The first hit credited to Shalamar was "Uptown Festival" (1977), which was recorded at Ike & Tina Turner's studio Bolic Sound in 1976.[5] It was released on Soul Train Records. Its success inspired Griffey and Don Cornelius to replace session singers with popular Soul Train dancers Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel, to join original Shalamar lead singer Gary Mumford. Gerald Brown took over the spot vacated by Mumford for the group's second album, Disco Gardens (1978), which featured the hit "Take That to the Bank". After conflicts over lack of payment from Griffey and SOLAR (short for Sound of Los Angeles Records), Brown left the group.[6]Howard Hewett replaced Brown in 1979.[2] The group was joined up with producerLeon Sylvers III in 1979, signed with SOLAR, and scored a US million seller with "The Second Time Around" (1979). The "classic" lineup of Hewett, Watley and Daniel would be the most successful.
In the UK, the group had a string of hits with songs such as "Take That to the Bank" (1978), "I Owe You One" (1980), and songs from the Friends (1982) album: "I Can Make You Feel Good" (1982), "A Night to Remember", "There It Is", and the title track "Friends".[1] The album, which crossed the genres of pop, disco, and soul, was also a big seller in the UK in 1982.[7] The band's record sales in the UK increased when Daniel demonstrated his body-poppingdancing skills on BBC Television's music programme, Top of the Pops, which had premiered the moonwalk on television for the first time.[8]Michael Jackson was a fan of Shalamar, particularly Daniel and his dance moves, after watching him on Soul Train.[8] Jackson and Daniel met afterward, and Jackson took his then 12-year-old sister Janet to see Shalamar perform at Disneyland. Daniel and Jackson co-choreographed Jackson's "Bad" and "Smooth Criminal" videos from the album Bad (1987).[9]
Shalamar in 1982Shalamar in 1982Shalamar in 1982
The Hewett-Watley-Daniel lineup of Shalamar scored a total of five gold albums in the U.S.: Big Fun (1979); Three for Love (1980), which eventually went Platinum; Friends (1982), which also went Platinum; The Look (1983) and Heartbreak (1984).[1] In 1983, prior to the release of The Look, Watley and Daniel left Shalamar due to conflicts within the group as well as issues with Dick Griffey and SOLAR.[10] Although The Look wasn't as successful as Friends had been the previous year, it still yielded a number of hit singles in the UK, including "Disappearing Act", the Grammy-nominated "Dead Giveaway", and "Over and Over", and featured more of a new wave/synth-pop sound than previous albums.
In 1996, Watley performed with Hewett and Daniel on Babyface's million-selling single "This Is for the Lover in You," a cover of a hit single from Shalamar's platinum album Three for Love (1980).[1][11] A music video was shot in which the three former members of Shalamar were digitally reunited on screen.[12] Hewett, Watley, and Daniel subsequently joined Babyface and LL Cool J to perform the song on the UK's Top of the Pops in 1996. They are credited on this single release under their individual names; however, it marked the classic trio's first and only live performance together since 1983.[13]
In 1999, Howard Hewett and Jeffrey Daniel reformed Shalamar and played in Japan. This was followed by UK tours in 2000, 2001, and 2003. From 2001, Shalamar continued touring with the line up of Howard Hewett, Jeffrey Daniel, and Carolyn Griffey (a long-time friend and fan of the original band's, and daughter of Dick Griffey). Carolyn's mother is Carrie Lucas, for whom Watley sang backing vocals. In 2005, this lineup appeared on the UK television seriesHit Me, Baby, One More Time. Shalamar reached the grand finale of Hit Me, Baby, One More Time in May 2005, ultimately losing out to Shakin' Stevens. This was followed by annual concert tours in the UK, Cannes, USA, Nigeria, and Japan.
Shalamar was featured in an episode of TV One's series Unsung, in which Watley, Daniel, and Hewett shared their stories about the group's creation, the lack of payments and royalties from SOLAR, success, egos, and the breakup of the classic lineup. Dick Griffey, Micki Free, Delisa Davis, and Sidney Justin were also interviewed for the episode. In October 2009, the reconstituted Shalamar of Hewett, Daniel, and Griffey performed as a part of "The Ultimate Boogie Nights Disco Concert Series", at O2 Arena Entertainment in London.[14][15] This prompted their return to the UK in April 2010 for a tour. Shalamar returned to IndigO2 in October 2011, December 2012, December 2013 and December 2014.[16] Shalamar performed a series of eight UK tour dates in April 2015 and another tour of four UK dates in July 2015.[17][18]
In 2017, Shalamar released their first single since 1991 called "The Real Thing"[19][20]
As of July 2018, Carrie Lucas and Carolyn Griffey, wife and daughter of Shalamar creator Dick Griffey, officially own all Shalamar licensing across the 28 countries of Europe.[citation needed]
Carolyn Griffey once challenged Jody Watley's trademark of Shalamar in the United States, claiming that she (Griffey) was the sole owner of the name. Watley countered, and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ruled in her favor, saying that the petitioner (Griffey) never submitted evidence of her claims. Watley owns the Shalamar trademark in the United States.[21][22]
Personnel
Jeffrey Daniel - vocals, guitar (1977–1983, 1996-1997, 1999–present)
