VH-1 has just announced all of its acts for its “Soul Divas” show– and there is perhaps one actual Soul Diva–Chaka Khan.
The show, which will air in mid December, shows VH-1’s utter ignorance of real soul, frankly. Here’s who’s not on the show: Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross, Patti Labelle (or Nona Hendryx or Sarah Dash), Valerie Simpson, Kim Weston, Freda Payne, Martha Reeves, Carla Thomas, Ann Peebles, Brenda Holloway, Fontana Bass, Brenda Russell, Oleta Adams, the Emotions, Marilyn McCoo, Betty Wright, Cissy Houston–even Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey– or any other women from the classic era of soul.
On the male side: Sam Moore, Al Green, Eddie Floyd, Mack Rice, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, or anyone connected to original Motown or Stax.
The scheduled group includes Kelly Clarkson, who’s really a country and pop singer. Also: Erykah Badu, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Boyz II Men, Estelle, Marsha Ambrosius and Travie McCoy in addition to Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson, Jill Scott, someone named Jessie J. and the famed soul group–ha ha– Florence and the Machine.
All the aforementioned people? I guess they’re old. Who needs ’em? (Anyway, they’d better give Sharon Jones a real segment.)
