Minnie Riperton, who will be forever remembered for her 1975 #1 single "Lovin' You", would have been 75 today. She tragically died in 1979 from
breast cancer aged only 31 at the height of her career being diagnosed
not long after her 1975 hit.
She was born and grew up in Chicago and became a member of
The Gems aged 15, who recorded around six singles for
Chess in the 60s and were used as backing singers for several Chess
artists including Ramsey Lewis, The Dells, Etta James, Billy Stewart,
Little Milton and Fontella Bass. They later recorded as
The Girls Three: Jess Dot & Me and then
The Starlets. They are NOT the same group who had a Northern Soul biggie with
"I'll Be There" on Riverside in 1967 who were from New York, but
another Northern Soul spin was The Girls Three: Jess Dot & Me "Baby, I Want You" and a couple of others in the same mould, but don't know if it ever
got plays, is "All Of It" by The Gems from 1964 along with the only single by The Starlets with their Motownesque "Loving You Is Something New".
Minnie recorded her first solo single "Lonely Girl" / "You Gave Me Soul" as Andrea Davis on Chess in Oct 1966 before joining
Rotary Connection in 1967, which included Sidney Barnes
as one of the members. They released six albums and around ten singles
between 1968-71. She released five solo albums between 1970-79 with
another released posthumously in 1980. It featured Stevie Wonder, Michaal Jackson, George Benson, Peabo Bryson, Roberta Flack, Patrice
Rushen and Tom Scott.
Her husband, Richard Rudolph, wrote the song, "Now That I Have You", for her but she never got the chance to record it so he gave the
song to Teena Marie who recorded it on her "Lady T" album in 1980.
Incredibly, only "Lovin' You" and "Inside My Love" made the Hot 100
the latter only reaching #75, and "Lovin' You" is her only UK chart
entry reaching #2.
Her album track "Memory Lane" was covered this year on Raheem DeVaughn's "From Lust Till Dawn" album.
Album Discography
1970 - Come to My Garden
1974 - Perfect Angel
1975 - Adventures in Paradise
1977 - Stay in Love
1979 - Minnie
1980 - Love Lives Forever
As a tribute here are 31 songs she has featured on for each year of her life along with
the song written for her by her husband recorded by Teena Marie.
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1 comment:
31 songs in a very varied repertoire that show all the talent of this singer.
Yves
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