SHELAH MOODY JOURNALIST, MUSIC HISTORIAN PAYS TRIBUTE TO TABBY DIAMONDS

Nine Night for Tabby Diamond

By Shelah Moody

     The following tribute is called “Nine Night for Tabby Diamond.” Tabby’s daughter, Josheina Shaw, asked me to give tribute to the lead singer of the Mighty Diamonds, my longtime friend and client, at his Celebration of Life tribute at Ranny Williams Event Center on May 20, 2022 in Kingston, JA.  

https://youtu.be/h_sPMiUsk2E

       On March 29, Donald Orlando “Tabby Diamond” Shaw, 67, was shot and killed outside his home in Kingston. At press time, Shaw’s killers have not been caught. In a cruel twist of fate, another member of the soulful reggae harmony trio known for hits such as “Shame and Pride,” “Pass the Kutchie ” and “I Need a Roof”—  Fitzroy “Bunny Diamond” Simpson, died after a long illness on April 1. Simpson was 70. Lloyd “Judge” Ferguson, the remaining member of the Mighty Diamonds, wrote 95 percent of their songs and is the keeper of the group’s legacy.

*In the Caribbean, a nine night celebration is similar to a second line tribute in New Orleans. Loved ones of the deceased gather to pay tribute with food and drink, music and stories of the beloved. 

     My name is Rani Shelah Moody and I’m a journalist and music historian. For several years, I’ve worked for the Mighty Diamonds as a publicist and assistant. 

     I first met Tabby in the summer of 1995 when the Mighty Diamonds  performed at the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival.  

     I saw Tabby sitting at a table by himself backstage. I called him over to the table where I was sitting with my friends and asked if I could interview him for Reggae Report magazine. Tabby called Bunny over and asked him to do the interview with the nice lady. Then, he pulled down his shades, put his feet up and listened while Bunny and I talked. 

     I told Tabby that I’d seen the Mighty Diamonds perform earlier that year at Slim’s nightclub in San Francisco, and I thought his voice was amazing!

    “Yeah mon, give thanks, he said.

      Tabby was so humble! 

      After the Sierra Nevada show, we all sat at the table talking and laughing well into the night. 

   Tabby had that it factor.

      You know that scene in Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” video where he passes a homeless man on the street, tosses a coin in his cup and  transforms his ragged clothes into a fine suit? Well, such was the magic of Tabby Diamond.    

       With his ebullient gap tooth smile and warm personality, Tabby could turn a gloomy day or an average day into an extraordinary day. Even Ziggy Marley looked at him and said “My heart is full” when I took the Mighty Diamonds to Tuff Gong studios in Los Angeles in 2019.

      I met Tabby at one of the lowest points in my life. The year 1995 was a dark season for me. My grandmother died, then my dad died of a drug overdose. I was broke. Depressed. I 

struggled with self worth.

     Tabby’s  recordings, live shows and personal words of encouragement lifted me up and gave me the strength and courage to trod on.  

    Tabby was kind. I remember telling Tabby that I felt alone in the world when my father died. Tabby told me that I was not alone because the father, God, was always with me. 

      Soon, the Mighty Diamonds became my favorite group. I bought all their music and went to all their shows and interviewed them whenever they came to town. I told everyone I knew about the magic and the soul of Tabby and the Mighty Diamonds. 

      I wrote about and reported on the Mighty Diamonds so much that the group soon asked me to be a part of their public relations team. In 2007, I went on tour with them for the first time to see what it was like.

     That’s when I really got to know Tabby, Bunny and Judge.  You can read about our adventures on my social media pages. We traveled in busses and vans that sometimes lost their air conditioning in the summer and their heat in winter. Once,  I offered to do the band’s laundry on one of the stops in Texas. Imagine my shock when I discovered I’d accidentally thrown in a red shirt in the washer and turned all the clothing pink!

      Tabby was a consummate professional.

      I remember, one night in Seattle, Tabby came down with a bad cold. We knew something was wrong because he was very quiet, and coughing heavily. He had a fever. He was wrapped in a blanket in the back of the bus. I was worried about his health; it was snowing in Seattle and he seemed to have only a light jacket.

    I told the tour manager; I think the lead singer is sick… maybe he shouldn’t go on stage. He can barely talk.  

       “Don’t worry about it,” the  tour manager said.  “Tabby will let us know if he’s too sick to perform.”

      Sure enough, Tabby went on stage. He did not want to disappoint Bunny and Judge or his fans. Perhaps only I could tell he was not feeling well. Though his lungs were congested and his body ached; he sang through the pain. “Party Time.” “ Poor Marcus.” “ Have Mercy.”

     Then, it was time for his signature song. “I Need A Roof.”  I held onto my seat. Tabby reached for that one perfect note. You know it. 

     You know the high note that Phillip Bailey sings on the refrain of Earth Wind and Fire’s “Reasons?” That one crystal note Russell Thompkins  Junior of the Stylistics sings on the chorus of “Betcha By Golly Wow?”

        Tabby reached for the note, but his voice did not peak; it crescendo, then plateaued and then beautifully flowed into the next verse. I exhaled. I was awestruck! That’s when I knew Tabby was one of the most skilled voices in the industry. Perfection. Tabby knew what soul was all about. I dubbed him the master of melody.

          More than anything, Tabby valued family and community. On the road; Tabby would tell stories about Fanny and children  and grandchildren and the folks in his community in Kingston. At the end of each tour, he’d load up at Target and other stores with gifts to take home to his family. Once he had me help him look for a christening gown for his new granddaughter. Tabby loved to cook on the road  and watch videos and smoke and laugh with his Jamaican and American brethren on the tour. 

      Tabby told me that one of his fondest memories growing up was eating sugar cane with his father in the moonlight, 

    On Feb. 1, to celebrate my birthday and the birthdays of vocalists Pam Hall and Rica Newell; I hired Tabby and Judge to sing at our virtual Zoom party. https://youtu.be/tlw8NOq-GtE

Tabby’s beloved daughter Josheina helped  her father log on to the Zoom link. It was the best birthday ever. Tabby and Judge sang for us and told stories. The whole day, we were  calling and texting each other saying how uplifted Tabby and Judge made us feel. 

     The Zoom was so successful that I had the idea to pay Tabby for private Zoom voice lessons. Wouldn’t that had been grand? The Mighty Diamonds had many projects in the works, including a new album and a gig with Ziggy Marley in the Dominican Republic. 

    Here’s the thing about losing our friends. We can only hope that when they leave us, we become better people because of the lessons they taught us. As the saying goes, Diamonds are forever.  Tabby, I will miss you in this earthly  realm, but your beautiful presence still lingers; it’s reflected in your music, your family and your community. 

      Donald Orlando, Tabby Diamond Shaw, OD, I will always lift you up!

Related links: Celebration of life for Fitzroy “Bunny Diamond” Simpson:  https://youtu.be/lAU11FrxOvo

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/03/arts/music/mighty-diamonds-dead.html

https://youtu.be/TGHJ80cB67A

Second Line for Paul Mooney: Celebrating the Life of Oakland’s Own Renown Writer, Actor, Comedian

By Shelah Moody

Paul Mooney and Carmelita Harris

     Paul Mooney once called me an elf and told me to go back to the North Pole.

      I’d gone with my friend Carmelita to Mooney’s annual New Year’s Eve comedy show at the Black Repertory Group in Berkeley.

   That year, Mooney had told the media that he was henceforth removing the N-word from his stand-up act after a white comedian had used it indiscriminately in his act. Since the N-word seasoned most of Mooney’s jokes and stories, I bet Carmelita a dollar that Paul Mooney could not go a night without saying it. 

   After the show, as Mooney signed merchandise and greeted fans, Carmelita told Mooney I’d bet her a dollar that he wouldn't be able to get through a standup routine without saying the N-word. The godfather of black comedy, who’d written for the likes of Richard Pryor, Dave Chapelle and ushered in a new era of political correctness;  gave me the side-eye.

    “I see you brought your elf with you,” Mooney said to Carmelita. “Don’t they need you at the North Pole?”

     I was mortified. So great was my humiliation that I returned the couture jacket I wore that night to Nordstrom’s;  I wanted nothing that reminded me that I looked like an elf! 

     Years later, I laughed my ass about it. It was rather funny.  I’d been capped on by one of the greatest comedic minds ever! 

     After all, we’re talking about the man who wrote for a prime time black sitcoms such as “Good Times,” Sanford and Son” and “In Living Color,” who most likely came up with barbs like “Buffalo Butt,” “Fish-Eyed Fool” and “Homey don’t play that.” 

         Paul Mooney; actor, writer, and comedian, created a safe and sacred space for black people in America. During his shows at the Black Rep, he would sit in his chair, drink his glass of liquor and talk like it was just him and us in his living room. Oh, how we laughed! And he laughed, too! ! Paul Mooney said the kinds of things that many of us are afraid to say.

    A lot of Mooney’s material had to do with how black Americans were viewed as “other” through white lenses. Mooney reversed it, casting his black critical gaze on the dominant culture,  taking away the sting of racism and daily indignities; at least for one night. 

    “N-word, N-Word, N-word, N-word,” Mooney would say. “I like saying it. It makes my teeth white.”

     Mooney would often demystify Eurocentric standards of beauty by taking shots at the Queen of England: “The British are not pretty people. If that’s the Queen, I wanna know  what the witch look like!”

    In one of his routines, Mooney  said he understood why Brad Pitt would turn in a thin lipped Jennifer Anniston for a juicy lipped Angelina Jolie. I cannot finish the joke because this is a family show. 

      After his family announced his passing on May 19, 2021, Mooney’s peers posted tributes on social media.  

            “I knew this day would come but I must admit, I’m not ready,” his longtime friend, Luenell posted on social media.

          “I’m not ready 2 not hear that gruff voice anymore. Maybe that’s why I keep a cassette, yes I said cassette tape of him at the foot of my bed at all times so I can hear him whenever I want. I have learned more from Paul Mooney than any other comic I have ever known. He loved me. He confided in me. He trusted me. At times he relied on me and I will FOREVER love him. Both being from Oakland, CA, we had way more than comedy in common. As you swipe thru these pictures, these are only just a FEW of the memories we shared. He’s the first person to put me on stage in NYC when they wouldn’t even book me. He appreciated the woman I am and the brand of comedy that I do and told me to never change for ANYONE! We were a very dynamic duo. When my name was revealed the other day on the front of The Comedy Store wall, it was His face on the shirt I wore to pay homage to The Great One. Where ever they have his service I will be there but, he will live in my Heart FOREVER‼️As he used to say, “There are many stars, but only One Moon” RIP to MY FRIEND, the Great Paul Mooney.”

Paul Mooney & Luenell Campbell interview by Carmelita 

A Conversation With ChrystalChyna

 

Dynamic Duo Bring the Spirit of Natalie Cole, Chaka Khan, and the 2000s Aesthetic to R&B

 

By Shelah Moody

 

    Chrystal and Chyna Johnson are divinely connected in the music industry.  

   Being divinely connected is a phenomenon where, throughout life, you are placed in the right place with the right group of people and you rise to greatness. Some people call it luck, some call it blessed.

    ChrystalChyna merged not only their names, but merged their talents as creators, bringing new energy to R&B, infused with the spirit of their godmother, multiple Grammy winner Natalie Cole, and their aunt, multiple Grammy winner Chaka Khan. 

     I recently joined ChrystalChyna for a Zoom interview; at press time, the soulful and vibrant, identical twins were quarantining in Baldwin Hills, a suburb of Los Angeles, with their mother. 

    As identical twins, Chrystal and Chyna are also divinely connected in terms of consciousness; they often answer questions in unison and finish each other’s sentences. We began with a discussion of their latest single, “Rain.”

https://youtu.be/4LUW9O_9YaM.

 

Streetwise Radio:  First, tell us what you’ve been doing and how you’ve been keeping busy during the pandemic.

 

Chrystal: Trying to stay sane! 

 

Chyna: We’ve been trying to take care of ourselves, first, because of the quarantine games; they got to us (laughs). We’ve been trying to take care of our health and stay busy as far as writing and putting together different things…

 

Chrystal: And ideas.

 

Chyna: So that when we do come out of this… whenever that is...

 

Chrystal: We’ll have everything ready!

 

Streetwise Radio: Tell us about your new single, "Rain."

 

Chrystal: So, we have been wanting to do “Rain” for a long time —since we were kids. We would always sing that song, plus SWV songs in general. They are one of the main groups we grew up on; that we could actually see ourselves in, just based on their appearance and how they carried themselves. They reminded us of us. We could relate to SWV and their voices and we were really big fans of Coko, the lead singer and we would try to mimic her voice. We love how diverse they are with their vocals and their look. 

 

Chyna: We love SWV. With “Rain” being a song. we’ve always wanted to do; we wanted to do it right. We didn’t want to record it and not have it come out sounding as clear as the SWV version. With a cover, you have to do it right; you can’t make it unrecognizable. Thanks to our manager, Celeste Butler, it was tight. Originally, Chrystal and I were not thinking big enough on it; we thought we would practice it really well like we always do, and film a video in front of the fireplace. Celeste was like, no, this is too good of a song, we’re gonna record it, do a video, and do some choreography. 

 

Streetwise Radio:  Your class and soulfulness shine through on  “Rain” and you remind me of your godmother, Natalie Cole. Please share some memories with us.

 

Chrystal: It is so funny because there are certain things we do that will make people who were employed by our godmother- her hairstylists and wardrobe team- say, “that’s a Natalie picture there.” We didn't realize how much impact and influence she had on us because she was just God Mommy.  There are certain things we do, and mannerisms we have that are exactly like hers. That’s how close we were. She was really our other mother. She was literally the person we were going to if anything happened to our mom. We picked up a lot of things from her. Not intentionally, but because of how close we were. We really looked up to her. She really did impact us a lot while growing up.

 

Chyna: Right.

 

Chrystal: I act a lot like her. People say that a lot, that I act like Natalie. I can feel her near me all the time; I can feel her arms around me. There’s just something about her; like, certain scents remind me of her. I think about her every day. She had a certain laugh when she was telling a story. I can still feel her energy.

 

Streetwise Radio: What kind of perfume did Natalie wear?

 

Chyna: There was a distinct scent that she would always wear. It was fresh but spicy. She just smelled expensive.

 

Chrystal: I know that both she and my mom would wear Alfred Sung perfume. And when we were younger, she would always buy us this special perfume called…

 

Chyna: Mariella  Burani.

 

Chrystal: Now, it’s hard to find in stores, but this past Christmas, our mom gifted us with our own Mariella  Burani perfume. She knows how much it meant to us.

 

Chyna: We even have old bottles…

 

Chrystal: That our godmother gave us; we kept them as memorabilia. We still have them on our dresser.

 

Streetwise Radio: How did Natalie become your godmother?

 

Chyna: Our mom, Benita Hill-Johnson, was 19 when she met our godmother, Natalie Cole. Our mom met our god mom through our Auntie, Chaka Khan. 

 

Chrystal:  Our mother met Auntie Chaka when she was 17. This was before Rufus and Chaka Khan blew up before they had their first big hit. Our mother was Auntie Chaka’s first Los Angeles friend, and she lived with our mother and our grandmother. Our grandmother is Chaka’s daughter’s godmother. We’re all connected.  My mom lived with our godmother when she was around 19 and she was helping with our godbrother, Robbie Yancy. She was in the room when a lot of the songs on our godmother’s album, “Thankful” were written with (husband/producer) Marvin Yancy. Our mother and our godmother—they had a relationship— basically being like sisters through Christ. That’s why they were divinely close. Our mother was our godmother’s, right-hand woman. Our mom was there for everything, from the beginning. She saw everything. 

 

Chyna: Our mom was doing “American Bandstand” for a little bit, but she started off as a “Soul Train” regular dancer. 

 

Chrystal: Our mother was a singer as well, and she got to sing with Bobby Womack. In LA, at the time, the gospel scene was big, so she was in some choirs. She was divinely connected but not on purpose. It’s not like she sought out the chance to be around celebrities. She loved music. She became a celebrity hairstylist; at one time, Robert Townsend was her boss; and she was one of the key hairstylists on the sitcom “A Different World.”

 

Chyna: On the last season of “A Different World,”  she was responsible for Jasmine Guy and Cree Summer’s hair.

 

Chrystal: After “A Different World” ended in 1993, our mom became our godmother’s full-time personal assistant for 15 years, until our father passed away when we were 11. Our mom was more than a personal assistant; she handled a lot. She also helped with our god mom's comebacks. 

 

Chyna: She never missed a beat.

 

Chrystal: Even after she stopped working for our godmother after 15 years, people would still approach her and ask her to do stuff for her because they knew she was the right woman to get things done.

 

Streetwise Radio: Tell us about the influence of your Auntie Chaka Khan.

 

Chrystal: She’s our mentor. She definitely put us in a lot of rooms, and we are very appreciative. She’s always given us pointers and has been very supportive.

 

Chyna: We performed with her at the Microsoft Theatre in LA. 

 

Chrystal: That was our first big thing…

 

Chyna: Yes! She’s always been very supportive of ChrystalChyna in everything, like helping us figure out our group name. I remember when I first found out (Chaka) was my auntie. 

 

Chrystal: You know the movie, “Nutty Professor?” We were watching the sequel in our parent's room and “Tell Me Something Good” was playing in the movie. Our dad came into the room and said, “you know that’s your auntie, right?” We were like, really? When we were around her as children, we really weren’t thinking of that.

 

Streetwise Radio: I love ChrystalChina’s harmonies. Have you taken vocal lessons?

 

Chrystal: Yes, we started vocal training when we were 14, in 2011. March 5, 2011. I remember making it a big deal because I knew I wanted to do it. We started out being classically trained, and then we moved up, and we’re still being trained.

 

Streetwise Radio: What's it like working together, not only as sisters but as twins? 

 

Chrystal: It’s fun! I love it! 

 

Chyna: We feed off each other! We just have fun together every day. It’s just like, your best friend is coming over, but she lives with you. 

 

Chrystal. Exactly. I have fun with her every day.

 

Chyna: We’re always doing something!

 

Streetwise Radio: Tell us about your upcoming projects.  I love your video, “No Pressure.” 

 

Chrystal: We wrote, “No Pressure” in 2017. 

 

Chyna: We started recording “No Pressure” in mid-2018. We decided that it would be our debut single; because it’s really vibey and jazzy, at the same time, with a groove. It’s not too overwhelming. We decided to release a video; we filmed it here at our house. We live in the Crenshaw district of LA; and one of the areas is called Baldwin Hills, one of its three black, affluent neighborhoods in the hills. In Baldwin Hills, we live in an area called “the Dons.” Generations of LA kids; including our mom when she was young, went to parties in the Dons. 

 

Chrystal: The streets are called Don Miguel, Don Luis, Don Mariano,  etc. Our mother was raised in the Crenshaw district as well and we were raised here.

 

Chyna: We wanted to pay homage to that because it means a lot to us that people from different places become aware of the black history here in LA. A lot of people don’t know about it. We wanted the video-based in the early 2000s because I love the early 2000s aesthetic. We wanted a storyline: party in the Dons like it’s 2001. 

 

Streetwise Radio: Tell us more about the early 2000s aesthetic.

 

Chyna: Personally, Chrystal and I really love old-school music. I don’t really consider the 90s and early 2000s music old school, I say it’s a throwback. I love the way they filmed videos back then; the coloring, the lighting…

 

Chrystal: Everything was kind of futuristic, new millennium.

 

Chyna: We wanted to keep that aesthetic because Chrystal and I would always watch “106 and Park,” “Rap City” and “TRL.”  When we were kids, we had access to things; our parents sheltered us but they did not censor us.  We made the video and we did our own treatment. We took a lot of screenshots of videos that we love from years past, recreated them, and made them come to life. We were inspired by different eras and different films. 

 

 

Streetwise Radio: What is the first thing you would like to do when the world opens up? 

 

Chrystal: Party. (laughs).

 

Chyna: Party (laughs). I can’t wait to like, go out with my makeup on, and you can actually see my own face. When we drop our project, it would be nice to have a release party. And just to be able to feel safe.  

 

Listen to ChrstalChyna here on Streetwise Radio, and follow them on social media and other streaming services:

 

IG: -h​ttps://www.instagram.com/chrystalchyna/

 

Twitter ​- ​https://twitter.com/chrystalchyna

 

FB​ - h​ttps://www.facebook.com/ChrystalChyna

 

YouTube​ - ​https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtDiATqGCWqDu4sz_kGDhXw

 

Debut Single, “No Pressure”:

Music Video: ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoVJKbGl590

 

Spotify​:

​https://open.spotify.com/track/4zZKq1r36fL1hQgkTX9JF8?si=nnelwRNuR92n3 zbqWlFTFA

 

AppleMusic: ​https://music.apple.com/us/album/no-pressure-single/1466474561

 

 

 

 Second Line for the Great Ones, 2021

By Shelah Moody

         “My mom couldn’t read, nor write. But I’ve been all around the world and met all kinds of people from all walks of life. I’ve done Royal Command Performances, I met Prince Charles back in the sixties and the Queen Mother. I know the sister of the king of Sweden; we hung out.  Sammy Davis, Bob Hope--we did things at the White House. I worked with Bill Clinton on the Millenium event and we partied until 4:30 a.m. But no one has ever topped my mom. She was illiterate in terms of education, but as a human being, she was number one. So I grew up with an angel, a person who had such a level, the human spirit. That’s all I know. That’s all I can be. People say, diva, but I’m really just little Mae Mae from Detroit, basically.”--Mary Wilson

       It seems like we are losing our legends faster than we can write about them. In this blog, I pay tribute to three of the influencers that we lost in 2021.

WARREN SMITH

Warren Smith & Shelah Moody

                                            

    On Jan, 13, all eyes and ears were focused on an impeachment hearing for Donald J. Trump, who was being held accountable for his role in inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, DC. 

     I was in a group chat on the subject of this historic event when someone changed the subject. 

    “Did you hear the news about Warren Smith?” someone asked.

     “On no,” I typed. “Did he pass?”

     “Yes.” Someone dropped a sad face emoji.

     “Mercy!” I typed. 

     Someone dropped the link to a post, written by his family, on his Facebook page.

     Sadly,  the post confirmed that Sierra Nevada World Music Festival founder Warren Smith -- Aug. 26, 1945- Jan. 11, 2021--had transitioned after a long illness.

       “Warren crossed peacefully at his beloved ranch on Monday, after falling asleep while wrapped in Gret’s embrace, surrounded with love and listening to Bob.”

       “Gret” is Warren’s loving wife and business partner, Gretchen Frantz, who’d helped him build and run the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival via their company, Epiphany Artists, since its inception in 1994. “Bob,” of course, refers to global music icon Bob Marley,  no doubt, one of his inspirations for starting SNWMF.  

    This is a hard blog to write because along with being the subject of many of my SNWMF interviews and reviews, Warren was also my friend. He and Gretchen would invite me to SNWMF wrap-up parties for staff and volunteers at his sprawling Ryde, CA ranch and we would often hang out at parties and gatherings.

     I began covering the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival in 1995  and followed them to three venues: Marysville, Frogstown, and finally,  Mendocino County Fairgrounds in Boonville, CA. 

Warren Smith & Cocoa Tea

      Over a 25-year span, the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival must have presented at least one musical act from every country on earth. This was Smith’s unique vision, as he traveled around the world looking for new and exotic talent to showcase at the festival. I am told that one of his favorite groups was Rupa and the Fishes, from the San Francisco Bay Area. 

      I had some wild times covering SNWMF. I met the love of my life there and was caught kissing behind a trailer, got kicked out of a hotel room for smoking ganja one year, and interviewed many music legends there, including two who passed during the pandemic--Frederick “Toots” Hibbert and Daddy U-Roy. 

Warren Smith & Luciano SNWMF

    In 2017, I suffered from severe anxiety, and years before the Coronavirus hit, I developed a dreadful fear of being in large crowds at outdoor music festivals. Also, as a 13-year member of the sober community, it was a challenge for me to be in the midst of revelers indulging in cannabis, booze, and every psychedelic drug you can name for three days (and nights) straight. Though I never made it back to SNWMF after 2016, Warren and Gretchen would still reach out to me and invite me to attend. I have hundreds of illuminating stories and good memories of the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival. 

     Here’s a fun fact about Smith: he was also an actor; he had a cameo role as a cop in the film “Basic Instinct,” shot in San Francisco, starring Sharon Stone and Michael Douglas. Smith, who was also an advocate for artists’ songwriting and publishing rights, believed in the creed that is proudly displayed on the SNWMF website: https://www.snwmf.com/

          “The Sierra Nevada World Music Festival promotes "conscious" music. Conscious music is music with a message of peace, unity, and brotherhood, which transcends the divisions of race and culture.”

     

CICELY TYSON

       As I was researching my tribute to Smith, I saw that Academy Award-winning actress Cicely Tyson trending on social media. This could only mean one thing. I got a text from a friend confirming that the 96-year-old icon had died on Jan. 28. Tyson had recently published her memoir, “Just As I Am,” and interviewed Gayle King on the CBS News.

      I grew up watching Tyson’s regal presence in films such as “Sounder,” “Roots” and “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.” One thing that fascinated me about Tyson was that she was the longtime muse, and later one of the wives, of jazz great Miles Davis. Oh, to be a fly on the wall in that household! Before Barack and Michelle, before Beyonce and Jay-Z, Cicely and Miles were the original black power couple!

       On Jan. 29, Tyson’s godson, Lenny Kravitz, posted a loving tribute to her on Instagram:

    “With inimitable style and grace, my dear Godmother Miss Cicely Tyson made her grand exit to the heavens,” Kravitz wrote. “She lived a remarkable life up to the last moment. A true pioneer, who bared her heart and soul so we could witness the spirit of the characters she so brilliantly portrayed, which continue to move and inspire generations. 

        A Black queen who showed us how beautiful black is. The love between us was and is tremendous.  As long as I have had consciousness, I’ve known Godmother. She and my mother were kindred spirits. Sisters. And after my mother passed, Godmother's role in my life was amplified.  I constantly felt her spirit over me. She always gave me unconditional support. She came to my shows, came over for holidays, met me for dinners, stayed with me in Paris when I first moved there, and never let me too far out of her sight. Our phone calls went on sometimes for hours. We spoke just a few nights ago and talked about everything. She had just sent me her book that has been sitting on my nightstand where it will remain. She did it all, wrote the book, and then God called her. I can hear Godmother saying  ‘ok, now y’all can read about it, I’m going home.’ Rest peacefully, Godmother. You did it all exquisitely #CicelyTyson.”

      On Feb. 15, I attended Tyson’s public viewing at
This was an epic opportunity to honor one of the great ones and I would not let the pandemic keep me away. I booked a ticket to New York and braved the mandatory 10-day quarantine upon my return to San Francisco. 

       The temperature was just above 30 degrees in Harlem and there was snow on the ground, but hundreds of masked people lined up for hours for the chance to say goodbye to a legend. Black suited members of the Nation of Islam passed out copies of “The Final Call,” which featured a Cicely Tyson cover story.

Vendors hawked Cicely Tyson’s photos, buttons, and T-shirts. A small choir of masked women held up Tyson’s photos as they sang “Amazing Grace.” Inline, I met a woman named Joyce, who attended Abyssinian Baptist Church with Tyson. Joyce told me she once rode in an elevator with Tyson and remembered her as gracious as well as tiny. She said she regretted not asking for a photo with the great one that day.

    In her final resting, Tyson was beautiful in purple ruffles and orchid lipstick that matched one of the floral arrangements near her casket. 

MARY WILSON

     Soon after the passing of Cicely Tyson, another great one, Mary Wilson, co-founder of one of pop music’s most successful groups, the Supremes, died on Feb. 8 at age 76. Wilson had just paid tribute to Tyson on her YouTube channel.

     I first met the Motown legend in 2005, when she was headlining at the Plush Room in SF. I was a staff member of the San Francisco Chronicle, and my podcasting team convinced Wilson to come to the Chronicle headquarters on Mission Street for the interview. https://blog.sfgate.com/chroncast/2005/12/02/mary-wilson-supremes-singer-finds-her-voice-in-solo-career/?fbclid=IwAR0kXELO_sg2jP1MS9OLD0ieIoheobwmAxSWgO1KawwGqsvRHuBPmvqFZqA

     To say that Wilson lit up the entire building that day would be an understatement. She was on a solo tour performing up close and personal material and her repertoire included Sting’s “Fields of Gold,” Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” and “Don’t Know Why” by Nora Jones.

     “I think that song is exquisite,” said Wilson. “I don’t know what the lyrics mean, ‘Don’t Know Why I Didn’t Come,’ but I won’t get into that!” (Drop smiling emoji here).

     Wilson was regal, down-to-earth, and funny as she talked about her solo career, her relationship with her musical sister, Diana Ross, and her work to support legislation to stop the spread of digital piracy. She also shared tips on staying youthful and sane in the volatile and chaotic entertainment industry. 

     “In the group, I was always in the middle,” said Wilson. “I found out in life why I’m always in the middle; I’m really just a middle person. I guess I’ve got a lot of Libra in me or something and I’m very balanced. My mom couldn’t read, nor write. But I’ve been all around the world and met all kinds of people from all walks of life. I’ve done Royal Command Performances, I met Prince Charles back in the sixties and the Queen Mother. I know the sister of the king of Sweden; we hung out.  Sammy Davis, Bob Hope, we did things at the White House. I worked with Bill Clinton on the Millenium event and we partied until 4:30 a.m. But no one has ever topped my mom. She was illiterate in terms of education, but as a human being, she was number one. So I grew up with an angel, a person who had such a level, the human spirit. That’s all I know. That’s all I can be. People say, diva, but I’m really just little Mae Mae from Detroit, basically.”