Mary Jane Girls

Name: Mary Jane Girls
Start: 2025-09-19T21:30:00-07:00
End: 2025-09-20T22:45:00-07:00
Location: Yoshi's Oakland -Jack London square

Schedule

Fri, 19 Sep, 2025 at 09:30 pm to Sat, 20 Sep, 2025 at 10:45 pm

UTC-07:00

Location

Yoshi's Oakland -Jack London square | Oakland, CA

A Detroit, Michigan native VAL YOUNG began performing professionally at an early age singing background vocals for greats like The Gap Band, George Clinton & The P-Funk and Roy Ayers. It wasn't until the 1980's that Punk Funk superstar Rick James impressed by her striking physical appearance as much by her musical talent he promoted her as the "Black Marilyn Monroe" and signed her to Motown Records, helping her produce her debut album Seduction which included the hits "Mind Games", "Piece Of My Heart", "If You Should Ever Be Lonely" and her second album Private Conversations was released on Amherst Records.
The album Seduction would go on to become her first gold album. Today her walls are lined with numerous gold and platinum discs in lieu of her many musical credits. One of the first ladies of music to write & produce, Val Young has greats like Mariah Carey and Tupac Shakur to thank for keeping her on lockdown in the hip-hop world. One of her most memorable collaborations is the song 'To Live & Die In L.A." featuring Val Young and the late Tupac Shakur with whom she shared a very special working relationship. Val also worked with the original members of Rufus which include Kevin Murphy and Tony Maiden.
Val Young's long list of musical friends include Rick James, QDIII, Gerald LeVert, Roy Ayers, Teena Marie, Wayman Tisdale, P-Funk, Deborah Cox, Snoop Dagg, Ice Cube, Bobby Brown, Yo-Yo, Too Short, Bobby Womack, Kidd Frost, Charlie Wilson, Miki Howard, Warren G., Nate Dagg, Dr. Dre, Keith Sweat, Eddie Griffin, Binky Womack, El DeBarge, Tone Loe, Bad Azz, The Gap Band, Mack 10, Nas, Tha Outlawz, Michael Bivins & The Eastcoast Family, Johnny Gill, Raphael Saadiq, Yukmouth, Tam Rock (daughter), Slave, The Brothers Johnson and her dearest brother Eddie Murphy have all experienced Val's touch.
The dazzling sophisticated Candice "Candi" Ghant embodied the mysterious beauty with the Bootylicious body. This native of Motor City (Detroit) always knew her destiny was to be an Entertainer. At the age of 19 Candi signed her first Exclusive Artist & Writers Contract with Motown Records. Moving to Hollywood, was the second step in realizing her dream which lead to being a part of the all-female group Softouch (Fantasy Records) which was created by Billy Henderson of The Spinners after a brief stint with the girls, Candi auditioned for Motown's "King of Punk Funk" Rick James, and was the 2nd young lady picked for The MJG's & secured her spot as one of the Princesses of Funk, the Mary Jane Girls. Candi has spent her time recording background vocals for rappers (Ice Cube, , Rappin 4-Tay, Kidd Frost, Baby Bash, and JayTee are "Rapping on the song" Candi Coated" Mixmasters, Binky Womack, Snoop Dagg, Mack 10, N2Deep, Kurtis Blow, Latino Velvet, K-Dee, Big Daddy Kane, QDIII), sung background Val Young, Rick James, Peabo Bryson, Bootsy Collins, Phred Mosbey, Smokey Robinson, Nate Dagg, Bobby Womack, (George Clinton "The Bop Gun Song"), Janie Bradford, Klymaxx, Ron Tyson, Johnny Bristol, El DeBarge, Bobby Brown, Paul Jackson, Jr., Jack Ashford, Hank Cosby, Ray Parker, Jr., ( Drak from Slave,).....Wokie Stewart, Sylvia 'Tippy" Smith Marilyn McLeod(,worked with Wayman Tisdale) and has appeared on various soundtracks: A Fine Mess (1986) Boyz In The Hood (Ice Cube) True To The Game...Movie...Indigo Blues Candi sung on the soundtrack "Missin U) also worked with Phred Mosbey. Anutha Music Company Treat Her Like A Lady (Gospel Play) featuring Hawthorne James aka Big Red from the Five Hearthbeats
I was Assistant Music Director for the background vocals in the play. Candi also found time to produced: FLOSS former Ladies of the Supremes featuring Ollie Woodson) and produced group (Latino Velvet Baby Bash. Kid Frost.. were part of the group) Christmas Song and the infamous Mabb Squad (Larry Darrell, Thin C.& Lady V).. Also produced (Christmas song on Vanessa Bell Calloway)
Farah Saraya Melanson born in Los Angeles, California She has had the blessing of entertaining with such artists as The Mary Jane Girls featuring Val Young, New Birth, Jon B
And she has recorded with Barry White, Grady Harrell, The 3 Elvis Suede And she has worked with the group The Buck Ram Platters
Farah attended Fairfax High School majoring in music and playing the violin Bass clarinet, cello, and flute along with playing in the band & orchestra
She also attended Los Angeles City and Los Angeles Valley college as Music Major
The Marvelettes these days are Farah Melanson rising from the club's basement on a center-floor lift to the strains of "Please Mr. Postman" and pulling a random "Bill" from the audience for "Don't Mess With Bill."
Farah has also been working with Val Young and Candi Ghant Of the Maryjane Girls for 4 years