Celebrity Judges
2011 Silver Stars Finals Celebrity Judges
Bonnie Bramlett is at full throttle and
the vocal engine that propelled her into musical history books is as fine-tuned
as ever.
Bonnie was born in Alton, Illinois, and grew up in
East St. Louis. At 14, she was allowed to sing on Gaslight Square, a St. Louis
nightclub area much like the French Quarter in New Orleans. She was groomed by
the best - Jazz greats Stan Getz, The Quartet Tres
Bien, Herbie Mann, Miles Davis, and Nat and
Cannonball Adderly gave her a musical foundation par
excellence. But it was her love for rhythm and blues that brought her to the
attention of Albert King and Little Milton. She made musical history as the
first white Ikette for Ike and Tina Turner.
When she expanded her career and moved to Los Angeles
in 1967, she met Delaney Bramlett and married him
seven days later. Delaney & Bonnie & Friends shared the stage with
"Friends" that included Eric Clapton, Leon Russell, George Harrison,
Dave Mason, Rita Coolidge, Gram Parsons and John Lennon to name just a few. A
complete list of collaborations both in songwriting and performance reads like
a history of Rock and Roll. Delaney & Bonnie released five outstanding
albums, their first recording being "Home" on Stax
Records. Hit singles such as "Soul Shake," "Never Ending Song of
Love," and "Only You Know & I Know" kept them on the charts.
The duo broke up personally and professionally in 1973. Bonnnie's
songwriting credits include "Superstar" (nominated for a Grammy in
1972), and "Give Peace a Chance," both co-written with Leon Russell.
Bonnie then moved to Georgia and embarked upon a solo
career. She enlisted a little known backup band from Scotland, The Average
White Band. On the Southern Rock label, Capricorn, she issued solo LP's in
1974, 1976, and 1978. Bonnie was also the number one "gotta
have" backup singer on albums by Joe Cocker, Carly
Simon, Gregg Allman, Little Feat, Jimmy Hall, Steve
Cropper, Jimmy Buffett and Dwight Yoakam, just to
name a few. Her harmonizing with Delbert McClinton in
the 1980's launched the award-winning "Givin' it
Up for Your Love" that has become a rock standard.
After touring with Stephen Stills, Dickey Betts and Gregg Allman invited her on the Allman
Brothers tour, and she became known as the only "Allman Sister" to the acclaimed Southern rock group.
Bonnie returned to LA in the 1980s. A chance to act
lured her into a guest role on the TV series "Fame", followed by a
role in Oliver Stone's film, "The Doors," with Val Kilmer, Meg Ryan
and Billy Idol. While working with Tom Arnold on a theater production, Roseanne
Barr asked Bonnie to be on her #1 Hit TV series "Roseanne" as Bonnie
Watkins, her fellow waitress at the Mall. 1991-92 proved to be a fun two years,
with David Crosby appearing as her husband and an outstanding episode of
backyard singing of "You've Really got a Hold on Me" that capped her
appearances on the popular show. She also appeared on stage in the musical,
"Cowboy Café."
Bonnie moved to Idaho with her family to write and
regroup and then in 1999, she moved to Nashville, TN. She signed with Corlew Music Group and Blue Hat Records released the
critically acclaimed "I'm Still The Same" in
2001. Jerry Wexler stated, "Her vocals are stunning in every respect;
intonation on the money; dynamics intense; phasing lyrical and logical, and
above all, burning with the feeling that we have come to recognize as deep
soul."
In 2005, Bonnie signed with Zoho
Records. George W. Harris reviews her March 2006 release, "Roots, Blues
& Jazz":
Some artists change with the
times. Others simply refuse to grow. Praise God for the queen of 'hazel eyed
soul', Ms. Bonnie Bramlett, for sticking to her guns
for all of these years… this rousing disc… puts to shame every wanna-be female rocker. There is nothing like a lady who
roars like a female lion, and means it.
Backed by a burning "Mr. Groove
Band", Ms. Bramlett growls, shouts and wails
with abandon only dreamed of by the present crop of youthful darlings.
In complete contrast to today's whiney and whispering groaners, Bramlett lays down the law with authority on the soul jazz
classic "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy". She takes Sam Cooke's "A Change
is Gonna Come" and breathes fire into this
anthem. Even Chuck Berry's ironic 50's teenage anthem of angst, "No
Particular Place To Go" is given a hilarious
rendition, with a completely modernized and rearranged groove.
With her world weary voice, Bramlett's
ode to enduring the turmoil of the '60s "I Can Laugh about it Now," leaves the listener wondering whether to applaud
or console the winner of the attrition that betook her peers. This is the sound
of a lady that has lived through it all, and still has a smile on her face.
Defiant, brash and brazen, Ms. Bramlett still has a
few lessons to teach the innocents abroad and at home. This CD will clean out
the clogs in your ears caused by synthetic sounds like a musical Drano."
In addition to touring, writing and the new CD, Bonnie
participated in the 25 year cast reunion for the Roseanne Show on Larry King
Live. She also completed shooting her role in an
Touchstone movie "The Guardian" featuring Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher. The film was released in the fall of 2006.
Bonnie's latest album,
"Beautiful" on the Rockin' Camel label,
keeps the standards right up there with another engaging mix of American roots
music, delivered with customary musicality and passion.
"I am a singer who writes songs," Bonnie
says. But she is really much more: a musical legend, a national treasure and a
classic beauty of a rocker in every sense of the word.
Billy Burnette joins Country Music Hall of Famer Mel Tillis as a judge for the 4th Annual HealthSpring's
Silver Stars Talent Search for Seniors.
Billy Burnette is Nashville
ROCK Royalty. His father was Dorsey Burnette of the
Rock and Roll Trio, a cornerstone of 50's rock and rockabilly. He grew up in
Memphis with Elvis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins. He spent 8 years with
Fleetwood Mac and the last 5 years as guitarist & vocalist with Creedence Clearwater Revival founder, John Fogerty. His new recording "Rock and Roll With It" embraces the roots of his rock royalty
heritage.
http://billyburnette.net
Facts about Mel Tillis
Country music legend,
Mel Tillis, started performing in the early ‘50’s
with a group called The Westerners while serving as a baker in the United
States Air Force, stationed in Okinawa. In 1956, Webb Pierce recorded a song
written by Mel entitled “I’m Tired”, and it launched Mel’s musical career.
Awards
In 1976, Mel Tillis was inducted
into the Nashville Songwriters International Hall of Fame, and that same year,
he was named Country Music Association’s (CMA) Entertainer of the Year. Also,
for six years in the 70’s, Mel Tillis won Comedian of
the Year.
On September 21,
1999, Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) named Mel Tillis
the Songwriter of the Decade for two decades.
Mel was the recipient
of the Golden Voice Entertainer Award for 2001. He also won the 2001 Golden
R.O.P.E. Songwriter Award.
The Grand Ole Opry inducted Mel Tillis as its
newest member on June 9, 2007.
In October of 2007,
Mel Tillis became a member of the Country Music Hall
of Fame.
Songwriting
Mel has written well over 1,000 songs, and approximately 600
have been recorded by major artists. The following is a list of a few of those
songs and artists:
"Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town" - Kenny Rogers
"Detroit City" - Bobby
Bare
"Emotions" - Brenda Lee
"I Ain’t
Never" - Webb Pierce
"Burning Memories" - Ray
Price
"Thoughts of a Fool" -
George Strait
"Honey (Open That Door)"
- Ricky Skaggs
http://meltillis.com/