Entertainment

New Season Of “Unsung” Kicks Off TV One’s Black Music Month With Otis Redding, Xscape

Published

11 years ago

June 8, 2015

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via TV One
Special to the NNPA from The Atlanta Daily World

TV One’s award-winning series Unsung returns with an all-new season of hit-makers and game changers starting Wednesday, June 3rd at 8 p.m. ET. This season is filled with trailblazing artists who dominated the charts, pushed the boundaries of their genre, and inspired legions of fans with their legendary sound. Viewers will be able to reflect on the lives of innovative, soul-stirring singers of the ’60s and ’70s, including Ike Turner, Otis Redding, and the Godfather of Go-Go, Chuck Brown, as well as return to hip-hop’s golden age with Kid ‘n Play, DJ Quik, and Xscape. In a special episode, Unsung Revisited, viewers will receive an update on artists, including Full Force, Zapp & Roger, Sylvester, and Miki Howard, who following their features on the series, have experienced profound changes to their lives and legacy.

Wednesday, June 3, 8PM ET – Ike Turner

Ike Turner was the controversial musical genius credited with recording the first rock and roll song, as well as the creation of the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, a show like no other. They catapulted to fame with hits like “A Fool in Love,” “It’s Gonna Work Out Fine,” and their classic re-creation of “Proud Mary,” all while showcasing Tina Turner’s astonishing stage presence and unique tone. However, Ike was haunted by emotional traumas from his childhood, and his obsession to control ultimately destroyed his band, his marriage, his reputation, and his life.

Wednesday, June 10, 8PM ET – Otis Redding

From Georgia farm boy to singing legend, Otis Redding changed the face of soul music and left the world with one of the most popular songs in modern music, “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay.” Before that, he recorded and co-wrote over twenty top ten hits, including “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long,” “Can’t Turn You Loose,” and the anthem that ultimately became Aretha Franklin’s own signature song, “Respect.” His electrifying performances altered the entire trajectory of ’60s music. Then at the age of 26, Otis died in a plane crash while en route to a performance.

Wednesday, June 17, 8PM ET – DJ Quik

DJ Quik became one of hip-hop’s most legendary rapper/producers of the ’90s, with classics like “Tonite” and “Born and Raised in Compton,” which continue to get airplay today. This prolific producer has crafted hits for artists as varied as Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston, Shaquille O’Neal, andTony!Toni!Tone!. DJ Quik rose to great success despite surviving a life filled with hardships, including his days growing up in the notorious streets of Compton, to battling depression, serving jail time, and even putting his equipment on sale to retire from the hip-hop game. Today, the self-proclaimed “Americaz Most Complete Artist” continues to thrive on and off the stage.

Wednesday, June 24, 8PM ET – Chuck Brown and the Story of Go-Go

The undisputed Godfather of Go-Go music is the renowned Chuck Brown. Growing up in the impoverished nation’s capital, Brown found himself in prison for eight years after a murder conviction. He turned his life around and emerged as a guitarist and singer who helped craft a genre that blended the sounds of funk, blues, salsa, gospel, and soul into “the beat,” which is now known as Go-Go. Early pioneers like The Young Senators, Black Heat, and Trouble Funk developed a signature style that reflected Washington, D.C.’s African-American culture, while inspiring second generation bands like The Junk Yard Band, Rare Essence, and Experience Unlimited (aka E.U.).

Wednesday, July 1, 8PM ET – Unsung Revisited

In this unique episode, Unsung revisits four artists – Full Force, Zapp & Roger, Sylvester, and Miki Howard – to uncover how their lives have been affected by the award-winning series. The story of Sylvester, the legendary singer who died in 1988, was resurrected on Broadway thanks to a producer – alongside Sheryl Lee Ralph – who was moved by his Unsung profile. The Troutman family reveals how their dynamic changed after discussing the tragic deaths of Roger and Larry Troutman. Miki Howard depicts her new life as a jazz and R&B singer after her career was revitalized by her episode. And theGeorge brothers, Lou, B-Fine, and Paul Anthony, discuss the latest chapter in Paul’s courageous fight against the disease that nearly cost him his life, and the joyful album it inspired.

Wednesday, July 8, 8PM ET – Xscape

In 1993, Xscape rose to the top of the charts with three platinum albums that included number one hits “Just Kickin’ It,” “Understanding,” and “Who Can I Run To?” Composed of sisters LaTocha and Tamika Scott and classmates Kandi Burruss and Tameka “Tiny” Cottle, they formed a sisterhood as strong as their sound. As a group, Xscape frequently struggled for respect, as their raw talent took a backseat to the music industry’s emphasis on looks and glamour. By their third album, their sisterhood had imploded. Since their breakup in 1998, attempts to reunite the group have failed, with lingering bitterness and deep seeded anger playing out on public forums.

Wednesday, July 15, 8PM ET – Kid ‘n Play

Kid ‘n Play exploded on the rap scene in the late ’80s and redefined the game with their fun-loving party anthems like “2 Hype” and “Rolling with Kid ‘n Play.” Additionally, they established a look and style that crossed age and color lines. After starring in the cult classic hit film House Party, they became media sensations, appearing in TV commercials and their own Saturday morning cartoon. When their squeaky clean image lost favor to emerging hard-core rap artists, they found themselves on the outside of the business. The rise and fall of fame carried a sobering cost for their personal lives as well. Recently, the lifelong friends decided to reunite and bring the fun back to the party.

Unsung is narrated by actor Gary Anthony Williams and is executive produced by Arthur Smith,Kent Weed, and Frank Sinton of A. Smith & Co. Productions for TV One. Mark Rowland is Co-Executive Producer. Lamar Chase is Producer and Jubba Seyyid is Executive in Charge of Production for TV One. D’Angela Proctor is Head of Original Programming and Production for the network.

ABOUT TV ONE:

Launched in January 2004, TV One (www.tvone.tv) serves 57 million households, offering a broad range of real-life and entertainment-focused original programming, classic series, movies and music designed to entertain and inform a diverse audience of adult Black viewers. The network is the exclusive home ofNews One Now, the only live daily news program targeting Black viewers. In December 2008, the company launched TV One High Def, which now serves 14 million households. TV One is solely owned by Radio One [NASDAQ: ROIA and ROIAK, www.radio-one.com], the largest radio company that primarily targets Black and urban listeners.

More information about current and past seasons of Unsung is at TV One.

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Alameda County

Bling It On: Holiday Lights Brighten Dark Nights All Around the Bay

On the block where I grew up in the 1960s, it was an unwritten agreement among the owners of those row homes to put up holiday lights: around the front window and door, along the porch banister, etc. Some put the Christmas tree in the window, and you could see it through the open slats of the blinds.

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Oakland Post

Christmas lights on a house near the writer’s residence in Oakland. Photo by Joseph Shangosola.

By Wanda Ravernell

I have always liked Christmas lights.

From my desk at my front window, I feel a quiet joy when the lights on the house across the street come on just as night falls.

My father, the renegade of the block, made no effort with lights, so my mother hung a wreath with two bells in the window. Just enough to let you know someone was at home.

Two doors down was a different story. Mr. King, the overachiever of the block, went all out for Christmas: The tree in the window, the lights along the roof and a Santa on his sleigh on the porch roof.

There are a few ‘Mr. Kings’ in my neighborhood.

In particular is the gentleman down the street. For Halloween, they erected a 10-foot skeleton in the yard, placed ‘shrunken heads’ on fence poles, pumpkins on steps and swooping bat wings from the porch roof. They have not held back for Christmas.

The skeleton stayed up this year, this time swathed in lights, as is every other inch of the house front. It is a light show that rivals the one in the old Wanamaker’s department store in Philadelphia.

I would hate to see their light bill…

As the shortest day of the year approaches, make Mr. King’s spirit happy and get out and see the lights in your own neighborhood, shopping plazas and merchant areas.

Here are some places recommended by 510 Families and Johnny FunCheap.

Oakland

Oakland’s Temple Hill Holiday Lights and Gardens is the place to go for a drive-by or a leisurely stroll for a religious holiday experience. Wear a jacket, because it’s chilly outside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, at 4220 Lincoln Ave., particularly after dark. The gardens are open all day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. with the lights on from dusk until closing.

Alameda

Just across the High Street Bridge from Oakland, you’ll find Christmas Tree Lane in Alameda.

On Thompson Avenue between High Street and Fernside drive, displays range from classic trees and blow-ups to a comedic response to the film “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” Lights turn on at dusk and can be seen through the first week in January.

Berkeley

The Fourth Street business district from University Avenue to Virginia Street in Berkeley comes alive with lights beginning at 5 p.m. through Jan. 1, 2026.

There’s also a display at one house at 928 Arlington St., and, for children, the Tilden Park Carousel Winter Wonderland runs through Jan. 4, 2026. Closed Christmas Day. For more information and tickets, call (510) 559-1004.

Richmond

The Sundar Shadi Holiday Display, featuring a recreation of the town of Bethlehem with life-size figures, is open through Dec. 26 at 7501 Moeser Lane in El Cerrito.

Marin County

In Marin, the go-to spot for ‘oohs and ahhs’ is the Holiday Light Spectacular from 4-9 p.m. through Jan. 4, 2026, at Marin Center Fairgrounds at 10 Ave of the Flags in San Rafael through Jan. 4. Displays dazzle, with lighted walkways and activities almost daily. For more info, go to: www.marincounty.gov/departments/cultural-services/department-sponsored-events/holiday-light-spectacular

The arches at Marin County Civic Center at 3501 Civic Center Dr. will also be illuminated nightly.

San Francisco

Look for light installations in Golden Gate Park, chocolate and cheer at Ghirardelli Square, and downtown, the ice rink in Union Square and the holiday tree in Civic Center Plaza are enchanting spots day and night. For neighborhoods, you can’t beat the streets in Noe Valley, Pacific Heights, and Bernal Heights. For glee and over-the-top glitz there’s the Castro, particularly at 68 Castro Street.

Livermore

The winner of the 2024 Great Light Flight award, Deacon Dave has set up his display with a group of creative volunteers at 352 Hillcrest Avenue since 1982. See it through Jan. 1, 2026. For more info, go to https://www.casadelpomba.com

Fremont

Crippsmas Place is a community of over 90 decorated homes with candy canes passed out nightly through Dec. 31. A tradition since 1967, the event features visits by Mr. and Mrs. Claus on Dec. 18 and Dec. 23 and entertainment by the Tri-M Honor Society at 6 p.m. on Dec. 22. Chrippsmas Place is located on: Cripps Place, Asquith Place, Nicolet Court, Wellington Place, Perkins Street, and the stretch of Nicolet Avenue between Gibraltar Drive and Perkins Street.