Angela Blair-Jeffries

Angela Blair - It's All About Love

Dallas-based singer Angela Blair has a Texas-sized voice, and it won her the role several years ago as the “Angel of Mercy” in Steve Martin’s movie Leap Of Faith. Now, after nearly a decade out of music to care for her family, Blair has returned with the self-released It’s All About Love, an attractive disc filled with both romantic and inspirational cuts, mostly written by husband Ron Blair. Angela is at her best on the Heather Headley-like ballad “Fill The Room” (a cut that deserves big-time UAC play), but also uses her deep, rich voice to make “Rainy Daze,” the jazzy title cut and a faith-filled, a cappella cover of the spiritual “Holy Holy Holy” all shine. It’s All About Love was a long time coming, but is a welcome return of a talented singer who deserves to be heard. Recommended.

CR
- chris@soultracks.com -Sept 2006

I have heard many, many cd's but, I encourage you to make this wonderful cd a part of your collection. Angela certainly is an artist to be admired and celebrated. I am proud to say I am a Texans because of her wonderful spirit and anointed voice. The Gospel Guide Online Magazine will follow her career, Angela you are destined for greatness, continue to minister through song and spirit and watch God move you to higher heights - thegospelguide.com-8/4/06

Earns Grand Prize of $25,000, Audition with Sony Urban Gospel Music and Performance at the Essence Music Festival

NEW ORLEANS, July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Angela Blair, of Rowlett, Texas has been named the winner of the 2nd Annual Kraft Gospel Talent Search, a nationwide competition showcasing the gospel music stars of tomorrow. Angela received $25,000, an audition with Sony Urban Gospel Music and an opportunity to share the Essence Music Festival stage with world-renowned artists including Alicia Keys, Aretha Franklin and Kanye West. The competition finale took place today at the House of Blues in New Orleans as a prelude to the Essence Music Festival.
- PR Newswire - July 1, 2005

Oct.14/Concert Review/Angela Blair & Bobby Sparks recieve prestigious city honors!!! - October 18, 2006
Sparks’ fly in concert

Sparks, Blair teamed up to rock Napoli’s Saturday night
By AJ Narasimhan

Local musical guru Bobby Sparks tore the roof off Napoli’s restaurant Saturday night, accompanied by one of the rising stars in the gospel vocal industry, Angela Blair.

Sparks, the Corsicana native, brought his small ensemble to downtown and from the first melodic improvisation until the last note, had the audience eating out of the palm of his hand.

The evening, aptly named “Couples Night Out,” was put on by Single Believers Ministries and achieved tremendous success. All of the proceeds from the ticket sales went to a scholarship fund for single parents to send their children to Navarro College.

Audience members applauded loudly for the hometown boy as he created magic on the keyboard while his band mates followed his lead. Sparks hit octaves many twice his age could not dream of hitting and his soulful and tasteful licks brought all in attendance to their feet.

Behind every great band leader is a great band, and Sparks brought the best with him. His saxophone player hit dizzying notes and made his instrument sing while carrying a tune.

The band opened their second number with a tribute to jazz legend Miles Davis with a piece titled “All Blues.” In the piece, Sparks showed why he is one of the best in the business by staying in the pocket and letting his imagination go wild.

After the band wrapped up the second set, Blair came up to the stage and immediately took the reins from Sparks.

Margaret Evans and Cathy Douglas read a proclamation from Mayor C.L. “Buster” Brown announcing Sat. Oct. 14 as Bobby Sparks Day. The duo then presented Blair with a key to the city.

“Wow, I don’t even have a key to my own house,” the singer jokingly replied.

From the moment Blair went on stage, she commanded the respect of the audience. Mixing a little bit of comedy, a whole lot of soul and a wonderful display of showmanship, Blair made her presence known right off the bat.

Her singing captivated, her words provoked thought and passion and her voice ... unmatched. Every high note she hit was dead on as far as pitch was concerned and the soul within Blair was unleashed.

Incorporating audience members in her show, Blair found a way to make everyone in attendance feel right at home and a part of the show.

As the evening drew to a close, with everyone standing in unison raising their hands in the air waiving in synch, Blair and Sparks thanked the crowd and departed.

For many residents, the opportunity to see live jazz in the city was a treat. To see two legends in the making unify so many different people was “All about love,” which incidentally was Blair’s title from her soundtrack.

—————
- AJ Narasimhan may be contacted via e-mail at ajn@corsicanadailysun.com

Pantene's Total You Tour stopped at the Dallas Convention Center on Saturday and offered up more of its successful formula: sister wit, spirit and sass.

On its second stop of an eight city tour, the "Total Sisterhood" event was greeted with fervent enthusiasm by the hundreds of women in awe of the celebrity-studded panel that came to drop nuggets of knowledge about self-esteem, self-love and connecting with their spiritual power bases.

After rousing performances by local gospel artists Tracy Carter and Angela Blair, comedienne and radio personality Myra J. kicked off the panel offering humorous anecdotes and advice for the youngsters; "Less rump-shakin', and more money-makin'. If there was real money to be made in music videos, more men would do it."

Eva Pigford, a winner of UPN's America's Next Top Model, discussed her latest ventures while revealing her insecurities about her small "biscuit booty"
Susan L. Taylor, the editorial director for Essence magazine, galvanized with her real-life story of perseverance over depression and self-doubt.
Texas' Jill Marie Jones of UPN's Girlfriends spoke on stereotypes and the difficulties for blacks in Hollywood, and another Texas native, Donna Richardson Joyner, got the crowd on their feet with an aerobicise routine and revealed her "steps" to health and wellness: sacrifice, tenacity, energy and prayer.
- By LORRIE IRBY JACKSON / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

The calendar, retail shops and restaurants all want you to remember that Valentine’s Day is right around the corner: your kids are sealing and sending greetings for the class party, your co-worker is bragging about the bouquet her honey is sending her and a buddy just won’t shut up about the cruise he’s got planned for the Mrs.

But what if you’re facing this declared day of love and romance all by yourself? What if you’re working through a separation, have a divorce on the horizon or haven’t had a good date in ages? Do you stay behind closed doors curled up on the couch watching that hokey movie marathon on the Lifetime channel, or shoot hoops in the gym until you drop?

Not this year, because Dallas’ own Angela Blair has a treat for your ears and that broken heart during this weekend’s “Jazz/Blues Lovesfest 2010.”

The locally-grown and nationally-known performer is headlining the evening of food, festivities, giveaways and live entertainment at the Fiesta Event Center, which is hosted by 94.5KSOUL’s Tony Bee and featuring internationally known jazz saxophonist Keith Anderson (www.fullofsoul.com), Blues Man TuTu Jones, Famed poet, and Micheal Guinn, to name a few.

She’s manifested her gift of song by appearing in a Hollywood film (cast as an “Angel of Mercy” in the motion picture “Leap of Faith” with Steve Martin and Liam Neeson), sharing the stage with a who’s who of R&B and inspirational superstars (Albertina Walker, Kim Burrell, John Legend, Byron Cage, Mary Mary, John Legend, Mary J. Blige, LL Cool J, Earth, Wind, & Fire, Frankie Beverly & Maze, Aretha Franklin, Yolanda Adams, Beyonce and many more) and independently released two well-received solo CDs (2004’s Give Me Your Love and 2006’s It’s All About Love, with a follow-up due later this year), all while being a wife and mother.

But while she’s always celebrated the holiday, this year’s Valentine’s Day has a different feel for Ms. Blair, since this is her first as a single woman.

“I want to share ministry through the music,” she says about living through the ordeal of the out-of-the-blue breakup and its painful aftermath for herself and the couple’s three children. “I’ve been all the way around, knowing who I amwith and without someone, and I just want the single and separated people to know that if you hold one just one more hour, one more day, one more week to see what’s going to happen on the side, God has it under control.”

Not that seventeen years of married life wasn’t difficult to let go of: when Ms. Blair takes the stage on Sunday night to perform well-known anthems of love and empowerment (“No More Drama,” “Let It Go,” “Me, Myself and I,” etc.), she reveals that she’s experiencing the totality of the emotions now because the abandonment by her now-ex husband took her to those same depths of depression and despair.

It took nearly two years to get closure, but what Ms. Blair wants the newly-single to realize is that they can heal, move forward and one day, love again. “Divorce is not a scarlet letter. My mother was my rock throughout the entire ordeal, and with God’s help, I was able to sit there and realize who and what I was married to, sign off and let him go.

After the hearing, I was able to go back and say to our kids ‘we’re going to forgive him, God held us together for a reason and we’re gonna continue to love him no matter what.’ ” And like many other artists, Ms. Blair’s balm for her wounded heart was writing through the crisis, penning songs that will appear on her latest CD about working through the pain (“Better”) and telling the guilty to get to steppin’ (“Do U”).

Her ultimate message? Even if you’re not part of a couple this year, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself. “We’re gonna make sure that they if you don’t have anybody now, that they at least nurture and love themselves. So I’ll be doing that with the messages in my music, and I’m hoping by the end of the night, even if they’re not married or ‘booed up,’ we can teach them how to fall in love with themselves again.”

CLICK ON LINK FOR TICKETS:

http://www.nearbyentertainment.net/pb/wp_16ff2c35/wp_16ff2c35.html

Tickets are also available at:

South Dallas Cafe, 3136 Grand Ave. Dallas, Texas (214) 428-8856

www.southdallascafe.com

Attire is DRESS – UPSCALE/AFTER 5

- Lorrie Irby Jackson

Dallas, Texas, February 2, 2010 - Nearby Entertainment presents "JAZZ & BLUES VALENTINES DAY LOVEFEST 2010" featuring the smooth sounds and powerful entertainment of "ANGELA BLAIR"(www.angelablair.com), live in Concert, on Valentines' Day, Feb 14, 2010 beginning @ 7pm - until, HOSTED by 94.5KSOUL's TONY B, also appearing the dynamic Jazz Saxaphonist Keith Anderson (www.fullofsoul.com), Blues Man "TuTu Jones, Famed & Natl' Poet Micheal Guinn, and the Loveless Duo. ??This evening is for lovers, couples & singles ministries, those looking for love or just want to experience a powerful "spiritual & dynamic love-filled" atmosphere!

This event will be held in the extravagant RED Ballroom of the beautiful Fiesta Event Center located at 704 S. Walton Walker Blvd, Dallas, Texas 75221. ??This night will include a "lavish buffet-styled dinner, upscale environment, celebrity guests, roses for the ladies, huge giveaways, dancing w/ live dj, free parking, heavy security & live entertainment..all night for $75 per ticket Group Rates and some discounts available. For more information, contact 214.893.8157 or purchase tickets online at nearbyentertainment.net. Singles: $75 presale and $100 at the door. Couples: $150 presale and $200 at the door?~ Group rates/VIP rates available at $150 a ticket. Call for details.

?For press inquiries and interview opportunities please forward your requests to Patsy Perkins via phone: (917) 214-8401 or email: patsy@prpmediagroup.com

??** Attire is DRESS - UPSCALE/AFTER 5/SEMI FORMAL??~Blair is an Award Winning Singer/Entertainer, the 2005 Kraft Gospel Talent Search Winner, that has shared the stage with artist such as Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Aretha Franklin, BlackEyed Peas, Mary Mary, Beyonce, LL Cool J, Jeffrey Osborne, Earth Wind and Fire, Ruben Studdard, and so many others. She has been featured in promotional ads in Essence, Ebony, Jet, Todays Black Woman, Sister2Sister, Family Digest and more. In 2006, 'Roses, Dinner, & Romance, feat. Angela Blair" was billed in Dallas Morning News as one of the "top 5 places to be on Valentines' Day", which sold out and included a waiting list. You have the next day off, it's President's Day!??For more information on tickets and more, contact event coordinators:
Kirk Price or David Taylor – or email nearbyts@gmail.com
D. Dinkens – inquiries@angelablair.com

Patsy Perkins, Publicist
(917) 214-8401 New York Office
- Hip Hop Press

http://northdallasgazette.com/archives/2009/02-18-10_edition.pdf
- Ivy Carter, MBA