The Family Stand unites three musicians: Sandra St. Victor from Dallas, Texas; Jeffrey Smith; and New York native Peter Lord. Before adopting their current name, Lord and Smith performed as Evon Jeffries & the Stand and issued recordings under that billing two years earlier. Although the trio has issued three albums, their most prominent recognition stems from the song “Promise of a New Day,” which Lord co-wrote with Paula Abdul and which the former Los Angeles Lakers dancer performed. On the 1998 release Connected, Jacci McGhee took St. Victor’s place after the latter departed for a solo career that began with the Warner Bros. album Mack Diva Saves the World.
The group’s individual résumés include work alongside leading rock figures, with Smith contributing on saxophone. Lord, who serves as vocalist and keyboardist, earned a degree in musical composition from Howard University and first performed with ensembles from the Washington, D.C., region. After returning to New York, he joined Smith in writing and producing material for Miki Howard, the Mac Band, Donna Allen, Good Fellaz, Will Downing, Corey Glover, and Ali. St. Victor studied classical music at the University of Kansas; once in New York she became a sought-after session and touring vocalist, recording or performing with Freddie Jackson, Roy Ayers, Chaka Khan, Nile Rodgers, Kashif, Glenn Jones, and additional artists.
Their debut album, Chain, yielded the disco favorite “Ghetto Heaven,” yet the remaining Atlantic tracks—“Sweet Liberation,” “In Summer I Falled,” “Chain,” and “Twisted”—failed to gain traction. A follow-up, Moon in Scorpio, appeared on East West Records but leaned too heavily toward rock for urban audiences and consequently went unnoticed. Six years later the group returned with Connected on Elektra/Asylum Records, an album that abandoned its earlier acid textures in favor of the soul approach that defined the 1970s. When sales proved disappointing, the label granted the act its requested release. During the intervening period Lord and Smith brought McGhee into the fold and concentrated on outside production and songwriting. Given their evident talent, another Family Stand project would not be unexpected.
