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| Sylvester |
| Born: 9-6-1947 Died: 12-16-1988 of A.I.D.S. at the age of 41. |
| Born Sylvester James on September 6, 1947 in Los Angeles, California. He was raised by his grandmother, blues singer Julia Morgan. Having moved to San Francisco in 1967, James joined "The Cockettes," an androgynous theatrical group with whom he made his debut on New Year's Eve 1970. He subsequently pursed a career as "Ruby Blue" before putting together "The Hot Band" with James Q. Smith (guitar), Bobby Blood (trumpet), Chris Mostert (saxophone), Kerry Hatch (bass) and Travis Fullerton (drums). Two albums for Blue Thumb Records were released in 1973. "Scratch My Flower" and "Bazaar" both gave him a platform for his powerhouse vocals but the musical style lacked commercial appeal. His voice coupled with an outrageous live show, secured James' local reputation, but his "discovery" by former Motown Records producer Harvey Fuqua led to a much wider audience. Fuqua secured a deal with Berkley-based Fantasy Records and work on Sylvester's solo debut was completed in 1977. The plainly titled "Sylvester" was released to favorable reviews. A 12" single of "Down, Down, Down" and "Over And Over" received considerable play but was not an instant smash. Like Fuqua, one can easily see that the raw elements for success are there. The right formula was needed though. That formula came with their next project, "Step 2." Released in 1978 the 12" single of "(You Make Me Feel) Mighty Real)" b/w "Dance (Disco Heat)" shot straight to the top of the club charts and made Sylvester an international disco star. The album reached 28 on the Billboard Pop charts and 7 on the R&B charts. Touring with Martha Wash and Izora Rhodes (Two Tons 'O Fun) as his backing vocalists helped cement his (and eventually their) place in the Disco history books. |
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| 1979 brought Sylvester another chart topping success with the release of "Stars." Of the four tracks three were instant club favorites. The title track, "(I Who Have) Nothing" and "Body Strong" all followed the formula Fuqua and Sylvester had developed, catchy vocals, stunning arrangements and plenty of high energy. The album also marks the debut collaboration of Sylvester with fellow San Francisco musician Patrick Cowley. Rounding out the year was the release of "Living Proof." A live double album recorded at San Francisco's War Memorial Opera House. The album was a mixed bag of dance hits and ballads. It spawned yet another hit 12" single with "Can't Stop (Dancing)." As music was changing in the beginning of the new decade Sylvester showed no signs of yielding his grasp on the club market. 1980's "Sell My Soul" was another strong collection of danceable tracks. The title track and "I Need You" are original numbers while "Cry Me A River" and "Fever" were cover versions. All four were played in heavy rotation and helped push strong sales of the album in a changing market place. By 1981 most "disco" artists who had enjoyed success in the latter part of the previous decade found themselves label-less and largely forgotten. Sylvester was one of the handful that was able to keep recording and releasing new material. "Too Hot To Sleep" demonstrates that even though he was able to record and release music, the market was unstable and he was unsure of what "type" of material to record. The album spawned two minor hits with "Give It Up (Don't Make Me Wait)" and "Here Is My Love." The album lacked the high energy, punch and drive that marked his earlier releases and sank quickly into the cutout bins. |
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| Patrick Cowley revolutionized the club scene in the early 1980's with his synthesizer based high energy music. An old friend of Sylvesters (he gave Sylvester a hit with "Stars"), the two were also fellow San Franciscans. By 1982 Fantasy Records had dropped Sylvester from it's roster and his last album had sold poorly. Cowley who had started his own label, Megatone Records, recruited Sylvester to add his vocals to the track "Do Ya Wanna Funk." It was a perfect match. The song revitalized Sylvesters' sagging career and topped the charts. The success brought the clamor for a full album and "All I Need" followed. The album, chocked full of goodies, quickly became Sylvester's best -selling album ever. The album tracks: "Be With You," Hard Up," "Don't Stop" and "Tell Me" all were released on 12" singles to critical and commercial success. By 1983 Cowley was dead, but Sylvester's affiliation with Megatone continued. Producer James Wirrick brought in a stunning collection of tunes for the "Call Me" album. The album had hits with "Trouble In Paradise," Band Of Gold" and the title track. It also featured Sylvester's stirring version of "One Night Only" from the musical "Dreamgirls." 1984's "M-1015" is evidence that the steam was running out of Sylvester's union with Megatone Records. Also during this period Sylvester's health problems surfaced and may have contributed to the weak album. The album had three strong tracks with his remake of Brainstorm's "Lovin' Is Really My Game," "Sex" and "Take Me To Heaven." The 12" of "Rock The Box".....didn't! The next three years found Sylvester without a recording contract, yet still active with concerts and club appearances. He spent time battling his health crisis and searching for a new label. By 1987 he had finally found acceptance from the industry when he was signed to Warner Brothers Records. His debut (and sadly last) album, "Mutual Atrraction," showed enormous promise. The initial 12" single of "Someone Like You" received tremendous club play and for a brief moment it looked like Sylvester would once again change with the times and continue his success. Sadly it was not meant to be. His battle with A.I.D.S. ended on December 16, 1988. Reports say that he passed away peacefully in his San Francisco home surrounded by friends and loved ones. Once again we lost another icon of the disco-era, Sylvester was one-of-a kind and will never be replaced. We miss you! |
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