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.
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.
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
