POWER.. The most exciting 4 man Vocal Show Group to ever come out of Minneapolis. What a Show, what a Sound! "POWER" is a Vocal Group with an Old & New School feel. Their Power Packed stage show and soulful sound is liken to those groups such as ..The Temptations.., ..The Dramatics.., .. New Edition.., Whispers & ..Earth, Wind & Fire.. just to name a few. "POWER" has toured the US including the Vegas & Tahoe Nevada circuits, also the Canadian circuit and is set to tour Europe this year.

A Minneapolis based group, "POWER..s" distinguished vocals range from top to bottom with each member sharing the Lead Vocals on the "POWERIZED" CD. R&B, FUNK, JAZZY, & POP selections, take your choice of what you'll find on their new "POWERIZED" CD, original material written and produced internally it has it all. The CD is the complete return to the public for the Nationally known Vocal & Show group "POWER", formerly of Malaco records.

Their Stage show is second to none, thrilling choreography, their flamboyant presence mesmerizes all who see them. Their distinct voices blend as one to....woo, woo, woo you. Their Love Ballads will sooth your senses, their funk tunes will take you back.

BIOS

Darryl Draper

Producer, Song Writer, Choreographer,
Lead & Background Vocals

Darryl sings primarily 2nd tenor & baritone, lead & background vocals on POWERIZED CD. Although Darryl is known for his lush 1st tenor leads, which he displays on the ballad "I Want You", he takes on a new role on this CD.

Born and raised and currently living in Chicago. Darryl's singing career started on the street corners of Chicago and in the church choir. He began singing professionally while attending college in Show groups and eventually migrated to Minneapolis.

He is also the choreographer for the group. After a long layoff from POWER, Darryl states he returns with the "Grace of God", and proud to be the Executive Producer of POWER's reunion CD "POWERIZED' for such a talented group.

Bruce sings primarily 1st & 2nd tenor, lead & background vocals on POWERIZED CD. Bruce is known for his sweet 1st tenor.

Bruce was born in Denver Colorado, grew up in Minneapolis. His singing career started in church, Bruce started organizing singing groups early in his career and feels "POWER" is the best group he has been in yet.

Bruce Pierson

Founder, Song Writer,
Lead & Background Vocals

Patrick Daniel

Song Writer,
Lead & Background Vocals

Pat sings primarily 2nd tenor & baritone, lead & background vocals on POWERIZED CD. Pat is known for his distinctive ruff tone leads. Born and raised in Minneapolis, Pat started singing when he was 7 years old. He started singing professionally at 19. Singing with various groups such as the Casanova's Salt, Pepper & Spice, Pat loves to perform for audiences and he feels he is now "Living a lifetime dream."

Wendell sings primarily 2nd tenor & baritone, lead & background vocals on POWERIZED CD. Wendell is known for his smooth jazzy vocals. Born in Arkansa, raised in Minneapolis, Wendell's singing career started in the early 70's professionally. Wendell is POWER's MC on stage and he loves to entertain you. He provides the group with solid background and lead vocals.

Wendell Watson

Song Writer,
Lead & Background Vocals

Interview with Darryl Draper / POWER

- I'd like to ask you a little bit about your background first. When is your date of birth?
    Darryl - 8/12/51
    Bruce - 5/18/50
    Pat -    10/11/50
    Wendell - 6/17/51

- Who did you grow up listening to?
    Darryl - Motown, Earth, Wind & Fire, Heat Wave, Philly sound James Brown etc, etc.
    Bruce - Motown, EWF, Little Rascals, Blue Magic etc, etc.
    Pat -   Motown, Rascals, Blood Sweat & Tears, etc, etc.
    Wendell - Motown, Jerry Butler, Ray Charles, James Brown, Sting etc, etc.

- What is your musical Background like?
    Darryl - Church choir, street corner singing in Chicago several singing groups from college on.
Bruce - Church choir-director, several singing groups in Twin Cities.
    Pat - Sung with several groups around the Twin Cities.
    Wendell - Choir and Sax in High School and other show groups.

- Who has been your biggest inspiration in music? Who were some artists that inspired you/your vocals?
    Darryl - Eddie Kendricks, Smokey, Maurice White & Phillip Bailey (EWF)
    Bruce - Eddie Kendricks, Lionel Richie, Phillip Bailey, Howard Hewett
    Pat - Stevie Wonder, Al Jarreau, Dennis Edwards
Wendell - Marvin Gaye, Jerry Butler

- When did you form the group Power? How did you hook up with each other? Please tell us about the story.
Power was organized by Bruce Pierson. Bruce and Pat were in groups during the late 60's early 70's. Bruce and Darryl were in several groups through the early mid 70's, Darryl and Wendell were in a group early 70's. Bruce decided to start another group in 1978, he went and got Pat and Ken (bass singer no longer with the group). Darryl had moved back to his home town Chicago. Bruce called Darryl and told him what his plans were, Darryl told Bruce to go get Wendell and when the time was right Darryl joined back up and thusly POWER was created.

- When did you sign with Malaco Records? Please tell us a little bit about the story.
Power signed with MALACO in 1980. We recorded a long playing single "Play It Again Sam and a regular single with "Groovin" by the Young Rascals and "You're Everything I Always Wanted" by a MALACO producer Joe Shamwell in 1980 and the complete album entitled POWER in 1981. In 1978-79 POWER met up with two gentlemen who called themselves 2PM Music Management, Jerry Lenz & Bill Isaacs. They worked for K-tel which was a large music distribution company back in the day and they were affiliated with MALACO. Power being a 5 man vocal show group, we performed a lot of Temptation songs and we sang medleys of Temptations songs which we performed acappella. One day in MPLS. 2PM called Tommy Couch Sr. owner of MALACO Records, and asked Tommy to listen to us. We sang a Temps medley over the phone, Tommy thought we were the Temptations over the phone, but it was us. He liked us and we were brought to Jackson, MS. received a record deal and began recording as one of the first R&B acts on MALACO Records. Prior to that time MALACO had Gospel and Blues acts. One of the Temptation songs we use to perform was called "POWER", we decided to take on that name. Thanks Temps. We were suppose to come back after those releases and record our original material with MALACO, but life got in the way and we disbanded. Part of the group stayed together on and off.

- Looking at the credits on your 1st album from Malaco, there are two songs written by Sam Dees. How did them come to you? Have you met him?
     Sam Dees was friend of MALACO. They were responsible for getting Mr. Dees on our album, no, we actually never got to meet him, he recorded when we were in MPLS.

- Please tell us your impressions about your new album Powerized. And how's the reaction?
POWERIZED is the culmination of many years of creative juices being suppressed because we never got to do our own music back then. Bruce, Pat and Wendell hooked up with JR a Mpls. Songwriter, Producer, Musician who co-wrote one of Alexander ONeal's early releases "Playroom" and decided to record "Three Little Words" & "I Want To Know Your Name" as a single. They called me and invited me to sing, I was skeptical about it, because my voice wasn't what it use to be, but I did and we did. After that we all started writing for POWERIZED. POWERIZED is being highly accepted. We feel that we have accomplished what we set out to do, and that was to bring POWER back to THE PEOPLE.

Currently we are working on getting a Distribution Deal.

- How long did you work on Powerized?
We worked on POWDERIZED about 2 years, putting everything together and moving back and forth between, Detroit, MPLS & Chicago.

- Why do you think you've been able to continue to work with the same members for 30 years?
We are brothers, we are the best of friends, we have been through thick & thin together and still survived. Not many groups break up and come back together after 30 years and record an album, you can't buy that, and if you could, it would be called POWER.

- Have you ever had a memory in career that you can't forget?
Darryl - MALACO, the reunion of POWER and completing "POWERIZED" as the Executive Producer/Producer and Songwriter.
Bruce - Sung in front of your 6 grade math class teacher Ms.Boling who I had a crush on, she told me I had a career in singing. And that gave me confidence to move.
Pat - When we went to Malaco and recorded our first album.
   Wendell - Playing in Lake Tahoe, MALACO and recording POWERIZED.

- Would you like to say something to your fans?
We are humbled, honored & blessed to be able to bring to our fans finally a real piece of POWER, sorry it took so long, we know a lot of people wondered if we'd be back after all the trials and tribulations we endured, but we POWERIZED ourselves and brought POWER BACK TO THE PEOPLE!

PEACE, LOVE & POWER

Thank you,

Darryl Draper
Powerized Productions
www.powerizedproductions.com
www.myspace.com/powerizedproductions

Discography

-Albums-

Power

Malaco MAL7408

	Groovin'
	Old Fashioned Girl
	Play It Again Sam
	Hott
	My World
	I Can't Stop
	You're Everything I Always Wanted
	Betcha Didn't Know That

1982

Powerized

Powerized Records no#

	Power
	Three Little Words
	Listen to Your Heart
	Let Me Be Your Man
	Playroom
	I Want to Know Your Name
	Once Upon a Time
	Get Your Love
	Started All Over Again
	I Want You
	It's Tyme
	Power Remix