BOARD TO HONOR LEGENDARY R&B SENSATION 'THE WHISPERS'

 

 

  NEWS

        Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas

                                        L.A. County Board of Supervisors, 2^nd District

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

June 22, 2009                                                                                                                 Contact:      Aurelio Rojas   213-974-2222

                                                                                                                                                          James Bolden  213-200-5314

 

SUPERVISOR RIDLEY-THOMAS, BOARD TO HONOR

LEGENDARY R&B SENSATION ‘THE WHISPERS’

 

Board to recognize the group as part of Black Music Month observance

 

WHAT:           Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will observe Black History Month honoring one of music's most beloved and nationally-recognized rhythm and blues groups, the legendary Whispers.

 

Originally formed in Watts, California in 1964, the Board of Supervisors will recognize the group as part of the County’s observance of Black Music Month. Spurred by the songwriter and record producer Kenny Gamble, President Jimmy Carter designated June as Black Music Month in 1979.  A quarter century later, the White House continues to issue an annual Black Music Month proclamation.

 

WHERE:        Board Hearing Room 381B, Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, 500 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles CA, 90012  

 

WHEN:           Tuesday & Sunday, June 23 2009 beginning at 9:30 a.m.

 

(Please note that media is invited to a special 9 a.m. private reception for the group located in Conference Room 864. Please RSVP to Josie Ramirez @ jramirez@bos.lacounty.gov or Tashara Murray @ Tmurray@bos.lacounty.gov

 

 

BACKGROUND:                  

The original members of the Whispers included twin brothers, Scotty (Wallace) and Walter Scott, along with Gordy Harmon, Marcus Hutson and Nicholas Caldwell. The group scored many hits on the R&B and Billboard Hot 100 charts throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including a #1 hits on the Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1980 with "And the Beat Goes On," "Can You Do the Boogie," and "Out the Box." In 1987, they earned a brief stay on the Top 40 chart when "Rock Steady" became their first Top 10 success on the Hot 100 list, and capturing the #1 spot on the R&B chart.

 

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