Friday, March 14   8:45 p.m.
Continental Club   (1315 S Congress Ave)

  Barbara Mason - Yes I'm Ready
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Philadelphia R&B/ Soul Legend, Barbara Mason has been songwriting,recording, and performing for 43 years. Ms. Mason signature hit "Yes, I'm Ready", has been credited as the song that originated of what is "Philly Soul". Her music spawned Philadelphia International Records, and help shape the sound for the careers of soul music legends such: as The O'Jays, Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes, and The Stylistics. She among the first of " truth tellin'" soul sisters much like Gladys Knight, Betty Wright. In the 70's Barbara recorded four albums for Buddah Records. All four were charted Top Ten hits, producing eight top 50 singles. Her music appeared in several "blaxplotion" films, including "Sheba Baby" starring Pam Grier, and "Gordon's War", featuring Paul Warfield. She collaborated with the late Curtis Mayfield on his hit "Give Me Your Love" from the urban flim classic, "Superfly". She would later record for Mr. Mayfield's, Curtom label. Ms. Mason made several national T.V. appperances on such popular programs as: Midnight Special, Soul Train, and The Mike Douglas Show. The 80's found Ms. Mason concentrating on her songwriting, teaming with Gamble and Huff, the founders of Philadelphia International Records. Her last official full recording in 1981, " A Piece Of My Life", on the WMOT label yielded a return to her 70's material with the "truth tellin'", "She's Got The Papers". She later recorded in 1984, the still popular international nightclub hit, "Another Man". Ms. Mason along with Bettye LaVette were honored in 2006 by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation with the Pioneer Award recognizing them as a "trailblazer" for R&B artists.
Barbara Mason has just released her first new material in 23 years, on the Sunswept/Varesse/Universal label. More recently she has received her first Grammy nomination for, " My Baby Loves Me", from the Philly Soul/Motown complilation. " A Soulful Tale of Two Cities ", on Soul Renaissance Records.