$D-OLDIES-S 1 E 13-Trailer

The first hit credited to Shalamar was “Uptown Festival” (1977), which was recorded at Ike & Tina Turner’s studio Bolic Sound in 1976. 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. Howard Hewett replaced Brown in 1979.