By Gary Strauss, USA TODAY
Cable channel A&E’s homage to The Jackson 5— without Michael — could have been called the Bickering Four.
The Jack5ons: A Family Dynasty (back-to-back episodes premiere Sunday, 9 ET/PT) largely chronicles the plans of Jackie, Jermaine, Tito and Marlon Jackson to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the group’s rise to musical prominence with a concert tour and new album.
This article continues at USA Today Online.
Just wanted to share this review and check in to remind you that it is almost time for the premiere.
I am about to settle in in front of the rarely watched TV to check out the show.
Filed under: In Old School Music News
Just came across this Reuters News article entitled “Fans Keep Guessing About Jackson 4 Reunion” , but I find the most interesting part of the article is not if there is the possibility of a reunion — but the upcoming airing of the Jackson reality TV show.
By Jill Serjeant
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Michael Jackson’s death put a sudden end to long-rumored plans for a Jackson 5 reunion, but brother Jermaine on Friday kept fans guessing about whether there might be a “Jackson 4″ concert next year.
“Those plans are in the works but you have to wait and see where it goes”, Jermaine Jackson told reporters, referring to an upcoming reality TV show about the famous singing family.
“The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty,” which begins airing on Dec 13 on the A&E network, follows original members Jermaine, Jackie, Tito and Marlon as they planned for a tentative 40th anniversary reunion of the Jackson 5 before — and after — the sudden death in June of their younger brother Michael.
Check out the rest of the article here.
You can read more about the upcoming reality show at the A&E Website.
I am very curious and will be tuning in on Monday December13. Will you be checking the show out? If so, why? If not, why?
Musically Yours,
Filed under: In Old School Music News
September 11, 2009
Legacy influences musicians — and a former president
By Mike Householder and Jeff Karoub
Associated Press
For the 50th anniversary of the founding of Motown Records, The Associated Press over a period of months invited stars from the fields of music, politics and film to visit Studio A to talk about how the Detroit musical movement has affected them and the larger world.
Read the continuation of this great article at the HONOLULUADVERTISER.COM
Once you finished reading what Motown means to Bill Clinton, Ted Nugent, Patti Labelle and Anita Baker, won’t you please post here and tell the world what Motown means to you? I’d love to know.
Musically yours,
Filed under: In Old School Music News
Posted: Tue., Aug. 25, 2009, 8:00pm PT @ www.VARIETY.com
WB taps Spellman to write film based on show
By MICHAEL FLEMING
Warner Bros. has hired Malcolm Spellman to write a feature based on the classic TV show “Soul Train.”
Darryl Porter and Aaron Geller of Porter/Geller Prods. will produce with Don Cornelius, the host and producer of the famed show, which ran from 1971-2006.
Spellman said that he’s writing a film set in the 1980s.
See the VARIETY article in its entirety here.
I sure wish this was going to be set in the 1970s … but I’ll take what I can get 
Filed under: In Old School Music News
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
(08-04) 20:48 PDT DETROIT, (AP) –
Former Motown singer Martha Reeves’ tenure on the Detroit City Council will end after one term.
Reeves lost in the city’s nonpartisan primary Tuesday.
The 68-year-old Reeves tells Detroit’s WDIV-TV that she’ll concentrate on her music career.
Her first record was released in 1961. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 as a member of Martha & The Vandellas.
Of the six incumbents running for re-election, only Reeves failed to move on to the Nov. 6 general election.
She has been criticized for missing council meetings and for voting against a state plan to turn Detroit’s Cobo Center over to a regional authority. The convention center hosts the North American International Auto Show each January.
SOURCE: SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
Filed under: In Old School Music News
I just got through searching the White House Web Site to find a Presidential Proclamation in the Press Releases proclaiming June 2009 Black Music Month as former President Bush first proclaimed on 5/31/2002. Perhaps I am too early on this evening of 5/31/09 and it will be released 6/1/09.
Nevertheless I am sure “Black Music Month” will continue on in perpetuity so I feel safe in making this post.
Besides, it is a bit wacky that we need the American government to proclaim to the United States, that they must acknowledged the great and varied contributions people of color have made to the heart and soul of American Music. The contributions of Black people to American music are everywhere and if you love music you appreciate those contributions every day!
AOL Black Voices has a blog to celebrate Black Music Month, but it only seems touch on the last two or three decades of music. You may read the archives of here at OSML to delve a little deeper, back to the early Seventies, Sixties and late Fifties Doo-Wop era. And there might even be a few surprises this month to school you even more — so stay tuned.
June is also British Black Music Month (BBMM) and has been since 2006.
The month of June, here at OSML, will feature the Motown Male Vocal Groups, in our continued tribute to the year of Motown 50.
Filed under: In Old School Music News
