Betty Everett
Betty Everett | |
---|---|
R&B, southern soul, country | |
Instrument(s) | Vocals, piano |
Years active | 1957–2000 |
Labels | Cobra, Vee-Jay, One-derful, Uni, Fantasy |
Betty Jean Everett (November 23, 1939 – August 19, 2001)
Biography
Early career
Everett was born in
An initial single failed, but her second Vee-Jay release, a cover version of "
Her other hits included "
After an unsuccessful year with ABC, a move to Uni brought major success in 1969 with "There'll Come a Time",
Later career
Until her death, Everett resided with her sister in
In 1989, a handler of Everett brought her to the attention of Worldwide TMA, a management consulting firm in Chicago. Under the direction of Steve Arvey and Scott Pollack, former Chairman of the Chicago Songwriters Association, the firm started work on reviving Everett's singing career. Within a year she contracted with Pollack taking on all management decisions and management financing.In 1984, her signature hit, "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)", was used for the opening credits in the U.S. print of the
Everett had secured an indie label deal in the US and a new single "Don't Cry Now" had been recorded, penned by Larry Weiss (Trumpet Records, unreleased). In connection to the preceding events, Everett was booked and aired a 20-minute appearance on the hit TV show at the time, Current Affair. She was then booked to star at the 1991 Chicago Blues Festival which aired live worldwide on over 400 PBS radio channels, marking Everett's last live appearance on radio.[5] Later that year, two concerts were booked for consecutive weekends in late October 1991; one at Trump's Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, the other at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. All had been arranged through management and Charles McMillan, Jerry Butler's longtime friend and personal manager. However, Everett declined to show for the engagements. Despite exposure, she was unable to resurrect her career because of health problems.
She was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame in 1996[6] and, about four years later, made her last public appearance on the PBS special Doo Wop 51,[7] along with her former singing partner, Jerry Butler. This, according to The Independent (August 2001), was met with raves about the brief reunion where she "brought the house down".[8] Butler, in his autobiography, Only the Strong Survive, compared Betty with Gladys Knight as a singer in that she seemed to do everything so effortlessly.[6]
Everett died at her home in Beloit, Wisconsin, on August 19, 2001; she was 61.[4][9]
Discography
Studio albums
Year | Album | Chart positions | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
US R&B [10] | |||||
1962 | Betty Everett & Ketty Lester (with Ketty Lester) |
— | |||
1963 | You're No Good (reissued in 1964 as It's in His Kiss)[11] |
— | |||
1964 | Delicious Together (with Jerry Butler) |
— | |||
1968 | I Need You So (reissued material) |
— | |||
1969 | There'll Come a Time | 44 | |||
1974 | Love Rhymes | — | |||
1975 | Happy Endings | — | |||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart. |
Compilation albums
- 1964: The Very Best of Betty Everett
- 1969: Betty Everett and the Impressions (with The Impressions)
- 1993: The Shoop Shoop Song
- 1995: The Fantasy Years
- 1998: Best of Betty Everett: Let It Be Me
- 2000: The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)
Singles
Year | Title | Peak chart positions | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [10] |
US R&B [10] |
UK
[12] | |||
1963 | "The Prince of Players" | — | — | — | |
"You're No Good" | 51 | 5 | — | ||
1964 | "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" | 6 | 1 | 34 | |
" I Can't Hear You "
|
66 | 39 | — | ||
" Jerry Butler )
|
5 | 1 | — | ||
1965 | "Getting Mighty Crowded" | 65 | 28 | 29 | |
" Jerry Butler )
|
42 | 16 | — | ||
"I'm Gonna Be Ready" | — | — | — | ||
1967 | "People Around Me" | — | — | — | |
"I Can't Say" | — | — | — | ||
1969 | "There'll Come a Time" | 26 | 2 | — | |
"I Can't Say No to You" | 78 | 29 | — | ||
"It's Been a Long Time" | 96 | 17 | — | ||
1970 | "Unlucky Girl" | — | 46 | — | |
"I Got to Tell Somebody" | 96 | 22 | — | ||
1971 | "Ain't Nothing Gonna Change Me" | — | 32 | — | |
1973 | "Danger" | — | 79 | — | |
1974 | "Sweet Dan" | — | 38 | — | |
1978 | "True Love (You Took My Heart)" | — | 78 | — | |
1980 | "Hungry for You" | — | — | — | |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart. |
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0313344237.
- ^ a b c Williams, Richard (August 28, 2001). "Betty Everett". The Guardian. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
- ^ ISBN 1-85227-745-9.
- ^ a b c "Betty Everett, 61, of 'The Shoop Shoop Song'". The New York Times. August 23, 2001. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
- ^ "Betty Everett Page". Soulwalking.co.uk. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
- ^ ISBN 9780253217042.
- ^ Wynn, Ron. "Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
- ^ "Betty Everett". The Independent. August 23, 2001. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
- ^ "'Shoop Shoop' Singer Betty Everett Dies". MTV News. August 20, 2001. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Betty Everett - Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
- ^ "Vee-Jay Album Discography, Part 2: Main Series VJS-1071 to VJS-1154". Bsnpubs.com. December 15, 2006. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
- ^ "BETTY EVERETT - full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
External links
- Betty Everett discography at Discogs
- Betty Everett at Soul Music HQ