Starpoint
Encyclopedia
Starpoint was an African-American
R&B sextet from Maryland that began recording in the 1980s, releasing a string of R&B
hit singles. Their 1985 single "Object of My Desire", released on the Elektra
label
, reached #25 on the Billboard Hot 100
, becoming their only Top 40 hit on the pop charts.
by the children of two local doctors. Kayode Adeyemo, whose parents had been immigrants from Nigeria and Barbados, was born and grew up in Crownsville, Maryland
. His father, a doctor, worked with Dr. George Phillips at Crownsville Hospital. As a result, a young Kayode Ademeyo was introduced to Dr. Phillips' four sons: Ernesto, Orlando, Greg, and George, Jr. Soon thereafter, Adeyemo began jamming with the four Phillips brothers, each of whom were multi-instrumentalists. Initially, Adeyemo played bass guitar
in the group. After this foundation had stabilized, Renée Diggs came on board as the lead singer, completing the Licyndiana line-up. With so much musical/instrumental talent between them, the Phillips brothers each came to specialize in particular instruments within the band, with Ernesto Phillips handling lead guitar
; Orlando Phillips on bass guitar
, keyboards
, and saxophone
; Greg Phillips on drums
; and George Phillips, Jr. on keyboards
. Diggs and Adeyemo became the vocalists, with Diggs handling most of the lead parts. By the end of the 1970s, the band had scored a recording contract with Chocolate City Records
, at which point they changed their name to "Starpoint."
The group released their self-titled debut album in 1980. One of the singles from this album, "I Just Wanna Dance with You", became their first top 20 hit on the R&B chart. They would continue to release at least one album every year throughout the first half of the 80s, scoring several more minor hits on the R&B chart. When Chocolate City went out of business, they remained with that label's parent company, Casablanca Records
for one more album, but they were eventually picked up by Elektra Records
. Renée Diggs and Ernesto Phillips also became romantically involved.
/soul
market was elusive until 1985, when the band released their Restless album. This album not only made them superstars in the R&B world, but it also brought them significant crossover success onto the pop charts
with the Top 30 single "Object of My Desire." Co-written by bandmembers Kayode Adeyemo and Ernesto Phillips (along with noted R&B
musician/producer Keith Diamond
), the tune also became Starpoint's first of several R&B top-ten hits. The follow-up single "What You've Been Missin'" followed "Object..." into the R&B top ten. The title track "Restless" was also released as a single and did decently on both the pop and R&B charts. The band embarked on a lengthy tour in support of the album, during which Renée Diggs became well respected for her explosive vocal abilities, with Greg Phillips also earning a reputation for his drumming skills.
Later in 1985, while the band was on tour and at the peak of their success, Renée Diggs was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
. While touring became more of a challenge for the band at this point, Diggs was determined to continue touring and recording with the band and living up to her potential. She remained with the band and persevered without sacrificing any of her exuberant stage presence.
In 1987, the band released their next album, Sensational. While the single "He Wants My Body" became the band's third top-ten hit on the R&B chart, it barely made a dent on the pop charts, and the overall success of the album paled in comparison to its predecessor. The band released two more albums before eventually breaking up in 1990.
, although it did see a release in Europe
. Several of the tracks on this album were co-written by Diggs and Starpoint guitarist Ernesto Phillips, her longtime lover. She remained involved in the music industry throughout her life. She also created the Renée Diggs Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis, to help bring attention to the disease.
Other band members became involved with songwriting and session work for various other R&B artists. In 1988, Adeyemo was credited with co-writing Milli Vanilli's hit "Girl You Know It's True
".
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
R&B sextet from Maryland that began recording in the 1980s, releasing a string of R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
hit singles. Their 1985 single "Object of My Desire", released on the Elektra
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, reached #25 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, becoming their only Top 40 hit on the pop charts.
Beginnings
Initially performing under the name "Licyndiana," Starpoint was originally formed in 1969 near Annapolis, MarylandAnnapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
by the children of two local doctors. Kayode Adeyemo, whose parents had been immigrants from Nigeria and Barbados, was born and grew up in Crownsville, Maryland
Crownsville, Maryland
Crownsville is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,670 at the 2000 census. It hosts the Anne Arundel County Fair each September, as well as the annual Maryland Renaissance Festival for several summer weekends. A state psychiatric hospital...
. His father, a doctor, worked with Dr. George Phillips at Crownsville Hospital. As a result, a young Kayode Ademeyo was introduced to Dr. Phillips' four sons: Ernesto, Orlando, Greg, and George, Jr. Soon thereafter, Adeyemo began jamming with the four Phillips brothers, each of whom were multi-instrumentalists. Initially, Adeyemo played bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
in the group. After this foundation had stabilized, Renée Diggs came on board as the lead singer, completing the Licyndiana line-up. With so much musical/instrumental talent between them, the Phillips brothers each came to specialize in particular instruments within the band, with Ernesto Phillips handling lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
; Orlando Phillips on bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, and saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
; Greg Phillips on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
; and George Phillips, Jr. on keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
. Diggs and Adeyemo became the vocalists, with Diggs handling most of the lead parts. By the end of the 1970s, the band had scored a recording contract with Chocolate City Records
Chocolate City Records
Chocolate City Records was a record label subsidiary of Casablanca Records & Filmworks. It was started in 1975 by Cecil Holmes, Neil Bogart's partner at Casablanca...
, at which point they changed their name to "Starpoint."
The group released their self-titled debut album in 1980. One of the singles from this album, "I Just Wanna Dance with You", became their first top 20 hit on the R&B chart. They would continue to release at least one album every year throughout the first half of the 80s, scoring several more minor hits on the R&B chart. When Chocolate City went out of business, they remained with that label's parent company, Casablanca Records
Casablanca Records
Casablanca Records was an American record label started by Neil Bogart, who partnered with Cecil Holmes, Larry Harris, and Buck Reingold in 1973, and based in Los Angeles. The label was formed after all of them had left Buddah Records and secured financing by Warner Bros. Records to start the venture...
for one more album, but they were eventually picked up by Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
. Renée Diggs and Ernesto Phillips also became romantically involved.
Superstardom
Major success in the R&BRhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
/soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
market was elusive until 1985, when the band released their Restless album. This album not only made them superstars in the R&B world, but it also brought them significant crossover success onto the pop charts
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
with the Top 30 single "Object of My Desire." Co-written by bandmembers Kayode Adeyemo and Ernesto Phillips (along with noted R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
musician/producer Keith Diamond
Keith Diamond (songwriter)
Keith Diamond was a songwriter and producer who worked with artists such as Donna Summer, Michael Bolton, Sheena Easton, Mick Jagger and Don Johnson. Diamond also produced and wrote Billy Ocean's "Suddenly," "Caribbean Queen ," "Loverboy" and "Mystery Lady," as well as producing and managing...
), the tune also became Starpoint's first of several R&B top-ten hits. The follow-up single "What You've Been Missin'" followed "Object..." into the R&B top ten. The title track "Restless" was also released as a single and did decently on both the pop and R&B charts. The band embarked on a lengthy tour in support of the album, during which Renée Diggs became well respected for her explosive vocal abilities, with Greg Phillips also earning a reputation for his drumming skills.
Later in 1985, while the band was on tour and at the peak of their success, Renée Diggs was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
. While touring became more of a challenge for the band at this point, Diggs was determined to continue touring and recording with the band and living up to her potential. She remained with the band and persevered without sacrificing any of her exuberant stage presence.
In 1987, the band released their next album, Sensational. While the single "He Wants My Body" became the band's third top-ten hit on the R&B chart, it barely made a dent on the pop charts, and the overall success of the album paled in comparison to its predecessor. The band released two more albums before eventually breaking up in 1990.
After Starpoint
In 1990, shortly after the band's break-up, Renée Diggs recorded a solo album titled Oasis that was not initially released in the U.S.United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, although it did see a release in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Several of the tracks on this album were co-written by Diggs and Starpoint guitarist Ernesto Phillips, her longtime lover. She remained involved in the music industry throughout her life. She also created the Renée Diggs Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis, to help bring attention to the disease.
Other band members became involved with songwriting and session work for various other R&B artists. In 1988, Adeyemo was credited with co-writing Milli Vanilli's hit "Girl You Know It's True
Girl You Know It's True (song)
"Girl You Know It's True" is a song written by Bill Pettaway, Sean Spencer, Kevin Lyles, Rodney Holloman, and Ky Adeyemo. They recorded it as Numarx, but the song failed to make much impact until it was covered by Milli Vanilli and released as their lead single from the album Girl You Know It's...
".
Ernesto Phillips' death
On March 25, 2004, Ernesto Phillips died as the result of a stroke. The Ernesto Phillips Scholarship for Talented Youth was established in his memory and as a tribute to his efforts in helping younger children to realize their ambitions of becoming musicians.Renée Diggs' death
Just a week shy of the one-year anniversary of the death of her longtime companion Phillips, Renée Diggs also died (March 18, 2005) at the age of 50, due to a heart condition. Her album Oasis was finally released in the U.S., posthumously.Band members
- Renée Diggs: Lead Vocals
- Kayode Adeyemo: Vocals, KeyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
(also occasional bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
during live performances) - Ernesto Phillips: GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s - Orlando Phillips: Bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, Keyboard bassKeyboard bassThe keyboard bass is the use of a low-pitched keyboard or pedal keyboard to substitute for the bass guitar or double bass in popular music.-1960s:The earliest keyboard bass instrument was the 1960 Fender Rhodes piano bass, pictured above...
, SaxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846... - George Phillips, Jr.: KeyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
- Greg Phillips: DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, PercussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
Albums
- 1980: Starpoint
- "Gonna Lift You Up"
- "Let Me Love You"
- "Never Find a Better Love"
- "Don't Leave Me"
- "I Just Wanna Dance With You"
- "Your My Sunny Day"
- "Get Ready, Get Down"
- "Girl I'm Up for Your Lovin'"
- 1981: Keep On It
- "Just Want to Be Your Lover"
- "For You"
- "Interlude"
- "Keep on It"
- "I Want You Closer"
- "Baby Let Me Do it"
- "We're Into Love"
- "Starpoint's Here Tonight"
- 1981: Wanting You
- "Wanting You"
- "Do What You Wanna Do"
- "Angel"
- "Last Night"
- "Try Me"
- "Shake it Out"
- "Break Up to Make Up"
- "Starnite, Your Night"
- 1982: All Night Long
- "Bring Your Sweet Lovin' Back"
- "Get Your Body Up"
- "All Night Long"
- "Show Me"
- "I Like it"
- "I Can Give You Love"
- "Miracle Love"
- "It's You"
- 1983: It's So Delicious
- "Don't Be So Serious"
- "Put Your Love on Me"
- "Somethin' in Your Eyes"
- "It's So Delicious"
- "Behind Your Back"
- "Give Real Love a Try"
- "I'm So Crazy 'Bout You"
- "I Got the Love"
- "Let it Go"
- 1984: It's All Yours
- "It's All Yours"
- "Am I Still the One"
- "Satisfy My Lover"
- "Send Me a Letter"
- "Break Out"
- "This is So Right"
- "Use Me"
- "Always on My Mind"
- 1985: Restless
- "Object of My Desire"
- "One More Night"
- "Emotions"
- "See the Light"
- "Till the End of Time"
- "Don't Take Your Love Away"
- "Restless"
- "What You've Been Missin'"
- 1987: Sensational
- "He Wants My Body"
- "D.Y.B.O."
- "Prove it Tonight"
- "Sensational"
- "Another Night"
- "The More We Love"
- "Touch of Your Love"
- "Second Chance"
- 1988: Hot to the Touch
- "Fresh Start"
- "One Step Closer to Your Love"
- "Tough Act to Follow"
- "Say You Will"
- "Hot to the Touch"
- "Swept Away"
- "After All is Said and Done"
- "Heart Attack"
- "Park it"
- 1990: Have You Got What it Takes
- "I Want You-You Want Me"
- "Your Lover"
- "Midnight Love"
- "Have You Got What it Takes"
- "When They Love You Back"
- "I Don't Need Another Lover"
- "Step By Step"
- "True Love"
Compilations
- 2005: Object of My Desire and Other Hits (includes singlesSingle (music)In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
released between 1983 and 1987)