V-100 welcomes Wendell B. to the 31st annual Muskegon Heights Festival on Saturday, June 21st at RowanPark. Tickets are $12.50 and are available at Fancy Yancey’s at 2758 Peck Street and at the New Urban Apparel at 2713 Peck Street in Muskegon Heights.
If you haven’t seen Wendell B. live, you will be in for a treat. Here is a biography to give you a taste of what Wendell B. is all about:
Comparison to his idols Freddie Jackson, Luther Vandross, Barry White and Will Downing don’t bother Wendell Brown whose love affair with music began at the age of five when he made his foray into the industry by joining the gospel group the Sensational Wonders. He spent a good ten years singing for the Lord before his vocal tastes were whetted by the sounds of rhythm and blues. At first I had to hide my interest from Mamma. She was into the church: she didn’t play that, he laughs. As Wendell B. reached maturity, both in years and vocal ability, he began performing with vocal groups such as Dream, which he formed in high school, touring his hometown and surrounding areas. It was then that he really learned the importance of stage presence through the tutelage of local legends Marvin Rice, lead vocalist for Masters Touch and Visions lead vocalistCarl Homes, who schooled him in perfecting runs and other vocal techniques.
The decision to go solo after having spent two decades in groups was coupled by the desire to follow into the entrepreneurial footsteps of others in the industry. Under his full name, Wendell Brown, he released the album “Make It Good For Ya“. It took another seven years for his nest outing “Good Times”, which created a buzz in the Southern Soul market.
