The much-loved and much-missed songstress Phyllis Hyman’s debut album for Arista Records, 1979’s SOMEWHERE IN MY LIFETIME was an amalgam of six tracks from Sing A Song, her second LP for Buddah Records and four new tracks she recorded after Buddah became defunct and was bought by Arista.
With production by T. Life, her then-husband Larry Alexander and renowned songwriter Skip Scarborough and Arista labelmate Barry Manilow (responsible with Ron Dante for the title track), SOMEWHERE IN MY LIFETIME featured major players such as Onaje Allen Gumbs, Herbie Hancock, Bob Babbitt, Azar Lawrence, Monty Alexander and Will Lee. The album reached No. 15 on the U.S. R&B charts and spawned two charted singles, the title cut which became Phyllis’ first Top 20 R&B hit and a cover of pop rock group Exile’s ‘Kiss You All Over,’ a dance music/club hit.
Though his name is unfamiliar to most, Bobby Helms rules the airwaves every year around December 25th. His single "Jingle Bell Rock" first became a hit in 1957, and it reappeared on the charts four of the following five years to become an all-time Christmas classic. Before he was pigeonholed, though, Helms had a successful country career with two number one hits to his credit.
One of the most gifted, visionary, and enduring talents ever launched into orbit by the Motown hit machine, Marvin Gaye blazed the trail for the continued evolution of popular black music. Moving from lean, powerful R&B to stylish, sophisticated soul to finally arrive at an intensely political and personal form of artistic self-expression, his work not only redefined soul music as a creative force but also expanded its impact as an agent for social change.
The New Empire resurrects the band Empire and features a new line-up of Empire member Mark Murdock, Fernando Perdomo and Marisol Koss.
Empire was originally founded by Peter Banks and Sydney Foxx, the latter making a new guest appearance on lead vocals on the re-recording of Foundation.
The album also features guest appearances from Dave Kerzner, Julianne Spicer and Dennis Atlas. The album features both new original songs and re-recordings of tracks by Empire, Flash, Peter Banks and one Yes track. Second Lifetime acts to both establish The New Empire and pay tribute to the late Peter Banks.