Jody Watley – LGBT Music Festival Vanguard Award Honoree 2019

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Gregory Douglas Presents LGBT Music Festival. Fabulous Memorial Day Weekend destination event and Vanguard Award ceremony presented on All White Wear Night – perfect for the oceanside setting.

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Arrival  – hotel lobby.

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Morning arrival

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..and the eagle continues to soar.. love this capture.

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In the distance..a rainbow you just have to pay attention and look – just like life!

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Enjoying an oceanside mimosa – just taking it all in.

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A positive affirmation  – getting morning coffee.

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Jody Watley – Saying hello to contemporary R&B artist Monifah.

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Jody Watley with renowned choreographer (En Vogue, Beyonce, and more) Frank Gatson – we had such a great time talking and hanging out oceanside.

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Met so many wonderful people – and received nothing but love.

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Jody Watley with – Honoree Designer and former stylist Ty Hunter, author and host Patrick L. Riley and Honoree Shanice Wilson ready for evening of fashion.

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Ty Hunter and Jody Watley, LGBT Music, Culture & Arts Festival 2019. Cancun, Mexico.

Fashion and Music Night, snippets of  Frank Gatson’s June’s Diary and Frenchie Davis.

 

Vanguard Awards Night.

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Frank Gatson, Keke Palmer Gregory Douglas Presents, Frenchie Davis, Shanice Wilson, TS Madison, Jody Watley, Ty Hunter, Host and Author Patrick Riley

 

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Two authentic spirited and talented Chicagoans – Honorees Jody Watley and KeKe Palmer after Vanguard Awards.

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Host and Los Angeles Event Producer Ivan Daniel, Jody Watley and Frank Gatson

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Honorees Frank Gatson and Jody Watley

 

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From Monifah who presented my Vanguard Woman of Excellence Award in her Instagram post:  “With the iconic & legendary @jodywatley  What an honor to present her with the 2019 Women of Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award this year! We MUST give OURS their flowers while they can enjoy them in this life!! Musically, she is an integral part of most of my generation’s childhood and teen years! From her intro on the music scene as  one-third of the legendary R&B group Shalamar to becoming a Grammy award-winning, multi-platinum selling, cultural style icon solo artist who used her massive platform to shine light on the issues of a marginalized and underrepresented community. She was an advocate for and an ally of the LGBT community, human rights, AIDS awareness when it wasn’t easy or fashionable to do so. Thank you @jodywatley for your indelible contribution to music, fashion & advocacy. We love & honor you!! #lgbtmusicfest #vanguardawards #jodywatley #monifah #cancunmexico ”

 

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I lost my other earring.. but didn’t notice it being in the moment -enjoying to evening breeze.

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Living my life like it’s golden – and always in gratitude!

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Jody Watley “Woman of Excellence” – Honoree Vanguard Award – LGBT Music Festival Cancun 2019

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Video of full speech to come for my YouTube Channel Friday post  – it was truly a night to remember full of real love!

Thanks again to Gregory Douglas and the LGBT Film Festival for the honor, author host Patrick L. Riley, Monifah who presented the award as well and congratulations to all of honorees; as well to the LGBT community who have always been my strongest supporters. As I wrote in the 90’s in my song “Affection” – “..it don’t matter if you’re young or old, it don’t matter if you’re straight or gay – everybody needs to feel loved.”

 

“…always find and live in your best light your inner Wattage..and encourage others to do so as well..” – Jody Watley

 

The fight for equality will continue amidst a climate of division and hate, and hate crimes on the LGBT community and often overlooked black LGBT community.

 

Fresh Start New Week. New Day. Your Own Path.

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What I continue to learn is that it’s important to embrace the pace and authenticity of our own journey. We are on no one’s clock but our own. Not everyone will agree or be down with that but guess what – so what, it’s OK. We are not what other people are doing, not what others are thinking about us (cue: Don Miguel Ruiz The Four Agreements – Second agreement ‘Don’t Take Things Personally) definitely we are not to value ourselves on the the totality of social media likes and follows – the fluff many get caught up in. It’s easy to fall into that trap but don’t fall for it. We are all our unique selves. Embrace it. Own it. Carry on, and be prepared – some will resent the fact that you and simply living your life.

Wattage!

Photo capture :: Jody Watley, Amsterdam The Melkweg 4.20.19

Jody Watley Art Appreciation Friday

Jody Watley Abstract Art by Milo Bosh from Chicago, Illinois.

Wattage!

Upcoming concerts:

March 9 Philadelphia Keswick Theater

March 23 San Diego Pala Resort & Casino

April 19 – London Under The Bridge

April 20 – Amsterdam The Melkweg

April 27 – Los Angeles Microsoft Theater Freestyle 15

May 27 – Cancun Honoree Woman of Excellence Award LGBTQ Music & Film Festival

June 22 – Blue Note Napa “An Evening Of Love, Jazz and Soul”

Just Announced: Jeffrey Osborne with Jody Watley “An Evening Of Soul” August 17 / Atlanta Mable Barnes House Amphitheater

New, Current and Classic Hit music releases available at digital outlets worldwide.

Jody Watley Classic Image and Wattage Inspiration.

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Look up. Get Up. Never Give up. Find and stay in your light. Wattage!

 

Classic Jody Watley Image Photography by Victoria Pearson from Smash Hits Magazine, UK.

 

Catch Jody Watley LIVE in the UK Celebrating Decades In The Mix Presented by AGMP Concerts: Tickets

 

New Jody Watley Fan Art.

Jody Watley – by Will Dimension inspired by my 80’s music and style.

New Jody Watley Art.

New to the Jody Watley Gallery by Gabby Bond, Bondworks Designs. Mixed Media.

It’s always an honor for me when others are inspired to use their passion and talent in this way – touched by music, style and being.

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Jody Watley Classic Image of The Day. Fabulously Floral.

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July/August 1988 new magazine at the time INFashion Photography and Makeup by Paul Gobel. Hair: by Ernie Banales loved the fresh flowers and working with Paul and Ernie both trailblazers and wonderful kind people gone too soon :: Dress by Krizia Interview with David Keeps Cover Story/Feature :: .. after seeing the beautiful and monumental fall covers 2018 for Vogue and British Vogue with Beyonce and Rihanna respectively it reminded me of this classic session done many moons ago – timeless! Proud of how the ladies have been able to go next level!

If you can zoom in this was a really good interview with David Keeps who noted I was my own stylists..a distinction I have from many artists.

 

Jody Watley A Monumental Look Back To Still A Thrill

The gears below the Paris Opera House (Le Palais Garnier)

Being the first artist or entity at all to be allowed to film a video in the then called Opera de Paris (Palais Garnier) in Paris, France for my video “Still A Thrill” in 1989 is something that was quietly monumental at the time – and probably beyond my devoted fans few know this. When most “urban” artists were primarily relegated to basic in studio videos. I thought about the significance as Beyonce made headlines with her video filmed at the prestigious Louvre museum another landmark in Paris. As one of my fans noted..”if you released this today, you would have broken the internet..it was ahead of the times.” I agree.

Directed by Brian Grant, the 2nd of 3 videos we filmed together – I sashayed all over the streets of Paris (thank you to my former label for supporting my vision) – I worked the historic setting with no choreography or rehearsals. There’s also a scene in one of the night shots on the streets of Paris where graffiti notes “Gay Color, Say Cool Say What?” that makes it’s own statement and my support of the LGBTQ community without batting a cat-eyed eyelash that I’ve never been asked about.

This included the basement so to speak working the gears with Tyrone “The Bone” Procter, former ST alum like me – freestyle, waacking, just making it up as we went along. I styled myself (a bit of Jean Paul Gaultier mixed in) as well as Tyrone (in a Jean Paul Gaultier T-shirt).  It was about the edgy style against the opulent setting and getting in the music. Creating art outside the box especially for a black girl at the time dealing with industry politics among other things – quietly opening doors and raising the bar for myself and others to follow has always been important to me – before social media.

You don’t have to do what everyone else is doing-that’s usually how artists make a mark.

Classic.

Paris By Night was the theme and concept of the video – totally enjoyed collaborating and working with Brian Grant.

 

Jody Watley. Another Milestone With Waiting In Vain.

The venerable Grammy winning artist Jody Watley achieves another milestone as “Waiting In Vain” eases into the Top 10 after 11 weeks on the Smooth Jazz Network Charts with nearly 600 spins this week. Peaking at 25 on Billboard, Watley says “I do music for the love, and not charts especially at this point in my career..that said it’s nice to still be able to have new benchmarks of achievement and not simply rest on my past accomplishments.”

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Available at digital outlets worldwide.

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Billboard Airplay

KSBR-HD/Los Angeles, CA (Orange County)

WNWV/Cleveland, OH

WFSK/Nashville, TN

KUNV/Las Vegas, NV

WVAS/Montgomery, AL

Smooth Jazz Network (affiliates below)

WCLK/Atlanta, GA

WVST/Richmond, VA

WSBZ/Panama City, FL

WEIB/Springfield, MA

KJLU/Jefferson City, MO

 

Specialty Show Airplay

WWDM/Columbia, SC

CKSJ/St Johns, Canada

WAGH/Columbus, GA

KQXT/San Antonio, TX (Jazz show on A/C station)

WMJY/Biloxi, MS

WCLZ/Portland, ME

KBEM/Minneapolis, MN

WWDM/Columbia, SC

 

Smooth Jazz Airplay

WNAA/Greensboro, NC

 

KOKY/Little Rock, AR
TheVibeSmoothGrooveRadio.weebly.com
BlogTalkRadio.com

JazzBayRadio.com

WCHG/Hot Springs, VA

WOWE/Flint, MI
HTRJazzy.com

Smooth Jazz “In The Mix” Online Radio

SmoothJazzOnTheRocks.net
KYTE/Newport, OR

TheSourceSmoothJazzRadio.com

JazzMoodsRadio.com

RadioSeagull.com

RadioWinchCombe.co.uk

StrawberryJazz.com

SmoothJazz905.com
WWUS/Key West, FL

KBEM/Minneapolis, MN

WSJRDBRadio.com

1000SmoothHits.de

TM Studios

Jazz-City.com

KCSW/Phoenix, AZ

SmoothJazzAndMore.com

Smooth Jazz Florida Plus HD
Love Smooth Jazz
Love Jazz Florida
Love Smooth Jazz Music
Smooth Jazz Mix New York
Smooth Jazz New York

Smooth Jazz NYC

Smooth Jazz Planet

Smooth Jazz Zone

A1 Smooth Jazz

Smooth Jazz Oasis

Smooth Jazz Smooth Wave

South Florida Smooth Jazz

Smooth Jazz Tampa Bay

Smooth Jazz CD101.9 New York

KKFI/Kansas City, MO

CoolNights.co.uk

GrooveSuite.com

KRWV/Phoenix, AZ

CJazzChannel.com

WHCJ/Savannah, GA

WTCC/Springfield, MA

WRTC/Hartford, CT

WQTQ/Hartford, CT

AccuRadio.com (Smooth Jazz Chicago)

Smooth Grooves Radio/UK

SmoothJazzFlorida.com

SmoothJazz.com

WUSB/Long Island, NY
WJAB/Huntsville, AL

WSNC/Winston-Salem, NC
KUR/Reading, PA

KSHK/Kauai, HI

 

Smooth Jazz Network Airplay

iHeart Radio – Smooth Jazz Channel
WAEG-FM North Augusta, GA
WCHD-HD2 Dayton, OH
KWDR-FM Kennewick, WA
WKSC HD-2 Chicago, IL
KDXA HD-2 Des Moines, IO
KSOF HD-2 Fresno, CA
WSRW HD-2 Grand Rapids, MI
WMAG HD-2 Greensboro, NC
WLRQ HD-2 Melbourne, FL
WUBT-HD2 Nashville, TN
WMGF-HD2 Orlando, CA
KKCW HD-2 Portland, OR
WSNE HD-2 Providence, RI
WBTJ HD-2 Richmond, VA
KFBK-HD2 Sacramento, CA
KMJM HD-2 St. Louis, MO
KODJ HD-2 Salt Lake City, UT
KISC-HD2 Spokane, WA
COOL-FM Panama
KCCB-AM Corning, AR
WVSU-FM Birmingham, AL
KKLI-FM Colorado Springs, CO
WAJD-FM Gainesville, FL
WBHQ-FM Beverly Beach, FL
WSBZ-FM Walton Beach, FL
WUCR-FM Butler, FL
WCLZ-FM Portland, ME
WRMO-FM Bangor, ME
WHFC-FM Bel Air, MD
WLDR-FM Traverse City, MI
WVLY-FM Sundbury, PA
KQXT-FM San Antonio, TX
SmoothJazzFlorida.com
Smooth Jazz Florida Plus HD
Smooth Jazz Tampa Bay
Smooth Jazz Nox Miami
Smooth Jazz Tampa
Smooth Jazz Wave Boca Raton
Smooth Jazz CD101.9 New York
Smooth Jazz Mix New York
Radio Indigo Bangalore/Goa India 99.1
Aramco Saudi Arabia
CJCV-FM Winnipeg
Boracay Beach Radio – 97.3 FM Philippines

 

Smooth Jazz Top 20 Show Airplay
iHeart Radio – Smooth Jazz Channel
CD101.9 New York
KCCB 1260AM Corning, AR
KDXA HD-2 Des Moines
KKCW HD-2 Portland
KKLI 106.3 FM Colorado Springs
KODJ HD-2 Salt Lake City
KSOF HD-2 Fresno
KWDR-FM  93.5 and 102.3 Kennewick, WA
KZIZ-AM 1560 AM Seattle, WA
Radio Indigo Bangalore/Goa India 99.1
WAEG-FM 92.3 North Augusta, GA
WBHQ-HD-3 Beverly Beach, FL
WBTJ HD-2 Richmond
WCHB 1200 AM/ 99.9 FM  Detroit, MI
WCLZ 98.9 FM Portland, Maine
WHFC91.1 FM Bel Air, Maryland
WKSC HD-2 Chicago
WLDR HD-2 Traverse City, MI
WLRQ HD-2 Melbourne
WMAG HD-2 Greensboro
WMJM HD-2 St. Louis
WRMO 93.7 FM Bangor Maine
WSJF-DB  Smooth Jazz Florida
WSNE HD-2 Providence
WSRW HD-2 Grand Rapids
WUCR 107.9 FM Lake Butler, Florida
WVLY 100.9 FM Sundbury/Selinsgrove, PA
WXCT 98.3 FM Grand Rapids, MI
ARAMCO Saudi Arabia
Boracay Beach Radio-97.3 FM Philippines
CJCV 99.1 FM Winnipeg, Canada
COOL-FM Panama

DeLite Radio UK The A-List

Bernie O’Brien Radio Warrington

MediaBase:

^ 36 48 JODY WATLEY-Waiting In Vain (’18) (Avitone) 30     25     +5    

^ 37 42 MICHAEL FIELDS JR-Lovette Road (Water From The Rock) 30     27     +3    

^ 38 36 TAKE 6-Change The World (SoNo Recording Group) 30     30     0     

^ 39 61 GROOVE FREQUENCIES-Imagine This (B2J) 29     19     +10   

  40 19 SADE-Flower Of The Universe (Epic) 29     41     -12   

^ 41 30 MICHAEL J. THOMAS-My Love (Harbor Breeze) 28     8      +20   

^ 42 58 D’LAURENT SMITH-Hand In Hand f/Boney James (—) 28     21     +7    

^ 43 54 GREG ADAMS/EAST BAY SOUL-Look Book (Ripa) 28     22     +6    

^ 44 43 MADOCA-Surrender (City Sketches Inc) 27     26     +1    

^ 45 41 DONALD HAYES-What Dreams May Come (Grindhouse Music) 27     27     0     

^ 46 40 NAJEE-Song For The Ladies (—) 27     27     0     

  47 39 BLAIR BRYANT-Sun Chaser f/Darren Rahn (Innervision) 27     28     -1     

  48 38 ROBERTO VALLY-Birdland (Woodward Avenue ) 27     29     -2    

^ 49 86 NICK COLIONNE-Be Urself (—) 26     14     +12   

^ 50 50 JERMAINE MONDAINE-Going Higher (Water From The Rock) 26     23     +3

 

Jody Watley Classic Image Of The Day : Saks Catalogue

1 Page of 16 in an unprecedented feature for an artist in their prestigious Fall/Winter Catalogue in 1996.

Photography by the legendary Skrebneski