Shalamar
Shalamar is an iconic American R&B and soul vocal group formed in 1977 by Dick Griffey and Don Cornelius, linked to the Soul Train TV show. They rose to fame in the late 1970s and 1980s with disco-influenced hits and dance moves like body-popping, which they popularized in the UK.
Shalamar began as a studio project when Griffey released "Uptown Festival" in 1977 on Soul Train Records, using session singers. Its success led to recruiting Soul Train dancers Jeffrey Daniel and Jody Watley, plus singer Gary Mumford, who soon left; Howard Hewett replaced him in 1978.
The trio of Hewett (lead vocals), Watley (vocals), and Daniel (vocals, guitar) signed to SOLAR Records and delivered gold albums like Big Fun (1979), Three for Love (1980), and Friends (1982). Major hits included "The Second Time Around," "A Night to Remember," "Friends," and "There It Is," blending soul, funk, and dance.
Watley and Daniel departed in 1983 amid internal conflicts and label disputes, before The Look. Hewett left in 1985 for a solo career but returned in 2001. Later members included Sydney Justin; the current version features Hewett, Daniel, and Carolyn Griffey.
Shalamar sold over 25 million records and influenced fashion and dance trends. They reformed in 2001, continuing live performances with a backing band into the 2020s.
Friends
Written-By – Charmaine Sylvers, Dana Meyers, Nidra Beard
5:08
A2 Don't Try To Change Me
Written-By – Roberta Stiger, Tina Scott, William Bryant
4:08
A3 Help Me
Written-By – Jody Watley, Joey Gallo, Leon Sylvers, Jr., Nidra Beard
5:08
A4 On Top Of The World
Written-By – Dana Meyers, Richard Randolph
4:04
A5 I Don't Wanna Be The Last To Know
Written-By – Kevin Spencer, Linda Carriere (2), Nidra Beard, William Shelby
3:54
B1 Friends
Written-By – Glen Barbee, Nidra Beard, William Shelby
5:00
B2 Playing To Win
Written-By – Charmaine Sylvers, Jody Watley, Ralph E. Clayborne
4:18
B3 I Just Stopped By Because I Had To
Written-By – Joey Gallo, Leon Sylvers, Jr., Nidra Beard, Stephen Shockley
4:05
B4 There It Is
Written-By – Charmaine Sylvers, Dana Meyers, Nidra Beard
4:26
B5 I Can Make You Feel Good
Written-By – Howard Hewett, Renwick Jackson, William Shelby
Label: Solar K 52345
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: UK
Released: 1982
Genre: R&B Soul, Pop
Style: Eighties Soul, Disco, Funk
Shalamar’s 1982 album Friends is widely regarded by critics and fans as the definitive work of the group's "classic" lineup, featuring Howard Hewett, Jody Watley, and Jeffrey Daniel. Produced by Leon Sylvers III, the album is celebrated as a "testament" to his musical ability and a peak example of early 1980s post-disco and synth-funk.
Reviews frequently highlight the "Solar Sound"—a polished blend of 70s orchestral elements (strings and brass) with crisp 80s synthesizers and drum machines. Sylvers' "watertight" basslines and "superlative" production are credited for giving the album a contemporary feel that has aged well.
The "tag-team" chemistry between Howard Hewett’s emotive tenor and Jody Watley’s stylish vocals is often cited as the album's core strength.
While primarily known for its massive UK hit singles—"A Night to Remember," "There It Is," "I Can Make You Feel Good," and the title track—the deeper cuts like "I Don't Wanna Be the Last to Know" are also praised as first-class R&B ballads.
Described as a "joyous work" and "supreme, shiny pop soul" that was as central to 1982 as seminal albums by ABC or Simple Minds. Users generally rate it highly (avg. ~3.5/5), calling it a "must-have" for fans of West Coast R&B, though some note it can occasionally feel "generic" in its disco-funk tropes.
Friends is considered a definitive album of 1982, successfully transitioning the group from a disco act to a versatile, modern dance-pop group,
Modern reissues, particularly the Big Break Records (BBR) Deluxe Edition, are highly recommended for their remastering quality, which brings out instrument separation and bass depth not found in older pressings.
Go For It
Written-By, Producer – Jeffrey Daniel
5:29
A2 Appeal
Written-By, Producer – Jeffrey Daniel
5:20
A3 The Final Analysis
Female Voice – Stephanie Mills Daniel
Written-By, Producer – Jeffrey Daniel
3:12
A4 You've Got Me Running
Written-By, Producer – Howard Hewett, James Ingram
3:57
B1 Sweeter As The Days Go By
Arranged By [Horn & String Arrangements] – Gene Dozier
Producer – Leon Sylvers, III
Written-By – Linda Carriere, Ricky Smith
3:47
B2 Talk To Me
Arranged By [Horn & String Arrangements] – David Crawford
Producer – Leon Sylvers, III
Written-By – Glen Barbee, Jody Watley
6:14
B3 Good Feelings
Producer – Leon Sylvers, III
Written-By – Howard Hewett, Wardell Potts, Jr., William Shelby
4:20
B4 Rocker
Street Scene Voice – David Mills, Jerel Daniel, Jody Watley, Lakiva Hewett, Linwood Bates, Lionel Spears, Tony Adams
Written-By, Producer, Voice [Street Scene Voice] – Jeffrey Daniel
6:57
Label: Solar – BXL1-3984
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1981
Genre: R&B Funk, Soul
Style: Eighties Soul, Funk, Disco
The Look
Written-By – Dana Meyers, William Zimmerman, Wilmer Raglin
5:07
A2 Dead Giveaway
Written-By – Joey Gallo, Leon F. Sylvers III, Marquis Dair
5:01
A3 You Can Count On Me
Written-By – Carrie Lucas, Ken Rarick
3:47
A4 Right Here
Written-By – Kevin Spencer, Leon F. Sylvers III, Ricky Sylvers, Vincent Brantley
4:16
A5 No Limits (The Now Club)
Featuring Jody Watley
Written-By – Joey Gallo, Leon F. Sylvers III, Marquis Dair, Patricia Sylvers
4:47
B1 Disappearing Act
Featuring Jody Watley
Written-By – Dana Meyers, Foster Sylvers, Janet Cole
5:25
B2 Over And Over
Written-By – Dominic Leslie, Leon F. Sylvers III, William Shelby
4:34
B3 You're The One For Me
Written-By – Howard Hewett, Isaias Gamboa, Leon F. Sylvers III
5:00
B4 You Won't Miss Love (Until It's Gone)
Written-By – Howard Hewett, Rickey Smith, Wardell Potts, Jr.
4:06
B5 The Look
Written-By – Howard Hewett, Stanley Clarke
4:06
Label: Solar – 9 60239
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1983
Genre: R&B Funk, Soul
Style: Eighties Soul, Funk, Disco
Three For Love
Written-By – Jody Watley, Joey Gallo, Richard Randolph
6:20
A2 Attention To My Baby
Written-By – Kevin Spencer, Wardell Potts, William Shelby
4:32
A3 Somewhere There's A Love
Written-By – Ernest "Pepper" Reed, Otis Stokes, William Shelby
4:23
A4 Some Things Never Change
Written-By – Dana Meyers, William Shelby
4:55
B1 Make That Move
Written-By – Kevin Spencer, Ricky Smith, William Shelby
6:15
B2 This Is For The Lover In You
Written-By – Dana Meyers, Howard Hewett
5:04
B3 Work It Out
Written-By – Jody Watley, Nidra Beard
4:24
B4 Pop Along Kid
Written-By – Howard Hewett, Jeffrey Daniel (3), Nidra Beard
4:48
Label: Solar – BZL1-3577
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1980
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Eighties Soul, Disco