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ba-roz

Ba-Roz cut two singles on Pisces Records in the early '70s: "The Last Time" b/w "Come Back Boy" and a reworking of "Mocking Bird" produced by Calvin Simon. Both sides of the first single were played and the tunes were written by a collaboration of Bobby Massey (O'Jays), Bobby Dukes, Calvin Simon, and Andrew Hamilton. Bobby Dukes recorded "Come Back Boy" as "Come Back Girl," but it remains unreleased. Ba-Roz was Cynthia Woodard, Joselyn Jones, and Vickie Scott, all natives of Cleveland, OH. Simon was on a hiatus from Parliament. He was an original member of George Clinton's group but left when he returned from military duty and saw his old slick, suave-looking buddies' new look. Simon preferred the clean-cut, conked-haired look, with all of them wearing identical sharp suits. When things went lame in Cleveland, Simon acquiesced and returned to Parliarment/Funkedelic to experience their glory years. After Ba-Roz, Jones and Scott retired, but Woodard kept on singing. She cut a duet with Bobby Dukes and did other projects. Her break came when the Blossoms from Los Angeles needed a new member. Cleveland native Walter Johnson was living in L.A. and working with H.B. Barnum. He recommended Woodard and sent her the airfare to come to L.A. to audition. She passed and embarked on world tours with the Blossoms as Tom Jones' backing vocalists. The Blossoms recorded but nothing hit. Woodard's solo recordings, including "California Dreaming" on H&L Records, suffered the same dismal fate. Jones allegedly dropped the Blossoms for younger vocalists and Woodard returned to Cleveland in the late '80s. She reunited with Jones and Scott in the early '90s for a CD sponsored by Gerald Levert for East West Records as Drama. A couple of singles got some club play, but nothing significant. They later began performing as UP NEX. ~ Andrew Hamilton, Rovi

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