One of the finest vocalists among contemporary R&B stylists returns to Nashville this week. Howard Hewett will be performing at the City Winery Saturday night. His brilliant career dates back to his childhood years on the gospel circuit, where he worked with his older sisters in the Hewett Singers group. He switched to secular music as a teen, working in the funk band Lyfe. But his first big break in the R&B world came with the beloved trio Shalamar. They were one of the biggest groups on Dick Griffey’s SOLAR (Sound of Los Angeles Records) label. Hewett teamed with Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniels, with the group’s songwriting and production headed by Leon Sylvers III.
Shalamar’s hits included “The Second Time Around” and “A Night to Remember,” as well as “For the Lover in You,” “You Can Count On Me,” and “Somewhere There’s a Love.” When Watley and Daniels left in 1983, Hewett continued to lead Mickey Free and Delisa Davis in the reconstituted Shalamar. This version was best known for soundtrack contributions on Footloose and Beverly Hills Cop with “Dancing in the Sheets” and “Don’t Get Stopped in Beverly Hills,” respectively.
Hewett’s solo career began in the mid-80s, with the album I Commit to Love on Elektra in 1986. Some of his earliest solo successes included “Stay,” “I’m For Real,” and “Say Amen,” a number perched between secular and spiritual themes. He’s continued as both a solo vocalist and also working in collaborative projects with such artists as George Duke, Quincy Jones, James Ingram, Anita Baker, Prince, and Stanley Clarke. He was featured on several Elektra LPs in the ’80s and ’90s but returned to inspirational music in 2001 with The Journey. He has continued recording and touring and remains a perennial fan favorite.
Howard Hewett at City Winery, 609 Lafayette Street, Saturday, May 24 at 7:30 p.m.
