The 12″ version of Highways Of Love by Johnny O
Born Juan Antonio Ortiz in Brooklyn, New York, Johnny O emerged from the late-80s freestyle scene with a smooth tenor and romantic sensibility that made him one of the genre’s most beloved leading men. Often called “The King of Freestyle” alongside Stevie B, he built a catalog of club hits and heartfelt ballads that defined the sound of a generation. Read the full Johnny O biography.
The 12″ version of No More Tears by Abby Lynn About Abby Lynn Abby Lynn recorded “No More Tears,” a freestyle single that found its life in the clubs and on mix shows rather than the charts. Read the full Abby Lynn biography.
The 12″ version of Love Letter by Giggles Maria “Giggles” Respeto Giggles, born Maria Respeto, was a freestyle singer from East Harlem, New York, who rose to fame in the late 1980s. She made her mark with tracks like “Love Letter,” “What Comes Around Goes Around” and the album “He Loves Me… He Loves Me…
The radio version of Wondering by Tonasia About Tonasia Tonasia recorded “Wondering” for Micmac Records in 1988, catalog number MIC-509, one of the earliest releases on the label that would become freestyle’s great New York independent. The 12″ carried five mixes, with additional production by Rick Bottari and Tommy Nappi, and the writing credited to…
The official video for Give Me Tonight by Shannon About Shannon Born Brenda Shannon Greene on May 2, 1958, in Washington, D.C., Shannon didn’t just record a hit—she helped invent a genre. Her 1983 single “Let the Music Play” is widely regarded as the first true freestyle record, a sonic blueprint that would launch a…
The official video for I Wonder If I Take You Home by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam About Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam Before freestyle had a name, Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam were already defining its sound. Emerging from Hell’s Kitchen in the mid-80s, the trio—lead vocalist Lisa Velez, guitarist/bassist Alex “Spanador” Moseley, and…
The 12″ version of Maria by TKA Read the biography of TKA. About TKA TKA formed in the Puerto Rican neighborhoods of New York City in 1984, when Louis “Kayel” Sharpe, Ralph Cruz, and Angel Vasquez began singing together as teenagers. Tommy Boy Records signed the trio, and their run of singles helped define what…