This is a blend of easy listening and ballads

5 MP3 Songs
EASY LISTENING: Ballads, POP: Delicate

Details:
This band celebrates it's first full year in existence with this second EP. One year ago Claude Chaney & Friends made its first appearance as a trio (with Juanita Buchanan-Porter and John Felder) at the Kudos Gospelfest in Franklin Township, New Jersey. The current roster of Claude Chaney & Frends consists of Claude Chaney (lead vocals), Tom Monte (keyboards), Miriam Barab (lead and background vocals), Evette Chaney, Keith Thomas(background vocals), Kenjie Tajumia (drums) and Bruce Crystal (Bass).
This set includes two original compositions co-authored over the years by students and teachers of Booker T. Washington Middle School in New York City. Fellow teachers Margery Hauser (wrote lyrics to HOPE IN EVERY SEASON), while
Marilyn Boccodoro assisted with the music. Two thirteen year olds Caridad Castro and Claudine Samedi played vital roles in the making of the song CHILDREN. Claudine had the original idea for the song and helped write the lyrics and Caridad sang the song for the first time at the 1993 Booker T. Washington Middle School 54 Winter Concert. It is her version that you hear on this EP.
The three other songs are all tributes to legendary singers of my youth: Nat King Cole, Brook Benton and Levi Stubbs Jr. PRETEND was one of Cole's biggest ballad successes that goes all the way back to the 40s. Brook Benton's haunting interpretation of a Tony Joe White composition A RAINY NIGHT IN GEORGIA was one of the best selling singles of 1970. This version differs slightly from the one heard on Claude Chaney & Friends - Volume One. Levi Stubbs Jr, as a member of the Four Tops introduced I BELIEVE IN YOU AND ME in the early 80s. He has been one of the premier lead singers for over half a century with twenty six top 40 entries, two of which made it to #1.
In summation this is the music I love and I'm hoping that there's an audience out there that loves it too.

- Claude Chaney
March 22, 2008

People who are interested in Sam Cooke Nat King Cole Brook Benton should consider this download.