Freda Payne

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Freda Payne
Payne in 1997
Born
Freda Charcilia Payne

(1942-09-19) September 19, 1942 (age 81)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Occupations
  • Singer
  • actress
Years active1961–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1976; div. 1979)​
Partner(s)Edmund Sylvers
(1979–1983)
Children1
RelativesScherrie Payne
(sister)
Musical career
Genres
InstrumentsVocals
Labels
  • Volt
Websiteiamfredapayne.com

Freda Charcilia Payne (born September 19, 1942

hit single "Band of Gold". Payne was also an actress in musicals and film as well as the host of a TV talk show.[4] Payne is the older sister of Scherrie Payne, a former singer with the American vocal group the Supremes
. She also acted in living single.

Biography

Early life and career

Payne was born in Detroit, Michigan,[4] and grew up listening to jazz singers, such as Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday.[4] As a teenager, she attended the Detroit Institute of Musical Arts; she soon began singing radio commercial jingles and took part in (and won many) local TV and radio talent shows.[4] In 1963, she moved to New York City and worked with many entertainers, including Quincy Jones, Pearl Bailey, and Bill Cosby.[4] The next year, her debut album, a jazz recording with arranger Manny Albam titled After the Lights Go Down Low and Much More!!! was released on the Impulse! label.[4] (This album was re-issued on CD in Japan in early 2002 and again in the United States in 2005.) In 1965 she toured Europe for the first time, recording an album in Sweden with Don Gardner and Bengt-Arne Wallin. In 1966, she released her second American album, again in the jazz idiom, How Do You Say I Don't Love You Anymore, for MGM Records.[4] She also made occasional guest appearances on television shows including The Merv Griffin Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.[4]

She added theatrical credits to her repertoire: she understudied

record.[4][5] Global sales were estimated at two million.[5] An album of the same name proved to be fairly successful as well.[4] Other Invictus singles included "Deeper and Deeper", which reached #24 in the US and #33 in the UK at the end of 1970; "You Brought the Joy", and the Vietnam War protest song "Bring the Boys Home" (U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #12, 1971), her second gold record.[5][7] Her other Invictus albums were Contact (1971), The Best of Freda Payne (1972, a compilation which included four new, unissued songs), and her last Invictus album Reaching Out (1973).[4]

Payne performing at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center for a taping of The Ed Sullivan Show, 1970

In 1973, she left Invictus and recorded albums for

Tavares.[8] She released three disco albums for Capitol from 1977 to 1979, Stares and Whispers, Supernatural High and Hot.[9][10] The first one features the disco hit "Love Magnet" produced by Frank Wilson (1977).[11]

In 1981, she briefly hosted her own talk show Today's Black Woman,

character Gran,[14] Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000), and Fire & Ice (made-for-TV, 2001).[4]

Later career

In early 2001, Payne released a new album entitled

Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, getting excellent reviews.[15]

During the early 2000s, the following compilation albums of her music were released: Lost in Love (which includes nine of her post-Invictus recordings), Band of Gold: The Best of Freda Payne (both 2000), Unhooked Generation: The Complete Invictus Recordings (2001), and The Best of Freda Payne: Ten Best Series (2002).[4] In late 2002, Payne appeared with many R&B stars on the "Rhythm, Love, and Soul" edition of the PBS series American Soundtrack. Her performance of "Band of Gold" was included on the accompanying live album that was released in 2004. On April 22, 2009, Payne appeared on American Idol and sang "Band of Gold".[16]

In February 2010, Payne joined Kanye West, Jordin Sparks, Jennifer Hudson, Barbra Streisand and many more on We Are the World for Haiti Relief.[17] In 2011, Payne recorded a duet, "Saving A Life", with British pop star Sir Cliff Richard for inclusion on his Soulicious album. She joined Richard on his "Soulicious" tour of the UK in October of the same year. She sang the new duet with Richard along with her own hit "Band of Gold".[citation needed]

In January 2018, she performed "A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald", in the Sitnik Theatre of the Lackland Performing Arts Center, in Hackettstown, New Jersey.[18]

Personal life and honors

Payne was married to American singer

Acapulco, Mexico.[21] Payne and Abbott had a son, Gregory Abbott, Jr., who was born on September 19, 1977, Payne's 35th birthday. Payne later had a relationship with American musician Edmund Sylvers (lead singer of the Sylvers) from 1979 until January 1983.[22] Sylvers wrote and produced her 1982 single "In Motion".[23]

In 1974, she made the cover of Jet magazine after she was appointed a Dame of Justice of the

Order of St John of Jerusalem by the Prince of Rumania.[6]

In 2017, Payne was inducted into the 2017 class of the

Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame
, in her hometown of Detroit.

In 2023, the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame awarded Payne a Lifetime Achievement and Legacy Award.[24]

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album Chart positions
US 200
[25] 		US R&B
[25]
1964 After the Lights Go Down Low and Much More!!! — —
1966 How Do You Say I Don't Love You Anymore — —
1970 Band of Gold 60 17
1971 Contact 76 12
1973 Reaching Out — —
1974 Payne & Pleasure — 55
1975 Out of Payne Comes Love — —
1977 Stares and Whispers — —
1978 Supernatural High — —
1979 Hot — —
1994 The (Unauthorized) I Hate Barney Songbook: A Parody — —
1996 Christmas with Freda and Friends — —
2001 Come See About Me — —
2007 On the Inside — —
2014 Come Back to Me Love[26] — —
2021 Let There Be Love — —
"—" denotes the album failed to chart

Live albums

  • 1965: Freda Payne in Stockholm' with
    Jimmy Ricks
     (Swedish release 1965, USA release 1971)
  • 1996: An Evening with Freda Payne: Live in Concert
  • 1999: Live in Concert

Compilations albums

Year Album Chart positions
US 200
[25] 		US R&B
[25]
1972 The Best of Freda Payne 152 44
1991 Greatest Hits — —
2000 Lost in Love — —
Band of Gold: The Best of Freda Payne — —
2001 Unhooked Generation: The Complete Invictus Recordings — —
2002 The Best of Freda Payne: Ten Best Series — —
"—" denotes the album failed to chart

Singles

As a lead artist

List of singles as a lead artist, with selected chart positions, sales figures and certifications
Title Year Chart positions Sales Certifications Album
US
[25] 		US R&B
[25] 		AUS
[27]
UK
[28]
"(Desafinado) Slightly Out of Tune" 1962 — — — — Non-album single
"Pretty Baby" 1963 — — — —
"It's Time" — — — — After the Lights Go Down Low and Much More!!!
"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" 1966 — — — — How Do You Say I Don't Love You Anymore
"The Unhooked Generation" 1969 — 43 — — Band of Gold
"Band of Gold" 1970 3 20 5 1
"Deeper and Deeper" 24 9 64 33
"Cherish What Is Dear to You (While It's Near To You)" 1971 44 11 — 46 Contact
"Bring the Boys Home" 12 3 — —
"You Brought the Joy" 52 21 — —
"The Road We Didn't Take" 1972 100 — — —
"Through the Memory of My Mind" — — — — The Best of Freda Payne
"Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right" 1973 — 75 — — Reaching Out
"For No Reason" — — — —
"It's Yours to Have" 1974 — 81 — — Payne & Pleasure
"I Get Carried Away" 1975 — — — —
"You" — — — — Out of Payne Comes Love
"I Get High (On Your Memory)" 1976 — — — — Stares And Whispers
"Bring Back the Joy" 1977 — — — —
"Love Magnet" — 85 — —
"Feed Me Your Love" 1978 — — — —
"Happy Days Are Here Again/ Happy Music (Dance the Night Away)" — — — — Supernatural High
"I'll Do Anything for You" 1979 — — — —
"Red Hot" — — — — Hot
"Can't Wait" — — — —
"In Motion" 1982 — 63 — — Non-album single
"—" denotes the single failed to chart or was not released

As a featured artist

List of singles as a featured artist, with selected chart positions
Title Year Chart positions Album
US
Dance
[36] 		CAN
[37]
"I Wanna See You Soon"
(Tavares featuring Freda Payne) 		1977 — — The Best Of Tavares
"L.A. Street Scene (It's A Jubilee)"
(Donny Osmond featuring Phillip Ingram, Scherrie Payne and Freda Payne) 		1985 — — Non-album single
"Band of Gold"
(Belinda Carlisle featuring Freda Payne) 		1986 26 91 Belinda

Filmography

Concerts

As an actress

See also

Notes

Biography
  1. ^ Some sources give a birth year of 1945, but this appears to be an error as all sources agree that she is older than her sister Scherrie, born 1944.
Discography
  1. ^ Combined 1970 physical sales of 250,000[30] and sales tracked since 28 October 2006 of 200,000.[32]

References

  1. ^ "Freda Payne." Contemporary Black Biography. Vol. 58. Detroit: Gale, 2007. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
  2. ^ "Freda Payne." Almanac of Famous People. Gale Group, 2007. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
  3. ^ "Freda Payne." Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television. Vol. 98. Gale Group, 2010. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Prato, Greg. "Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved March 27, 2009.
  5. ^
    ISBN 0-214-20512-6
    .
  6. ^ a b c "Freda Payne Biography". April 28, 2005. Archived from the original on September 26, 2007.
  7. ^
    ISBN 0-85112-250-7
    .
  8. ^ a b c "Freda Payne Page". Soulwalking.co.uk. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  9. ^ "Freda Payne - Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  10. ^ "Freda Payne — Hot [Capitol Records ST-12003]". Wax FM. Archived from the original on September 2, 2011. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  11. ^ "Freda Payne — Stares and Whispers". Wax FM. Archived from the original on September 2, 2011. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  12. ISBN 9780753502419
    . Retrieved September 12, 2014.
  13. ^ Davis, Sharon. "Scherrie Payne: Supreme Reflections". Blues & Soul. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  14. ^ a b "Ragdoll (1999)". Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  15. ^ "Freda Payne". SanFrancisco.com. Archived from the original on May 10, 2011. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  16. ^ Kaufman, Gil (April 23, 2009). "Who Is Freda Payne And Why Was She On 'American Idol'?". MTV. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  17. ^ Kaufman, Gil (February 2, 2010). "'We Are The World -- 25 For Haiti' Artists Include Kanye West, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber". MTV. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  18. ^ a b Cristi, A. A. "Centenary Stage Co. presents Freda Payne in A TRIBUTE TO ELLA FITZGERALD". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
  19. ^ Company, Johnson Publishing (April 19, 1979). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company. p. 58. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  20. ^ Company, Johnson Publishing (February 15, 1979). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  21. ^ Company, Johnson Publishing (December 16, 1976). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company. Retrieved January 16, 2024 – via Google Books.
  22. ISSN 0021-5996
    .
  23. ^ "FREDA PAYNE & GREGORY ABBOTT". Panache Report. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  24. ^ "Legendary Singer and Actress, Freda Payne, to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award in Entertainment". Pump It Up. March 11, 2023.
  25. ^ a b c d e f "Freda Payne - Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on September 19, 2012. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
  26. ^ Schlesinger, Judith (July 20, 2014). "Freda Payne: Come Back to Me Love". All About Jazz.
  27. ISBN 0-646-11917-6
    .
  28. ^ "UK Official Charts - Freda Payne". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  29. ISSN 0021-5996. Retrieved August 21, 2022 – via Google Books
    .
  30. ^
    ISBN 0-7134-3843-6
    .
  31. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 21, 2022 – via Google Books
    .
  32. ^ "British single certifications – Freda Payne – Band of Gold". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  33. ^
    RIAA
    . Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  34. ^ "British certifications – Freda Payne". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 21, 2022. Type Freda Payne in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  35. ISBN 0-7134-3843-6
    .
  36. ^
  37. ^
  38. ^ a b c d e f "Freda Payne". IMDb. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  39. ^ Pressley, Nelson. "MetroStage's 'Ella' has plenty of swing thanks to Freda Payne's spot-on singing as Fitzgerald". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 29, 2014.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Freda_Payne&oldid=1220775995"