Latest news with #SugarHillRecords
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'American Idol' Star John Foster Calls Out "Misinformation" Amid Online Rumors
As American Idol season 23 dwindles down to the final episodes, fans love seeing country singer John Foster deliver epic performances every week. But it looks like he needs to clear up some information for his voters— and he's taking to social media to give the unexpected update. On April 30, the Top 8 contender took to his official Facebook page to address some information he noticed was spreading about him on the internet. Amid rumors that he may be older than he claimed to be and that he may be potentially already be signed to a record label, John felt the need to give fans some important notes about the situation. "For the sake of all of my family (followers) getting to know me better, I'd like to clear up some misinformation that has been spreading on Facebook," he wrote in the post. "1. I am 18 years old (not 24). 2. I was born and raised in Louisiana. My hometown is Addis, LA. I'm not from Benton, Kentucky (I've never even been to Kentucky, but I hope to visit someday). 3. I'm not related to Dwight Yoakam, nor am I currently signed under any record label (there was some misinformation that Dwight Yoakam signed me under Sugar Hill Records)." "If you see something about me that's not from my page (with the blue checkmark), there's a chance that it may not be true! I hope this helps y'all to know me better as a person now that y'all know more about my music," he added. "If you have any questions about me, try commenting them under this post. Either I or someone who knows me well will likely answer you! God Bless!" When fans saw John giving them a heads up about what pieces of information to keep in mind about his past, they rushed to the comments to share their support. "We love you, our Louisiana guy!! Keep chasing your dreams. All of them …music and college. You are a precious young man. Love watching you and listening to your performances. You go John!" one person wrote. "I am pulling for you and you are so talented," another declared. "You are a breath of fresh air! You are talented, humble and kind. I'm a big fan!" a different viewer added. As American Idol fans know, John originally made an impression on judges , Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie after Carrie asked him to switch the song he originally chose for his audition. He eventually went with playing an acoustic version of "Goodbye Time" by Conway Twitty, leading him on a journey that has him vying for the chance to make it all the way to the finale. What's more, John has been mixing things up in the song department every time he hits the TV stage. In fact, on the May 4 episode, he covered Bonnie Raitt with a honky tonk version of her song "Something to Talk About" for Iconic Women of Music Night on the show. Needless to say, if we want to know anything about John, looks like all we need to do is ask him ourselves! You Might Also Like 67 Best Gifts for Women That'll Make Her Smile The Best Pillows for Every Type of Sleeper
Boston Globe
14-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Memorial service planned for Grammy-nominated R&B singer Angie Stone
On Saturday, a service is planned at First Nazareth Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina. The church-grown singer was born in Columbia, where music was always in her life since she was a child, Stone told the AP in 1999 interview. Her mother would sing around the house, and her father sang gospel and blues at establishments around Columbia. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Stone was a member of the all-female hip-hop trio The Sequence and known for the hit song 'Wish I Didn't Miss You.' She helped form The Sequence, the first all-female group on the hip-hop trailblazing imprint Sugar Hill Records, becoming one of the first female groups to record a rap song. Advertisement The group recorded 'Funk You Up,' which has been sampled by numerous artists, including Dr. Dre. After finding success in the early 1980s, Stone later joined the trio Vertical Hold before launching her solo career. Stone created hits like 'No More Rain (In This Cloud),' which reached No. 1 for 10 weeks on Billboard's Adult R&B airplay chart; 'Baby' with legendary soul singer Betty Wright, another No. 1 hit; and 'Wish I Didn't Miss You' and 'Brotha.' She found a sweet spot in the early 2000s as neo-soul begin to dominate the R&B landscape with the emergence of singers like Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Maxwell and D'Angelo. Her 2001 album 'Mahagony Soul' reached No. 22 on the Billboard 200, while 2007's 'The Art Of Love & War' peaked at No. 11. A Soul Train Lady of Soul winner, Stone went on to showcase her acting chops with film roles in 'The Hot Chick' starring Rob Schneider, 'The Fighting Temptations,' which starred Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyoncé, and 'Ride Along' led by Ice Cube and Kevin Hart. Advertisement She also hit the Broadway stage as Big Mama Morton in 'Chicago,' and she showcased her vulnerability on the reality TV shows 'Celebrity Fit Club' and 'R&B Divas: Atlanta.'
The Independent
14-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Memorial service planned for Grammy-nominated R&B singer Angie Stone
A memorial service was planned for Friday near Atlanta for Grammy-nominated R&B singer Angie Stone, who was killed in a car crash south of Montgomery, Alabama. The cargo van she was riding in flipped over and was then hit by a truck on March 1, music producer and Stone's longtime manager Walter Millsap III has said. Everyone else in the van survived except Stone, who was 63. Online tributes from fans and fellow artists poured in after her death. Friday's service is set for 11 a.m. at Word of Faith Cathedral in Austell, Georgia, just west of Atlanta. On Saturday, a service is planned at First Nazareth Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina. The church-grown singer was born in Columbia, where music was always in her life since she was a child, Stone told the AP in 1999 interview. Her mother would sing around the house, and her father sang gospel and blues at establishments around Columbia. Stone was a member of the all-female hip-hop trio The Sequence and known for the hit song 'Wish I Didn't Miss You.' She helped form The Sequence, the first all-female group on the hip-hop trailblazing imprint Sugar Hill Records, becoming one of the first female groups to record a rap song. The group recorded 'Funk You Up,' which has been sampled by numerous artists, including Dr. Dre. After finding success in the early 1980s, Stone later joined the trio Vertical Hold before launching her solo career. Stone created hits like 'No More Rain (In This Cloud),' which reached No. 1 for 10 weeks on Billboard's Adult R&B airplay chart; 'Baby' with legendary soul singer Betty Wright, another No. 1 hit; and 'Wish I Didn't Miss You' and 'Brotha.' She found a sweet spot in the early 2000s as neo-soul begin to dominate the R&B landscape with the emergence of singers like Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Maxwell and D'Angelo. Her 2001 album 'Mahagony Soul' reached No. 22 on the Billboard 200, while 2007's 'The Art Of Love & War' peaked at No. 11. A Soul Train Lady of Soul winner, Stone went on to showcase her acting chops with film roles in 'The Hot Chick' starring Rob Schneider, 'The Fighting Temptations,' which starred Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyoncé, and 'Ride Along' led by Ice Cube and Kevin Hart. She also hit the Broadway stage as Big Mama Morton in 'Chicago,' and she showcased her vulnerability on the reality TV shows 'Celebrity Fit Club' and 'R&B Divas: Atlanta.'
Associated Press
14-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Memorial service planned for Grammy-nominated R&B singer Angie Stone
AUSTELL, Ga. (AP) — A memorial service was planned for Friday near Atlanta for Grammy-nominated R&B singer Angie Stone, who was killed in a car crash south of Montgomery, Alabama. The cargo van she was riding in flipped over and was then hit by a truck on March 1, music producer and Stone's longtime manager Walter Millsap III has said. Everyone else in the van survived except Stone, who was 63. Online tributes from fans and fellow artists poured in after her death. Friday's service is set for 11 a.m. at Word of Faith Cathedral in Austell, Georgia, just west of Atlanta. On Saturday, a service is planned at First Nazareth Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina. The church-grown singer was born in Columbia, where music was always in her life since she was a child, Stone told the AP in 1999 interview. Her mother would sing around the house, and her father sang gospel and blues at establishments around Columbia. Stone was a member of the all-female hip-hop trio The Sequence and known for the hit song 'Wish I Didn't Miss You.' She helped form The Sequence, the first all-female group on the hip-hop trailblazing imprint Sugar Hill Records, becoming one of the first female groups to record a rap song. The group recorded 'Funk You Up,' which has been sampled by numerous artists, including Dr. Dre. After finding success in the early 1980s, Stone later joined the trio Vertical Hold before launching her solo career. Stone created hits like 'No More Rain (In This Cloud),' which reached No. 1 for 10 weeks on Billboard's Adult R&B airplay chart; 'Baby' with legendary soul singer Betty Wright, another No. 1 hit; and 'Wish I Didn't Miss You' and 'Brotha.' She found a sweet spot in the early 2000s as neo-soul begin to dominate the R&B landscape with the emergence of singers like Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Maxwell and D'Angelo. Her 2001 album 'Mahagony Soul' reached No. 22 on the Billboard 200, while 2007's 'The Art Of Love & War' peaked at No. 11. A Soul Train Lady of Soul winner, Stone went on to showcase her acting chops with film roles in 'The Hot Chick' starring Rob Schneider, 'The Fighting Temptations,' which starred Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyoncé, and 'Ride Along' led by Ice Cube and Kevin Hart. She also hit the Broadway stage as Big Mama Morton in 'Chicago,' and she showcased her vulnerability on the reality TV shows 'Celebrity Fit Club' and 'R&B Divas: Atlanta.'
Boston Globe
02-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Angie Stone, hip-hop pioneer-turned-neo-soul singer, dies at 63
A prolific songwriter with a sultry alto voice, Ms. Stone specialized in songs that combined laid-back tempos with layered instrumentation and vocals. Advertisement "Angie Stone will stand proud alongside Lauryn Hill as a songwriter, producer and singer with all the props in place to become a grande dame of the R&B world in the next decade," Billboard magazine wrote in 1999. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Ms. Stone (left), performing "America the Beautiful" with Alicia Keys during the NBA All-Star game in Philadelphia in 2002. DAN LOH/Associated Press By then, Ms. Stone was an industry veteran — not only as a singer, but as a songwriter for, and collaborator with, some of her era's biggest acts. She first emerged as a member of the Sequence, which she formed in 1978 with Cheryl Cook and Gwendolyn Chisolm. It was the first female group signed to Sugar Hill Records, the label that put rap on the map with the single "Rapper's Delight" (1979) by the Sugarhill Gang. The trio lasted only a few years, but in that time, it released several seminal rap singles, including 'Funk You Up' (1979) and 1981′s 'Funky Sound (Tear the Roof Off),' which have been sampled by Ice Cube, En Vogue, Dr. Dre, and other artists. Ms. Stone then spent more than a decade as a songwriter, backup singer, and band member for prominent acts such as Mary J. Blige, Lenny Kravitz, and D'Angelo. She was busy, and successful, but she found the anonymity of working behind the scenes frustrating. "I knew it wasn't my talent, because everybody wanted a piece of me for something," she told the Los Angeles Times in 2000. "After a while, I started to feel used. I thought, 'If I'm good enough to help Mary, and to do this and that, what is the problem?'" Advertisement Part of the issue was timing. Ms. Stone had been a member of two R&B acts — Vertical Hold and Devox — in the early 1990s, but their sound was considered out of sync with the mainstream. It was only after breakout hits by the likes of Hill and Badu later in the decade that Ms. Stone received the attention she thought she deserved. 'I really think that I was ahead of my time,' she told the Associated Press in 1999. 'My music caught up to time, or time caught up to my music.' Angela Laverne Brown was born Dec. 18, 1961, in Columbia, S.C. She started singing at an early age at her church, where her father, Bobby Williams, a lawyer's assistant, was part of a gospel quartet. Her mother, Iona (Brown) Williams, was a hospital technician. In 1979, Ms. Stone, Cook, and Chisolm sneaked backstage at a concert in Columbia where Sylvia Robinson, a founder of Sugar Hill Records, was seated. They auditioned then and there, and Robinson, impressed, said she would sign them to her label. They moved to New York and began recording. Ms. Stone's marriage to Rodney Stone, who performed under the stage name Lil' Rodney C with the rap group Funky Four Plus One, ended in divorce. She leaves her daughter from that marriage, Diamond Stone; a son from her relationship with D'Angelo, Michael D'Angelo Archer II; and two grandchildren. Ms. Stone had Type 2 diabetes, and she spoke openly about her efforts to lose weight. In 2006, she appeared on the television show 'Celebrity Fit Club,' losing 18 pounds over the course of the season. Advertisement She branched out into acting in the 2000s, with roles in "The Hot Chick" (2002), with Rob Schneider; "The Fighting Temptations" (2003), with Cuba Gooding Jr.; and "Ride Along" (2014), with Kevin Hart and Ice Cube. Onstage, she appeared as the prison matron Mama Morton in the Broadway production of "Chicago" in 2003. She also had small roles in several TV series, including "Girlfriends," starring Tracee Ellis Ross, for which she sang the opening theme. Ms. Stone recorded 10 studio albums, most recently 'Love Language' (2023). Among the 11 tracks is 'Old Thang Back,' which features her son, who performs under the name Swayvo Twain. This article originally appeared in
