http://www.startribune.com/mint-condition-s-stokley-williams-to-release-solo-album/413418893/

It's inevitable. Isn't it? No matter how long a group is together, the lead singer makes a solo album. Right?

That time has come for Stokley Williams of Mint Condition. He just dropped his debut single, "Level."

An album will follow for the Concord Music Group, the label that is a home to a huge and wide variety of artists, from jazz singer Karrin Allyson to veteran rocker Peter Wolf of the J. Geils Band.

Word is that Williams is putting together a band to tour. For the Twin Cities' own Mint Condition, that means a hiatus of sorts. And that means getting busy for the voice behind the Mint hits " Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)" and "What Kind of Man Would I Be."

Williams, a singer/percussionist, also works with other groups around town on a part-time basis. He even sat in with the Revolution, Prince's heyday band, at a recent private gig in Las Vegas, serving as lead singer on several songs.

Meanwhile, Mint will be celebrating its Grammy nomination for best R&B album (for "Healing Season") tonight, from 9 to midnight, at the Mansion at Uptown, an event space in Uptown. The band is not performing; it's just a free party to hang out, take photos and celebrate a Grammy nomination after three decades and nine albums.

justAmeda said:

http://www.startribune.com/mint-condition-s-stokley-williams-to-release-solo-album/413418893/

It's inevitable. Isn't it? No matter how long a group is together, the lead singer makes a solo album. Right?

That time has come for Stokley Williams of Mint Condition. He just dropped his debut single, "Level."

An album will follow for the Concord Music Group, the label that is a home to a huge and wide variety of artists, from jazz singer Karrin Allyson to veteran rocker Peter Wolf of the J. Geils Band.

Word is that Williams is putting together a band to tour. For the Twin Cities' own Mint Condition, that means a hiatus of sorts. And that means getting busy for the voice behind the Mint hits " Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)" and "What Kind of Man Would I Be."

Williams, a singer/percussionist, also works with other groups around town on a part-time basis. He even sat in with the Revolution, Prince's heyday band, at a recent private gig in Las Vegas, serving as lead singer on several songs.

Meanwhile, Mint will be celebrating its Grammy nomination for best R&B album (for "Healing Season") tonight, from 9 to midnight, at the Mansion at Uptown, an event space in Uptown. The band is not performing; it's just a free party to hang out, take photos and celebrate a Grammy nomination after three decades and nine albums.

Wow. Thanks for sharing! I Stokley.

about time...i hope its not too late....authentic music isnt marketable anymore...and i hope he doesnt dumb it down to get paid... He was the real deal, on those first 3 Mint Condition albums...i thought he'd be a superstar by now

LONGGGGGGGG overdue! I am surprised Gray hasn't replied yet LOL

Yay! Stokely is the truth.

Please don't let it be all tired assed ballads. Stokely can rock out with the best of them!

babynoz said:

Yay! Stokely is the truth.

Please don't let it be all tired assed ballads. Stokely can rock out with the best of them!

He can! Give us something to dance to, Stokely!

This dude could sing the alphabet and it would be more interesting than anything any
modern day R&B sanguh has conceived and produced.

The same could be said of Bilal Oliver, too. Good lord, can these two dudes sing!

mjscarousal said:

LONGGGGGGGG overdue! I am surprised Gray hasn't replied yet LOL

I know right

babynoz said:

I love me some Stokley, but I'm not too impressed with "Level". Maybe it needs to grow on me. Interested in seeing what else will be on his solo album though.

missfee said:

This was supposed to happen YEARS ago........but it was scrapped.

The 1st single sounds dated to me....this is NOT the Stokley of 2017.

https://soundcloud.com/us...el/s-CZOc1

compare that to this:

It sounds like 2 completely different artist.

That said.......I will be 1st in line to buy the cd.

[Edited 2/13/17 10:02am]

Graycap23 said:

So, the solo album to be released isn't new?

purplethunder3121 said:

So, the solo album to be released isn't new?

It is new....but the 1st single sounds a bit dated, I could be wrong but its just an opinion.

phunkdaddy said:

babynoz said:

Yay! Stokely is the truth.

Please don't let it be all tired assed ballads. Stokely can rock out with the best of them!

I would have preferred a new non Christmas MC album first with a few rock jams. I don't see Stokley going the rock route as a solo artist. Level is pretty cool. I expect Stokley to go after the Charlie Wilson crowd with his solo effort. I would like to see him do a few numbers with the steel drums.

I was not amused with that Christmas album, I tell ya.

The problem is that the vast majority of their fanbase wants ballads even though Mint can literally do it all...it's frustrating.

I love old Charlie but I can only take Charlie 2.0 in small doses.

missfee said:

I love me some Stokley, but I'm not too impressed with "Level". Maybe it needs to grow on me. Interested in seeing what else will be on his solo album though.

I'm not feeling it either. I'll keep the faith that the rest is better.

babynoz said:

phunkdaddy said:

babynoz said: I would have preferred a new non Christmas MC album first with a few rock jams. I don't see Stokley going the rock route as a solo artist. Level is pretty cool. I expect Stokley to go after the Charlie Wilson crowd with his solo effort. I would like to see him do a few numbers with the steel drums.

I was not amused with that Christmas album, I tell ya.

The problem is that the vast majority of their fanbase wants ballads even though Mint can literally do it all...it's frustrating.

I love old Charlie but I can only take Charlie 2.0 in small doses.

I really dig when they rock out.
i'd pay for their studio time for a rock album.

babynoz said:

His first solo outing is out of left field and dead on arrival (I'm being generous here). It's shockingly generic for a guy of his considerable musical ability.

Identity said:

His first solo outing is out of left field and dead on arrival (I'm being generous here). It's shockingly generic for a guy of his considerable musical ability.

So you heard the whole album?

"Level" stinks. I haven't heard the album yet, so I can't give an opinion on it.

Identity said:

"Level" stinks. I haven't heard the album yet, so I can't give an opinion on it.

I'm going to wait then for the album to come out. I hope you are wrong about the other cuts...

Identity said:

phunkdaddy said:

babynoz said:

I was not amused with that Christmas album, I tell ya.

The problem is that the vast majority of their fanbase wants ballads even though Mint can literally do it all...it's frustrating.

I love old Charlie but I can only take Charlie 2.0 in small doses.

The ladies want the ballads. I heard there were complaints about the Luxury Brown album being too rock tinged although it was their typical gumbo album as previous releases. They generally do all their musical showboating at their live shows. [Edited 2/14/17 6:56am]

I heard that too and I was mad because some of us ladies like to rock out too!

Hell, Luxury Brown is my favorite Mint album. Runaway and the title cut are my favorite songs.