ABOUT ALTON
Alton McClain Scarborough launched her singing career in her hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. Her first manager took her into the studio to cut a single, COME BACK BABY with famed R&B drummer Bernard Purdie producing. The record sold 20,000 copies in the Baltimore/Washington area alone and Alton's career was off and running.
Alton then did a series of solo performances and commercials before moving to Los Angeles. With a new manager, Alton met her first producer, Frank Wilson, who subsequently introduced her to D'Marie Warren and Roberta Stiger and Alton McClain & Destiny was born.
Fronted by Alton's soulful vocals, the group's first album for Polydor Records produced the Top 40 hit IT MUST BE LOVE. On the strength of that song, the group toured with Teddy Pendergrass, Frankie Beverly & Maze, Chic, Peobo Bryson, The Gap Band and Millie Jackson. They appeared on national television and did a successful tour in Europe. The second album MORE OF YOU was a wonderful collection of upbeat dance tunes and heart wrenching ballads that displayed Alton's unique vocal styling and versatility.
However, it was the third album, GONNA TELL THE WORLD, the title having almost a prophetic ring that would bring about many changes in Alton's life. This album was produced by Grammy award winning songwriter, Skip Scarborough. He was indeed Alton's "destiny" and out of that production would come a beautiful marriage and a great music team through which Alton was "gonna tell the world" a different kind of message.
While on tour in Japan with Ray Parker, Jr., Alton heard the call to sing Gospel. After much thought and prayer she decided to consecrate her voice to the Lord no matter what the cost and God began to fine-tune the calling and make His purpose for her life clearer. One of the choir directors at the church she was attending at the time wrote her a little note stating that she felt God wanted Alton to sing Gospel because lately there was a kind of "magic" in her voice when she sang and everybody was noticing it.
READ MORE OF HER STORY ON EURWEB.COM ALTON MCCLAIN SCARBOROUGH TALKS TOURING, GIRL GROUPS & MORE ABOUT HER GRAMMY-WINNING HUSBAND (PART 2 EUR EXCLUSIVE!)
Whenever she would sing at a church or for a special event, people would say how much they had been blessed by her ministry and wanted something to take with them. It was after many requests and much prayer that she decided to do her first Gospel album, GOD’S WOMAN, which her husband Skip produced. Together they worked on ideas and listened to songs that would be right for the album and released it in 1995.
Two years later Skip and Alton became the Music Ministers at the Place of Grace Church where their friends David and Althea Franklin are the pastors.
They fulfilled that role, writing many beautiful songs that were birthed during the Praise & Worship times until Skip’s passing in 2003. RENAISSANCE is a collection of these songs and is dedicated to his loving memory.
Today, Alton is embracing her musical legacy by renewing her own artistic destiny and focusing on THE SCARBOROUGH FOUNDATION, a non-profit organization that offers scholarships to Maryland public school students who are gifted in the performing arts (music, dance, and theater).
Alton McClain & Destiny
Alton McClain & Destiny
Alton McClain & Destiny
Alton met her first producer, Frank Wilson who subsequently introduced her to D'Marie Warren and Robyrda Stiger and Alton McClain & Destiny was born.
"It Must Be Love" 1979
Alton McClain & Destiny
Alton McClain & Destiny
Thier first album for Polydor Records produced the Top 40 hit IT MUST BE LOVE. With that song, they toured with Teddy Pendergrass, Frankie Beverly & Maze, Chic, Peobo Bryson, The Gap Band and Millie Jackson.
"More of You" 1980
Alton McClain & Destiny
"Gonna Tell The World" 1981
The second album MORE OF YOU was a wonderful collection of upbeat dance tunes and heart wrenching ballads that displayed Alton's unique vocal styling and versatility.
"Gonna Tell The World" 1981
"Gonna Tell The World" 1981
"Gonna Tell The World" 1981
GONNA TELL THE WORLD, the title having almost a prophetic ring that would bring about many changes in Alton's life. This album was produced by Grammy award winning songwriter, Skip Scarborough.
Skip Scarborough
"Gonna Tell The World" 1981
Skip Scarborough
A prolific songwriter, Scarborough wrote songs performed by L.T.D., Anita Baker and Earth, Wind & Fire. He co-wrote "Giving You the Best That I Got", which won a Grammy Award in 1988 for Best R&B Song.
"Renaissance"
"Gonna Tell The World" 1981
Skip Scarborough
The Renaissance Cd is a tremendous worship and praise project by the wife of the late great Grammy Award winning writer/ producer Skip Scarborough. Listen to all 13 tracks and purchase Alton McClain's gospel album.