Heroes In The Struggle
Singer Cheryl Lynn, famous for her “Got to Be Real,” will be the featured artist for the 6th Annual Heroes In The Struggle. The event will be held at 6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 16 at The Directors Guild of America. Lynn, who was born Cheryl Lynn Smith in Los Angeles, got her start on the “Gong Show,” which spoofed amateur talent shows. Lynn walked off the “Gong Show” stage with a contract in hand, and the song rose to No. 1 in practically every country in the free world. Penned by Lynn, along with producer David Paich and David Foster, “Got to Be Real,” not only became a national dance club anthem, it achieved the number one position in Billboard Magazine, and was recently named the #2 dance song of all time by several dance music associations. Buy Tickets to the show online Lynn recorded a string of hits for CBS Records, including the classic duet produced by and performed with Luther Vandross, “If This World Were Mine.” The recording was supported by a cross-country tour featuring the dynamic couple. The musical marriage of Lynn and guitarist/producer Ray Parker, Jr., yielded the hit single, “Shake It up Tonight,” which further embodied Lynn in the dance clubs of America and around the world. Newcomers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis who went on to produce mega hits for super star Janet Jackson, had their first number one record when they produced “Encore,” recorded by Lynn in 1984. “Got to Be Real,” has become a mainstay in pop culture. The song has been featured in such films as “Paris Is Burning,” “Carlito’s Way,” “Keeping the Faith,” “Shark Tale” and “Pink Panther.” Movie mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg personally phoned and requested that Lynn, along with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis compose a song for the “Shark Tale” soundtrack, “Sweet Kind of Life.” The inclusion of “Got to Be Real,” in an episode of the popular TV show, “Sex in the City” won a prestigious Golden Globe award. The hip hop/rap era could not ignore the popularity of “Got To Be Real,” as it has been sampled by a list of artists that include YoYo, Mary J. Blige, Will Smith, Fat Joe, and Father MC. It was hip hop queen Blige who covered the song for the "Shark Tale” soundtrack. A proven “world” artist, Lynn has successfully toured Japan for the past 15 years. Her recording, “Good Time” produced by Teddy Riley, and remixed by Jr. Vasquez and Dallas Austin, was a mega hit on the Japanese charts. Often referred to as “the song that won’t go away,” “Got to Be Real,” has been featured in such national commercial endorsements as Clairol, Hanes, and KIA. It’s been a long journey since the initial recording of “Got to Be Real,” and it has taken on a life of its own!