BIOGRAPHY
BIO:
Singer/Songwriter, CL Montgomery Jr was born in Fresno, Ca., February 25,1950. His gospel-singing parents were his first influences. Mr. & Mrs. Montgomery sang in the church choir, but it was when they were driving on the highways and singing duets that was the most impressive to Junior.
In late 1963, the family moved from Fresno County to South Central Los Angeles to their new home near the Coliseum.
KGFJ! LA was a whole new world as he began experiencing and living the soul music explosion. He started buying 45 records and singing to hit songs on the radio.
In 1971, he met and partnered with guitarist/songwriter, and God-brother, Talib Jamal who grew up in the Hollywood area-playing guitar and writing in the folk/rock style. They blended their sounds and formed the band named The Innermood.
Together, they wrote songs like “I Don’t Think (I’ll do that anymore),” Manikin”, “Brother Song”, “Pretty Girls” and more. Montgomery/Jamal also wrote “Who In The Hell (do you think you are?”) commemorating a time of troubled relationships. They continued working and rehearsing together on Jamal’s tunes, “I’m Going To Go On Trying, “I Long For A Change, and “A Better Day.”
The Innermood mainly consisted of Charles (CL Montgomery Jr); lead vocals, bass guitar, Talib Jamal; rhythm/lead guitar, vocals and band spokesman, Watomi (Thomas Mosley Jr); percussion, lead, and backup vocals who also wrote and sang lead on “World of Dreams” and “Hot Wax”.
The band included Paul Harris (EJE Band.com), drums, Keyboards, and back-up singer. Michael Richardson, drummer, arranger, and long-time member of The Innermood.
John Davis, the original drummer for the group, and David Scott (Dawoodi) also played drums for The Innermood. The Innermood performed all around the LA area including the Hollywood Bowl, The Improv, The Watts Festival (2), and Club George in Beverly Hills, various political fundraisers, and local clubs in the South Central area. Their first professional demo was produced by Charles Wright of the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band at Warner Brothers Studios in Hollywood.
In 1978, after 7 years with the group, CL signed with Al Frazier (Ladera Records) as solo artist, Charles Montgomery and not my now legal name, Cl Montgomery Jr. Al Frazier, of The Rivingtons fame, (“Papa-Om-Mow-Mow” and “The Birds the Word” etc became his professional manager, publisher and mentor. CL bought several Innermood songs in and they were soon mastered and published as singles.
The new relationship with Ladera/Quan Records produced “I Don’t Think I’ll Do That Anymore,” “Pretty Girls”, “I Can Only Pray”, “(Thinkin’ About) You and Me” written by Montgomery/Jamal. “Only the Time,” “I Love You So” and “Message To The Children” all written by the Fraziers and put to music by Montgomery.
Because of this association, Montgomery met and worked with superstars like Lou Rawls, Janet Dubois, Mary Wells, Cecil and Curtis Womack, Patrice Rushen, Jessie Belvin Jr and other professional artists and musicians who, some, contributed greatly with their immense talents in studio sessions. These sessions and productions were under the direction of Harold ‘Stemzy’ Hunter. As Charles Montgomery, he enjoyed receiving top marquee billing at The Hollywood Palladium and performed at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA.
In 1980, CL Left Los Angeles moving back to his hometown Fresno California and in 1983 began a new project with Al Frazier and Ladera/Quan Records.
CL traveled from Fresno to Los Angeles while working a night job to record the singles, “Can We,” written by Montgomery and the long-playing 45 “Only The Time”, Written By Al & Pauline Frazier “(Learn How To) Make Three Kinds of Love” a Montgomery tune was not released. These were his last productions with Al Frazier and Ladera/Quan Records.
In 2010, CL released his first mp3 album as an independent artist, “Better Than I” and instrumentals “I Do It At Home” and “Do-Re-Mi” which are available on most download sites. CL continues to write and produce and is working toward his next release, which is titled, "Bouncin Off A Satellite".
"Bouncin" is now available for download on Cdbaby and other download sites. It is a song based on a relatively new thing we do called texting. (I even had to add this word to the dictionary on my word processor).
Because I have a tendency to worry and without any good reason, I find myself dealing with the expectation of receiving reply texts or textes, whichever.
Anyway, I decided to write down my feelings about the 'meantime', that space of time when I might be entertaining every possible scenario in the world as to why I haven't received my reply text as of yet. When I'm working, I don't usually have time to sit and type out messages so I would send a "bounce" text. An empty text that simply means "bounce me back". These are quick signals and mean "Is everything is OK? I'll get back to you in a few minutes, the boss is here", or something like that. Anyway, I hope you give it a listen and I hope it brings you some happy moments.
Also, I have something that I want to give to you. It is a little something I wrote that helps reconcile me as I wrestle with my creative manifestations.
My thoughts examined.
My feelings expressed.
My emotions exposed.
Now, I am a more perfect Lyric.
-cl
Until next time Y'all!
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