{"id":3745,"date":"2019-04-24T12:51:58","date_gmt":"2019-04-24T12:51:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/?p=3745"},"modified":"2019-07-08T05:37:32","modified_gmt":"2019-07-08T05:37:32","slug":"celebrating-kim-english","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/celebrating-kim-english\/","title":{"rendered":"CELEBRATING KIM ENGLISH"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

MISSING YOU<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Whatever happened to Kim English? The question crossed my mind mid-jog one pleasant Thursday evening. There had been no Kim English news. No Kim English new music, in what felt like ages. Not even a digitally remastered greatest hits package to download. After all, when you\u2019re hot you\u2019re hot, when you\u2019re not you\u2019re not<\/a>. Kim once sang.\u00a0\u00a0 The feeling of her utter abandonment from the music industry felt all too real. More shocking was the utter abandonment from her fans with no goodbye. Of course, she had social media accounts with sporadic casual posts that offered little. \u00a0I assumed Kim lived a more private life. \u00a0I guess she\u2019s busy ministering in church. The latter thought comforted me. Little did I know, five days later the vocalist would transition from this life.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn the nite life. That\u2019s where I wanna be.\u201d Kim declares on the Ten City written classic. Those lyrics became my personal anthem. \u201cYes I\u2019m a dancer, round and round,\u201d I\u2019d sing thinking to myself. Surely, when Kim sang the first take of \u201cNite Life<\/a>,\u201d she had no earthly idea the place she sang of would become her residence. The place where many would discover the voice that is, Kim English.<\/span><\/p>\n

HIGHER THINGS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Midwestern winds pivot the gravitational pull that leads north to Chicago. In the midst of a hotbed of musical talent, there stood a teen in the halls at the famed Kenwood Academy. Under the tutelage of \u201cthe woman who launched a thousand careers<\/a>,\u201d world-renowned Reverend Doctor Lena McLin, Kim\u2019s jazzy sonant soared. Perhaps early twenties Kim held greater ambitions to pursue gospel, but destiny spoke otherwise. Knowing the right people at the right time and the right place is destiny at work. Through the introduction of a music producer who passed her along to songwriters who knew a DJ duo who knew an A&R talent at a recording label in New York City, Kim\u2019s introduction into the underground house music scene was signed, sealed, and delivered. Her 1994 debut US 12\u201d vinyl release read: Nervous Records\u2019 formula for success, a Ten City Production + Masters at Work and Armand Van Helden Re-mixes = KIM ENGLISH \u201cNite Life<\/a>\u201d=HIT!!!!!!!!<\/span><\/p>\n

Subsequent Kim English released singles transcended music genres as much as the hearts of the diverse people she touched. From Chicago house to NYC garage. From Maurice Joshua to Mood II Swing. From soulful to circuit. From radio to clubs.\u00a0\u00a0 From the club to the church. Kim became one of the premier voices that defined the golden-era of house music.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kim’s 1998 full-length debut Higher Things<\/a> launched the standout \u201cBeen So Long <\/a>,\u201d her Anita Baker cover and tribute, that best showcases her vocal finesse. Her angelic alto soars, skitters, and skats over Frankie Feliciano\u2019s score. As Ten City\u2019s lead vocalist Byron Stingly explained, Kim\u2019s voice reminded him so much of Anita Baker.2<\/sup>\u00a0 \u00a0At the time, compared to some of her contemporaries her vocal range may not have reached heavenly heights, but her operatic yodel drove you to church in a Rolls Royce.<\/span><\/p>\n

Enter the 21st<\/sup> century. Kim English was \u201cRe-Energized <\/a>.\u201d Her classic hits newly repackaged and newly remixed with a tribal edge. Junior Vasquez and Razor-N-Guido club mixes anyone? Again the standout is track number one, \u201cBeen So Long <\/a>\u201d (Wamdue Remix) mixed by Atlanta\u2019s Chris Brann. His elevating production of bird chirps soaring over crashing waves amid soft keys falling beneath uplifting strings as Kim declares \u201cI\u2019m missing you baby,\u201d brings a natural high<\/a>. Overnight, Kim went from the \u201cNite Life\u201d to the gay life and became house diva extraordinaire in the circuit culture. All the while her message stayed true to self.<\/span><\/p>\n

MY DESTINY<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

It was that message I needed to hear come summer 2006. Often filled with angst, frustration, and restlessness. I spent countless hours soul searching for peace of mind. I questioned my existence in relation to my destiny. Why had I not accomplished my life\u2019s goals? Why were my dreams crushed? So, how did I numb the pain?<\/span><\/p>\n

One scorching day in mid-July, I went to listen to new music at my best friend forever, Tower Records US (RIP). I stumbled upon Kim English\u2019s \u201cMy Destiny<\/a>\u201d in a listening station of the latest compact disc releases of the week. On the cover, Kim beamed radiant, her eyes closed softly, and hair gently flowing leftward into the heavens like an angel. I was sold. The impulse purchase became instantly one of my most prized music possessions. At home, Kim sang to me-even if it was from my two American DJ CD players more so than dancing to her music on wooden dance floors. Kim\u2019s music ministered to my heart-be daily drives around town to road trips to Chicago to attend Frankie Knuckle\u2019s MOVE Festival. \u201cMy Destiny<\/a>\u201d had no end. I memorized her lyrics. I sang along with Kim. \u201cTraditional ways they filled my days in the evening I would wing it,\u201d lyrical content not as depth, as in scope-her lyrics fashioned more for a conversation in a cafe than a fiery sermon. Kim wrote a substantial number of her prodigious inspirational oeuvre with GRAMMY winner Maurice \u201cBig Mo\u201d Joshua<\/a> and occasionally former Ally-Us member, Kyle \u201cSmall\u201d Smith. \u00a0A who\u2019s who of house titans from Teddy Douglas of the Basement Boys to Darryl James of DFA jumped to work with the Queen of Remixes. \u00a0All knew how to flip, refrain, and expand her golden vocalic on 12\u201d mixes. \u00a0Edits, extended mixes, and dubstrumentals sat backseat to the driving force of her music-the message. \u00a0For Kim had a word. \u00a0She encouraged her fans to level up. She taught us how to \u201cTreat Me Right <\/a>,\u201d how to \u201cLearn 2 Luv<\/a>\u201d and how with God \u201cNothing’s Impossible<\/a>.\u201d She became our original house diva who accentuated her prose with authentic verse.\u00a0\u00a0 Which made it all the more difficult when Kim disappeared off the radar.<\/span><\/p>\n

My fondest memory occurred May 2007, at Wetbar, a former club in midtown Atlanta. When I walked through the club\u2019s foyer and crossed the threshold onto the dance floor. The late great Frankie Knuckles was in the midst of playing Kim English\u2019s \u201cC’est La Vie<\/a>.\u201d As with Frankie, I gravitate towards positive music. The Scott Wozniak Remix of warm chords, heavenly strings and one uplifting key solo over thumping garage was to be cherished. As if the legendary Godfather of house spoke, “Welcome” and directly at me, \u201cYou are meant to be here.\u201c<\/span><\/p>\n

Be gay or straight. Black or white. Jew or Gentile. Saint or sinner. She or he. Novice or alumni. Kim\u2019s music was a welcome card to all. \u201cNite Life\u2019s\u201d lyrics were no pointless blunder. Kim lived what she sang in that song. \u201cI\u2019m gonna find that place someway somehow.\u201d When she found that place. She boldly welcomed others into that space with arms open wide.\u00a0\u00a0 Kim understood most that \u201cIt Makes A Difference<\/a>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Yes the “Unspeakable Joy<\/a>” singer deserves more honors than she received in her lifetime. Yes her song and lyric delivered lives. Ministered to lives. Saved lives. Yes she deserves space on the House Music Walls of Fame. Most divas snatch wigs when their egos are inflated. Not Kim. \u201cFocus on those Higher Things <\/a>,\u201d she astutely encouraged.\u00a0\u00a0 For she knew her voice was a \u201cSupernatural<\/a>\u201d gift and that her heavenly treasures awaited more than earthly statutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kim sang it best. \u201cWhile we are striving to reach the higher place and level. We must remember. Be thankful all the way.\u201d To Kim English: for your voice, for your music, for your ministry and for your life, I\u2019m \u201cSimply Grateful<\/a>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

words aj dance<\/p>\n

Reich, Howard. \u201cA Celebration of Lena McLin’s Music.\u201d Chicagotribune.com<\/em>, 5 Sept. 2018, www.chicagotribune.com\/entertainment\/ct-xpm-2011-03-24-ct-ott-0325-mkoj-20110324-story.html.1<\/sup><\/p>\n

Weingarten, Christopher R. \u201cKim English, Who Blended Gospel With Dance Music, Dies at 48.\u201d The New York Times<\/em>, The New York Times, 8 Apr. 2019, www.nytimes.com\/2019\/04\/05\/obituaries\/kim-english-dead.HTML<\/a>.2<\/sup><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Fb-Button\"\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>
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MISSING YOU Whatever happened to Kim English? The question crossed my mind mid-jog one pleasant Thursday evening. There had been no Kim English news. No Kim English new music, in what felt like ages. Not even a digitally remastered greatest hits package to download. After all, when you\u2019re hot you\u2019re hot, when you\u2019re not you\u2019re […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3761,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[337,343,334,320,146,336,7,344,351,333,350,341,208,339,348,349,335,342,352,338,347,346,340,345],"class_list":["post-3745","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events","tag-been-so-long","tag-cest-la-vie","tag-circuit-house-music","tag-dance-music","tag-gospel-house","tag-higher-things","tag-house-music","tag-it-makes-a-difference","tag-junior-vasquez","tag-kim-english","tag-kyle-smith","tag-learn-2-luv","tag-maurice-joshua","tag-my-destiny","tag-natural-high","tag-nervous-records","tag-nite-life","tag-nothings-impossible","tag-razor-n-guido","tag-re-energized","tag-simply-grateful","tag-supernatural","tag-treat-me-right","tag-unspeakable-joy"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Kim-English.jpg?fit=2656%2C2348&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2JDhj-Yp","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3009,"url":"https:\/\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/what-frankie-knuckles-did-for-me-1955-2014\/","url_meta":{"origin":3745,"position":0},"title":"WHAT FRANKIE KNUCKLES DID FOR ME (1955-2014)","author":"ajdance","date":"April 8, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Frankie Knuckles I dreaded the day when I would lose the Godfather of House Music. 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