Tag Archives: Chaka Khan

Jody Watley Rocks -Featured In New EPIX Documentary

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From Pamela Broussard – BNMotion PR Group:

Jody Watley ROCKS! The legendary singer, songwriter, producer, and businesswoman is one of the architects of 21st century pop. 

EPIX’s original docuseries ‘Women Who Rock’, from John Varvatos and Derik Murray’s Network Entertainment, pays homage to Jody Watley and other trailblazing women pioneers in music who have stormed the stage, wielded their instruments, amplified their voices, and sung the soundtrack of our lives. In their own words, generations of iconic women artists discuss truth, defiance, artistic expression, hard-won success, and most importantly, the insights and tales behind their timeless music. 

The four-part music ‘Women Who Rock’ docuseries premiered on Sunday, July 10 at 9 p.m. EDT/PDT and features original interviews with Jody Watley, Nancy Wilson, Shania Twain, Chaka Khan, Pat Benatar, Mavis Staples, Sheryl Crow, Sheila E., Macy Gray, Rickie Lee Jones, Norah Jones, Aimee Mann, Tori Amos, Kate Pierson, Tina Weymouth, St. Vincent, and Nona Hendryx.

In addition to Varvatos and Murray, Jessica Hopper, Jesse James Miller, Paul Gertz, Kent Wingerak, and Rachel Brill serve as executive producers. Hopper directs the docuseries, with additional episodes airing July 17, 24, 31..  

Jody Watley is a Grammy-winning trendsetting pioneer in music, video, fashion and style is celebrated around the world.

In a statement released by Ms. Watley, she said, “I am honored to be recognized as a trailblazer in music, alongside such incredible women.” 

Watley continues to be a solid and stellar fixture in entertainment. Her signature vocals and memorable favorites are the soundtrack of our lives and can be heard all over the world. 

From her groundbreaking marriage of rap & R&B (1989’s “Friends,” a collaboration with hip-hop legends Eric B. & Rakim pairing that is the first to crossover R&B/Hip-Hop, Pop and Dance into the Billboard Top 10 “Friends,” to her vision-forward marriage of high fashion, street fashion and music in the ‘80s (long before it became the norm), to her fusion of jazz and underground club culture with keen pop instincts, and the ease with which she crossed and still crosses genre, Ms. Watley forged the template that is now everybody’s playbook.

As a solo artist, the pop and R&B singer has 6 Billboard Hot 100 Top Ten Singles, 13 Number 1 Dance Singles, 2 R&B Number 1’s, 15 Top 40 Singles, Gold and Platinum albums, 2007 Billboard Dance Lifetime Achievement, 2017 recipient of the Black Music Honors Crossover Music Icon Award and nominations from the American Music Awards, MTV Awards, NAACP Awards and Soul Train Awards. In 2018, Billboard Magazine included Jody Watley in the Top 60 Hot 100 Female Artists of All Time and Top 25 Top Female Dance Artists of All Time. Her timeless series of hit songs such as “Looking for a New Love,” “Real Love,” “Still A Thrill,” “Some Kind of Love,” “Everything,” and “Friends ft. Eric B & Rakim,” are favorite classics still today played on the airwaves. Ms. Watley was also named as First Ambassador in 2021 to the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville and in 2022, she received her first Honorary Doctorate Degree in Business. 

Jody Watley Surprise Appearance. DJ Cassidy ‘Pass The Mic’ Soul Train Awards 2020 Edition

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Watch Now!

Jody Watley Opens First TV Presentation Of DJ Cassidy’s Now Legendary “Pass The Mic” Series.

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For Immediate Release: BNM Publicity Group. (November 30, 2020)

Jody Watley Makes Surprise TV Appearance onDJ Cassidy’s “Pass The Mic: BET Soul Train Edition.”

(Hollywood, CA – November 30, 2020) -Jody Watley is always full of surprises.
The Grammy-winning, trendsetting pioneer in music, video, fashion and style recently joined other R&B legends of the 80s on DJ Cassidy’s “Pass the Mic: BET Soul Train Edition,” which also featured Sheila E, Chaka Khan, El DeBarge, Deniece Williams, Morris Day, Evelyn “Champagne” King, George Clinton, and many more. DJ Cassidy included an all-star surprise line-up for his set, including Jody Watley giving homage to she and her fellow musical legends who gave birth to some of the greatest dance records of all time. The ‘highly anticipated,’ DJ show premiered after the Soul Train Awards, and also aired on VH1 and MTV2 on Sunday, November 29.
Never one to disappoint, Jody Watley ‘rocked the mic’ and performed bars of “A Night to Remember,” one of the many hit songs from her years during the pinnacle time for the group, Shalamar for the prime-time DJ television special.
Following her brief six year run in the group, Watley went on to become a celebrated solo artist, respected businesswoman, innovative music maker, and style-forging pioneer who has led the way as an entrepreneur working in the independent music world as one of the few already-established female best-selling artists to produce, create and own her recordings.
Some of her many classic hits include “Real Love,” “Don’t You Want Me,” “Everything,” and “Still A Thrill.”
She is one of the architects of 21st-century pop. From her groundbreaking union of rap and R&B (1987’s “Friends,” a collaboration with hip-hop legends Eric B. & Rakim) to her vision-forward amalgamation of high fashion, street fashion and music in the 1980s (long before it became the norm), to her fusion of jazz and underground club culture with keen pop instincts, and the ease with which she crossed and still crosses genre, the iconic singer forged the template that is now everybody’s playbook. DJ Cassidy’s popular ‘Pass the Mic’ webcast series made its debut on BET’s broadcast of “The Soul Train Awards.” His special DJ edition immediately followed after the awards show and delivered a second prime-time special that brought Cassidy’s all-star medleys, usually seen via Twitch and YouTube, to a network for the first time.
“I was thrilled to be part of the first TV presentation for DJ Cassidy’s ‘Pass the Mic.’ He has such an incredible love of music and appreciation for an artist’s body of work that reflects in his presentation and delivery as a DJ,” said Watley.
“Cassidy knows how to mix music seamlessly and play the right song at the right time. It was such an honor and great feeling to be a part of the TV broadcast. We have a mutual appreciation and love as well as a respect for the classics – great music and artistry has no expiration date!” she added.