Angela Blair: Welcome

CONGRATS!! CONGRATS!! CONGRATS!!

DALLAS' SOUL & INSPIRATIONAL VOCALIST, ANGELA BLAIR is NUMBER#1 on Soul Charts!! http://soultracks.com/independent_soul_cds.htm

"It's All About Love" is number ONE! This chart is based from Amazon, CD Baby and other internet sources, industry executive picks as well as you the fans of Angela Blair in making this CD a success!

Thanks to everyone at Soultracks.com and all of you that have supported Angela's new CD. It is definetly a CD that is on fire!! Get it at cdbaby.com if you haven't and for a limited time with a purchase of "It's All About Love" through CDBaby, you will recieve Angela's Holiday Edition CD, "Give me your love" FREE!!

To read Angela full and impressive biography, go to biography section!

Let Angela know that we are all proud of her!!



RB Management & Media Group

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.

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AJ Narasimhan may be contacted via e-mail at ajn@corsicanadailysun.com
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Sparks to play in Corsicana again
By AJ Narasimhan

For musician Bobby Sparks, there is no place like home.

The Navarro County native and graduate of Corsicana High School is excited to be teaming up with one of the rising stars in the industry, Angela Blair, to bring a high energy show to Corsicana’s Napoli’s restaurant Oct. 14.

Sparks, who began his musical journey in Corsicana, has toured across the country and even the globe bringing his style of jazz and fusion to the place he calls home.

Sparks discovered his musical talent at a very early age. His gifted ability to create magic on the keyboard earned him various gigs across the Dallas and Fort Worth area.

When Sparks first met Kirk Franklin in high school, the young Sparks’ big break was about to happen.

“When (Franklin) blew up, so did I,” Sparks said.

Up until that point, Sparks was playing mainly in the church circuit as well as some night clubs. Following the collaboration with Franklin, his venues and arenas expanded.

Sparks’ musical influences include Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Led Zeplin and Count Basie. He believes there is no one type of music or style more conducive for his ability.

He loves them all equally.

The same can be said for Duncanville native Blair. Her early musical influences were Aretha Franklin and Patty LaBelle. It is Blair’s family that motivates her to sing.

Early on, Blair would emulate her favorite singers, but as the years have passed, a new and unique style all to her own has emerged.

Blair has sung on major motion pictures and has released several CDs in her tenure on the circuit.

The mutual respect and admiration for each other has made the tandem of Blair and Sparks something special.

The duo first sang together in Corsicana when Sparks was doing a show and Blair was in the audience. Sparks’ singer did not know a tune that he wanted to play, so he invited Blair to step onto the stage to sing the Billie Holiday tune “God Bless the Child,” and the audience ate it up.

Blair describes Sparks as someone who is explosive, unique and humble.

Sparks describes Blair as someone who is as good singing as she is entertaining.

Both will be performing in Napoli’s Restaurant at 8 p.m. Oct. 14 in what is being called “Couples Night Out.”

The cost for the evening of music and dinner will be $30 per couple and $25 for a single ticket. All proceeds will go to help single parents enroll children in Navarro College. The house band will perform as well.