Brenda Holloway
Brenda Holloway | |
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Brenda Holloway (born June 26, 1946) is an American
Biography
Early life and career
She was born in
In 1962, she made her recording debut with the single, "Hey Fool", released on the small Donna record label.
The Motown years
After signing with Motown's Tamla division, Holloway was given the option either to move to Detroit to record at Motown's
Holloway's vocal style was very relaxed, yet she was able to create tension and exercise control. She was masterful in her ability to produce warm, rich timbres. With innovative articulation, a deft control of dynamics, and a flair for dramatic performances, Holloway was a singer's singer.
Later in 1964, Holloway won a spot on Dick Clark's "Caravan of Stars" tour on the condition that then-struggling Motown girl group The Supremes join them. During the tour, the Supremes' star rose following the release of "Where Did Our Love Go". Motown issued Holloway's debut album, Every Little Bit Hurts, and released the modestly successful ballad, "I'll Always Love You", which reached no. 60 on the pop chart.[6]
When Mary Wells, who was Motown's first solo hit-maker, left the label, Motown began billing Holloway as the next female solo star and soon had Holloway recording several songs originally intended for Wells,[5] including her next top 40 single, "When I'm Gone", which like many of Wells' hit singles, had been composed by Smokey Robinson. This time, Holloway recorded the song in Detroit. Released in early 1965, the song reached number 25 on the Hot 100[6] and number 13 on the R&B chart.[7]
Motown then issued her version of a song that had originally been recorded by Wells, "Operator". The song only produced a modest showing and Holloway began dealing with issues with the label. Holloway was one of the few Motown artists not to attend the label's grooming school and was sometimes chastised by some of Motown's staff, including Gordy and Robinson, for performing and dressing "too much like Tina Turner".[8] Some of the Detroit staff regarded her as temperamental and a "troublemaker", and the company increasingly focused attention on its most successful acts, notably the Supremes.[1] A follow-up album, to have been called Hurtin' and Cryin', was scrapped by the label, and Holloway began to consider that she was being disregarded by the company, perhaps in part because she was not based in Detroit.[3] However, she gained an opening spot on The Beatles' US tour later in 1965, a repeat of the group having Mary Wells open for them on their UK tour earlier that year.[5]
Unlike Wells and Jackie DeShannon, who also opened for The Beatles, Holloway's performances as an opening act were taped and recorded when The Beatles held their landmark Shea Stadium show on August 15 of that year. Holloway's successes led to her being an in-demand television celebrity.[5]
In early 1967, Tamla released "Just Look What You've Done", which produced Holloway's best chart showing in two years, reaching no. 69 on the pop chart and no. 21 on the R&B chart.[6][7] Later in 1967, the label finally issued a Holloway composition, "You've Made Me So Very Happy", which she co-wrote with her sister Patrice. Berry Gordy was allowed to change a few notes on the musical composition, giving him a songwriting credit together with the record's producer, Frank Wilson. This led to Holloway's third top forty pop single, with the song reaching no. 39 on the Hot 100 and no. 40 on the R&B chart.[6][7] Later in 1967, Brenda (again with sister Patrice) wrote the song "Bah Bah Bah" which was recorded by Diana Ross and the Supremes and included on their "Reflections" LP.
Her second album, The Artistry of Brenda Holloway, was released in 1968. However, midway through a recording session with Smokey Robinson in Detroit, she left the studio and returned to Los Angeles. Motown's PR later released a statement on Holloway's departure, saying she had left to "sing for God", but her real reasons were her disillusionment with Motown and with her management,[1] and her fear of being drawn into a lifestyle which conflicted with her religious convictions.[3]
In 1969, Holloway sued Gordy for monetary reasons stemming from the success of Blood, Sweat & Tears' cover version of her single, "You've Made Me So Very Happy", which the group had taken to no. 2 on the US pop chart that year. Holloway eventually won her case.[5]
Later years
Brenda Holloway recorded for
In 1980, Holloway released a gospel album for Birthright Records, Brand New!, that went unnoticed.[3] After several unhappy years, she and Albert Davis divorced in the mid-1980s. Her records remained popular on Britain's Northern soul club circuit, and many tracks were reissued on compilation CDs. In 1987, Holloway returned to a secular singing career, recording for producer Ian Levine's UK label Motorcity Records, which recorded material featuring former Motown acts.[3] Three years later, Holloway issued the album All It Takes. She recorded the song "On The Rebound" as a duet with Jimmy Ruffin 1989, then on the album All It Takes, two years later, in 1991.[9][10]
However, Holloway only returned to a performing career after the death of her old Motown friend Mary Wells in 1992, when she restarted performing in the Los Angeles area and in Britain, often in tandem with
Her last album, My Love is Your Love, was released in 2003. Several of Holloway's classic recordings, including "Every Little Bit Hurts", "When I'm Gone" and "You've Made Me So Very Happy" were covered by a variety of acts over the years. In 2003, Vivian Green played Holloway in a cameo appearance on the TV show, American Dreams, where she sang "Every Little Bit Hurts," and, in 2005, Alicia Keys famously covered "Every Little Bit Hurts" for her Unplugged special. In 2011, Holloway recorded a duet with Cliff Richard on his Soulicious album, but did not perform with Richard on his accompanying concert tour in Britain.[11]
In 1999, Holloway was honored with the
In 2005, she appeared on the PBS concert TV special, My Music: Salute to Early Motown.
Discography
Studio albums
- Every Little Bit Hurts (1964)
- The Artistry of Brenda Holloway (1968)
- Brand New! (1980)
- All It Takes (1990)
- It's a Woman's World (1999)
- My Love Is Your Love (2CD, 2003)
Live album
- Together... (Live) (2000)
Compilations
- 20th Century Masters (2003)
- Anthology (Tamla-Motown) (2005)
Singles
Title[13] | Year | Chart positions | Album | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [14] |
US R&B /HH [15] |
CAN [16] | ||||
"Hey Fool" (with Jess Harris) |
1962 | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
"Game Of Love" | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||
"I'll Give My Life" | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||
"You're My Pride and Joy" | 1963 | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
"I Never Knew You Looked So Good Until I Quit You" (with Jess Harris) |
— | — | — | Non-album single | ||
"It's You" (with Hal Davis) |
— | — | — | Non-album single | ||
"I Ain't Gonna Take You Back" (Brenda Holloway and the Carrolls) |
1964 | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
"Every Little Bit Hurts" | 13 | 3 | — | Every Little Bit Hurts | ||
"I'll Always Love You" | 60 | — | — | The Artistry of Brenda Holloway | ||
"When I'm Gone" | 1965 | 25 | 12 | 43 | ||
"Operator" | 78 | 36 | 14 | |||
"You Can Cry on My Shoulder" | — | — | — | |||
"Together 'Til the End of Time" | 1966 | — | — | — | ||
"Hurt a Little Everyday" | — | — | — | |||
"Just Look What You've Done" | 1967 | 69 | 21 | — | ||
"You've Made Me So Very Happy" | 39 | 40 | 48 | |||
"Let Love Grow" | 1972 | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
"Give Me a Little Inspiration" | 1988 | — | — | — | All It Takes | |
"On the Rebound" (with Jimmy Ruffin) |
— | — | — | |||
"Hot and Cold" | 1991 | — | — | — | ||
"Same Page" (with Rags Moody III) |
2018 | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-520-20628-1.
- ^ "California Birth Index, 1905–1995". The Generations Network. United States. 2005. Retrieved October 6, 2009.
- ^ Allmusic. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
- ^ "Donna Records Discography". Globaldogproductions. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Brenda Holloway". Soulwalking.co.uk. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
- ^ ISBN 0-89820-155-1.
- ^ a b c Whitburn, Joel (1996). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–1995. Record Research. p. 195.
- ^ "Brenda Holloway: Too Hot for Motown?". RetroKimmer. August 5, 2009. Retrieved March 21, 2012.
- ISBN 978-0-7535-0241-9.
She released a gospel album in 1983 and worked with Ian Levine from 1987. She teamed with Jimmy Ruffin in 1989 for a duet, 'On The Rebound'. Albums: Every Little Bit Hurts (1964), The Artistry Of Brenda Holloway (1968), All It Takes (1991). Compilation: Greatest Hits ...
- ISBN 978-0-306-80643-8.
Her solo comeback got into gear with a duet, "On The Rebound," with Jimmy Ruffin, and the album, All It Takes, for the U.K.- based Motor City label.
- ^ "Cliff Richard gets soul greats on Soulicious Tour". Music-News.com. August 11, 2011. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
- ^ "R&B Foundation Pioneer Awards 1999". BMI. January 1, 1999. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
- ^ "Brenda Holloway Discography – USA – 45cat". 45cat. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- ^ "Brenda Holloway – Chart History – Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- ^ "Brenda Holloway – Chart History – R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- ^ * For 1965 singles:"Results: RPM Weekly – Library and Archives Canada". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. July 17, 2013. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- For "When I'm Gone":"Image : RPM Weekly – Library and Archives Canada". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. March 22, 1965. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- For "Operator":"Image : RPM Weekly – Library and Archives Canada". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. July 19, 1965. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- For "You've Made Me So Very Happy":"Image : RPM Weekly – Library and Archives Canada". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. November 11, 1967. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
External links
- Brenda Holloway at AllMusic
- Booking page
- Search iTunes[permanent dead link]