By carrav (66.192.18.221) on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 05:53 pm:

I don't want to create a new conversation but I've been online trying to find out what the original members of Heatwave looked like to see if the guy singing lead on the PBS special was the original. He didn't sound like the original but my husband kept telling me that he was. I wondered why he didn't sound anything like the song. But it didn't matter. I just loved seeing them sing the song.

Now I did get mad when I saw that guy out there trying to sound like Teddy Pendergrass but after I got over the fact that Teddy wasn't singing with Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes, if you turn your head, you will swear that that was Teddy on that stage.

By Wonder B (80.11.231.56) on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 06:25 pm:

The two original singers were the WILDER brothers Johnny & Keith... after a car crash, Johnny was left paralyzed and could only do studio work... I guess the one you saw was the second brother Keith...

Wonder B

By Juicefree20 (141.149.41.20) on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 08:17 pm:

carrav, the member who sang the at the beginning was indeed Keith Wilder, Johnnys brother. The gentleman who sang the falsetto parts was unnamed.
And, yes, the brothers going as Harold Melvins Bluenotes all get an A+. It's very rare for replacements to sound that good. Their lead singer definitely earned his Masters in Teddy Pendergrass 101. The harmonies were just as marvelous. As you said, if you closed your eyes.....you would have sworn that Teddy & the boys were back.

By PEEDEE (63.118.24.242) on Tuesday, March 30, 2004 - 09:42 pm:

THE LEAD SINGER IS DONNELL BIGDADDY GILLESPIE

By 1Wicked (24.126.64.72) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 03:13 am:

I had the pleasure of seeing Heatwave twice...once with the original lineup (including "Bilbo" and Rod Temperton) and later with a post-RAYDIO/pre-COMMODORES J.D. Nicholas on lead vocals, and both performances rank in my top 10. There were no Doug Henning magic tricks or huge stage props & off the hook stage wear...but Heatwave was right there with E,W,&F and The Funk Mob in terms of stage presence...and demonstrated a level of energy that made them a hard act to follow.

By KB (63.196.244.119) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 04:29 am:

They were truly the Bomb.
Yes, acrobatic on stage and Too Hot to Handle or Follow. KB

By tonyb (65.105.138.197) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 05:25 pm:

i'm one of those replacement brothers you guys talked about'harold melvin started training me at age 21 in 1972 to be a blue note i traveled with mel for 6yrs so i could learn everything i could about being an entertainersl also big daddy has been wit the bluenotes fo19yrs and rufus thorne has been with the blue notes fo28 yrs the first tenor sang on praying cd sharon paige has been with us traveling and singing hope that we can be together soon so you might call us replacement but even teddy was a replacement for a gentleman name brodie that he replaced but one thing that we know being trained by mr melvin we are his's bluenote and i know he's smiling down like a proud teacher that he was

By Juicefree20 (151.205.100.23) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 06:03 pm:

Tonyb, if you were one of the singers in the PBS special, you brothers were the bomb. You definitely learned your lessons well. I have no problem with the performance, you brothers were true to the spirit of the group. I applaud your performance, as, I could not detect a difference between you & that classic lineup. It sounded like 1972 all over again. You did them proud!

Juice

By Nosey (66.153.113.238) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 06:19 pm:

I second Juice's motion. I saw them on Valentine's Day and they were phenomenal. Thanks again, LC! You da man!

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 06:48 pm:

Carrav:
The members of Heatwave during the "Boogie Nights"/"Grooveline"/"Always & Forever" era were as follows:

Johnnie Wilder Jr. - lead vocals, percussion & composer
Keith Wilder - lead vocals
Rod Temperton - keyboards & composer
Mario Mantese - bass
Ernest Berger - drums, percussion
Roy Carter - rhythm guitar, bass, keyboards
Eric Johns - lead & rhythm guitar

Oscar-winning film composer John Cameron scored the string & horn arrangements for the band (he also arranged the strings on Bloodstone's "Natural High")

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By lady P Shy (166.68.134.174) on Thursday, April 15, 2004 - 11:05 am:

Ros and Annette like iceberg lettuce not green leaf or mesclun. I don't understand it. that's all I have to say. I like the greener lettuces. Just so you know.....

By Wonder B (193.252.209.237) on Friday, April 16, 2004 - 02:06 pm:

For all those interested in seeing and hearing a vintage live performance by the band when they only had one album under the belt, check this fabulous DVD...

http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005Y1PN/qid=1082135321/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_8_1/302-8455820-9900068

It is a great one... from 1976...

Wonder B