Loleatta Holloway Discography 1971-1984

According to The Independent, Loleatta Holloway is "undoubtedly the most sampled female voice in popular music" and in 2016 Billboard named her the 95th most successful dance artist of all time!

It's a bit of a shame really as she was much more than just a dance/disco/house artist and I feel is grossly underrated for her earlier material. I intend to correct that by presenting some of the real soul gems that she recorded before she moved into the world of dance music.

In her career she had eleven R&B chart entries, only three of which crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100 "Cry To Me" #68, Only You" #87 and "Good Vibrations" on which she featured for Marky Mark (actor Mark Wahlberg) & Funky Boys #1 hit, her last hit in 1991. 

She did, of course, also feature (uncredited) on Italian outfit Black Box's UK #1 hit "Ride On Time" in 1989. It was a track on the B side to "Worn Out Broken Heart", "Dreamin'", in 1976 that launched her disco career which got to #72 on the pop chart.

It may not be common knowledge that she featured on Dan Hartman's disco hit "Relight My Fire" in 1979, who then wrote one of her biggest dance hits "Love Sensation".

This post is a belated birthday celebration of her music. She was born in Chicago on 5 Nov 1946 and therefore would have been 75 a few days ago but sadly died owing to heart failure in March 2011 aged 64. It covers her career from 1971 to 1980.

As you would expect from her powerful voice, she started by singing gospel with her mother in the Holloway Community Singers in Chicago and recorded with Albertina Walker in the Caravans gospel group between 1967 and 1971.

She was also a member of a troupe of 'Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope' where she met her future husband, jazz guitarist Floyd Smith who became her manager and produced her first recording which was a cover of a Curtis Mayfield song originally recorded in 1963 by Gene Chandler "Rainbow" which she updated as "Rainbow '71". It was one of only four releases (Feb 1971) on the tiny Apache label which included the wonderful James Phelps' original version of "The Look On Your Face" which was co-written by Smith. The single was picked up by Galaxy for national distribution (Jun 1971) with a different A side but failed to chart.

Coincidentally, The Sweethearts of Sigma which included Evette Benton, whose death was announced yesterday, featured on her first three Gold Mind albums, with Barbara Ingram being on her fourth and last on the label.

Here's a playlist of twenty of her best, mainly deeper, sides, in no particular order other than chronological.

Discography 1971-1984

Apache

1971 AM 2004 - For Sentimental Reasons / Rainbow "71"

Galaxy

1971 780 - Bring It On Up / Rainbow '71

Aware

In 1973 she was signed to Michael Thevis' Atlanta based Aware label where she released six singles between 1973-75 and two albums "Loleatta" in 1973 and "Cry To Me" 1975.

Many of the tracks released on Aware are included on the excellent Kent compilation "The Hotlanta Soul of Loleatta Holloway" (link to album on Spotify)

Albums

1973 AA 2003 - Loleatta

The Man I Love

We Did It

Our Love

Can I Change My Mind

Part Time Lover, Full Time Fool

So Can I

Only A Fool

Love Woke Me Up

Mother Of Shame

Remember Me

1975 AA 2008 - Cry To Me Listen HERE

Cry To Me

I Know Where You're Coming From

The Show Must Go On

The World Don't Owe You Nothing

Just Be True To Me

Something About The Way I Feel

I'll Be Gone

I Can't Help Myself

Casanova

H.E.L.P. M.E. M.Y. L.O.R.D.

Singles

1973 AW-30 - Part Time Lover... Full Time Fool / Only A Fool

1973 AW-33 - Mother Of Shame/ Our Love (#63 (R&B) / #43 (R&B))

1974 AW-39 - Help Me My Lord / The World Don't Owe You Nothin'

1974 AW-47 - Cry To Me / So Can I (#10 R&B / #68 Hot 100)

1975 AW-50 - I Know Where You're Coming From / The Show Must Go On (#69 R&B)

1975 AW-53 - Casanova / Only A Fool

Gold Mind / Salsoul

In 1976 she joined Norman Harris' Gold Mind Records where she released eight single plus another on the parent label Salsoul between 1976-80. she also released four albums.

Many of the tracks released on Gold Mind / Salsoul are included in a compilation A Tribute To Loleattta Holloway: The Salsoul Years (link to album on Spotify)

Albums

1976 GZS 7500 - Loleatta Listen HERE

Hit And Run

Is It Just A Man's Way?

We're Getting Stronger (The Longer We Stay Together)

Dreamin'

Ripped Off

Worn Out Broken Heart

That's How Heartaches Are Made

What Now

1978 GA 9501 - Queen Of The Night

Catch Me On The Rebound

Only You

Good, Good Feeling

Mama Don't, Papa Won't

I May Not Be There When You Want Me (But I'm Right On Time)

You Light Up My Life

Two Sides To Every Story

I'm In Love

1979 GA 9504 - Loleatta Holloway Listen HERE

The Greatest Performance Of My Life

All About The Paper

There Must Be A Reason

That's What You Said

Baby It's You

There'll Come A Time

Sweet Mother Of Mine

1980 GA 9506 - Love Sensation Listen HERE

Love Sensation

Long Hard Climb To Love

Short End Of The Stick

I've Been Loving You Too Long

Two Became A Crowd

Dance What 'Cha Wanna

My Way

I'll Be Standing There

Singles

1976 GM-4000 - Worn Out Broken Heart / Dreamin'

1977 GM-4001 - Hit And Run / Is It Just A Man's Way

1977 GM-4007 - We're Getting Stronger (The Longer We Stay Together) / That's How Heartaches Are Made

1978 GM-4012 - Only You (with Bunny Sigler) / Good Good Feeling

1978 GG-4015 - I May Not Be There When You Want Me (But I'm Right On Time) / Mama Don't, Papa Won't

1978 GM-4016 - Catch Me On The Rebound / Mama Don't, Papa Won't

1979 GM-4021 - That's What You Said / There'll Come A Time

1979 GG 503 - The Greatest Performance Of My Life / That's What You Said (12")

1980 GM-4024 - Love Sensation / Short End Of The Stick

1980 GM-4021 - I've Been Loving You Too Long / Two Became A Crowd

Salsoul

1977 SZ-2045 - Run Away / Run Away (Album Version) (The Salsoul Orchestra Featuring Loleatta Holloway) (12")

80s

1982 SG 376 - Seconds / Seconds (Special Club Version)

Streetwise

1984 SWRL 1130 - Crash Goes Love / Sweet Thing