- Five Star
Infobox musical artist
Name = Five Star
Img_capt = Five Star in 1989 (from left to right), Stedman, Denise, Lorraine, Doris and Delroy
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Background = group_or_band
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Origin =Romford ,Essex ,England
Genre = Pop,R&B
Years_active = 1983-2006
Label =Tent Records EpicRCA Sony BMG
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Current_members =Denise Pearson Doris May Pearson Lorraine Samantha Jean Pearson Stedman Pearson Delroy Pearson
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =Five Star, (also known as 5 Star), were a British pop /
R&B group, fromRomford ,Essex , formed in1983 and comprising brothers and sisters Stedman, Lorraine, Denise, Doris and Delroy Pearson. Known for their glamorous image, distinctive matching costumes and heavily choreographed dance routines, Five Star achieved a string of Top 40 singles and albums in the UK between 1985 and 1988.Biography
The group of five siblings from the
Essex town ofRomford was put together by their father,Buster Pearson (born in Jamaica and was the former session musician withWilson Pickett ), who also acted as their manager. Pearson also set upTent Records Inc. to release the group's material. Considered by many to be a British version ofThe Jacksons , Five Star went on to have many UK hits, scoring their biggest success in 1986 with Top 10 singles "System Addict ", "Can't Wait Another Minute ", "Find The Time " (both produced byRichard James Burgess ), and "Rain Or Shine ". Further Top 10 hits "Stay Out Of My Life " (penned by Denise) and "The Slightest Touch " followed in 1987, as well as a BRIT Award for Best British Group. 1987 also saw the release of their third album, "Between The Lines".Their squeaky clean image made the group as popular with the press as the record buying public, and many tabloids ran stories of the Pearsons' everyday and private affairs, most notably Lorraine's engagement to
Eddie Murphy in 1988.Fact|date=October 2007 The group moved to a huge mansion,Stone Court , inBerkshire , complete withCCTV and alarmed security gates.Fact|date=October 2007 This overt attempt by their father at keeping Five Star's business away from public gaze only fuelled further interest and over-embellished stories of 'private nightclubs' and 'Neverland-style fairgrounds' for the siblings' private use.Fact|date=October 2007In 1988, the group felt they had taken the sound that made their name as far as it could go and changed their direction to a more adult-oriented, leather-clad disco/rock/dance sound (led by a 1988 Leon Sylvers III produced single "
Another Weekend "). Despite the moderate success of the album "Rock the World", the record sold less well than earlier releases.By this point the group's popularity had dramatically declined, and by late 1989 their "Greatest Hits" collection peaked at a lowly No.53 on the album chart. Also in 1989, the group made an infamous appearance on British TV show
Going Live , on which they were verbally abused by a teenage phone-in caller. Apparently at loggerheads withRCA , Buster Pearson signed the group toEpic Records the following year, and an entirely self penned, self produced album, "Five Star", was produced at the family home. Despite heavy promotion, the two singles from it, "Treat Me Like A Lady " and "Hot Love ", failed and a planned third single, "What About Me, Baby?", was shelved, with the UK release of the album also abandoned. Seeking fresh opportunities and a new audience the band moved to America in late 1990 amid reports of bankruptcy.Fact|date=October 20071991 saw the release of the slick, American-sounding "Shine" album, and in 1994 the more laid back, mature "Heart And Soul", which had a distinct RnB direction. The following year, Five Star brought the album to the UK, with considerably less press coverage than previous years.Fact|date=October 2007 It was around this time the group took their first big break from the music scene. Denise got married and had children and Delroy went into musical production.
In 2001, Five Star's 31st official single release, "Funktafied", peaked at #99 on the US R&B Chart and spent ten weeks on the
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, peaking at #26. ["Funktafied" at [http://www.billboard.com www.billboard.com] ] Five Star returned to the UK in 2002, as a trio of Stedman, Denise and Lorraine, to perform on various tours, including the 2002 'Here and Now' nostalgia tour. In 2005, "System Addict" was re-recorded and re-released. A planned re-release of "The Slightest Touch" that same year was cancelled.Fact|date=October 2007 Plans for all five members to re-group and record new material in a full scale come-back were discussed for 2006/7.Fact|date=October 2007 Part of these plans included a multi-million pound record deal, national tour and a fly-on-the-wall TV documentary.Fact|date=October 2007 However, only three members expressed interest and negotiations ground to a halt. After a disastrous gig at UK holiday resortButlins in October 2006, in which all five members were billed, but on the night three impersonators turned up, [ [http://music.guardian.co.uk/pop/comment/story/0,,2287339,00.html "Let's Go Round Again" by Dave Simpson, "The Guardian", 26 June 2008] ] Lorraine announced her departure from the line-up, while Stedman and long-lost member Doris forged ahead recording solo material.Fact|date=October 2007 Despite no official statement from the group, it is widely assumed that Five Star have disbanded for good.Fact|date=October 2007The future for the Pearson's seems to be rooted in solo careers for at least three members: Stedman's solo album, as yet untitled, is complete and ready for a release date in the UK. It was showcased to the public, journalists and music industry members in London in February 2007.Fact|date=October 2007
Doris is yet to reveal when her completed solo songs will see commercial release. Denise revealed in 2007 that she too is working on solo material. [ [http://www.myspace.com/denisepearsonofficial Denise Pearson Official MySpace] ]
Delroy continues to live in LA with his family producing for U.S. music acts. Fact|date=December 2007 Lorraine has so far not revealed any ambitions to pursue a musically-related career. Fact|date=December 2007 In March 2007, the group's record label,
Sony BMG , released a brand new compilation DVD of all their hit music video's called "Five Star Performance ", which reached No.25 on the DVD music charts.2008 is Five Star 25th Anniversary, Stedman and Denise have agreed to do a few PA's at Butlins. March 29th is the first gig with Stedman and backing dancers whilst Denise is at work Songwriting in Sweden. October 2008 Denise will return to join Stedman and the backing dancers for gigs at Butlins over October and November 2008.
Discography
Albums
Singles
References
External links
* [http://www.myspace.com/fivestarofficial five star official]
* [http://www.5starluxury.co.uk 5 Star Luxury]
* [http://www.myspace.com/5starluxury 5 Star Luxury Myspace]
* [http://www.myspace.com/fivestargroup Five Star Myspace]
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