Cuba Gooding and The Main Ingredient
Los Angeles, California, United States | MAJOR
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Soul Train creator Don Cornelius was memorialized in Los Angeles this month , but the cruise commemorating his landmark show will sail on.
The first-ever Soul Train Cruise embarks Feb. 17, 2013, from Fort Lauderdale on Holland America Line’s 1,848-passenger Westerdam.
The sailing will feature live performances by legendary R&B artists such as Patti LaBelle, The O’Jays, Kool and the Gang, Jeffrey Osborne, The Spinners, War, Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes, Russell Thompkins, Jr. & The New Stylistics, Cuba Gooding, Sr. and the Main Ingredient, Gerald Alston of The Manhattans, George Duke and many more.
Besides concerts, the cruise will include Soul By The Sea beach parties, a Solid Gold Theme Ball with the Soul Train Line and DJs spinning R&B hits. Passengers will be encouraged to dress in the style that was popular when the original TV series launched in 1970.
The seven-night Caribbean sailing will visit Grand Turk, San Juan, St. Thomas and Half Moon Cay before returning to Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 24.
“We are extending the Soul Train brand from the television tracks to the high seas,” said cruise organizer Kenard Gibbs, CEO of Soul Train Holdings, LLC, in a statement. “The Soul Train brand is about the best in music, dance and fashion – a cruise on the high seas combined with an incredible music lineup, fun people and top-notch accommodations will make for another fun filled entertainment experience for folks who can’t get enough of our beloved brand.”
Soul Train was one of television’s longest running shows when it was finally retired in 2006 after 26 years. Cornelius hosted the show until 1993. He died on Feb. 1 at age 75 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Copyright 2012 USATODAY.com
- USA Today
Soul Train creator Don Cornelius was memorialized in Los Angeles this month , but the cruise commemorating his landmark show will sail on.
The first-ever Soul Train Cruise embarks Feb. 17, 2013, from Fort Lauderdale on Holland America Line’s 1,848-passenger Westerdam.
The sailing will feature live performances by legendary R&B artists such as Patti LaBelle, The O’Jays, Kool and the Gang, Jeffrey Osborne, The Spinners, War, Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes, Russell Thompkins, Jr. & The New Stylistics, Cuba Gooding, Sr. and the Main Ingredient, Gerald Alston of The Manhattans, George Duke and many more.
Besides concerts, the cruise will include Soul By The Sea beach parties, a Solid Gold Theme Ball with the Soul Train Line and DJs spinning R&B hits. Passengers will be encouraged to dress in the style that was popular when the original TV series launched in 1970.
The seven-night Caribbean sailing will visit Grand Turk, San Juan, St. Thomas and Half Moon Cay before returning to Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 24.
“We are extending the Soul Train brand from the television tracks to the high seas,” said cruise organizer Kenard Gibbs, CEO of Soul Train Holdings, LLC, in a statement. “The Soul Train brand is about the best in music, dance and fashion – a cruise on the high seas combined with an incredible music lineup, fun people and top-notch accommodations will make for another fun filled entertainment experience for folks who can’t get enough of our beloved brand.”
Soul Train was one of television’s longest running shows when it was finally retired in 2006 after 26 years. Cornelius hosted the show until 1993. He died on Feb. 1 at age 75 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Copyright 2012 USATODAY.com
- USA Today
On Saturday June 18th, the Baja Good Life Club hosted Cuba Gooding Sr. the lead singer of the soul group The Main Ingredient at La Ventana del Mar Resort Pavilion at El Dorado Ranch in San Felipe. Cuba performed his most notable hit, "Everybody Plays the Fool" (1972) as well as his forthcoming release "Begins with the Family" and many others to a sold-out crowd.
Cuba's performance was high-energy fun that not only brought the audience to their feet for the incredible music, and strong vocal performance, but also his message "that the children are the most important."
Cuba performed the entire event free; giving all the proceeds to over 50 children in Casa de Fe and El Oasis orphanages within the greater San Felipe area. The proceeds raised are going to San Felipe dentist Dr. Jason Corpus, so that he can examine, clean and fix the all children's teeth from Casa de Fe and El Oasis Orphanages.
Cuba a resident of Baja and wanted to let people know that Baja is a safe and welcoming place, and that in the fall he will be opening the Cuba Gooding Sr. Pyramid Amphitheater in Tijuana with the goal of bringing other artists, such as himself to Baja.
- Baja Good Life
On Saturday June 18th, the Baja Good Life Club hosted Cuba Gooding Sr. the lead singer of the soul group The Main Ingredient at La Ventana del Mar Resort Pavilion at El Dorado Ranch in San Felipe. Cuba performed his most notable hit, "Everybody Plays the Fool" (1972) as well as his forthcoming release "Begins with the Family" and many others to a sold-out crowd.
Cuba's performance was high-energy fun that not only brought the audience to their feet for the incredible music, and strong vocal performance, but also his message "that the children are the most important."
Cuba performed the entire event free; giving all the proceeds to over 50 children in Casa de Fe and El Oasis orphanages within the greater San Felipe area. The proceeds raised are going to San Felipe dentist Dr. Jason Corpus, so that he can examine, clean and fix the all children's teeth from Casa de Fe and El Oasis Orphanages.
Cuba a resident of Baja and wanted to let people know that Baja is a safe and welcoming place, and that in the fall he will be opening the Cuba Gooding Sr. Pyramid Amphitheater in Tijuana with the goal of bringing other artists, such as himself to Baja.
- Baja Good Life
Don Cornelius isn't getting the credit he deserves for "creating" the biggest music stars of the 70s -- at least according to Cuba Gooding Senior ... who got his big break on "Soul Train."
Long before CG Jr. was shouting, "Show me the money" -- Gooding Sr. and his group, the Main Ingredient, were singing "Everybody Plays the Fool" on "Soul Train" in '73 (below).
Gooding tells us groups like The Temptations, The Stylistics, and Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes can also thank Cornelius for giving them major TV exposure. By the way, Cuba still has serious pipes (check the clip) ... and says, "What Don Cornelius decided to do was put us all on television. Regional at first, then local. Then the entire planet!"
Cornelius was found dead in his home on February 1 of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
- TMZ
Don Cornelius isn't getting the credit he deserves for "creating" the biggest music stars of the 70s -- at least according to Cuba Gooding Senior ... who got his big break on "Soul Train."
Long before CG Jr. was shouting, "Show me the money" -- Gooding Sr. and his group, the Main Ingredient, were singing "Everybody Plays the Fool" on "Soul Train" in '73 (below).
Gooding tells us groups like The Temptations, The Stylistics, and Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes can also thank Cornelius for giving them major TV exposure. By the way, Cuba still has serious pipes (check the clip) ... and says, "What Don Cornelius decided to do was put us all on television. Regional at first, then local. Then the entire planet!"
Cornelius was found dead in his home on February 1 of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
- TMZ
Discography
ALBUMS
2009 NEVER GIVE UP single
2007 POLITICS single
2005 EUPHRATES RIVER [BONUS TRACK]
2004 BEGIN WITH THE FAMILY
1993 MEANT TO BE IN LOVE
1989 I JUST WANNA LOVE YOU
1981 I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU
1980 READY FOR LOVE
1979 LOVE DANCER
1978 THE FIRST CUBA GOODING ALBUM
1977 MUSIC MAXIMUS
1975 SHAME ON THE WORLD
1975 ROLLING DOWN A MOUNTAINSIDE
1974 EUPHRATES RIVER
1973 AFRODISIAC
1972 BITTERSWEET
1971 TASTEFUL SOUL
1971 BLACK SEEDS
1970 THE MAIN INGREDIENT L.T.D.
BOX SET/COMPILATIONS
2005 EVERYBODY PLAYS THE FOOL: THE
BEST OF THE MAIN INGREDIENT
2004 GREATEST HITS [COLLECTABLES]
2000 GREATEST HITS: THE ENCORE **COLLECTION
1996 A QUIET STORM
Photos
Bio
The harmonic convergence known as The Main Ingredient that pumped out such still-played '70s hits as “Everybody Plays The Fool,” “Spinning Around (I Must Be Falling In Love),” “I'm So Proud,” “You've Been My Inspiration,” “Just Don't Want To Be Lonely,” and “Happiness Is Just Around The Bend” still tours and belts out the classic sounds for audiences that crave true harmony, beautiful melodies, and lyrics they can relate to.
The Main Ingredient has toured the world extensively, and has shared the marquee with the very best names in the music business. The group was formed in Harlem New York in 1964 by Tony Silvester, Luther Simmons and Donald McPherson and was the first African American group signed under the new R&B division of RCA records.
With the untimely death of McPherson in 1971, the group found itself undergoing a transformation and enlisted as the new lead singer, neighborhood cohort, Cuba Gooding who had served as a backing vocalist for the group during McPherson’s reign and had filled in on tour during his illness.
The Gooding era began auspiciously enough with the million-selling smash "Everybody Plays the Fool," which hit number two R&B and number three pop to become the group's biggest hit ever. The accompanying album, aptly titled Bitter Sweet, became their first to hit the Top Ten on the R&B charts; its follow-up, 1973's Afrodisiac, featured several songs written or co-written by Stevie Wonder. They returned to the R&B Top Ten in 1974 with "Just Don't Want to Be Lonely," which sold over a million copies and also reached the pop Top Ten, and the disco-flavored "Happiness Is Just Around the Bend.” In 1975, the group recorded several songs co-written by Leon Ware, including the R&B Top Ten "Rolling Down a Mountainside."
With the passing of McPherson and Silvester, and the retirement of Simmons, Cuba Gooding continues to keep the group current and is backed up by the vocals of Larry Moore, also a New York native and childhood friend of Luther Simmons, and a member of the Main Ingredient for the last 15 years. Larry also continues to be a mentor and vocal coach to new and current young artists. And Donald Black, a Motown prodigy who was back up vocalist for all of Motown’s major groups such as The Temptations, Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder and who toured from 2001 until 2007 with Monroe Powell’s Platters. Don replaces 15 year veteran of the group, George Staley Sr., who recently retired.
With over 40 years under his belt as an entertainer, lead vocalist Cuba Gooding continues to thrill audiences around the world with his smooth, unique and captivating voice, all the while remaining a solid part of the musical consciousness of fans both old (The Main Ingredient) and new (as the proud dad of Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr. and Image Award nominated actor Omar Gooding). Gooding’s vocals are sampled by five-time Grammy Award winning Alicia Keys, on her smash single, “You Don’t Know My Name,” which, early in 2004, held the #1 spot on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-hop Singles & Tracks chart for nine straight weeks. Having achieved chart-topping singles with The Main Ingredient, Cuba Gooding continues his rich musical legacy by pairing up with his son Omar Gooding to produce a rap infused old school groove on the project 2 Good, while simultaneously working on his own current project Rebirth.
Currently, Cuba Gooding can be seen starring in the Time Life infomercial entitled “Sweet Soul of the 70s” as well as making frequent appearances on QVC for the same.
Most recently, Cuba was named the official Ambassador of Goodwill to Rosarito Beach in Baja, California Mexico.
“As long as we are able, we will continue to give the fans what they crave”, says Gooding. The Main Ingredient chants it’s mantra at concerts all over the world, “old school will never die” and it certainly seems to be true.
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