“UNSUNG”– Sneak peek of DeBarge Family episode airs Thanksgiving night (Nov. 27) at 7 PM, with the series airing on four consecutive nights starting Sunday, Nov. 30 at 10 PM ET –

Silver Spring, MD – Aretha, Whitney, Diana, Stevie, Marvin, The Winans - Everyone knows the name of black music’s biggest stars. But the full picture of black music in America is much larger than the acknowledged superstars, and many of the greatest have failed to achieve superstar status. Beginning with a sneak peek of one episode Thanksgiving night and airing on four consecutive nights starting Sunday, Nov. 30, TV One will premiere Unsung, a series of four, one-hour biography specials that celebrate the lives and careers of four of those accomplished artists or groups who deserved – but didn’t make – the transition to superstardom.

Narrated by singer, songwriter and radio personality Al B. Sure! Unsung will chronicle the careers of:

• Donny Hathaway – the musical genius who hit chart highs with Roberta Flack and influenced countless vocalists, but whose personal demons resulted in a tragic end; (airs 12/2)

• The Debarge Family – this sweet-voiced family group composed their own songs and were thought to be the answer to the Jackson 5, before changing musical trends, family squabbles, and deadly addictions led to their demise; (airs 11/27, 12/3)

• The Clark Sisters – these second generation gospel stars broke down gospel/secular barriers for artists such as the Winans and Kirk Franklin, but their own personal struggles and backlash from the most traditional in the church community kept them from becoming the crossover gospel household names they were destined to become; (airs 12/1) and

• Phyllis Hyman – sultry, statuesque and glamorous, with a smooth voice to match, Phyllis Hyman should have been a record executive’s crossover dream. But her jazzier musical inclinations ultimately limited her career, while her stormy temper and personal battles with weight and depression cut her life short (airs 11/30).

In a special Thanksgiving night sneak peek, TV One will offer The DeBarge Family episode Thursday, Nov. 27 at 7 PM. The entire series will then air on four consecutive nights beginning Sunday, Nov. 30, with each episode airing at 10 PM, 11 PM and 2 AM (all times ET). 

Unsung will reveal the multiple factors that kept these artists from achieving the iconic commercial status they deserved.  And, in the process, these specials will “sing” the praises and celebrate the artistry that has kept fellow artists and fans talking about them for years.  Featuring exclusive interviews, musical clips and archival footage, each episode will investigate the stories of these pivotal artists, their journey through music and their perhaps unexpected influence on the music of today.

“We wanted to celebrate the music of these artists that you remember fondly from your own or your parents’ collection of vinyl LPs and your classic editions of Ebony and Jet magazines…some of the most influential and talented R&B and Gospel artists of the 1970’s ‘80’s and ‘90’s,” said TV One Senior Vice President of Programming Strategy and Acquisitions Jeff Meier. “Though many of these artists managed to build a dedicated Black fanbase, they were not able to make the often musically deserved transition to superstardom.  In these specials, we want to answer, ‘Why did these artists remain mostly ‘unsung’ to the world at large?’”