Music Greats:

                         

The O'Jays

          

In 1958, Eddie Levert and Walter Williams, graduates of Canton McKinley began singing Gospel music on a Canton radio station. With the addition of McKinley graduates, William Powell, Bob Massey and Bill Isles, the group took the name "The Triumphs" in 1959. After releasing two single records as "The Mascots," they were hosted by Cleveland disc jockey, Eddie O'Jay from which they took the name, "The O'Jays." They produced records for the Imperial Record Company until signing with the Neptune label where One Night Affair, rose to #15 on the charts and Backstabbers, and Love Train, became monster hits. For the Love of Money, Livin' for the Weekend, and Used to Be My Girl, became the prototypes for much music in the "70's". They continued writing and with the songs, When Will I See You Again?, and Love and More, incorporated a more ballad style for the "80's". Within fifteen years they had placed 15 songs on the Rhythm and Blues charts, with nine #1 releases. They were installed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.

 

            
 
Macy Gray

Born in Canton, Ohio in 1967, Natalie Renee Mc Intyre, graduated from Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio and went to USC to major in script writing. When another singer failed to show to sing Macy's songs at a studio, Macy recorded them herself. Atlantic Records signed her. Epic Records signed her in 1998. Back in Canton she worked on her album On How Life Is. When the hit, I Try, from that album was released as a single it reached triple platinum status. In 2001 the song won the Grammy award for the "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. She contributed The World is Yours to the Rush Hour 2 Film track, and a song to the Shrek the Third Film. and acted in the films Training Day and Spider-Man. She released six albums including the On How Life Is, Id, Big, and Life in Las Vegas. Big received a promotion on the internet through the UK launching of "iPhone." Macy opened up The Macy Gray Music Academy in 2005 in which she works with underprivileged children and teens.