Woodson and Edwards to join Aretha

[Jonel]

Aretha Franklin Teases Album with New Single
Tue June 10, 2003 08:53 PM ET
By Jonathan Cohen
NEW YORK (Billboard) - Aretha Franklin has released a new single, "The Only Thing Missin'," as a teaser from her upcoming album, due Sept. 16 via Arista Records.

The cut is being performed during Franklin's "The Queen Is On' tour, which will is billed as the last extensive trek of her career. It is garnering early airplay on such stations as WDLT in Mobile, Ala., and WHUR in Washington, D.C.

Franklin, 61, says the track is "one of the hottest songs" on her new album. "It's the kind of song that a singer waits for," she adds.

The as-yet-untitled upcoming set will be Franklin's first since 1998's "A Rose Is Still a Rose." At least one track will be produced and written by Burt Bacharach, while Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Gordon Chambers, Barry Eastman, Troy Taylor, and Ron Lawrence will add their production talents.

To give the tour added spice, Franklin is promising a special guest duet performance at each show. Among the confirmed guests are Franklin's former back-up singer, Cissy Houston, Temptations members Dennis Edwards and Ali "Ollie" Woodson, and Ronald Isley.

courtesy of Reuters
reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=musicNews&storyID=2909120

[Aba21]

Do your thing Miss Jonel......I thought Dennis said he'd never sing for or with Aretha again. Maybe she offered him so much money he couldn't say no. It will be interesting to see if sings A SONG FOR YOU!

[Jonel]

I think it's great. I'm glad she persuaded him to do it.

[sukkafu]

uh oh- how will dennis and aretha fit in the same elevator? dennis would have to sing to her-

''ELEVATOR THIGHS'' ;D

and of course the elevator would be called OTIS!

[Jonel]

Sukka!

[Jonel]

Band News [06-11-2003]

"The Queen Is On!!! ... The 2003 Tour"


Early spins pour in from major Urban AC markets - single impacts at radio on June 23rd, from Aretha's first album since 1998's A ROSE IS STILL A ROSE

Album arrives in stores on Sept. 16th; producers include Aretha, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Burt Bacharach, Troy Taylor, Gordon Chambers, Ron Lawrence, Barry Eastman, Norman West and others

(June 10, 2003 - New York, N.Y.) Arista recording artist Aretha Franklin has officially named her 'semi-retirement' tour "The Queen Is On!!!... The 2003 Tour," it was announced today by Antonio "L.A." Reid, president and CEO, Arista Records.

"The Only Thing Missin'" - the new single from Aretha Franklin's upcoming new studio album -has already rocketed into the top 40 with a bullet on Urban AC radio. Early radio spins pouring in from a number of markets - including Philadelphia, PA; Miami, FL; Detroit, MI; Washington D.C.; Dallas, TX; New Orleans, LA and many others - indicate overwhelming acceptance for "The Only Thing Missin'." The single will impact at Urban AC and AC radio formats on June 23rd. "The Only Thing Missin'" was produced by Troy Taylor, renowned for his versatility as a producer and arranger with artists ranging from Whitney Houston (Just Whitney...) and Kenny Lattimore (Weekend) to Ginuwine and BoneThugs 'N Harmony. The single was co-written by Taylor with Gordon Chambers, Myiia Davis, and Rick Williams.

"The Only Thing Missin'" is one of the hottest songs on my new album," says Ms. Franklin. "It's the kind of song that a singer waits for. Troy Taylor is really cool and very easy to work with. It's a real treat to sing one of his songs."

Aretha will be performing "The Only Thing Missin'" from her new album as well as her other classic hits on the current tour. As an added surprise, each concert will include at least one special guest duet performance with Aretha. Confirmed guests include Cissy Houston in a rare reunion performance, Ronald Isley (Isley Brothers), Dennis Edwards (Temptations) and Ali "Ollie" Woodson (Temptations). In an unusual move last month, Aretha held open auditions in Detroit to hand-pick the dancers in her touring troupe. Male and female dancers, ages 18-35, flocked to the auditions, which were publicly announced just prior to the scheduled dates.

Courtesy of Music Industry News Network
www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=53042

"The Only Thing Missin'" is the first single from Aretha's as-yet-untitled 12th Arista album since 1980, scheduled to arrive in stores on September 16th. In addition to tracks produced by Aretha herself, along with productions by Taylor as well as by the team of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, the album will contain at least one track written especially for Aretha by Burt Bacharach, and produced by him. Among the other producers slated for the album (followed by some of the artists with whom they've worked) are:

Norman West (Hammer, gospel artist Anne Benjamin, Rev. Robert Smith Jr., Smiley, Detroit's Most Wanted, Tabbatha of Oak Town 357, Proof (Shady Records), TNB, John Payne, Doctor G.G., and Aretha's A Rose Is Still A Rose);
Ron Lawrence (Notorious BIG, Puff Daddy, LL Cool J, Luther Vandross, Jay Z, Mary J. Blige, R. Kelly, Brian McKnight, Mase, Boyz II Men).
Gordon Chambers (Just Whitney..., Anita Baker, Allure, Michael Bolton, Brownstone);
Barry Eastman (Anita Baker, Vanessa Armstrong, Regina Belle, Will Downing, Kenny Lattimore);

"The Only Thing Missin'" and Aretha's upcoming album are her first major new releases on Arista since 1998's A Rose Is Still A Rose. That album featured the title tune hit and its follow-up, "Here We Go Again," and generated nearly a dozen Grammy and NAACP Image Awards nominations in 1999.

[sukkafu]

((((((jonel)))))

're' is still a powerful singer- i hope the younger audience gives her a listen.

[Jonel]

;D Sukka

[MikeNYC]

Aba21 said:

Do your thing Miss Jonel......I thought Dennis said he'd never sing for or with Aretha again. Maybe she offered him so much money he couldn't say no. It will be interesting to see if sings A SONG FOR YOU!

I didn't want to let the cat out of the bag.......but yes this is going to happen.They may do a show at Radio City Music Hall! Looks like Dennis may be getting the break after all,huh,Mrs Bickering? Can't keep a GOODMAN DOWN ! No Otis elevator for Dennis! Seems like he's taken the Stairway to heaven !

[selfishreasons]

Yes, Mike. You can't Keep a good man down. I'ma have'ta, see these all perform. Denny is back on the map.

[sukkafu]

re' might need a crane !

it's the first time she's bigger than her bouffaint hairdo's from the 60's!

[KEEKS]

Sukka

[selfishreasons]

SUKKAFU! said:

re' might need a crane !

it's the first time she's bigger than her bouffaint hairdo's from the 60's!

I beg to differ, Sukka. She's been bigger than her hairdo's for a while. It's the first time she's bigger than all her back up singers.

But here, I shall follow the, "no making fun of peoples weight" rule.

[sukkafu]

keeky ojjj - i'm soorry!

selfish ground- i won't make fun of her anymore- in fact

here's a tribute to her-

AARREETHAA-IN 1968
aretha-in 1974
ARETHA-in 1988
AAAAARRRREEEEEEETTTTHHHHAAAA IN 2003! :hairraiser:

[song4you]

Hopefully Aretha comes out Colorado way so I can see her. I lived in New York from 94-96 and she performed at Carnegie Hall twice, but unfortunately it was a little beyond my budget. The closest I came to Aretha was taking a class with her drummer Bernard Purdie but that is a whole different story...