Minnie Riperton - A Profile

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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