ARETHA DOES ARETHA “A Woman Falling Out of Love”… and into A New Era

By Hedi Butler

Photos by Matthew Jordan Smith

In royal circles, the doctrine of the “divine right of kings” is generally understood to mean that the monarch can do no wrong. And so it is with the reigning Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, whose realm transcends geography, genres and generations.

Her voice – dubbed a ‘National Treasure’ by many – is a singular musical signature with which she has autographed her formidable body of work with excellence for over half a century.

So let there be no doubt that the Queen has earned the right to do it her way. It is the privilege of her crown. Thus, the recent release of her 38^th album, A Woman Falling Out of Love, marks much more than a triumphant return to the recording scene after an eight-year absence following her amicable departure from Arista, her longtime label home.

While she famously enjoyed a great relationship (still intact) and creative partnership with the legendary Clive Davis, whom she calls “one of the last of the great record men out there,” this time, she has independently released and executive produced a new album on her own Aretha Records.

Why take on the mantle of label head now? “It was just high time for me to do my own thing,” she has said. “I’ve certainly had enough experience over the years to do it.” And the autonomy to take her time with the project and allow Aretha to do Aretha.

Some three years in the making – produced and recorded between her busy schedule of concerts, commercials and other pursuits – A Woman Falling Out of Love was distributed exclusively at Walmart Stores and Walmart.com from its May 3 release through June 3, when it when became available to all digital retailers and other stores.

Although her business approach to her recording career is a departure, what remains unchanged is the Queen’s sure-footed ability to showcase her magnificent vocal instrument and effortless mastery of diverse material and styles that has become her hallmark.

The 12-song album, a satisfying listening experience from the first cut to the last, serves notice on anyone who may have wondered whether her fabled pipes and unmistakable delivery were still vintage Aretha – the answer is a resounding yes! She meticulously selected a program of music, much of which she produced herself, that includes old and new, classic blues and R&B ballads, jazzy scats and soul-tingling gospel selections that take listeners back to church in the most inspiring way.

The album opens with “How Long I’ve Been Waiting,” also the lead single, a lushly produced Aretha original that invites a long-desired love to come into her life. She returns as writer-producer on “This You Should Know,” a beautiful confessional that closes the door on a “323” relationship that can neither live nor completely die. With her piano driving the arrangements, her message resonates personally and musically.

Curtis Boone contributes two tracks that are standouts. The first, “U Can’t See Me,” dismisses a would-be suitor as Aretha reminds us that she can hold her own in a style evocative of Ella that will appeal to multiple demos. The second, “When 2 Become One,” is a hit-bound ballad with a similar jazzy feel but a more sensuously romantic theme for lovers and would-be lovers.

Her duet with Ronnie Isley, with whom she literally grew up in the industry since their teen years, gives a new dimension of meaning to the classic “The Way We Were,” as it unites two of the most distinctive voices on the contemporary recording scene.

“Put It Back Together Again,” written by Norman West, is another worthy addition to the Aretha songbook and features the Queen at her most expressive as she seeks to renew a broken relationship.

Producer Sanchez G. Harley oversees Aretha’s stirring duet with Karen Clark-Sheard of the celebrated Clark Sisters, with vocal arrangements by Richard Smallwood and Nathan Young, while Derrick Lee’s piano drives the rhythm section.

The bonus track, “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” adds a historic note for good measure as Aretha replicates her performance at the 2009 Obama Inaugural.

The album cover reveals a sassy, playful and confident Aretha in ultimate girlfriend mode played out in chatty liner notes. She offers woman-to-woman advice on how to avoid or move on from failed relationships – like the one of her own that inspired the album’s title, although there is no title track.

There are, however, helpful tips in the lyrics of the songs on the album, she says. And in her own ready-to-get-back-in-the-game photo: “This is how you’re supposed to look when you’re a woman falling out of love.”

BRE founder and publisher Sidney Miller Jr. previewed the concept and content of the album in his cover story that shared impressions and conversations while accompanying his longtime friend during her tour stops last year from Washington, DC to Hollywood, Florida – with a birthday celebration in Boca Raton in between.

In “Aretha Takes Charge,” she disclosed to him that she had reached that place in her life, nearing her seventh decade, when she was ready to call her own shots and take full creative control of her career. After all, she had become her own manager following the untimely 1989 death of her brother, Cecil Franklin.

A Woman Falling Out of Love, she predicted, would be the quintessential expression of her own vision, with several tracks on which she had served as producer and/or songwriter. “We worked long and hard to come up with what we have done and I feel real good about this album,” she told Miller prior to the album’s release.

But the journey between the earlier BRE story and this one, which celebrates her new project and Aretha herself during Black Music Month, is filled with dramatic twists and turns that captured a world stage as only a royal personage of her stature can.

Lest anyone needs to be reminded of her lineage as the undisputed Queen of Soul, here’s a crash course. Born in Memphis and reared in Detroit, the city she still proudly calls home, Aretha Louise Franklin displayed her musical gifts at an early age. Her childhood friend Smokey Robinson recalls Aretha as a prodigy who “could play complex gospel chords at six or seven” and “soared vocally” even then.

She began singing at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, pastored by her father, the renowned orator and recording artist, Rev. C. L. Franklin, a friend and colleague of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

By the age of 14, Aretha had recorded her first album of gospel music, a powerful influence that she would later combine with blues, jazz and pop to forge a sound that would “speak to the younger generation in the new language of soul.”

Aretha’s shift from her gospel roots to secular music came when she was signed by Columbia Records at 18 and was groomed by uber-record man John Hammond to sing jazz and standards such as “Skylark,” which she did impressively. Then producer Clyde Otis steered her to a string of R&B hits including “Running Out of Fools,” and “You’ll Lose a Good Thing,” among others.

But Aretha’s reign as the Queen of Soul truly started at Atlantic Records, where her production chemistry with Jerry Wexler took the genre to another level. Accompanying herself on piano, she co-produced and belted out classics starting with “I Never Loved a Man (the Way I Loved You)” and reaching a zenith with her re-working of Otis Redding’s “Respect” as an anthem that resonated with all groups suffering discrimination – from women to the civil rights movement.

The soundtrack for the ‘60s was filled with Aretha’s hits: “Dr. Feelgood,” “Chain of Fools,” Do Right Woman—Do Right Man.” She opened the ‘70s with the critically acclaimed Spirit in the Dark, Young Gifted and Black, Live at Fillmore West and Amazing Grace, touted as “the most successful gospel album ever made.”

While the latter years of that decade would witness the rise of disco and knock many of her peers off the charts, she survived by the sheer force of her extraordinary talent. By this time, her place in the pantheon of soul singers was firmly established and she left Atlantic in 1979 after 12 years and 19 albums.

The ‘80s signaled the start of her Arista years under the aegis of Clive Davis. Once again, she attracted stellar producers such as a young Luther Vandross (“Jump To It”) and Narada Michael Walden (“Freeway of Love” and “Who’s Zooming Who”). In 1987, a duet with George Michael (“I Knew You Were Waiting [For Me]”) gave the Queen the second Number One hit of her career, exactly 20 years after “Respect” topped the charts.

Other collaborations with British rockers further broadened Aretha’s exposure in the late ‘80s: Rolling Stone Keith Richards (“Jumpin’ Jack Flash”) from the Whoopi Goldberg movie of the same name and Elton John (“Through the Storm”).

In 1987, Aretha became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – ironically joining Jerry Wexler, who had played such a pivotal role in her ascendance as the greatest soul singer of our time, in that year. Seven years later, in 1994, she scored another milestone as the youngest Kennedy Center Honoree.

After scaling the charts once again in 1998 with “A Rose is Still a Rose,” written and produced by the talented Lauryn Hill, Aretha Franklin demonstrated her extraordinary artistic versatility by stepping in for an ailing Luciano Pavarotti and brilliantly performing an operatic aria at the 40^th Grammy Awards at Radio City Music Hall.

As Wexler observed from his unique vantage point, “If you look over the arc of her career, there is no American musical artist who has achieved her level of accomplishment.” And her success is quantified by having charted more Top Forty singles – 45 in all since 1961 – than any other female performer.

But it is qualified by the fact that just the mention of the name “Aretha” is a subliminal evocation to that deepest, purest, most soulful part of each listener’s sensibilities that no other entity can occupy. As Ray Charles aptly put it: “There are singers, and then there is Aretha.”

Rolling Stone made it official by placing her at the top of its compilation of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. But her 18 Grammys (20 including her two special awards), millions of records sold, and barrier-breaking accomplishments and accolades, say it all. Is there any wonder her voice is, according to Mary J. Blige, “the reason why women want to sing”?

And why Aretha wannabes with powerful voices emerge regularly in every local church choir or “Respect”-belting vocalists take the stage hoping to wow audiences with her mystique at every talent search. Or other pretenders-to-her-throne attain some minor notoriety merely by being hyped by industry publicity machines as “the next Aretha.”

But make no mistake about it, there is only one. And that special quality has endowed the icon with an aura of invincibility that was severely tested when her hospitalization was announced late last year. Although she asked, through her representatives, that her privacy be respected as to the specific nature of her illness, the rumor mill ran rampant and worst-case-scenario headlines dominated the press and the blogosphere.

An enormous outpouring of concern and support from adoring fans around the world, as well as some of her closest industry friends, certainly warmed the Queen’s heart. Stevie Wonder was there when she came out of surgery and her spirits were bolstered by visits from Smokey Robinson and others, including Jesse Jackson and Tavis Smiley, who lovingly rallied to her side and were overjoyed – as was her family – when she was home before Christmas.

Of course, Detroit has always had great love for its hometown superstar, but never was it more visible than during a poignant candlelight prayer vigil for her health. “People in the checkout line said they prayed for me,” she said in a recent interview. “It’s amazing how beautiful people can be.”

It was from her home in the Motor City that the world first saw their answered prayers in the flesh, as a radiant and healthy-looking Aretha videotaped a greeting after her Grammy Tribute in February. An audience of millions had been wowed by a show-stopping medley of her music performed by a stellar multi-genre lineup including Yolanda Adams, Jennifer Hudson, Christina Aguilera and Florence Welch.

Fast forward to this past May. Millions more viewers – and a crowd of 13,000 in attendance – were thrilled to see the Queen of Soul, slimmed down and elegant in a white one-shoulder dress, take the stage of the United Center in Chicago at the surprise farewell celebration for the Queen of Media, Oprah Winfrey.

Introduced by Winfrey’s longtime partner, Stedman Graham, Aretha sang a rousing version of “Amazing Grace” – complete with her trademark spine-tingling gospel inflections – that brought down the house and moved the honoree to tears. Clearly, the Queen was back. And in rare form.

In a very real sense, Aretha Franklin is now experiencing a new chapter in her life, personally and artistically. She has aggressively taken charge of her health in the same way she is now exercising greater control of her career and ensuring that her legacy will continue under new management. Her own.

Since she began her doctor-ordered rest in late 2010, the newly revitalized Aretha is eager to resume her concert schedule and return the love her legions of fans expressed during her illness and subsequent recovery. She has even indicated that she may be ready to overcome her fear of flying to perform for audiences beyond the reach of her customized tour bus.

After all, experiencing a live performance by Aretha Franklin should be on every serious music lover’s bucket list. But if you’re simply in need of a current recorded Aretha fix, pick up or download A Woman Falling Out of Love – and fall in love with her music all over again.

Michael Jackson: BRE Magazine’s 2010 Man of the Year

I can almost hear Michael now. “I am so touched by this,” he’d say in his soft timbre capable of melting steel. In expressing his appreciation at being named BRE Magazine’s 2010 Man of the Year, Jackson would have called on such Michaelisms as “You are so kind” and “This is just the greatest.”

I have more than a notion about this. As a journalist who covered MJ’s storied career for more than three decades, I’ve been around to actually hear such words from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.

It wouldn’t have mattered that he’d already won nearly every major citation in the universe. When informed of the Man of the Year kudos, Jackson would have acted as if he’d just won the Nobel Peace Prize.

That was Jackson’s way. He absolutely loved winning, on every level. Ever the competitive artist, regarding the BRE honor, Jackson would have wanted to know just what artists he beat out.

And the answer: no one even came close. To be sure, other artists enjoyed major success in 2010. According to Forbes Magazine, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Madonna and Jay-Z each last year earned more than $50 million doing their thing. But over the past 12 months, Michael Jackson earned an estimated $275 million–more than all four acts combined.

Indeed, it was Jackson, from his perch somewhere in the cosmos, who managed overall domination of 2010, and not just financially. In death, Michael Jackson’s artistry continues to garner the rabid interest of a devout global fan base, international media, and the entertainment industry that he forever altered.

“I want to hurt ‘em in the beginning and kill ‘em in the end,” Jackson was fond of saying regarding his work. When releasing a new album, he preferred the first single to be a ballad so as not to betray the monster grooves to come. In designing his live concerts, he wanted audiences to be stunned by the show’s opening and completely destroyed by its finale.

In the tradition of Jackson’s penchant for one-two punches, at the top of 2010, Sony Entertainment took a mighty jab by releasing the DVD version of Jackson’s blockbuster documentary, “This Is It.” With a sales performance typical of Jackson, in its first week of release The DVD sold almost two million units in the U.S. alone, setting a new record for the first-week sales of a music DVD.

However, it is Michael, the artist’s first posthumous non-soundtrack album (after This Is It) that illustrates Jackson’s continued verve as one of the bestselling recording artists of all time.

Featuring songs written, performed and/or produced by Jackson that were culled from a cache of material found after the entertainer passed, Michael is the latest release in Sony’s unprecedented $250 million 10 album/seven year deal negotiated with the Michael Jackson Estate in the weeks after the artist’s death.

At the time of Jackson’s passing, the ten songs chosen were in various stages of development. The Estate and Sony commissioned producers to complete them.

Some of the producers, including Teddy Riley, Akon, Giorgio Tuinfort, Theron “Neff-U” Feemster, Angelikson, “Tricky” Stewart, Brad Buxer, Lenny Kravitz and John McClain, had collaborated personally with Michael on the songs featured. Others were enlisted because during writing and recording, Michael had expressed an interest in working with them.

As a result, Michael ends up both a rare, intimate glimpse into Jackson’s creative woodshed and a case study in posthumous collaboration. Tracks such as “Hollywood Tonight,” “Monster,” featuring 50 Cent and “Breaking News,” required Teddy Riley to call upon his past experiences in the studio with the superstar in order to, as Riley said, “have these songs be what Michael would actually approve and be proud of.”

Producers had the challenge of finishing songs singularly written by Jackson–“(I Like) The Way You Love Me,” “Best of Joy” and “Much Too Soon”–without the artist’s input, and polishing the tracks on two songs he didn’t write, Akon’s “Hold My Hand” and Lenny Kravitz’ “(I Can’t Make It) Another Day,” in a way true to Jackson’s musical vision.

Even before its December 14th release, Michael had generated some three million units in pre-sale orders. Stateside, the album, buoyed by the Michael Jackson/Akon track, “Hold My Hand,” sold 228, 000 its first week out.

It’s no surprise that Michael immediately hit number one in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden and climbed into the national top five in Japan, Britain, Belgium, France and Denmark—no American recording artist, living or dead, is more successful internationally than Michael Jackson. According to Sony, an estimated two-thirds of        Jackson’s total recording sales come from overseas. Berlin is his Iowa, so to speak. Since his 2009 passing, Jackson (the current Michael album not included) has sold more than 31 million recordings worldwide.

The Michael CD is just the latest of many remarkable projects in the works from the Michael Jackson Estate, headed by co-executors John Branca and John McClain. Jackson could not have chosen two men more qualified to oversee and grow his estate.

Branca was his longtime entertainment attorney who engineered some of Jackson’s most important and ingenious entertainment deals; McClain, respected music industry executive and Jackson’s childhood friend, developed and executive produced Janet Jackson’s landmark Control and Rhythm Nation albums and was a founder of Interscope Records.

The two currently oversee a slate of Jackson projects: TV and film properties, live productions, electronic products, books, licensing and merchandising deals such as the recently released UBI Soft multi-format video game, “Michael Jackson The Experience,” which allows players to sing and dance along with the superstar.

There is no shortage of companies, manufacturers and entrepreneurs eager to be in the Michael Jackson business. But if that weren’t the case, the Estate still owns half the Sony/ATV Music catalog, which holds rights to some half million songs, including 250 Beatles tunes and titles by Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Lady Gaga, Eminem and Beyoncé. Worth about $1.5 billion, Sony/ATV Music earns between $50 and $100 million annually, $25 to $50 million of which goes to the Jackson Estate.

Still wonderin’ why Michael Jackson was named BRE’s Man of the Year?

Yet to be determined is when and where Michael Jackson fans will be presented with a place of “worship,” a la Elvis’ Graceland. Neverland Ranch, Jackson’s former home 120 miles northwest of Los Angeles in Santa Barbara County, most likely won’t be it. The property is controlled by L.A.-based investment firm Colony Capital and neither the town’s two-lane traffic tranquility nor the locals would accommodate the projected influx of Jackson fans. Whenever a location is established, it could prove to be a formidable and consistent revenue stream.

In the meantime, the Estate has partnered with Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil to create “Michael Jackson The IMMORTAL World Tour.” Arguably the greatest fusion of pop rock and pole tent entertainment undertaken, the IMMORTAL tour was written and directed by Jamie King, who has staged some of the biggest rock shows of all time.

The production, which launches its 30-city North American leg in Montreal October 2011, is a live, interactive mélange of Jackson’s music, 60 international dancers and spellbinding, cutting edge audio/visual technology. However, if Jackson were here and asked to define the show, he wouldn’t give his answer a second thought. “It’s magic,” he’d no doubt respond. He’d grin, and leave it at that. That was Michael’s way.

BRE MAN OF THE YEAR ’09 DEVYNE STEPHENS

Don’t be fooled by his boyish good looks, easy smile and humble nature. Devyne Stephens is a powerhouse. A heat-seeking talent missile. Savvy international businessman. Trendsetter. Empire builder. Star Maker.

For those who are serious about the music business, Devyne Stephens has become the “go to” guy. If you want to be a music superstar, Devyne is the man who can pull all the pieces together, polish your act, get you ready for prime time and even negotiate your contract.

Driven… Passionate…. Visionary… Devyne Stephens has already helped shape the hit albums, performances, videos and world tours of some of the brightest stars in the entertainment galaxy: Akon, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, T. Pain, Lionel Richie, Mary J. Blige, Jay Z, Usher, Alicia Keys, Gwen Stefani, Mariah Carey, P. Diddy, Ciara, Ludacris, Sting, Pink, Outkast, Monica, TLC, Jermaine Dupri, Busta Rhymes, Nelly, New Edition, 112, Sean Paul, Boyz II Men and many more.

He brokered the deal for his international multi-platinum selling artist Akon to produce songs for Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston for her long-awaited comeback album I Look To You. Devyne’s well sought-after artist/producer Akon has also worked with such great talents as Lionel Richie, Gwen Stefani and Leona Lewis, to name a few.

Entertainment and business mogul, P. Diddy says Devyne simply “understands what it takes to make people into international superstars. My fondest memory of Devyne would be in rehearsal just watching his passion. Not just passion for dance but his passion for interpreting the lyrics. Sometimes,” says P. Diddy, “you need someone to really take you out of your comfort zone and really deal with what you are saying, deal with what this record means to people.”

“Devyne has great ears,” adds Universal Motown President, Sylvia Rhone. Universal Motown, along with Steve Rifkind’s imprint SRC, embraced Devyne’s pitch of the now highly successful artist Akon. “He can take an artist from infancy and develop their style, performance, attitude, staging, and everything in between. He is truly a consummate music man.”

Starmaker, L.A. Reid, IDJMG Chairman, who has known Devyne since he was a teenager, recalls, “ I knew instantly he was one to watch. His overall presentation – style, moves, vibe – were light years ahead of the competition, and he was already stepping out as a born leader. Today,” says Reid, “his business acumen and invaluable experience as an entrepreneur are second to none.”

Until he met Devyne, international music star Akon was headed down a rocky road that eventually landed him in “the big house” miles away from his childhood dreams. Today he thanks Devyne, his friend and business partner, for a second chance at the good life.

“I used to do so much, it was jumbled up, like gumbo. He helped me organize that talent to calmly just mold it into a franchise.” Akon’s praise for Devyne runs deep. “He has the skill to make you believe, more than you believe in yourself. You know, not everybody can actually motivate in that way. Devyne definitely has that gift.”

Like so many others, Akon says of Devyne, “There’s something about him. He can read people. Know their talents. Know their gifts. Know their strengths and know their weaknesses. Help you identify that, and then work from that point. He helps you see the whole thing clearly.”

Devyne is Executive Vice President of Akon’s label, Kon Live Distribution, and helped launch the careers of the flamboyant Lady Gaga and the ubiquitous T-Pain (Konvict Muzik), two highly popular artists. At the Upfront/Konvict brand, Devyne and Akon help direct numerous artists, producers and songwriters to industry success.

In fact, it was Devyne who negotiated the deals for Akon’s label imprint Kon Live Distribution and his song deal as a producer with Interscope/Geffen Records. In addition, Devyne was also influential in re-negotiating the artist deal for T. Pain and Konvict Muzik/Jive Records.

Renowned entertainment attorney, Joel Katz counts Devyne as a friend. He says his unique demeanor is one of the aces behind his booming business. “He’s very, very aggressive in a non-aggressive way,” says Katz, “which is very positive because he can get most of the things done that he puts his mind to, without irritating people or fighting with people or yelling at people. Yet he’s very strong-willed and he gets done what needs to be done.”

“Devyne has a unique ability to bring out the best in those around him, adds popular platinum-selling artist, Usher. “He’s like a brother to me and a good friend.” Usher started working with Devyne when he was 14 years old. Today the megastar freely compliments the talent, work ethic and determination Devyne showed him, and the impact that it had on his career, and so many others.

“He is very strategic,” says renowned producer, filmmaker and high school runnin’ partner, Dallas Austin. “He knows how to get things done. He’s been an artist, so he understands that perspective and can integrate it all together.”

Vision, passion, hard work and faith have evolved into Devyne’s ever-expanding recording and development empire, Upfront Megatainment.

Its divisions cover all of the artist development bases, from creation through distribution. There are plans to expand Upfront Megatainment abroad, opening an international branch in London, possibly as soon as next year.

Artists, athletes, comedians and others flock to the development center, “The Complex” an incubation facility in Atlanta. Here, Devyne and his staff give attention to the finest details of artist development: from body and voice strengthening, hair styling, makeup, wardrobe, choreography/staging and media training.

Says Devyne, “You have to stay ten steps ahead of the talent, making sure you’re providing a way for them to succeed. You have to set the stage in order for them to command the stage.”

In a world grown fat and lazy with overnight successes and “one hit wonders” Devyne Stephens is “old school” and “hands on,” taking the time to groom artists for long-term success.

“From the element of the music, to wardrobe, to the staging, to the production and putting shows together, Devyne is really unique at what he does,” says Upfront A&R Exec, Leon Lee, “because he sees everything and knows how to bring it together so well. Devyne instinctively knows how his clients or artists should look, sound and present themselves for the greatest impact in the marketplace.”

Says veteran entertainment publicist, Jody Miller: “He combines market forces knowledge with strong support of his artists to be the best people they can be.”

Those instincts and knowledge come to bear every day as Devyne heads up his own label, Upfront Megatainment, distributed by Universal Music, representing artists from Akon and soul singer, Majic Massey to girl group, KRAVE.

His Cartel Management Group gives guidance and direction to blossoming careers of not only artists but also the roster of Upfront Producers, including Jazze Pha, Akon, Chris Beatz, Young Sears and Bdon, as they keep the hits rolling out of the studio. “He made me realize that ownership, relationships and branding make the world go around when it comes to the music or any business,” shares platinum producer, Jazze Pha. “He can take a diamond in the rough and make it shine brighter than most.”1-cvr_moty_devyne

For exclusive entertaining, Devyne and his real estate/design team developed Dreamland, an opulent 18-thousand square foot palatial Atlanta estate, as well as two popular local nightclubs.

“Who’s Next Worldwide” searches the globe for the next hot, new creative talent on the planet, while Devyne makes ever blossoming plans for upcoming Publishing, Television and Film projects. Peachtree TV and Film Production, headed by Ryan Glover, is currently working on reality show projects like “Welcome to Dreamland” and singer Monica’s showcase: “Monica: Still Standing.” Popular filmmaker, Will Packer says he and Devyne may soon do something big together. “He’s somebody that’s at the forefront of creativity within this industry. I am really very impressed. I’m proud to be working in the same industry and market with the brother.”

Of Devyne’s many endeavors, especially dear to his heart is his Devyne Intervention Foundation, created to share his blessings. The Foundation helps to inspire and create opportunities for young people, through the healing power of music.

On one occasion Devyne and T-Boz, who suffers from sickle cell, visited a host of excited 6-16 year old children who suffer from serious illnesses and life challenges at Camp Twin Lakes. At the camp, T. Boz shared her story about her struggle with sickle cell. Afterwards, everyone shared their dreams and ice pops on a hot summer day.

Devyne’s latest Foundation project is huge. He is helping to raise $46-million to underwrite the success of a brand new children’s hospital, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding, right across the street from the public hospital Grady Memorial where he was born.

Devyne remembers what it was like to be young and disadvantaged. His is a classic ‘rags to riches’ story. Growing up in the Red Oak housing project near Atlanta, Devyne knew hardship, family challenges and disappointments. But he never lost faith that better days were coming. These days, the plates on one of his fancier cars reads, “Red Oak,” a constant reminder that vision, passion and hard work can lead to happy endings.

The music and dance he loved was his ticket out. His father was a minister and the lead singer in a gospel band, along with his uncles. Records and the radio were a constant in his home. When the music came on, any music at all, little Devyne would dance. When he was just five years old, his mother entered him in a talent contest at WAOK Radio, and he won. It would be the first of many wins in contests and dance battles around the Southeast and across the country.

Ladi Drew has known him since he was around 10-years-old, a non-stop dancing machine. “Devyne danced in front of the complex where I lived in College Park with a transistor radio in one hand. He danced all the grass down to red dirt! He was always very energetic, the way he is now. Innovative. Always making up new steps.”

Years later, he would persistently ask Ladi Drew, who was working with Arrested Development at the time, to help him learn about the business of music. “He said to me, ‘if you would just take time and manage me, believe in me, we could go places.” She did, and they did. Today, Ladi Drew is Vice President and CFO of Devyne’s thriving entertainment empire, Upfront Megatainment.

There was no school and no one person who could teach Devyne all he would eventually learn about both the business and creative sides of the industry. “I was always watching other people and always picking up on things, so I learned what to do and what not to do. And somehow, I made it out,” he adds with a laugh.

Devyne’s special gift? “Talking,” teases songwriter Sean Garrett. “ Really, he’s a good negotiator and a student of the game.” Being willing to share his knowledge of ‘the game’ has led to Devyne’s success.

Devyne has helped stage some of the music industry’s most prestigious events, including the Grammys, American Music Awards, the Soul Train Awards, VMA Awards, Billboard Awards, the BET Awards, Vibe Awards, VH1 Awards, Source Awards and even the NFL’s Super Bowl Half Time.

Passionate about excellence, and an arbiter of “what’s hot and what’s not,” Devyne is the name to call when you want to take an event or an artist to the next level.

When they were all just kids, Jermaine Dupri used to put mix tapes together for Devyne’s own early dance routines with his group FDC, the Fresh Dance Crew. Dupri says for as long as he’s known his old friend, Devyne hasn’t had a problem telling anybody when an approach was on the right track or not. And he still doesn’t.

“You know, I’ve seen him work with Jay-Z. I’ve seen him work with Puff,“ says Jermaine, “and the little things that he did for each one of them, were definitely something they didn’t have in the beginning. Just showing them, and telling them don’t be scared to do this. He helped me develop as a producer over the years. You need people like that around you in this business, to really direct you and keep you on the right track.”

As an aspiring teenage artist, Devyne added other dancers, vocals, music and rapping to his act. The new group, called Devyne plus 90 Miles per Hour reflected his energy, drive and super-polished performances and became the first act signed to LaFace Records. But before they ever released an album, the group broke up. LaFace dropped the contract, breaking Devyne’s heart and dissolving all of his hard-earned perks, overnight.

For the first time, he seriously considered leaving show business.

But Fate wasn’t having that.

Devyne had successfully polished other acts, including Boyz II Men, who got their start in Devyne’s garage studio, where Dallas Austin would drop the four off to work on their routines. Just as Devyne’s own performance career hit a roadblock, Boyz II Men skyrocketed to fame, and bassist Mike McCrary of the group suggested that Devyne might try another career path… helping other acts the way he had helped theirs.

Devyne recalls clearly, “Mike said, ‘since performing is not working for you right now, have you ever thought about choreographing, you know, just like what you did for us?”

“At the time, I didn’t even know what the word really meant,” Devyne remembers, but when Mike added, “You know you can make money doing this,’ I said ‘Wow!”

With that, Devyne’s “performer” chapter ended and the “choreographer, artist developer and entrepreneur” chapters began.

A lot of choreographers can dance and perform,” says Nathan Morris of Boyz II Men, “but it’s very difficult to translate that to another artist. Devyne has a gift of being able to translate.”

LaFace promptly rehired him for artist development. Word of his impressive work with TLC, a teenager called Usher and Pebbles led to more recommendations and more successful relationships. Calls from RCA, Cable Records, Arista, Motown, Bad Boy and others eventually led to work with nearly every important R&B and Pop artist on the map.

“He was our first choreographer,” says singer LaToya Luckett of the days when she was a part of Destiny’s Child at age 14. “He put us through it, honey. We had never worked with a choreographer before and we were like ‘whew!’ He had us sweating. It was a workout. He’s a grinder. He is so talented.”

One of the very first artists Devyne helped develop, Pebbles, recalls the swag of the outfits, hairstyles and dance moves he came up with to prepare her for the “Arsenio Hall Show.” He even rapped in the background to help pull the whole look together. “He is an extremely talented person, with such a positive energy and drive…and he’s fearless,” says Pebbles. That fearlessness, drive and faith have led Devyne Stephens to become a superstar himself, behind the scenes.

“He’s got the concept, he has the vibration and he does his thing. He’s really intuitive about what’s going on in the industry,” says Wanya Morris of Boyz II Men. “He’s everybody’s legend,” says rising star Keri Hilson, “it’s almost like you can’t escape his name.”

“Devyne has a magical energy about him,” says renowned video producer, Bille Woodruff. “ There is a reason that all kinds of people, executives, people in the hood, pop divas, R&B stars, hip-hop artists and so on are drawn to Devyne – he hasn’t lost his love of the magic of what draws us into entertainment. He is pure in that way. It gives him a light that people react positively to. He has a way of bringing out the best in people and making them calm in stressful situations.”

Famed choreographer and video director, Fatima Robinson says, “Devyne has amazing intuition. He sees what artists naturally have, and he has the ability to give them the confidence to do it.“

“I know when I first started producing records Devyne saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself,” producer Bryan-Michael Cox reveals, explaining that Devyne “would come and get records from me. Devyne really believed in me, really 100% believed. He saw something. And now 10, 11 years later here I am, a success story.”

Keith Sweat goes “way back” with Devyne, who choreographed his dancers before his tours. “He knows what an artist needs. When he meets an artist, he knows if they have what it takes to take it to the next level.”

As Atlanta exploded onto the music scene as a fertile source of talent and creativity, one of the unseen forces behind the movement was Devyne Stephens.

Singer and “Real Housewives of Atlanta” performer, Kandi Burruss, says, “He has been just an icon in the city of Atlanta, helping things get going. He does everything, helping people to be an overall artist. Not just the choreography or the music. He knows how to build a brand. I think he’s just an amazing person.”

Star songstress Monica was 11 when she met Devyne, who has helped her with videos and vocal recordings, as he has for so many others. “He just gives himself unselfishly and thinks about the end result. He believed in me, a young girl from Atlanta, when people said ‘we don’t have celebrities here.’ He was one of the believers who said, ‘You’re going to make it. We’re all going to make it.’ He has faith that’s unmovable.”

“He has benefited the culture so much,” says Atlanta’s Mayor-elect Kasim Reed. “I think he is a role model. He has taught people how to move from the entertainment space to the business space. He’s so much more than music now.”

Top Atlanta radio personalities at CBS urban WVEE-FM (V103), Frank Ski and Ryan Cameron, reflect on Devyne’s transition from artist to artist developer. “He’s come full circle,” says Ski, “He is a true testament that there is opportunity beyond the mic and the camera. Devyne is one of the most successful people you will meet behind the scenes.” Cameron, who has known Devyne for the past 15 years adds, Devyne is “very unique, because he refuses to fail.”

These days, Devyne Stephens is being called the Berry Gordy of his generation. A visionary, whose special gifts help make people’s dreams come true.

“He has talent and passion and knowledge of music. He sees a very big picture,” according to Steve Rifkind, Founder and CEO of SRC Records/Universal.

Devyne’s first job when he meets a new artist is identifying that timeless attribute called “star” quality. A star, he says, is “a person that is able to attract and has a certain glow, a certain flair and style about themselves that makes people gravitate to them. Either you got it or you don’t,” says the man who knows the real thing when he sees it. Stars are born. Celebrities are created. “We have a lot of celebrities nowadays, but not a lot of superstars.”

Devyne is an admitted perfectionist. And that can be a challenge. “Sometimes that can be very frustrating,” says Upfront A&R man, Leon Lee, “because you feel like ‘you’re there’, and then he still sees something and says ‘no, that ain’t it.’ We can make this better.”

“Devyne comes in and ‘fine tunes’ the situation,” says indie label owner, Slim, formerly of 112, “so if you’re not coming up to par, then you have him to deal with.” Jazz speaks for all of KRAVE when she says, “He can see certain things that the average person wouldn’t see. His imagination, his creativity, he’s so in sync with that, that sometimes I’m like ‘D, are you sure?’ It’s just so left field. But it’s just so beautiful when it happens.”

“He’s not only a perfectionist at what he does, he wants the people around him to be perfectionists as well,” says Upfront General Manager, Steve Lucas. “It runs from him, through his staff, through everybody he works with; it just flows that way. That’s why you get great things out of great people.”

Devyne says another well-known artistic perfectionist, Michael Jackson, has influenced his personal standard of excellence. Long before they met, Devyne was impressed by Michael’s famous attention to detail and genuine humility. When they did meet, Devyne says, “it was a defining moment for me in terms of my mission and what really makes you a star.”

As far as Devyne’s own bright future is concerned, music mogul, Michael Mauldin says, “Devyne has the ability to continue to reinvent himself… and he seems to usually do it at a time when the industry is in need of innovation. He does it in a way that seems to catch folks by surprise.” So just stand by and watch for fireworks.

After a fleeting mental pause to wonder where he got his name, the first thing you notice about Devyne Stephens is that he’s such a nice guy – the kind of well-mannered, soft spoken, well-dressed, accomplished young man you want to introduce to your sister.

A real standout in a world known for excess and self-centeredness, he doesn’t smoke, doesn’t drink, helps the poor, loves kids, goes to church and has a great job. Everybody’s fantasy big brother.

But this is no ordinary nice guy. This guy is Devyne.

In case you’re still wondering, the name came from his grandmother, who saw something so special in him, even as a child, that she constantly called him “divine.” As he grew up, the spelling changed, but the name, and apparently the impetus, stuck.

Life is good for Devyne Stephens these days. He thoroughly enjoys the perks that come along with his success. But he stays truly humble in the midst of it all. He says the best part of being him is being able to serve and teach others the ins and outs of the business. The rocky road to his success has been filled with hazards, challenges and detours. But he says, “I wouldn’t change anything that I went through.” When it’s all said and done, if you ask him who his heroes have been, Devyne answers quickly, “The struggle is my hero.”

Says the ‘behind the scenes’ superstar, “Everyday I wake up, there’s a struggle. Everyday I have a purpose. If I have 100 problems…and if I could just get one thing right in a day, I had an incredible day. That’s my outlook. I think that’s my purpose… to help and to solve as many problems as I possibly can.”

Problem solver. Star Maker. Innovator. Visionary.

No, he’s not just any nice guy. He’s Devyne.

Bo Benton Turns It Up

Poised as the next ‘Don Diva,’ daring enough to step outside the box, singer, songwriter, producer Bo Benton exemplifies the annotated lyrics below to her next single “Blue Flame (Turn It Up).”

Temperature rising…(turn it up)

On fire…(turn it up)

Hot, hot, hot…(turn it up)

Blistering…(turn it up)

Boiling point…(turn it up)

Ignite my soul/give it all you’ve got

It ain’t hot enough

Take me to the blue flame!

Turn it up!

In preparation for the July 28 release of her pop/rock/R&B/dance-infused debut album, Queen of the Night, exclusively on her own Gold Starr label through Bungalo/Universal Music Group, the electrifying vocalist is already riding the airwaves of urban from Chattanooga’s WJTT-FM  to Chicago’s WGCI-FM,  rhythmic and Top 40 from Tucson’s KOHT-FM to Salisbury, Maryland’s WOCQ-FM, and urban AC from Fayetteville, NC’s WCCG-FM to Augusta, Georgia’s WIIZ-FM.  Hot on her current single, “I Know You Want It,” radio is spreading the sound of what’s in store.

Backed by a stellar production team that includes producer Lil Ronnie (Bow Wow, Nelly, R. Kelly, T Pain), writer and Gold Starr labelmate Pusher Deville, and mixer KD aka Kevin Davis (Pink, Usher, NSYNC), Benton personally assembled the right ingredients to satisfy any musical thirst. “I have great producers,” she says confidently.  “This is a very exciting album. I wanted to make a classic album and that’s why it took me so long to complete. I did 40 songs, but I only chose ten for this album.”

Formally trained at the Chicago Sherwood Conservatory of Music, the Southside Chicago native began performing as a child.  A writer and producer as well, she also plays the piano and isn’t too bad with a guitar. “I was always a natural performer,” Benton shares. ” My father is a bass player and ran a small record label in Hollywood back in the ’70s.  My mother is a pianist and my grandmother was an opera singer. It’s in my DNA.”

“This is the first song that I ever made where I’m outside of it.”

Expect the unexpected on Queen of the Night. Cameos with Raekwon of Wu Tang Clan on the cut “Baller” with a rare appearance by Too Short. ” There are one or two slow songs and I’m rapping on this album as well,” says Benton. “Sometimes I might hear a track that motivates me or I might be in a certain mood and I want to write about what’s happening in my life. It’s not one particular thing that happens at one particular moment. The continuity, however, between everything is that it’s always in the moment, whether it’s a beat, the mood or just in the studio having fun. We capture those moments in time.”

These moments manifest in one of Benton’s favorite songs, “Blue Flame (Turn It Up).” “This is the first song that I ever made where I’m outside of it,” Benton exclaims. “It’s like wow! I’m a fan of this song. I knew when I was getting ready to record “Blue Flame” that I had to come out of myself. It wasn’t about Bo; I had to let it go.”

Letting go seems to be just one theme in many of the tracks. Empowerment is another. The title track, “Queen of the Night,” is a power anthem that aims to motivate women to rise above and live their own lives.  Inspired by a personal experience, Benton wrote the lyrics to “Queen of the Night” in 15 minutes during a stay in room 403 at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, California. “It’s a rock song. It’s a hellified song,” she explains, “about a girl getting her heart broken, but she finds the power in herself to not only move on, but also, not be bitter and to cherish what they had.  It’s like she’s saying, ‘Thank you for that, it’s going to make me stronger and better.’” Produced by Jason Edmonds (Michael Jackson, Jon B., Sisqo), Mark Tabb and Ansone and mixed by Rob Beaton (“Devil Wears Prada,” “Batman Begins”), the song radiates the heat and passion that radio and clubs can feel.

Referred to as the “hot chick on rollerskates” on one blog for her first single “Bounce” that independently surged to the top spot on YouTube.com and MySpace.com in December 2006 knocking out both P. Diddy and Jay-Z for the number one spot, Benton showed she had all the moves visually as well. Her second single, “Make That Move,” confirmed the buzz was real. Leaked to servers, it quickly attracted more than 3.6 million viewers.

“I strive for a perfect blend of style and substance,” she was quoted as saying about her early releases. “Style definitely has its place, especially since my album is upbeat fun music to be played in the clubs. People going to clubs are usually stylish and hot-looking.”

“Style definitely has its place, especially since my album is upbeat fun music to be played in the clubs. People going to clubs are usually stylish and hot-looking.”

But ultimately, she describes herself as “a hybrid of yesterday and tomorrow… I feel like I have a unique sound and do not sound like another artist. And that is the way I’d like to keep it.”

Inspired by such diva legacies as Diana Ross and Whitney Houston, Benton has been on a mission to establish and maintain her own identity. With an industry saturated with cookie-cutter starlets that many times are left to compete for a space on the charts through vamping up their image of seduction, Benton takes pride in discovering and signing herself to her very own label–Gold Starr Records. Described as “the female Jay-Z” because she both runs the label and is at the same time its main asset, Benton says she is very hands on.

Although analytical in her decisions as president of Gold Starr, Benton, nevertheless, sees the stuff of legends in herself as the artist Bo Benton. “Music has to be raw human emotion. It’s the purest art form for me,” Benton the artist explains. “I can be a glamour doll one day, be grungy the next and rock and roll, or go hood on you and street. I don’t think you can be a real artist unless you are making the art you’re feeling. How is somebody going to tell me I don’t want you to rap, I don’t want you to do a country song, I want you to do R&B? The industry is changing rapidly. It’s like the wild, wild west right now.”

And, with all guns blazing, she’s foraging her own path…doing it her way.

Applying the same standards for other artists as she does to herself, as a label executive she has also been building Gold Starr into an artist-friendly entertainment company.  “I have two super dope rappers–one from Atlanta and the other from Miami.” Pusher Deville, the rapper from College Park, is featured on Benton’s single “I Know You Want It” and already has his own release, “Bodies In the Club” on the streets.  Rapper Live Wire, whom she describes as “extremely talented,” is currently in artist development and almost ready. ” We have a pop female artist too,” Benton adds. “She’s 16 years old and very well-versed. Her mother is a trained opera singer and she’s been singing since she was four.”  The label’s website is open to more new artists and invites them to contact the label with the opening, “Are you ready to be a Gold Starr?”

“I met Roberto Cavalli in Milan and he promised me at the time, ‘Whenever your record comes out, find me and I will make you stage outfits.”

Looking at the long term, Benton is bent on building a career for herself as the artist and for the artists she is selecting to develop under her brand. “If it weren’t for the love of music that I have, I wouldn’t be doing this,” she assures us, “but music is in my heart and soul.”

Her planning and hard work are now paying off. With almost deadly precision, she has orchestrated the unfolding of herself, the artist Bo Benton. A 12-city promo tour kicks off in the coming weeks as radio continues to pump her singles. Her online presence at www.bobenton.com and myspace.com/bobenton add fans daily and she’s all atwitter on the Internet’s sites from blackhollywood to ca.askmen, celebritywonder to sumotv. People are calling in to find out more about Bo Benton. It’s heating up! The momentum is building for the album release on April 21.

“I’m finally feeling excited,” she exclaims. “I met Roberto Cavalli in Milan and he promised me at the time, ‘Whenever your record comes out, find me and I will make you stage outfits,’” Benton gushes. “I’m looking for Roberto Cavalli.”

BRE founder and Chairman of the Board Sidney Miller recalls the confidence and charisma Bo exuded when they first met. “When I first met Bo about two years ago at the Black Enterprise Oscar party at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles, she came up to me and said, “Mr. Miller, you don’t know me, but one day I’m going to be on the cover of your magazine.” I asked her what label she was on and she replied, “My own.” I thought at the time this was someone who was going to make it.

Written by Tanisha Williams, freelance journalist/reporter and publisher of
Renaissance Women magazine. www.renaissancewomenmag.com