MOTOWN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE MCKNIGHT SPONSORS FIRST JAMERSON CONVENTION.

Hall of Fame Bassist Family Honors Motowner James Jamerson

(PRWEB) August 30, 2003 -- MAA News: Renowned Bassist James Jamerson never got the accolades he deserved during his lifetime as a Motown musician, but his family is seeing to it that he gets his recognition now!

The Charleston Jazz Initiative of Avery Institute along with Jamerson cousin Anthony McKnight, is sponsoring the Fist Annual James Jamerson Convention. McKnight who is also the executive director of the South Carolina branch of the Motown Alumni Association says that "people from all over are going to be here."

Celebrities expecting to attend are; Annie Jamerson (widow of James Jamerson), Elizabeth Bacon (Jamerson's mother), Jack Mc Cray (Post & Courier), Bob Lee (Jamerson freelance historian & musician), and Allen Slutsky (2 time Grammy Award winner and producer of the docu-movie "Standing In The Shadows Of Motown" and writer of the book with the same name. Also invited to the convention is the president of the Motown Alumni Association Billy Wilson; though Wilson's office neither confirmed or denied his participation, sources say that Wilson is speaking at a Pennsylvania Senate Hearing at the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in Sharon, Pennsylvania and may fly in on the 18th to participate on the panel.

Jamerson was the nucleus of Motown's core musician's known as the "Funk Brothers" in the 60's. He played Bass guitar on over 95% of all Motown music of the 60's and part of the early 70's. Jamerson played on over 80 hit number one songs for Motown, and played on literally everyone artists recordings. Everyone from Martha and the Vandellas, The Supremes, Junior Walker and the All Stars, The Marvelettes, the Velvelettes, The Miracles, Stevie Wonder, Mary Wells, The Temptations, Barrett Strong, Sammy Ward, Kim Weston, Marvin Gaye & Tammie Terrell, The Four Tops, and hundreds more have experienced the artistry of James Jamerson.

Jamerson died August 4, 1983, of pneumonia on a Tuesday night at University of Southern California Medical Center in Los Angeles. He was 45.

The Charleston Jazz Initiative of Avery presents

Return to the Source:

Remembering Legendary Bassist

James Jamerson

SEPTEMBER 18 & 19

Averys McKinley Washington Auditorium

in Charleston, Sout Carolina

18- Conversations in Jazz: James Jamerson

8:00 p.m. - Averys McKinley Washington Auditorium.

Moderated by Jack McCray of the Post and Courier, this event will feature Jamerson historian-musician, Bob Lee, widow Ann Jamerson, and the family of this Edisto Island/Charleston native, and jazz/rhythm and blues bassist with Motown and its house band, The Funk Brothers.

The event will also feature a display of Jamerson memorabilia, music by the McKnight Brothers and the combined choirs of First Baptist Church, Edisto Island, and a booksigning of Standing In The Shadows of Motown: The Life And Music of Legendary Bassist, James Jamerson" by Allan Slutsky.

For more information on James Jamerson, see www.bassland.net/jamerson.html.

19 - Artisan Entertainment and Avery present the Charleston Film Premiere of Standing In The Shadows of Motown. 6:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m. (7:00 film screening).

Admission: Adults-$25, Students-$15. Sottile Theater at the College of Charleston. RSVP by Sept. 15 at colesj@cofc.edu or (843) 953-7609. The event will feature a reception with live music by Jamerson cousin Anthony McKnight and his band, The Black Velvets of Charleston along with bassist, Bob Lee, Grammy-award winning feature-documentary on the music and careers of Motowns legendary house band, The Funk Brothers including Jamerson, special guests and Jamerson tributes, and much more!

This event benefits the research, archival, and documentary efforts of Averys Charleston Jazz Initiative.