R.I.P. - Linda Lewis (27 Sep 1950 - 3 May 2023)

We have just learned the sad news of the passing of Linda Lewis (born Linda Ann Fredericks) yesterday aged 72. The news was announced by her sister Dee on social media.

Linda was born in West Ham, London, and went to stage school before becoming a singer with a ska band The Q Set in 1964. She released her first solo album 'Say No More...' in 1971 (a bit of a soul/folk album). Prior to that she appeared at the very first Glastonbury Festival in 1970.

Her first solo single was a cover of  Mary Love's Northern Soul favourite "You Turned My Bitter Into Sweet" on Polydor in 1967. The label changed her name to Lewis apparently after Barbara Lewis whose "Baby I'm Yours" she covered (and charted with) in 1976. The single is now quite a rarity with only one for sale on Discogs with the seller asking just over £1k for.

In 1967 she formed White Rabbit with reggae artist Junior Marvin later replacing Marsha Hunt in The Ferris Wheel.

She first hit the UK Pop chart in 1973 with "Rock A Doodle Do" reaching #15 which she surpassed in 1975 with a cover of Betty Everett's hit "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)" (although recorded first earlier in 1963 by Merry Clayton) which peaked at #5 on the chart in 1975.

With her sisters Shirley and Dee, The Lewis Sisters were one of the most in-demand backing groups in the UK. Linda's five octave vocal range was utilised by artist such as David Bowie, Rod Stewart, Cat Stevens (who she dated on and off), Rick Wakeman, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, Joan Armtrading, Jamiroquai, Oasis and many others.

Lewis has left us with a dozen or more studio albums as well as a few live albums. Her breakthrough came with her third album, perhaps aptly, titled "Not A Little Girl Anymore" (Arista 1975) which spawned her biggest hit along with a previous single from Bell included on it "(Remember The Days Of) The Old Schoolyard". Luther Vandross (who we mentioned yesterday as he sang backing vocals on the Delores Hall album) also features on BGVs on "It's In His Kiss" and "Rock And Roller Coaster" on her first Arista album. The album was recorded in New York and at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London and was produced by Tony Silvester (Main Ingredient) and Bert DeCoteaux with Funk Brother Bob Babbitt on bass.

Her last recording was "Earthling" with The Paracosmos on 3 Mar 2023.

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