Nepotism? Betty Davis

Either Betty Davis was an amazing networker during her 1 year marriage to Miles Davis or Miles may have pulled some strings, but whatever happened she was signed to a label , she recruited the best musicians on the San Francisco scene in '69 (Larry Graham, Neal Schon, the Tower of Power Horns), and she released a record of her self penned material. Her self titled debut was a slamming she funk extravaganza, but it didn't sell a lick. For her next record (amazing she got to make another), she wrote, sang, and produced (with a less stellar, but still top flight session crew), They Say I'm Different, which, despite the fact that it was another future funk freakout of the highest order, sold even less.After that her material was a little lackluster and she kinda faded away. Crate Diggers in the 80's exposed me to the songs and her story; The rise from model, to music scenster, to Wife of Miles ( he said it was Betty who him pushed toward the Bitches Brew type material) , to friend of Hendrix, to Funk originator to Rare Groove Goddess.In the end, whether she got a push from the inside is irrelevant, I mean, for the love of Mike, she was the prototype for Grace Jones!, only perhaps a little more talented. I love Miles, but I'll take Betty's Funk over his Funk any day.Any other nepotism tales out there? Ya heard mine.

Some highlights from They Say I'm Different


This was originally posted on MOG 1.1.07 
There's a nice comment thread there where fastn'bulbous (one of my favorite obsessives out there) busts my chops for even suggesting Betty got preferential treatment.
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