Jody Watley made a rare concert appearance last month, performing on the Super Legends Cruise, sailing from San Pedro to Ensenada. Watley has released a new album, ‘Let’s Dance Vol. 1 (Hit Them Beats),’ which has become a number one U.S. iTunes Dance Album.
Courtesy photo
By Bill Vaughan
Entertainment Writer
After a hiatus of sorts, JODY WATLEY made a rare concert appearance last month performing on the Super Legends Cruise, sailing from San Pedro to Ensenada along with fellow legendary artists like The Isley Brothers and Sheila E.
When the Grammy-winning, multi-platinum artist, songwriter, producer, and style icon spoke with Tasty Clips some nine years ago, she was prepping for a date at The Roxy with her new group Shalamar Reloaded and declaring that they were “an actual group and not just covering old songs.”
The last time Watley played the venue, Shalamar’s original male lead vocalist Gerald Brown and their record label head Dick Griffey got into a fist fight.
“It wasn’t a pleasant experience,” she recalled. “We didn’t get paid. It was such a mess. I’m so thankful the universe has aligned me with the very unique and rare opportunity to come back around and have a better experience.
She was about the business when former group mate Howard Hewitt went in on her on the “Tom Joyner Morning Show.” She outed the radio host for being a chauvinist, had her attorney send Hewitt a letter and moved on.
Said Watley, “I addressed it because anytime people are lying and slandering you, I think you should speak to it. Other people try to create drama with me and I’m not drama.”
When asked if something like an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame might be what brings everyone back into the fold, she replied, “Absolutely. “In fact, before I officially reloaded Shalamar, Howard had an invitation as well as Jeffrey Daniel. They still have their issues with me. I’m very accomplished, smart and professional. Not every guy is strong enough to work with me like that. Life is short. No one has time to work with people who just want to bring you down.
But if that ever happened, I‘d be the first one there.”
Watley was writing her first memoir.
“I believe in telling your own story because [TV One’s] “Unsung,” from my experience, doesn’t really,” she said. “They tell whatever narrative that the producers want the people to believe. I know from the Shalamar one, people aren’t really being honest. And so they edit it and people walk away thinking they know the story and they don’t.”
She surprisingly revealed who she’d like to star in her biopic: “Yaya DaCosta! She has those eyes. I think she’ll make a better Jody Watley than Whitney Houston,” laughingly referring to the 2015 Lifetime movie, “Whitney,” directed by Angela Bassett.
This season, the artist known for iconic Top 10 hits like “Looking For A New Love,” “Don’t You Want Me,” “Friends” featuring Eric B. & Rakim, and the gold single “Real Love,” has released a new album, “Let’s Dance Vol. 1 (Hit Them Beats)” which has become a number one U.S. iTunes Dance Album and also hit number one on Amazon UK’s Hot New Dance/Electronic chart.
Watley, who also hosts her own YouTube channel, feels “this milestone is so special because it celebrates not only 40-plus years of my solo journey but also 30 years of independence as an artist, songwriter, and producer on my own label, Avitone. Your love, streams, shares and support made it all possible.”
For more than 11 years, Bill Vaughan has kept Wave readers up to date with the latest news in entertainment. Now, we are collecting some of those past columns into what we call the Best of Tasty Clips. To contact Vaughan, visit his social media pages on Facebook and Instagram or @tasty_clips, on X @tastyclips, and on LinkedIn to William Vaughan.
