Wednesday, April 23, 2014




Today We Have For You
Skool Boyz

And More.


Though interrupted by a few years, Skool Boyz was a continuation of Flavor; the same members -- Stan Sheppard (lead), Chauncey Matthews (vocals and keyboards), and Fred Brown (vocals and guitar) -- comprised Flavor, with William "Billy" Sheppard (vocals and bass guitar), Stan's brother, the new kid on the block.
 
Stan sung with Triple S with Steve and Sterling Rice between his stints with Flavor 
, Livin' Proof and Skool Boyz.


Stan Sheppard

 

 

 Son of Bunky Sheppard.
Brother of Billy Sheppard.
He was part of various groups during the 1970's and 1980's.
In later years he teamed up with Tony Lane (3) to form Shepherd Lane Music, managed and worked closely with DJ Quik, Mausberg, Suga Free and others for about 6 years.
The collaborations ended and after a brief absence from the music-business, Stan formed a new label called Peaceful/Tonestruck Ent, with which he's hoping to give West Coast and Mid-West artists new opportunities.

 

"Must Have Before Die"  

 Livin' Proof
 Livin' Proof - Livin' Proof (1978) 
By Papa Funk

Produced by Vernon Bullock.
They evolved into disco act Triple S Connection. 
Brothers Steven Rice and Sterling Rice kept on for one 
album in the 80's as Steven & Sterling.
 
Triple S
 Triple 'S' Connection - Triple 'S' Connection (1979) By Papa Funk

The same members with Livin' Proof.
Their name comes from the three initial "S" of their names: Stan, Steven and Sterling.
Among their heighlights, their cover on Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie Amour".
After their demise two of them formed the soul duo Steven & Sterling.


Flavor
 Flavor - In Good Taste (1976) 
By Papa Funk

WAS Stanton Scott Sheppard (Stan), Chauncey Matthews, and Fred Brown Jr. Sheppard is the son of producer/writer/singer/record label owner Bill Bunky Sheppard. When the group's first release "Don't Freeze Up" (written by Sheppard and Ron Rancifer) started making a little noise, Bunky cut a deal with Ju-Par Records in Detroit, which was being distributed by Motown Records, to give it some clout. Ju-Par reissued the single in February 1977 and followed with an album entitled In "Good Taste" three months later. No other track from the album was ever issued. Then the group changed their name to Livin' Proof . Still on Ju-Par, but not distributed by Motown, the same lineup released a Vernon Bullock tune and production entitled "You and I" in December 1977. The self-titled Livin' Proof album came out in 1978, shadowed by a final single "Move Your Body," composed by Bullock and Sheppard. But Ju-Par ran into all kind of problems and dissolved, causing Livin' Proof to dissipate like Flavor before it.None of their product really caught on, despite a print media blitz, and the end was inevitable. Sheppard hooked up with the Rice Twins (Steven & Sterling) to form Triple S Connection in 1979 and two years later began his longest group association as a member of Skool Boyz who recorded for Destiny Records, Crossroad Entertainment Corp., and Columbia Records

  
"Must Have Before Die"

Skool Boyz  

       
                                        
  





 
 Skool Boyz
was a continuation of the group Flavor; featuring the same members - Stan Sheppard (lead vocals), Chauncey Matthews (vocals and keyboards), and Fred Brown (vocals and guitar),
 with Stan's brother William "Billy" Sheppard (vocals and bass guitar) joining the group.


Billy and Stan are the sons of R&B legend Bill Bunky Sheppard.

Bill Bunky Sheppard

 

 

 (New Orleans, 20 March 1922 - Los Angeles, 1 July 1997)

R.I.P...We Will Never Forget You!!!

 

Real Name:

William E. Sheppard


Bill "Bunky" Sheppard (b. 20 March 1922 in New Orleans) rose to prominence in the late 1950s through the 1960s as a Chicago-based doo-wop/vocal group producer/manager and head of several labels.
Bunky started a vocal group called the Sheppards, in which he did not perform, and he shared control with Carl Davis over the Dukays (known for "Duke Of Earl", credited to their singer Gene Dixon aka Gene Chandler). He also started the Apex label in 1959, co-founded Pam Productions, the Nat, Pam, and Wes labels, and Constellation Records in 1961, and founded Bunky Records (a division of Scepter) in 1966. He was closely involved with the early operation of the Chi Sound and Vee Jay Records labels as well.

His sons Billy and Stan were members of Skool Boyz in the 1980s.

He is not the same person as Bill Shepherd (Bee Gees arranger), Bill Sheperd (jazz trombonist) or Bill Shepherd (1920s country blues man).


Billy and Stan are the sons of R&B legend Bill "Bunky" Sheppard.
At least two singles appeared on Destiny Records: "Can We Do It Again" occupied the A-side of their November 1981 debut and the B-side of their February 1982 parting shot, "This Feeling Must Be Real." A short spell on Crossroad Records produced "Before You Go" (October 1983), followed by "Breakin' Out" in 1984.

A major break came in 1984 when Columbia Records took them on, but after four singles -- debuting with "Slip Away" -- and two albums, the situation dissolved disappointingly. Their self-produced debut album Skool Boyz had some fine ballads "Nothin' Like a Slow Dance," "Before You Go" (the Destiny single), "You Are the Best Thing in My Life," and some rhythmic up-tempo numbers, but the sales didn't equal the glowing reviews. 

The album, in part, was initially released on Destiny Records and contained, like a subsequent CBS album, new material and some from their Crossroad stint. The girl watching "Superfine (From Behind)" came out in 1985, but fizzled after a hopeful start. A follow-up fared no better, nor did a final album entitled This Is the Real Thing. 

The group disbanded and went their separate ways.His brother, Stan created the group and produced their recordings.



Stan Sheppard


Stan got off into producing, writing, and arranging for many others, including Gerald Alston, the Temptations, the Pointer Sisters, Dazzie Dee, Troy Hinton, and Gene Rice, who is kin to Stan's old cohorts, the Rice twins. Chauncey Matthews and Fred Brown continued to work as session men and backing vocalists after the group Skool Boyz disbanded.
 

"Must Have Before Die"


 By All Means

After the group disbanded, Guitarist Billy Sheppard joined the group By All Means, a Los Angeles trio that recorded on 4th & Broadway Records in 1988.










 











 The Los Angeles trio By All Means began recording for 4th and Broadway in 1988. 

The group featured lead vocalist, trumpeter, and trombonist James Varner, vocalist Lynn Roderick, and guitarist Billy Shepherd. Roderick was previously an actress who had appeared on Moonlighting and Cagney and Lacey, among other shows, while Shepherd had been in
The Skool Boyz.

Varner and Roderick met while touring with Bill Withers in 1985. 

Producer Stan Sheppard suggested that they form a band with his brother Billy after seeing them in performance. Their debut LP was called By All Means, and they had a modest hit with "I Surrender to Your Love." 

Their second LP was Beyond a Dream in 1989.
 They also produced tracks on Gerald Alston's solo LPs for Motown. Their most recent release was  
"It's Real"
for Motown in
 1992



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