Wendy Moten

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Wendy Moten
IRS
Websitewendymoten.com

Wendy Moten (born November 22, 1964) is an American jazz singer from Tennessee. Born in Memphis and based in Nashville, Moten has had a successful career in music, including several major-label solo records, some international hit songs, and a second career as a touring musician.[1] Despite this success, she surprised many of her fellow musicians and fans when, at age 56, she took a career risk by entering an American national talent competition, The Voice. She finished as the runner-up on the show, but her career was buoyed by the national exposure, just as she had hoped.[1] Moten is best known for the single "Come In Out of the Rain", which was a No. 8 hit in the UK in February 1994.[2]

Early life and career

The daughter of a pastor, Moten began singing in a

UK Singles Chart, where it peaked at No. 8 in 1994. A follow-up single, "So Close to Love" did not chart in the U.S. but reached No. 35 in the UK Top 40. She had a starring role in an off-Broadway production, "Mama I Want to Sing". Moten also landed a feature song "Whatever You Imagine" in children's movie The Pagemaster starring Macaulay Culkin in 1994.[4] In the late 1990s, with her personal career at a crossroads, she accepted an offer to tour with Julio Iglesias, a working relationship that continued for the next 15 years.[1] She said, "I toured the whole world with him, singing in four languages . . . flying around in private jets and singing in front of massive audiencies."[1]

In 2006, Moten sang back-up vocals on the Soul2Soul II Tour with Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. She continued touring with Tim and Faith from 2005-2018. She contributed backing vocals to Bonnie Tyler's 2013 album Rocks and Honey. She also toured with Martina McBride from 2014-2016 providing background vocals. Moten was a harmony singer for Vince Gill and was a member of his Time Jumpers for several years, but in 2020, Gill took her on tour as a featured vocalist.[5]

The Voice

Moten said that in 2020, when the

twenty-first season of The Voice and finished as the runner-up of the season.[6] While working on the show, Moten fell over a monitor, fracturing her elbow. She was told at a Burbank hospital that it would require surgery, but she was determined to remain on the show for 3 more episodes and then had surgery to repair the fracture with titanium plates.[1] As of 2022, Moten is assembling a professional team to help re-launch her solo career following the surge in her media exposure on the show.[1]

Performances on The Voice season 21
Round Theme Song Original Artist Order Original Air Date Result
Blind Auditions "We Can Work It Out" The Beatles 1.11 September 20, 2021 All four chairs turned; John Legend blocked; joined Team Blake
Battles (Top 48) "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" (vs. Manny Keith) Sting 9.9 October 18, 2021 Saved by coach
Knockouts (Top 32) "Ain't No Way" (vs. Jonathan Mouton) Aretha Franklin 11.1 October 25, 2021
Live Playoffs (Top 20) "I Will Always Love You" Dolly Parton (Whitney Houston cover) 15.20 November 8, 2021 Saved by public's vote
Live Top 13 "Dedications" "Blue Bayou" Linda Ronstadt 17.1 November 15, 2021
Live Top 11 "Fan Week" "Freeway of Love" Aretha Franklin 19.1 November 22, 2021
Live Top 10 "Challenge Week" "Jolene" Dolly Parton 21.2 November 29, 2021
Live Top 8 (Semifinals) "'90s Duet with a fellow artist" "Change the World" (with Paris Winningham) Eric Clapton 23.3 December 6, 2021
"You're All I Need to Get By" Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell 23.9
Live Finale (Final 5) "Up-tempo Song" "How Will I Know" Whitney Houston 25.5 December 13, 2021 Runner-Up
"Ballad" "Over the Rainbow" Judy Garland (Patti LaBelle cover) 25.10
"Duet with Coach" "Just a Fool" (with Blake Shelton) Christina Aguilera & Blake Shelton 26.15 December 14, 2021

Discography

  • Wendy Moten (1992)
  • Time for Change
    (1995)
  • Christmas Time (1995 EP)
  • Life's What You Make It
    (1996)
  • Tis the Season
    (2009)
  • Timeless - Wendy Moten Sings Richard Whiting (2014)
  • I've Got You Covered (2020)

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Mehr, Bob (February 7, 2022). "Memphis Singer Wendy Moten Ready for Stardom Again After 'The Voice'". Vol. 118, no. 37. The Tennessean. USA Today Network. pp. 2-A, 5-A. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  2. ^ .
  3. ^ Warthen, Cassie. "Memphis Alum Wendy Moten takes The Voice by storm". The Blue Note. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  4. ^ Huey, Steve. "Wendy Moten Review". allmusic.com. Netaktion LLC. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  5. ^ "Vince Gill Tours Solo Again with 'Voice' Finalist Wendy Moten". americansongwriter.com. American Songwriter. March 22, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  6. ^ "Memphian comes in second on 'The Voice' season finale". Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian. Retrieved January 14, 2022.

External links