Why Shalamar broke up
Shalamar was formed in 1977 by SOLAR Records founder Dick Griffey and Don Cornelius of Soul Train. The group consisted of Soul Train dancers Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel while Hewett joined in 1979.
The trio released six albums which contained many hits such as “Second Time Around”, “Make That Move”, “A Night to Remember”, and “This Is for the Lover in You.”
They were regarded as fashion icons and trendsetters, and Michael Jackson was a huge fan. He even took his then 12-year-old sister Janet to see them perform.
In spite of their huge success, there was always trouble brewing in the background. Eventually, Watley and Daniel left Shalamar in 1983 due to conflicts within the group as well as the lack of payments and royalties from SOLAR.
Hewett, who left the group two years later, attributes the break up to their young age. He was just 23 when he joined the group. “Jeffery was a year older and Jody was about three years younger. We were kids. I don’t think we really understood what we had accomplished,” he said.
Watley left because she felt betrayed by people involved with Shalamar. She was engaged to producer and Dynasty member Leon Sylvers III. Then after getting pregnant, she realized that Sylvers was also engaged to his fellow Dynasty member Nidra Beard. Then to compound her misery, she said Jeffrey, Hewett and Griffey were not happy about her pregnancy because it would disturb their performance.
She said she continued to work hard “despite pressure at the time to not have my baby, (not from Leon I’d add) but the guys Howard and Jeffrey in the group back then and Dick Griffey; because I was going to ‘ruin’ Shalamar or mess up our constant touring schedule.”
She also said Hewett told her she would never make it without Shalamar. So she left the group to prove everyone wrong.
One of Watley’s biggest hits as a solo artist was “Friends” and critics believe she was singing about her Shalamar family:
“Friends will let you down
Friends won’t be around
When you need them most
Where are your friends?”
Hewett admits that he argued with Watley but doesn’t remember what was said specifically.
“I remember that argument,” he said. “She was calling me names and I was calling her names. I could have said that. It’s possible.
“Today I am still close to Jeffery and to this day I still consider Jody like a sister. She may not feel like that, but I do.”
Some years after the break up, Babyface wanted to bring them back together for a reunion album. But Jody was against it because she was still angry at Hewett.
However, Hewett, Watley and Daniel later joined Babyface and LL Cool J to perform “This Is For The Lover In You,”
on the UK’s Top of the Pops in 1996. It marked the classic trio’s last live performance together.
In 1999, Hewett and Daniel reformed Shalamar, adding Griffey’s daughter Carolyn to replace Watley. They released their last song in 2017, called “The Real Thing”.
Carrie Lucas and Carolyn Griffey (wife and daughter of Shalamar creator Dick Griffey) officially own all Shalamar licensing in Europe, while Watley owns the Shalamar trademark in the USA.