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Dawn Silva
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In a nutshell
Dawn Silva was born in Sacramento, California. She started her career as a background vocalist for Sly and The Family Stone. She joined P-Funk in 1977. She was the only original Brides of Funkenstein member who stayed through the Brides' career. In 1978, with Lynn Mabry, she released the Brides of Funkenstein album "Funk or Walk". The album's first single titled "Disco To Go" sold over five hundred thousand units, and was certified Gold. In 1979, with Sheila Horne & Jeanette McGruder, she released the Brides of Funkenstein album "Never Buy Texas From A Cowboy", voted in 2001 by Rolling Stone as one of the top 50 coolest albums ever released.
Silva recorded and toured with The Gap Band in 1982. She signed a solo deal with Polygram Records in 1988, but her debut album was never released. Her recording and touring credits include Ice Cube, Roy Ayers, Snoop Dogg, Coolio, B.B. King and Parliament-Funkadelic.
In December 2000 her first solo album titled “All my funky friends” got released in Europe. Hailed by Tower Records as “the only authentic funk album to be released in over two decades”, it sold thousands of units.
Silva is currently writing and recording her sophomore CD, produced by Parliament-Funkadelic's legendary Bernie Worrell and Maze's guitarist extraordinaire Vernon Black, (musical director for Christina Aguilera, Celine Dion, The Family Stone Experience, etc.) and scheduled for release later this year. Dawn Silva will be touring the world to support the album's release.
(Source: Wikipedia / edited by Quentin Geerinckx )
Biography
In the mid-seventies while Donny Hathaway was singing about being "young, gifted and black..." Dawn Silva was living that precious experience. Fresh out of high school, Silva took a giant step up from singing in her Mom's Sacramento, California garage to singing all over the world with musical legend, Sly Stone, as well as a featured vocalist with Sly and the Family Stone.
When the Family Stone dropped out of a supporting slot on a world tour which featured Parliament-Funkadelic and Bootsy 's Rubber Band, Dawn Silva was lured to the Mothership by none other than Dr. Funkenstein himself, George Clinton.
P-Funk did not simply “cross over”; the Funk Mob took over. Post Civil Rights era youth both R&B and Rock fans alike, were transported to a place they never thought about going – outer space – by P-Funk's thought provoking high concepts and danceable funky grooves. Dawn Silva happened to be in the right place at the right time. P-Funk's vocal harmonies blended black gospel, Motown-Philly doo-wop, and rock all together in one song.
The women of P-Funk were right there making their contributions. Dawn Silva and Lynn Mabry formed The Brides of Funkenstein. In a genre of music dominated by males, the Brides were more than an offshoot group; they were critically acclaimed artists with record sales, awards, and standing ovations before sell-out crowds to prove it.
After the release of their debut album “Funk Or Walk”, the Brides of Funkenstein earned an R&B Award as “Best New Female Group”. Their debut album went gold by selling over 500,000 units. The Brides second album “Never Buy Texas from a Cowboy” became an instant classic with its hip concept (Mother Wit meets funk) and high-octane vocals. Rolling Stone Magazine recently named it one of the 50 Coolest Albums of All Time. And they were on that list with the likes of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and others.
Throughout the 80's and 90's, Dawn toured and recorded with some of the funkiest talent on both sides of the Atlantic including the Gap Band, the Eurythmics, Ice Cube and Coolio. When the new millennium hit, it was time for Dawn to mix together all her steamy music roots in a solo album which was written to capture her true essence.
In late 2000 Dawn released her debut solo CD titled “All My Funky Friends”, described by Tower Records as “one of the most understated albums to hit the market, very possibly the only authentic contemporary funk album of 2000.”
With new technology available, recording artists no longer need major labels or big studios (i.e. budgets) to record high quality albums. Dawn's 12–song disc did not just feature her singing, it also showcased her song-writing, producing and arranging talents. By creating her own label Silva Sound Music, she was able to release All My Funky Friends independently and market it herself through Amazon.com. Selling the first eight thousand units via the Internet through her own website, Silva acts as her own manager, promoter, booking agent and publicist. And while U. S. radio with its rigid formats and tight play lists have ignored “All My Funky Friends”, Europe , North America and Asia have embraced it. “All My Funky Friends” was the talk of the Internet via newsgroups and websites all over the world; bringing her product to the attention of an independent label in Paris, France called Musisoft. The French label licensed All My Funky Friends for a year and soon moved over 15,000 units without any major promotions. She then signed with Challenge Records of Holland. The single, “Red Light District” went into heavy rotation in the Benelux earning rave reviews. The recording industry was caught off guard by her success – with Billboard Magazine, breaking a rigid tradition by running a feature article on Dawn Silva, an artist without a major deal.
The buzz about her album has paid off in live performances in Canada, Asia, Europe, in her hometown of Sacramento, including a headline spot at the 2002 North Sea Jazz Festival in Den Haag, Holland . Record executives may not believe in what she's doing, but clearly thousands of funk-starved fans worldwide do.
“The Funk is just as influential as Motown was during the Civil Rights Movement, and the Funk is still alive,” Dawn insists. There are at least two generations of original funkateers out there – says Dawn. Those who met at P-Funk concerts on predominately black college campuses got married and their children who grew up listening to their parents' vinyl funk albums. This generation of hip-hop kids recognize the samples used in rap music."
This funky diva continues on her funk mission, performing as a solo-artist; as well as touring as an original member of the Brides of Funkenstein, combining the elements of rock, jazz, rhythm & blues, pop, funk and gospel music. Dawn Silva's stage persona has been written to be fiery, infectious, and legendary.
Her new CD is scheduled for release later this year. Dawn Silva will be touring the world to support the album's release.
(source: Dawn Silva / edited by Quentin Geerinckx )
