Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Debra Renee Laws

 

 

Debra Laws is an American R&B singer and actress from Houston, Texas. In her music career, she works closely with her siblings, Eloise Laws, Hubert Laws and Ronnie Laws, who are producers.

 

 

 

Debra Renee Laws was born September 10, 1956 in Houston, Texas, the seventh of eight children to Hubert Laws, Sr. and Miola Luverta Donahue. She has performed throughout the U.S. in such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall, The Berkeley Jazz Festival and the Hollywood Bowl. She has also toured in Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia.



Her most recent album is entitled Moments, and she produced, wrote or co-wrote nine of the 12 songs contained in the album. The album is now in release in Japan and the first single, "Moments Like This", reached the number 18 spot in the Japanese charts.


 Debra Laws - Moments (1993)
 By Papa Funk


"A Must Have Before Die"




Her Career

 

Her professional career started as a teenager in 1977 when she was featured on her brother Ronnie's album entitled "Friends and Strangers", on United Artists Records.

Ronnie Laws - Friends and Strangers (1977)
 By Papa Funk




 In 1979, she was a lead vocalist on her brother Hubert's album,
 "Land of Passion", on Columbia Records.

Hubert Laws - Land of Passion (1979)
 By Papa Funk





Laws made her debut as a solo recording artist in 1981 with the release of her album
Very Special on Elektra Records.


 This album, produced by her two brothers sold in excess of 385,000 copies, while the two singles, "Very Special" and "Be Yourself" sold combined totals in excess of 260,000 copies. The third single, "Meant For You", was written by Roxanne Seeman and David Lasley.


 Debra Laws - Very Special (1981)
 By Papa Funk


"A Must Have Before Die"






From 1981 through 1990, Laws worked with her three siblings, recording and doing many live performances in the United States and abroad.


In 1985, she recorded "Crusin' Tonight," written and produced by George Duke, for the The Heavenly Kid motion picture soundtrack.

The Heavenly Kid (Soundtrack) (1985)
 By Papa Funk




 The Heavenly Kid is a 1985 comedy film directed by Cary Medoway and starring Lewis Smith, Jason Gedrick, Jane Kaczmarek, and Richard Mulligan.

In the early 1960s, Bobby Fantana (Lewis Smith), a young greaser-type rebel, challenges Joe Barnes (Mark Metcalf) to a game of chicken for making a pass at his girlfriend Emily (Jane Kaczmarek). Bobby wins the race easily when Joe dives out of his car, but Bobby is unable to get out of the car in time due to his bracelet getting caught on the gearshift. He dies as his car plummets over the cliff into a fiery wreck.

Bobby awakens to find himself on a surreal trip aboard a speeding train vessel. The train stops at a station housing a huge escalator going up into a bright white light, which one of the attendants refers to as "Uptown". Bobby is denied entry, and his new spirit guide Rafferty (Richard Mulligan) appears and explains that he isn't considered ready yet and needs to carry out an assignment in order to earn his ticket Uptown. After many years in limbo Bobby is finally given his assignment - he is to return to Earth and act as a guardian angel and friend for nerdy Lenny Barnes (Jason Gedrick), a promising high school student who is constantly picked on in school, particularly by school bullies Fred Gallo (Stephen Gregory) and Bill McIntyre (Beau Dremann). However, Bobby is instructed that he is only allowed to reveal himself to Lenny and nobody else.

Bobby helps Lenny by giving him a makeover, assisting him in dealing with Fred and Bill, and helping him win the affection of the hottest girl in school, Sharon (Anne Sawyer). However, Bobby eventually realizes that the new lifestyle Lenny is leading is not noble, as it causes him to rebel against everyone, including his parents. Bobby soon realizes that Lenny's mother is Emily, his former girlfriend, and is married to Joe, the man he died racing against. Bobby breaks the Uptown rules and reveals himself to Emily to confess his love for her, and Emily informs him that he is actually Lenny's father.

In a scene reminiscent of the opening sequence, Lenny is challenged to a chicken race at the local quarry by Fred, Sharon's former boyfriend. Having been told by Rafferty that Lenny will die just as Bobby did earlier, Bobby offers to trade his own chance to move Uptown (essentially, his own immortal soul) to save Lenny's life. Much like Bobby's car race, the race ends with Lenny and Bobby flying over the edge of a cliff, and the car exploding in a fiery wreck. However, Bobby prevents Lenny from dying, and they climb up the cliff together. Bobby helps Lenny see the error of his ways as Lenny reunites with his long-time friend Melissa (Nancy Valen), who was in love with him and by his side even during his "nerdy years".

After bidding an emotional goodbye to Lenny, during which he tells him that they will always be best friends, Bobby offers himself to Rafferty to fulfill his end of the bargain by accepting a ride "Downtown" (essentially, to hell). However, Rafferty explains that this will not be happening. Bobby incredulously asks why, since he had made a deal to trade his own soul for Lenny's second chance at life. Rafferty explains to Bobby that he had learned to love and value someone more than himself, and that is how one earned a ticket Uptown. Lenny and his girlfriend then watch Bobby and Rafferty fly into the sky on a motorbike, while the movie ends with Bobby going on the escalator to Uptown.


Debra Renee Laws


In April and May 1991, she toured Europe with the Commodores for a 38 city tour. In November of that year, she performed with Kool and the Gang, Third World, Shabba Ranks, Rita Marley, the Commodores and many others at a benefit for the children of Africa held in Lagos, Nigeria.
In 1992, she toured Asia in January and February, performing in Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan and Japan.

She then began the writing and recording process for an album which was completed in October 1994. In November and December of that year, she toured Europe again.


In addition to The Heavenly Kid,
 she has also recorded soundtracks for Fighting Back (1982 film)

  
Fighting Back (UK title: Death Vengeance) is a 1982 vigilante film written by Thomas Hedley Jr and David Zelag Goodman. The film was directed by Lewis Teague and takes place on the streets of Philadelphia starring Tom Skerritt, Patti LuPone, and Michael Sarrazin.

The film opens with Philadelphia TV reporters viewing and broadcasting a news story about violence around the world, opening with footages of 1963's assassination of John F. Kennedy ("when violence went public in America's living rooms") and stating that violent crimes in the U.S. increased 536 percent since then and moving on to footages of Jack Ruby's shooting of Oswald, 1960s urban riots, Vietnam atrocities (i.e. Mai Lai Massacre ?), the Kent State shootings, various armed robberies and other shootings, up to 1981's assassination attempts on Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II, with the statement "no one is safe in this world-absolutely no one". John D'Angelo (Tom Skerritt) runs an Italian deli in Philadelphia and takes pride in his neighborhood, which is predominantly Italian. With the increase in pimps, drug dealers, muggers, thieves and gangs, the city is starting to fall apart.

 While driving with his wife Lisa (Patti LuPone), they come across a pimp known as Eldorado (Pete Richardson) brutalizing one of his prostitutes. John’s wife confronts the pimp, angering him even more. Things turn violent when the pimp drives after the D'Angelos. During the car chase, Eldorado rams into the back of the D'Angelos vehicle, injuring his wife and killing their unborn baby. The violence soon escalates when John's mother Vera (Gina DeAngles) is assaulted inside Janelli's drugstore across from John's deli. Two masked robbers enter the drugstore, shoot the store owner, and remove Vera's ring finger with pliers as her grandson Danny (Jonathan Adam Sherman) looks on in horror.

After these personal attacks on his family, and the growing crime in the city, John decides to make a stand, organizing a neighborhood patrol composed of regular citizens who are also fed up with the crime in their neighborhood. They call themselves The People's Neighborhood Patrol, or “PNP” for short. The PNP has their own uniforms consisting of blue hats and vests that have a PNP logo on them. The PNP also has a headquarters to take phone calls, along with vehicles all containing their PNP logo. The PNP is led by John and his best friend Vince Morelli (Michael Sarrazin), a police officer, With Vince's help, the police allow the PNP to patrol the neighborhood. However, the PNP seem to operate with no regard for the law and do as they please.

 To make their first stand and to introduce themselves to the neighborhood, the group goes to a dirty bar in town known for being a hot spot for scum, which Eldorado and his men are known patrons of. John casually walks into the bar with the rest of the PNP behind him. John confronts the bartender (Allan Graf), trying to get answers as to who is responsible for mugging his mother. Things turn violent when the bartender laughs in John’s face, triggering an all-out brawl, but the PNP come out on top.

John and the PNP start gaining media attention, and the neighborhood starts to rally behind the PNP. The group starts taking out pimps, drug dealers, muggers, and thieves. The PNP operates above the law. John D’Angelo does what he wants, and his actions are seen as racial discrimination by a small portion of the African-American community. John D’Angelo meets with Ivanhoe Washington (Yaphet Kotto), a black leader of a similar vigilante movement. Ivanhoe presents John with the two men who mugged his mother, one of whom is white while the other is black. John beats up the black man, proving Ivanhoe’s point that John is guilty of discrimination.

With widespread media attention, John decides to run for councilman in the upcoming election. Just when things are looking good for the city, tragedy strikes when Vince is gunned down and killed at the hands of Eldorado and his men. In retaliation, John organizes a large scale attack on the park where Vince was killed. All members of the PNP head to the park, where they demand that everyone in the park clear out. When their demands are ignored, the PNP takes action, and starts clearing out the park by way of brute force.

 A large brawl soon erupts, and police arrive on the scene not long after. John spots Eldorado and chases after him; during the chase John is tackled and arrested by police. Eldorado manages to get away. While meeting with Police Commissioner (Ted Ross), John is given permission to take out Eldorado, waiting patiently on the roof above Eldorado's vehicle. When Eldorado and his men enter the car, John drops a grenade though the vehicle's roof. The grenade explodes, killing everyone inside the car.

John ends up winning the election, and a large celebration with family and friends takes place inside his deli. The PNP have cleaned up the neighborhood, and crime is no more. The final scene shows children playing in the very same park that was once occupied by criminals.


and  (Prison Dancing Jailbird Rock)

  
A young dancer protecting her mother from her abusive stepfather is forced to shoot him. She is convicted and sent to prison. The inmates hatch an escape plan, part of which is to put on a musical show to cover the attempted breakout.

and is featured on
 Pam Williams' album Eight Days of Ecstasy.


Pamela Williams - Eight Days Of Ecstacy (1998)
 By Papa Funk



http://www66.zippyshare.com/v/99077244/file.html



"Must Have Before Die"

The very sensuous looking and sounding Pamela Williams
 certainly delivers on the promise of her title, 

Eight Days Of Ecstasy; This Is One Of The Sexiest Rhythm And Jazz Dates In Ages.

 Which is interesting, because as a sax player, for the most part she doesn't really add anything innovative to her craft. If you take the blindfold test, you might hear her wonderful influences, David Sanborn (the gritty alto funk of "Pump Up the Heat") and the late George Howard (a sassy soprano led take on Al Green's "Still in Love"). She is an obvious fan of Babyface, as the vocal tune "I'll Be There for You" (which she simply harmonizes on) sounds like an outtake. Yet there is hope to break beyond these patterns, particularly on the closing track, "One of the Cats," where she takes the high tones of the soprano, combines them with the darker edges of tenor, and springs them into more improvisational directions over a keyboard generated trio groove. And then in the middle, she switches off, playing tag team relay. She also proves a capable team player with none other than Gerald Albright, with the two cooking up some horn-section tension on alto (Williams) and tenor (Albright).~ Jonathan Widran

Personnel: Pamela Williams (soprano, alto & tenor saxophones, synthesizer, drum programming); Debra Laws, Darnel Alexander, David Booker (vocals); Martin Walters, Erik Huber, James Allen (various instruments); Gerald Albright (tenor saxophone); Joe McBride (piano); Kevin Flournoy (keyboards, drum programming); Morris O'Connor, Jason Bucklin, Tim Kobza (guitar); Doug Grigsby, Chuck Smith (bass); Scott Weltner (percussion); Tony Moore (drum programming).

Pamela Williams - Eight Days Of Ecstasy
 

Very,Very Good Smooth Jazz Album



Lawsuits against Sony Music and Elektra Entertainment Group

 

In March 2003, Debra Laws sued Sony Music Entertainment/Epic Records in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, over the use of samples from "Very Special" in Jennifer Lopez's recording of "All I Have" on her album This Is Me... Then.




 Although Sony had been granted permission to use the samples by Elektra Entertainment Group, which held the copyright to the song, Laws claimed that the use of her voice without her consent nonetheless violated her statuory and common law right of publicity under California law.

 In November 2003, Judge Lourdes Baird granted Sony Music's motion for summary judgment on the ground that Laws's state law claims were preempted by Section 301 of the United States Copyright Act. In 2006, that decision was affirmed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.


In 2004, after losing the lawsuit against Sony Music, Laws and her production company, Spirit Productions, Inc. (which is owned and controlled by her brother, Hubert), sued Elektra Entertainment Group (as well as Elektra's parent company, Warner Music Group, and former parent, Warner Communications, Inc.), claiming that Elektra was contractually obligated to obtain consent before agreeing to allow the "Very Special" sound recording to be used in "All I Have (song)." Laws's claims were dismissed early in the case on res judicata grounds, and Spirit's claims settled in early 2007 on undisclosed terms.

"Debra We Love You"

Please Leave A Comment,Thanks.
Pass is Ever: MustHaveBeForeDie


 

Posted by at