For Howard Hewett, music has been as natural as breathing.
Growing up in Akron, Ohio, Hewett, 58, started performing at age 9 with his family’s gospel group, The Hewlett Singers.
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His mother, Charlena Hewett-Brown, was a gospel promoter in the Akron area and put Hewett with his three older sisters onstage. So when his mother had a show to promote, The Hewlett Singers would perform.
“Nepotism was alive and well,” Hewett joked during a telephone interview from the road. He had just finished performing in Baltimore and Atlantic City, N.J., and was headed to Raleigh, N.C., before moving on to Cleveland.
Although his mother did a little pushing, Hewett said music was “always in my life. Even before I wanted to do it, I loved to sing.”
Throughout school, Hewett found a way to perform. As a teenager, he was in a rhythm-and-blues group. After high school, he moved to Los Angeles and eventually joined a group called Beverly Hills.
He was about 21 years old when the group, which performed mostly top-40 tunes, toured overseas.
“(Overseas audiences) really appreciate what you’ve done,” he said.
Hewett said he remembers performing overseas in the mid- to late 1970s when a simple banner that read “soul music” was used to announce the show. He said the group packed the house.
“There’s a deep appreciation for music, especially our music, black music,” Hewett said.
Cultivating a love of music
Hewett wants to cultivate that love of music, especially black music.
And that’s one reason he’s performing Friday, Aug. 29, at Alesia Parson-McBean’s 50th Birthday Charity Masquerade Ball at Hager Hall Conference and Event Center, 901 Dual Highway in Hagerstown. Proceeds will benefit the Robert W. Johnson Community Center and the Doleman Black Heritage Museum.
Saxophonist Phillip “Doc” Martin will open the show. James L. Walls, mayor of District Heights, Md., will be the master of ceremonies. Formal attire is requested.
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Hewett was successful in the United States and the United Kingdom with Shalamar, which also included Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel. The group found radio success with such hits as “Uptown Festival,” “Take That to the Bank,” “A Night to Remember,” “I Can Make Feel You Good” and “Friends.”
Hewett said he remembers hearing himself on the radio for the first time, and also being grateful.
“I thanked Jesus,” he said.
The band continued to crank out hits. Watley and Daniel left the group, and Shalamar added Micki Free and Delisa Davis. They returned to the charts with two songs on soundtracks in 1984.
The first was “Dancing in the Sheets” from “Footloose.” And their song “Don’t Get Stopped in Beverly Hills” from “Beverly Hills Cop” won the group a Grammy.
Going solo
In 1985, Hewett launched his solo career with the album “I Commit to Love,” which spurred two hits, “I’m for Real” and “Stay.”
The album also gave Hewett a hit on the gospel charts, “Say Amen,” which is one of his signature songs.
Throughout his career, Hewett has created a loyal fan base for his R&B and gospel songs. He also has performed with a who’s-who list of artists, including duets with Dionne Warwick, Roberta Flack and Anita Baker.
He also had the chance to work with his friend Teena Marie on her last album before her death in 2010.
“Teena was not only a phenomenal artist, but was very unique vocally, as well as her artistry,” he said. “She was also a very dear friend. Working with her was an exceptional pleasure. We had a great time. Really sad, sad thing.”
Hewett said he sees gospel and R&B as more similar than different. After he completed the inspirational album “Journey,” Hewett said he was asked by a reporter if he was still going to do secular music.
He was quick to set the reporter straight, saying, “I really have never done secular music in my career.”
“Secular means ‘without God,’” he said. “And without God, I have nothing.”
He said he shows respect for women in his songs. And, he said, his music about love.
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“I sing about love and romance,” he said. “I don’t sing about sex.”
Hewett has continued to keep busy.
In 2006, Hewett found radio play with his song “Enough” with jazz legend George Duke. In 2008, he released his first Christmas album.
And now, Hewett is back in the studio working on a new album.
He released his first single, “You’re Still Inside of Me,” in February. He’s just still working on songs and because he’s working with an independent label, Hewett has been releasing one single at a time.
He’s excited about the new album and seems to venture into a new genre.
“It’s like I explored my country music side on that,” he said.
Hewett is also looking forward to helping to raise money for the Doleman Black Heritage Museum and Robert W. Johnson Community Center.
“It’s always important to raise knowledge about our people and our contributions,” he said. “That’s always been an important thing. You don’t know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been.”
WHAT: Alesia Parson-McBean’s 50th Birthday Charity Masquerade Ball
WHEN: 8 p.m. to midnight Friday, Aug. 29
WHERE: Hager Hall Conference and Event Center, 901 Dual Highway, Hagerstown
COST: $50, general admission; $75 VIP table seating
CONTACT: Go to dbhm.xorbia.com.
MORE: Proceeds benefit Robert W. Johnson Community Center and Doleman Black Heritage Museum
Source: https://t-tees.com
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