http://www.reuters.com/ne...ID=4406782

Stephanie Mills' R&B Past Haunts Her
Fri February 20, 2004 06:59 PM ET

By Gail Mitchell

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - A string of hits in the '80s and early '90s
qualify her as an R&B icon. But what made Stephanie Mills a household
name then is working against her now.

Mills is a still-vital artist ignored by major labels. Why? Because
the money-making potential for her type of music -- in this case,
urban AC (adult contemporary) -- has been pegged as nil.

With such exceptions as Gerald Levert (Elektra) and recent
multiple-Grammy Award winner Luther Vandross (J Records), other
"old-school" contemporaries have opted to take the independent route
to stay in the game.

Mills is no different. But she has funded the project herself, without
the benefit of major national distribution.

"It's a struggle when you don't have a big machine behind you," the
New Jersey-based singer says. "I'm doing this on sheer will, faith and
my experience in the business. I didn't set out to do this on my own;
it just happened. But I believe in this."

Mills initially met with some major-label executives when she began
recording her new R&B album -- her first in 13 years. But "they said
this kind of music just isn't going to sell, and radio wouldn't play a
Stephanie Mills song now," the singer recalls.

So as the recording progressed and no takers came to the table, Mills
adopted a do-it-yourself approach. The result is the 10-track "Born
for This!" on her own label, JM Records.

Calling the experience "educational," Mills quickly learned a few
things. For example, although she knows a lot of songwriters and
producers, some of those she wanted to use were expensive and she
could not afford to hire them. With the help of her attorney Ed Wood,
who represents up-and-coming producers, she enlisted the services of
Flavahood Productions, the Dream Team, BeBe Winans and Gordon
Chambers.

She and her stylist, Leonard Bridges, designed the album package,
while another colleague, Brent Whiting, helped her develop the
http://www.stephaniemillsmusic.com site.

STEADILY WORKING THE PROJECT

About four months ago, New York-based independent promoter Mike Halley
began working lead single "Can't Let Him Go" to urban AC stations. And
Mills herself even made phone calls to radio stations to talk about
the record on morning shows and mailed out copies of the single.

"It's really been a roll-up-your-sleeves effort," Mills observes. "You
definitely have to use some creative thinking."

It was Mills' creative artistry at age 15 that won her the starring
role as Dorothy in the Broadway show "The Wiz." She later signed with
20th Century, scoring her first top 10 R&B hit in 1979 with "What Cha
Gonna Do With My Lovin'." From there she segued to Casablanca and then
MCA, where she recorded five No. 1 R&B singles, including "I Feel Good
All Over" and "Home."

For the week ended Feb. 20, "Can't Let Him Go" was No. 39 on the
Airplay Monitor Adult R&B chart. An-as-yet-unnamed second single is
waiting in the wings. The album itself will be released in the second
week of March. Unconcerned with national distribution at this point,
Mills will sell the $12.99 album through her Web site and at concerts.

Halley, who worked with Mills when they were both at MCA, says the
first single has "done what it was supposed to do: get her name out
there. It's a good effort for an indie starting out.

"We've taken a guerrilla attack on the adult marketplace, working each
market one by one. Her history shows she has a base. With the right
record and today's digital possibilities, you can't lose. And once you
see her perform, that's the selling point," Halley says.

Still a major concert draw, Mills recently appeared with the Whispers
and the O'Jays in Atlantic City, N.J., and Al Green during Valentine's
Day weekend in Washington, D.C.

Industry sources estimate that indie album projects can run between
$50,000 and $100,000 for recording and the same amount for marketing,
including a Web site. Mills declines to say what she has spent. She is
more concerned with seeing the project through.

"The hardest part is staying focused, keeping it rolling," the singer
says. "There are so many naysayers out there. You have to have tunnel
vision, or you'll get sidetracked by others' opinions. If I believed
what I've been told, I wouldn't have come this far."

Reuters/Billboard

This is some fucked up shit. It's sad that artists like Stephanie and Chaka have to go this route. They are already established and have true talent yet they are made to feel less than when these non singing artists are being played everywhere and are selling records by the truckload. And the record industry wonders why sales are declining? Could it be lack of talent and diversity in musical choices for the consumer? When will some of these executives get some big balls, step up and go against the norm?

I love Stephanie and will support her just as I will Chaka. I will always support true artists like them no matter what. Can't wait for both ladies to drop their new CDs.

I hope everything works out for Stephanie.She's extremely talented and really deserves a second chance.It's a shame the way Old School artists are treated by the music industry.And whatever happened to Def Jam Classics,the new label that was designed for these older artists? Stephanie was one of the first artists they signed,but I guess the label never materialized?