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Solid Gold Soul

June 8, 2007

Welcome to Solid Gold Soul

About Freddie Bell

Freddie Bell, velvet morning voice talent is a mellifluous voice actor, broadcast-journalist, speaker and National Voice Actor. His vast voice over credits, include hosting several radio programs including the Tom Joyner Morning Show, The Love Train, It’s The Gospel in Tampa, The Freddie Bell Morning Show in radio on KSGS - 950AM, Solid Gold Soul in Minneapolis, plus This is Music, The Freddie Bell Countdown Show and The Minneapolis NAACP Community Affairs television Programs in Minneapolis.
Invite Freddie to your next event or seminar as a Keynote Speaker, covering topics including You Gotta Have H.E.A.R.T., Tuning In to R.A.D.I.O, Maximizing Your Potential, Imagination, The Secret Key To Success, Winning Through Community Service, Dreaming Your Way to Success and a variety of topics related to sales and sales management. Freddie shares ideas and techniques he used to propel Solid Gold Soul Radio into a household name.
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CUBA GOODING JR. SAVES A LIFE

Boyz N The Hood and Jerry Maguire star Cuba Gooding Jr. recently saved a young man’s life. The actor was picking up take-out from a Hollywood restaurant on Memorial Day when he heard gunshots and then saw a young man stumbling towards him. The guy was bleeding from the neck and collapsed near the Oscar winner. Gooding cradled the man in his arms, called out for towels to help stop the bleeding, and held the man until medics came to the scene. A witness told the New York Daily News, “He stemmed the bleeding and hailed a passing police car. He waited on the scene until an ambulance arrived.”

PRINCE HEADED TO TELEVISION

Prince didn’t make it onto American Idol this year, but he still has plans for a reality TV appearance. The Sun reports the singer is in discussions to play a surprise gig on the British show Big Brother. His management is in talks with the London production following Prince’s orders to arrange an appearance on what the newspaper claims is one of his favorite shows. “Prince is a huge fan of Big Brother. He has tuned in to every series of the show so far and loves the concept.” Big Brother places strangers in a house full of cameras and the contestants must vote each other out until one remains.

SPIKE LEE PLANNING FILM ABOUT BLACK WWII SOLDIERS

Director Spike Lee, who said Monday that he will revisit the topics in his New Orleans documentary When The Levees Broke in a future project, revealed Wednesday that his next film will be about African American servicemen who fought in World War II.

The flick, to be shot in Italy, will be adapted from James McBride’s novel Miracle At St. Anna. The book is based on a true story about a group of soldiers from the 92nd, all-black Buffalo Division fighting against Nazi occupation in Tuscany, and the friendship between one soldier and a six-year- old Italian orphan.

BUSTA RHYMES AVOIDS WEAPONS CHARGE IN ASSAULT CASE

Busta Rhymes is currently facing assault charges for two separate incidents and a drunk driving charge. On Tuesday, June 5th, the rapper got some good news when Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Shawndya Simpson ruled that prosecutors could not add a weapons charge to one of the rapper’s assault cases. New York Newsday reports that when Rhymes was arrested last August for assaulting a fan who spat on his car, officers discovered a machete in the rear seat pocket of the rapper’s car.

Although Rhymes won’t have to worry about the weapons charge, he still has to deal with the two assault cases and the DUI charge. Last month, the rapper turned down a plea deal that would have resolved all three cases in exchange for a year in jail, participation in an alcohol treatment program, and a $1,500 fine.

Rhymes is due back in court on December 11th.

DMX ANNOUNCES SUMMER TOUR

Rapper DMX has spent more time in-and-out of court over the past year than on the stage but the rapper is hoping to change that this summer as he announces plans for a 17-city tour. SOHH.com reports that DMX will kick-off the tour on June 15th at B.B. King’s in New York City and it will wrap on July 22nd at the Crocodile Rock in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

In related news, Def Jam Records has decided to release a 20-song DMX greatest hits set, titled The Definition of X: Pick of The Litter, which will hit stores on June 12th.

The set will include “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem,” “Get At Me Dog,” “Stop Being Greedy,” “How’s It Going Down,” “What These B**ches Want,” “Blackout,” “What’s My Name?,” “Who We Be,” “X Gon’ Give It To Ya,” “Where the Hood At,” and several other songs.

DIDDY MAKES HISTORY WITH UNFORGIVABLE

Hip hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs is a trailblazer. Last week, Combs made history when he became the first African American to win the Men’s Fragrance of the Year award at the Fragrance Foundation’s 35th Annual FiFi Awards in New York. Combs told Allhiphop.com, “Somebody from fashion had come up to me, an African-American man and he had tears in his eyes because the fashion industry is such a segregated industry and he was just stating that I didn’t realize that I was the first African American to ever win this award. I’ve won Grammys and other awards, but to really win this award is a crazy honor. It’s a part of history so it feels great.”

The mogul added, “I felt like there was a void out there. The success of (Unforgivable) is based on the way it smells, it’s not really based on my celebrity. It’s based on the way it smells. I think a lot of men and women are tired of men smelling like their grandfathers.”

In September, Combs plans to release Unforgivable for women, in conjunction with a major push for his Sean John women’s line in department stores across the country. He shared what women could expect from the new perfume. Combs said, “We made something that was very sensual, very sexy, very clean. It was a huge void in the marketplace and it’s infectious. People smell it, they wanna smell it all the time. It’s the only fragrance they wanna wear.”

R. KELLY’S ‘DOUBLE UP’ LANDS AT NUMBER ONE

R. Kelly’s new CD, Double Up, has landed at Number One on the Billboard 200 albums chart this week. His sixth Number One set sold 386,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Each of Kelly’s 10 studio albums — including his 2005 smash, TP3 Reloaded — have reached either Number One or Number Two on the pop chart.

The chart position was boosted by the popularity of the lead single “I’m A Flirt,” which peaked at Number Two on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The follow- up single, “Same Girl” featuring Usher, is already Top 10 at urban radio.

Neither the Chicago artist’s success, nor his spirit, have been dented by the fact that he is still awaiting trial on child pornography charges made almost five years ago. In the June/July issue of Giant Magazine, Kelly declares: “The haters spark fire in me to strive even more and work harder. And stay hungrier. I’m very competitive and the more you talk about me, the more I’m gonna ride and the more I’m gonna strive and stay focused. Thank God for my fans and radio stations cause all that overwhelms the bull–t as far as the haters.”

Double Up was released on Jive Records on May 29th.

JOHN LEGEND TO GET SPECIAL AWARD AT SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME

Grammy winner John Legend gets to add another honor to his trophy shelf. The “Save Room” singer will be presented with the Hal David Starlight Award (June 7th) at the 2007 Songwriters Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.

Other special honorees for the event will be country legend Dolly Parton and veteran publisher, promoter, and presenter Don Kirshner.

A slate of veteran songwriters will also be inducted into the hall of fame at this year’s ceremony. Legend’s current single, “Another Again,” reached Number 14 on the national urban AC charts. The track is the latest single from his sophomore CD Once Again.

MALCOLM-JAMAL WARNER’S BAND - MILES LONG - IS HEATING UP THE AIRWAVES WITH NEW SINGLE

“It’s funny, people aren’t so much surprised that I have a band as much as they are that we’re good,” chuckles Malcolm-Jamal Warner, contemplating the buzz surrounding his jazz/funk band, Miles Long. Having performed to packed houses on the LA club circuit, playing in several jazz festivals, and with one album already under his belt, The Miles Long Mixtape, Warner comfortably and convincingly leads his crew through several head-bobbing tunes with heavy bass grooves (electric and upright) and dynamic spoken word.

And now, comes the Warner’s latest offering, “If I Were Your Girlfriend”. The track is incredibly upbeat with Warner’s tone bringing a surprisingly tender tone with words that speak of experience and insight. Click here to check it out or if you are a local Texan, you can call 866-923-8439 and leave a message for the Music Director, Babysitter or log on directly to their website.

Even though several major labels vied to sign the band, Warner, who has established himself as stage, television, and film actor over the past 20 years opted instead to record and produce his CD as an independent artist. “Because I’m not looking toward this to make me rich and famous, I have the luxury to truly approach music as an artist. Since there is such a negative preconception of actors as recording artists, it was important that I have the creative freedom I needed, unencumbered by someone else’s idea of what’s good.”

Miles Long offers a refreshing perspective to today’s music with influences that range from Miles Davis to Stevie Wonder to Led Zeppelin to The Roots coupled with having grown up as part of the hip-hop generation.

This electric combination is what gives Miles Long its distinctive sound and what keeps them side- stepping any attempts at categorizing their music. Says Malcolm-Jamal Warner, “Urban Jazz/Funk has been the closest description, which is cool because we do approach you like jazz, but definitely hit you with the funk.”

JOSS STONE ANNOUNCES NEW STRING OF TOUR DATES

Soulful British singer Joss Stone has just announced a string of 12 late summer concert dates to promote her new CD, Introducing Joss Stone. The tour — the second half of a North American trek that started earlier this year — will kick off August 27th at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles and wrap up in Kansas City on September 29th. Though not her first recording, Stone says the current set is a true representation of her artistry. The singer collaborated on most of the material with writer- producer Raphael Saadiq. Lauryn Hill and rapper Common also guest.

Stone says her writing methods depend on her collaborator: “I don’t play any instruments, so I write with people and it really depends on how they write. I can write in any way. Like, if you want to start with a title, cool, let’s start with a title. If you want to start with a beat, let’s do that. Like, some people are very, um, they have a formula that they just stick to so if that writer comes in I just kind of just mold myself to their formula and be like, OK, however you really want to do it.”

Stone is currently wrapping up the first leg of her U.S. tour. Remaining dates include June 8th at New York City’s Central Park Summerstage; June 11th at Boston’s Avalon Ballroom; and June 13th at the Filene Center in Vienna, Virginia.

Stone’s second leg of North American tour dates is as follows:

August 27 - Los Angeles - Greek Theatre
August 30 - Park City, UT - Snow Park Amphitheatre
September 1 - Snowmass Village, CO - Jazz Aspen Snowmass
September 3 - Seattle, WA - Bumbershoot Festival
September 6 - Jacksonville, OR - Britt Pavilion
September 8 - Las Vegas, NV - Mandalay Bay
September 11 - Mexico City, MEX - Vive Cuervo Salon
September 14 - Austin, TX - Austin City Limits
September 16 - Biloxi, MS - Hard Rock Hotel
September 20 - Chicago, IL - Charter One Pavilion w/ Common
September 23 - San Francisco, CA - Now & Zen Festival
September 29 - Kansas City, MO - Crossroads

Black History Fact

In 1917, Gwendolyn Brooks is born. She was the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize.
In 1946, The U.S. Supreme Court bans discrimination in interstate travel.
In 1979, Chuck Berry performs at the White House one week before he’s due in court to face income tax evasion charges. Little more than a month later he’s sentenced to four months in jail for income tax evasion.
In 1986, “Nasty” by Janet Jackson entered the Top 40 chart.
In 1990, Michael Jackson is hospitalized for chest pains.
In 1993, Prince celebrates his birthday by changing his name to a circle with a curved line below with its right end like a flare pant, and its left end terminates as a 480-degree loop, plus a male arrow with a female bar crossing it points down from the figure. No spoken word exists for this symbol. He also announces he is breaking with his band, the New Power Generation.
In 1996, Oscar De La Hoya makes the 100th fight of Julio Cesar Chavez’s career look like his first. De La Hoya sliced open a cut over Chavez’s left eye in the first round, then beat him into a bloody mess in the fourth round before referee Joe Cortez stepped in to stop the fight.
In 1998, in a crime that shocked the nation, James Byrd, Jr., a 49-year-old black man, was chained to a pickup truck and dragged to his death in Jasper, Texas, by three white men.
In 1999, the FBI puts alleged terrorist mastermind Osama Bin Laden on the list of the Ten Most Wanted fugitives.

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Celebrity Birthdays

Allen Iverson, NBA player, 32
T-Low (Terrance Brown), member of Next, 33
Prince (singer, guitarist, and composer) (49)
L.A. Reid (R&B songwriter/producer) (51)
Prince reached 49 yesterday

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Words To the Wise

Stay true to the game.
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Contact Information

Freddie Bell
PO Box 390521
Minneapolis, MN 55439
fbellsolidgoldsoul@gmail.com
888-639-9738