Page Four Jimmie continued to stay in touch with Monte. He attended Kenny Rankin's album release at Monte's house in Hollywood. Entertainers from stage, film and TV were in attendance. Stevie Wonder stole the show. Monte set up a stage by his pool and different singers and musicians took the stage to do their thing. Mick Jagger was the best dressed. "Mick was so cool. He wore his torn blue jeans proudly. When George Carlin recorded his first album, Monte asked Jimmie to listen and give him an opinion. He really liked George's delivery. His radio experience was reflected in his clear delivery. Jimmie believes that George is one of the funniest comics in the business.
While Jeanne made meetings with different entertainment executives seeking film or TV deals, Jimmie got involved producing music for Miss America Pagent. Jimmie also produced TV commercials. Jeanne received a proposition for Jimmie from Motown. They wanted him to sign a seven year contract to write and produce for their A&R department. He thought that term of contract was too long, so he didn't sign.
1974 led Jimmie in a different direction. He received an invitation to do live concerts in East Africa. Mzee Rockins had established contacts and business entities in East Africa. Jimmie was very excited about performing in Africa when the aircraft landed in Nairobi, Kenya he looked out into a different world. The faces of all the people seemed so new to him. Everything appeared to be so original and ancient. Jimmie felt his spirit responding to the home land. "The experience was a baptism of spiritual lights and sounds filling up my soul with love and happiness" He replied to when asked about his arrival in Africa.
The East African Tour was enlightening and self fulfilling. Jimmie made friends on every concert date. He played auditoriums and stadiums, the audiences loved him and his music. One night at the Amboseli Room, in the Nairobi Hilton, there was standing room only, all German soldiers. Not one of them spoke English. At first the language barrier left them with stone faces. Jimmie selected Ray Charles "What I Say" to wake them up. Each of them participated in the back and forth repetition of the song's break down funky groove. Jimmie would tell them to clap their hands and stomp their feet and the floor would start shaking. It was a feel good, good feeling time. Jimmie did concert dates in Kenya and Tanzania. The tour ended. Jimmie made stops in England and France on the way back to the USA. We stopped in London to check out the entertainment scene. Tommy Hunt was apperaring at a club there. Jimmie wanted to stop by to see him, but time did not allow it. Tommy was one of the entertainers that I admired watching on stage. He was a showman. He did exciting things with the microphone. James Brown, Joe Tex and Tommy Hunt used the mic as an entertaining prop. Tommy showed me how to do one of his best tricks. The last time I saw him was in the mid sixites appearing at Joey Dee's club. The peppermint lounge in NYC. I told him that I had perfected the spin around, split, throw the mic up into the air and catch it on que. Thanks Tommy.
From the tour experience, melodies began to fill Jimmie's mind. In 1975 he composed and produced "The Soul Thing" album. Jimmie contacted Jeanne Smith to co-produce a TV pilot featuring the music from the album. After the production was finished, Jimmie and Jeanne's relationship faded away. He was contacted by a Jamaican promoter with a tour proposition. Jimmie went to the Islands and played dates. He was surprised at how similar the culture was to East Africa. He released the album on Federal Records for distribution in the Caribbean Island markets.
Jimmie stayed in contact with Monte to catch up on what was new with his office. He always appeared to be very interested in what Jimmie was doing. At different times he would give a direction or a name of a person to contact. There were always entertainment dignitaries at Monte's house when Jimmie would visit. He enjoyed bumping into Flip and George Carlin, they made him laugh a lot. John Levy was also living in Hollywood. Jimmie callled him and sometimes went by to see him.
Jimmie composed several songs that he wanted to put in an album titled "The Lover." In 1979 he contacted Eddie Langford. Jimmie met with Eddie at Motown. He was A&R person for the label. He agreed to co-produce the album. His musician contact was immense. Harry Goodnight was selected to arrrange the music. Eddie got James Ingram and background singers from "The Natalie Cole Show" to do vocals. James also played piano on the album. The music that Goodnight scored was huge. A very big, full sound. When the production was finished Jimmie played it for Monte. He loved it. He approached Berry Gordy to introduce him to Jimmie. After a few weeks, and no word from Berry, Jimmie called Andy Hussakowsky in NYC. Jimmie met Andy at a party in NYC at the Hilton Hotel for Donna Summers. He agreed to release the album. Jimmie received a call from Motown saying Diana Ross was interested in singing "Love Is The Way" on her next album. The song was one of the ballads on "The Lover" album. Jimmie considered it, but decided to sign with Andy. Late 1979 Andy released the album on his label CRC. He teamed up with Ron Mosley to create a promotion plan for the album. Jimmie met Ron when he first arrived in NYC in the early 60's. Ron was working with Gene Redd who later directed Kool and The Gang to success. Ron came to Hollywood to meet with Jimmie and discuss their promotional plan for the album.
In the beginning of 1980, Jimmie received a call from his family in Niagara Falls that his mother was in the hospital and it didn't look good. A few days after that call , his mother passed away. Jimmie went to NYC to meet with CRC to get copies of his new album "The Lover" He left NYC for Niagara Falls to attend his mother's funeral. "I was very strong before I arrived at the funeral parlor to view my mom's body. When I walked into the room I glanced over at her body. My sister Pearl was standing over her. I slowly moved closer and then I lost it. It felt like something had entered my body and ripped out my heart. I left the parlor. I knew something was happening to me. I could feel the energy draining from my body. I managed to get through the funeral with help from my family. I was never the same after mom died." As Jimmie explained his feelings, his eyes got watery. Click to Continue
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