COVERSTORY: "MIDNIGHT STAR"     [Home]

Play some of Midnight Star's greatest tracks here !  [WMP required]

Listen to our Back To The Oldschool Remix here [WMP required]

Midnight Star was formed in 1976 at the State University of Kentucky, USA. Before this formation, the brothers Reggie and Vincent Calloway were already into music. During High School, Reggie started writing his first compositions. Reggie's first High School Bands were "the Motown Masters" and "the Mad Dog Fire Department". In college he formed his next jazz fusion group "Sunchild". Back at Kentucky State University he decided to put together a supergroup, the "Midnight Star". 

The band members were fellow students and after their education they moved to Cincinnati. As they were cruisin’ the USA West Coast, they landed a contract with RCA Records. Dick Griffey signed them for a contract with Solar Records in 1981, after he had witnessed a demo in New York.

The original line-up was:

Reggile Calloway (trumpet / flute / percussion)
Vincent Calloway (trombone / trumpet / percussion)
Belinda Lipscomb (lead vocals)
Melvin Watson (lead vocals)
Boaz 'Bo' Watson (lead vocals / keyboards)
Jeffrey Cooper (lead guitar / keyboards)
Kenneth Gant (bass / vocals)
Bobby Lovelace (drums)
William Simmons (sax / keyboards / percussion).

Early albums included “The Beginning'” (1981), “Standing Together” (1981) and “Victory'” (1982). Their first real floor-fillers came from their album “No Parking On The Dancefloor'” (1983). It included songs like “Wet My Whistle'” and “Freak-A-Zoid”.

Their album “Planetary Invasion” was released in 1984. With the song “Operator” they had their first commercial success in 1985. This album also included “Curious'” which was very popular. The chart success of this album was credited to the production work of Reggie Calloway, who was also producing and writing songs for The Deele and Klymaxx. He and his brother would go on to write and produce number one hits for Natalie Cole, Levert, Teddy Pendegrass, Glady Knight and many others.

The "Headlines" album from 1985 was the final hit album for Midnight Star before the Calloway brothers departed. The album included great hits like “Midas Touch" and "Engine No. 9." As Calloway, the brother's first single called "I Wanna Be Rich" The track was their only major hit, followed only by "Sir Lancelot" and the title track from their 1990 debut album "All The Way." Calloway returned two years later with "Let's Get Smooth," but the album proved their last. The brothers continued working as producers, with Teddy Pendergrass, Pieces Of A Dream, Bootsy Collins, Levert, Natalie Cole and Gladys Knight & The Pips.

In 1987 the remaining members made a new self-titled album. Songs like “Don’t Rock The Boat” (which featured rapper Ecstasy of Whodini) and the top 10 “Snake in the Grass” were on top again. However, the Calloway brothers’ productions hadn’t been replaced. In 1990 their album "Work It Out" would be their final release and the group disbanded shortly after it's release.

After extensive international touring, some of the members decided to pursue other various projects. “Deep down inside, everyone had the intentions of getting back together again,” says vocalist/guitarist Melvin “McArthur” Gentry. “I’ve been behind the scenes a little bit, doing production projects on Toni Braxton, Shanice Wilson and others.” Vocalist and keyboard player Boaz Watson has worked as McArthur’s production partner. He has also co-written songs with renowned songwriter/producer Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, including hits on Toni Braxton and After Seven. He has served as musical arranger for two Toni Braxton tours and as musical director for the Babyface tour. Boaz is also musical director for MTV’s Babyface Unplugged concert and CD featuring Stevie Wonder and Eric Clapton, and Babyface’s live performance on the 1998 Grammy Awards. Beautiful lead singer Belinda Lipscomb took her talents to the theater, with lead roles in several musical comedies and gospel musicals. “I’ve been honing in on who I am and where I want to go,” says Belinda. In addition, Belinda sang on several national radio and television commercials including a series of spots for the popular Caribbean resort “Sandals”.

What’s to expect from Midnight Star today? Belinda adds “ We will hit the stage with the high energy performance that we are known for, remembering all the things that were so special about the group… letting everybody’s light shine.” Boaz sums it up by saying “ We’ve all been able to go out and have our individual success and we’ve learned different things. We’ve brought these experiences to the group, and now we can enhance the talents that Midnight Star already had and make our music more exciting than ever”

In 2002, after 12 year of disbandment, the group reunited in the original line-up with a new album called “15th Avenue". All of their “80’s” creativity can be found again with this release. Midnight Star gives new meaning to "old school" again.

Albums
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12 Inch Versions