for their actions because ultimately it led me to live my best life and
step into my destiny as a successful solo artist people have tried to manufacture fake narratives
drama and imaginary beaves where none exists beyond their own Egos and mind self-projection
for some none of these facts will mean anything and you'll still think what you want that's fine
too this post is also for me though needed to get this off my chest and put these facts out here so
I write and backtrack all of this for this blog and boy does she bring the receipts Instagram
posts Facebook posts tweets emails and more a link to it will be in the description box for
your viewing pleasure akin to her having a lot to say like she did after shalamar's unsung episode
just two weeks prior to this post going up TV one also aired an unsung dedicated to Howard Hewitt
clearly triggering Jody to write her dissertation as of today Carrie Lucas and Carolyn Griffey wife
and daughter of Shalimar Creator dick Griffey officially own all Shalimar licensing across the
28 countries of Europe Carolyn once challenged Jody's trademark in the U.S claiming that she
Carolyn was the sole owner of the name Jody honored and the ruling came down in her favor
Jody continues to own the Shalimar trademark in the U.S in January 2022 after having just done an
in-depth interview with Vlad TV Howard issued a public apology to Jody during his Facebook live
stream the Howard Jeffrey and Carolyn version of Shalimar plan to embark on a European tour
in 2023 with the friend's 40th anniversary tour as for Jody it appears that at some point she moved
on from Shalimar reloaded and looks to be back to doing her solo thing fans though will need
to be patient and wait for her return to the stage again since as indicated on the latest post on her
Instagram as of the making of this video this year she's taking some well-deserved time off
thank you