Unsung

[SFK]

I found the stuff about her mom, Josephine Howard from The Caravans ( http://youtu.be/up6Sfpkat-E ), the most interesting. Almost every member of that group dodged gay rumors for decades. Well, James Cleveland didn't exactly dodge them. He is by no means "UnSung", he's the King of Gospel and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but damn, what I wouldn't give to see a program on him where people were willing to speak on camera about all the scandal that surrounded him.

[VirginiaHamilton]

Re: the Miki Howard episode - it just seemed as if that tidbit dropped from the sky and never expounded upon ("Oh, my mother was a gospel singer who just happened to be a lesbian...so, then after that, I moved to LA") and it was odd.

Admittedly, I know the bare minimum about gospel and even less about the behind-the-scenes gossip, so I was pretty surprised to hear that gospel singers had to contend with rumors about their sexuality just like secular singers. Hearing that every member of the group that Miki's mother was a part of dodging gay rumors adds a whole other dimension to that tidbit that I wished were explored in some capacity via some form of media (whether it'd be TV, print, or online).

As for James Cleveland, all I know of him was that he was a gospel singer/pastor who'd molested plenty of young boys/men for decades and (allegedly) died of AIDS (though barely anyone in the gospel industry/church wants to touch that with a ten-foot pole). I also read on another message board that Billy Preston's Unsung touched on it (without naming him) when they'd mentioned that he'd been abused by an elder statesman in the church as a boy, though I'm not sure if this is baseless speculation or an unspoken fact.

[ChitHappens]

James Cleveland! Wow! You guys prompted me to read up on him, and I feel like bathing right now (good thing I am about to get ready for work because I need a shower stat!). What a vile piece of garbage and hiding behind gospel too?

I would love to see a biopic on this guy! Time for Unsung to challenge themselves and take on this particular "Unsung"!

[SFK]

Yeah, *allegedly*, Rev. had inappropriate contact with Preston and even Sylvester in their youth (though JC isn't the original offender alluded to in Sylvester's Unsung, that was a clergyman at his boyhood Bay area church). Preston grew up to face his own charges of molestation and ended up doing time for them.

Apparently, JC had lots of "nieces" and "nephews" that he looked out for financially. Of course we don't know the true nature of all of those relationships, but nonetheless, a lot of them were living up under him and happy to spend his money. He did have one biological daughter and my heart goes out to her because I'm sure it was hell hearing all of that stuff about your own father and living in a home where God knows what was going on.

I suppose you all read the article(s) about Christopher Harris, one of JC's adopted (or "adopted"?) sons who sued JC's estate, claiming JC knowingly infected him with HIV. What a mess.

A nephew of one of The Caravans wrote a scathing tell all with lurid details of lesbian sex, alcoholism, and related scandal. But he has his share of critics, to put it mildly.

At any rate, I find myself so conflicted because I love JC's music. Like, LOVE.

[VirginiaHamilton]

The whole (alleged) sordid, yet tragic, story made me livid and heartbroken at the same time, CH. I'm not sure what was worse - Rev. Cleveland's (alleged) self-hatred manifesting into a continuing cycle of (alleged) abuse that was (allegedly) passed on down to another generation or the fact that damn near everyone in his congregation (allegedly) chose to turn a blind eye to it all.

[VirginiaHamilton]

Do you know if the Sylvester's church's clergyman had any connection to Rev. Cleveland? Or was the (alleged) nature of Sylvester's relationship with both merely coincidental?

The whole Billy Preston story saddened me precisely because he wasn't able to truly recognize and conquer those demons that he'd acted out in self-destructive and abusive behavior.

I was under the impression that the Reverend only had "nephews"/"sons". Have his "nieces" ever spoken out about any (alleged) abuse? Furthermore, is his daughter still affiliated with (what's left) of his congregation?

Whatever happened to that case with Christopher Harris, anyway? I know it was written sometime in the (mid?) 90s, so I don't know how it was resolved in court (if it even got there).

The more I read (though I confess that I can't put faces to many names since I'm really out of the loop when it comes to gospel acts - past and present), the more I'm starting to agree with CH about a doc/factional biopic about this needing to happen.

[SFK]

Oh indeed, and I've been crafting one in my head off and on for about ten years now. I have just the friend to play him. Some of my college classmates were from L.A. and grew up near his church (after he died, there was no money and they lost the church which was later converted into a Big Lots, the congregation splitting and forming two new smaller churches). I became friendly with someone who sang in his choir(s) back in the day and she had great stories, mostly about his kindness and generosity, actually. But there were darker stories about the things going on around his church, the gangs, the drugs, the murders, some really compelling stories about the "supporting characters" in Rev.'s life.

I don't think he had the same type of relationships with the "nieces" as he did with the "nephews", but he certainly financially provided for some down on their luck young women.

The Harris case was settled out of court to the best of my knowledge, and in the interview of him I read online, he made it clear that there was but so much he could legally discuss.

JC was in southern California and Sylvester's church was in the Bay area, but those great Californian gospel choirs traveled up and down the coast performing at each other's churches and special events. They all knew each other and each other's business.

[Wales2004]

According to a former co-worker, James Cleveland used to go cruising in his limo. We used to hear a lot of stories about celebrities and some of our local jails on the west side. Anyway, she said that they changed his clothes several times during his funeral. I guess he has the whole ceremony planned.

I liked all the Unsung episodes I saw, though I may have a few of the subjects confused with some on Life After. I remember DeBarge, the Sylvers, Vesta, among others. Jody Watley made an impression on me during the Shalamar episode. I do occasionally wonder about their criteria because I'm not sure that Minnie Riperton fit since she died pretty young. Nor am I quite sure about Teena Marie since I think in some instances, the artists reached the highest level of success they were likely to reach. I know with Alexander O'Neal, for instance, there was the whole Prince falling out which he believes got him booted from the Time. But it's not as if they stayed on top either. It's rare to have those artists that not only make it big but span decades.

I've seen Klymaxx on this series and on that VH1 series where they would try to get bands to reunite. I loved that show. I love whenever they get after Cheryl Cooley.

[ChitHappens]

For me, it has to be the people who sat back, rode the high hog with his money and allowed that sick man to infect how many people? He ruined lives, and for me, the people who allowed him to out of greed, are by far the absolute worst.

[SFK]

Wales, that's correct, they changed James' clothes a couple of times in the casket. He had a wake/musical celebration at Cornerstone then a funeral (with of course more music) at the Shrine Auditorium. Much of it is on YouTube, including shots of James laid out, which is not for everybody if you don't like looking at dead people.

Wales, I didn't even know that Jody Watley was in Shalamar until Unsung. I always knew her as a solo artist. ♫I was too blind to see, when you belonged to me, you were my everything...♫

[EricMontreal22]

Are these online? I'vehad no luck--but woul love to see the Thelma Houston one, in particular. Yeah her Don't Leave Me This Way is one of Disco (and 70s Motown)'s best all time tracks, and she still has a voie but I would hope they'd cover her first album Sunshower (I paid ridiculous money to get the Japan only reissue of it). It's a flawless album produced and written by Jimmy Webb who said he considered her his muse and the best voice he worked directly with (A year later he did a similar, butnot quite as good album for the new lineup of the Supremes that flopped as well)--it's one of those albums music connoiseurs of the era seem to allknowand love, but it snuck through the cracks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RETXQnBWR8c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOX8TlqImaU

[SFK]

There are some full episodes uploaded on YouTube and on tvone.tv.

[DramatistDreamer]

Wow, thanks for this! I don't have cable and I got hooked on Unsung by watching episodes posted by some kind soul on You Tube but some disappeared.

I'm going to check out this site to see if I can try to catch up on what I've missed.

I'm going to try tvone.tv as well.

I often get lost in the soap threads so I'm so glad I wandered into this one.

Thanks!

[Wales2004]

For some reason I thought his service was at the Forum but I had that wrong. Wow, the Shrine. I haven't been down that way in several months but they're seemingly working on gentrification. I noticed that USC's student housing is moving further and further into neighborhoods they previously avoided.

I found Howard Hewett's attempts to keep Shalamar going kind of interesting--especially since he wasn't an original member.

[VirginiaHamilton]

Thanks for the background on the whole James Cleveland mess...

As for this past episode, I'm mad that the Midnight Star episode hadn't made a reference to Curious, as I do love that song. That said, I had no idea that the guys that sang "I Wanna Be Rich" were in Midnight Star (for some reason, I thought they were affiliated with Timex Social Club/Foster & McElroy/Club Nouveau). Good to know.

Can't wait for the EPMD episode, as I hope that they address the full details of their breakup (as well as Erick Sermon's [alleged] suicide attempt).

Edited February 4, 2013 by VirginiaHamilton