SKYY Challenges Guiness Record

R&B classics, The Ladies of SKYY ("Call Me"), challenge the Guinness World Record for

Denise Wilkinson, Dolores Milligan and Benita Williams, the original female vocalists for the old school R&B group SKYY, are continuing their 25th Anniversary Tour by making History in Harlem.  .  This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the RIAA certified gold status of their all time number one hit single, “Call Me.”  Released in 1982 on the Salsoul Records label, “Call Me” appeared on SKYY’s all time number one hit album “SKYYLINE.”

The three Dunning sisters will attempt to beat the Guinness World RecordTM for the “largest kazoo ensemble” at the Apollo Theater sponsored Summerstage 2007 concert at the Harlem State Office Building on 125th Street, on Thursday, August 2, 2007 at 6:45 PM .  The Guinness World RecordTM for the “largest kazoo ensemble” is currently held by the Quincy Park Band and First Bankers Trust Company, and consisted of 1,791 people playing the kazoo for more than 5 minutes at Madison Park, Quincy, Illinois, USA, on June 30, 2004.

The Ladies of SKYY will perform their single, SKYYZOO, and will distribute 2,000 kazoos in their attempt to beat the current Guinness World RecordTM.  Released in 1980, SKYYZOO appeared on SKYY’s second album entitled SKYYWAY.  SKYYZOO reached number 32 on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart, and number 41 on the Dance Chart.  SKYYZOO is a popular song in The Ladies of SKYY repertoire because their audiences participate in the performance.  The Ladies of SKYY are the only R&B group that uses this unique instrument in its musical repertoire. 

The kazoo is an instrument that has an interesting history in African and African American culture.  It is related to African instruments called mirlitons, but is a uniquely American version.  The kazoo was invented by an African American man named Alabama Vest, and made to his specifications by a German clock master named Thaddeus Von Clegg in Macon, Georgia back in the 1840’s.  Kazoos were played in country string bands and continued to enjoy popularity throughout the evolution of jazz.  The kazoo is an instrument that anyone can play because all you do is hum into the kazoo to create the musical sound.

The Guinness World RecordTM attempt must be verified by two witnesses.  This event will be witnessed by world expert kazooist, Ms. Barbara Stewart, the author of The Complete How To Kazoo and a member (Leader and Kazoo Keeper) of Kazoophony.  This event will also be witnessed by Mr. Leslie Wyche, a well known and respected figure in the Harlem community, known as “The Honorary Mayor of Harlem.”  Further support for this event comes from Kazoobie Kazoos, the company which has supplied the Ladies of SKYY with their kazoos for the past 10 years.  Kazoobie Kazoos, owned by Rick Hubbard, is the only manufacturer of plastic kazoos in the U.S. 

Everyone is invited to come out and join the fun!  There will be a sign-up desk at the side of the stage on the day of the concert starting at 5:00 PM.  Anyone interested in signing up to be a Member of The World’s Largest Kazoo Band should send an e-mail to [email protected] for further details. 

You can view The Ladies of SKYY website at www.skyyonline.com.

Austin K. Wilkinson – 347-645-1061 [[email protected]]

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