Loleatta Holloway
Loleatta Holloway | |
|---|---|
Holloway in 1976 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | November 5, 1946 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | March 21, 2011 (aged 64) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Singer-songwriter |
| Years active | 1967–2003 |
| Labels | |
Spouse | Floyd Smith (divorced) |
| Website | Official MySpace page |
Loleatta Holloway (/lɒlˈiːtə/, lo-LEE-tə; November 5, 1946 – March 21, 2011) was an American singer known for disco songs such as "Hit and Run" and "Love Sensation". Billboard ranked her the 95th most successful dance artist of all time.[1] According to The Independent, she is the most sampled female singer in popular music; her vocals appear in house and dance tracks including the 1989 Black Box single "Ride on Time".
Career
Early career
Holloway began singing gospel with her mother in the Holloway Community Singers in Chicago. From 1967 to 1971, she recorded with Albertina Walker in the Caravans.[2][3][4][5] She was a cast member of the Chicago production of Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope.
In 1971, she recorded "Rainbow '71", a Curtis Mayfield song first recorded by Gene Chandler in 1963.[2] The single was released on the Apache label and picked up for national distribution by Galaxy Records. Its producer, Floyd Smith, became her manager and later her husband.
Aware Records
In the early 1970s, Holloway signed with Aware, an Atlanta-based soul music label owned by Michael Thevis.[2] She recorded two albums for the label, both produced by Floyd Smith: Loleatta (1973) and Cry to Me (1975). Her single "Cry to Me," a remake of the Solomon Burke hit, reached number 10 on the Billboard R&B chart and number 68 on the Hot 100,[2] but the label soon went out of business.
Gold Mind Records
Philadelphia producer Norman Harris signed Holloway in 1976 to his new label, Gold Mind, a subsidiary of Salsoul Records.[2] Her first single from the album Loleatta, "Worn Out Broken Heart," reached number 25 on the R&B chart; its B-side, "Dreaming," climbed to number 72 on the pop chart and launched her as a disco act.[2][6] In 1978, the ballad "Only You," written and produced by Bunny Sigler, reached number 11 R&B.[2]
She contributed vocals to Dan Hartman's "Relight My Fire"; Hartman then wrote and produced the title track of her fourth and final Gold Mind album, Love Sensation (1980). In the early 1980s, she had another dance hit with "Crash Goes Love," which reached number five on the U.S. Dance chart.[2] She also recorded "So Sweet" for the house-music label DJ International Records.
Sampling and the Ride on Time dispute
The Italian house group Black Box sampled Holloway's "Love Sensation" vocals for their 1989 single "Ride on Time".[7] In the UK, it topped the singles chart for six weeks and became the year's bestselling single.[8] The sample was used without permission. Several sources reported that Holloway reached a settlement and was paid damages,[9][10] but producer Daniele Davoli said in 2018 that she "never saw a penny" and that only Salsoul, the owner of the master, received payment.[11]
Holloway resented the dispute: "I've been around for years trying to get this one hit record. It annoyed me knowing that Black Box were number one and I was not getting any credit for it."[9] She also said Black Box was paid more for performances than her, even after she was billed as "the voice of Black Box".[10] Davoli said he regretted not meeting Holloway before her death and would have liked to apologize "for how messy things got".[11]
Later career
Holloway had her first US number one hit when Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch featured her vocals on "Good Vibrations" (1991). She performed with the group to promote the single and received full vocal credit and a share of the royalties.[12] This followed a backlash against acts like Milli Vanilli and producers who had used Martha Wash's vocals without credit.
In 1992, she was billed alongside Cappella on the single "Take Me Away" (UK number 25). Later dance chart entries included "Share My Joy" and "What Goes Around Comes Around" (both credited to "GTS featuring Loleatta Holloway") in 2000, and "Relight My Fire" (credited to Martin featuring Holloway), which reached number five in 2003. "Love Sensation '06" reached number 37 on the UK Singles Chart.[13]
Personal life
Holloway met Floyd Smith, who would become her producer, manager, and husband, around 1971.[2] The two later divorced. She had four children.
Holloway died on March 21, 2011, in Chicago from heart failure. She was 64.[14][15][16]
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | Record label | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [17] |
US R&B [17] | |||||||||||||
| 1973 | Loleatta | — | — | Aware | ||||||||||
| 1975 | Cry to Me | — | 47 | |||||||||||
| 1977 | Loleatta | — | — | Gold Mind | ||||||||||
| 1978 | Queen of the Night | 187 | 47 | |||||||||||
| 1979 | Loleatta Holloway | — | — | |||||||||||
| 1980 | Love Sensation | — | — | |||||||||||
| "—" denotes a releases that did not chart. | ||||||||||||||
Compilation albums
- Greatest Hits (1996, The Right Stuff)
- Queen of the Night: The Ultimate Club Collection (2001, Salsoul)
- The Greatest Performance of My Life: The Best of Loleatta Holloway (2003, Salsoul)
- The Anthology (2005, Suss'd)
- A Tribute to Loleatta Holloway: The Salsoul Years (2013, Salsoul)
- Dreamin': The Loleatta Holloway Anthology 1976–1982 (2014, Big Break)
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [17] |
US R&B [17] |
US Dan [17] |
AUS [18] |
UK [13] | ||||||||||
| 1971 | "Rainbow "71"" | — | — | — | — | — | N/a | |||||||
| 1973 | "Part Time Lover, Full Time Fool" | — | — | — | — | — | Loleatta (1973) | |||||||
| "Mother of Shame" | — | 63 | — | — | — | |||||||||
| "Our Love" | — | 43 | — | — | — | |||||||||
| 1974 | "H•e•l•p M•e M•y L•o•r•d" | — | — | — | — | — | Cry to Me | |||||||
| 1975 | "Cry to Me" | 68 | 10 | — | — | — | ||||||||
| "I Know Where You're Coming From" | — | 69 | — | — | — | |||||||||
| "Casanova" | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||
| 1976 | "Worn Out Broken Heart" | — | 25 | — | — | — | Loleatta (1977) | |||||||
| 1977 | "Dreamin'" | 72 | — | 3 | — | — | ||||||||
| "Hit and Run" | — | 56 | — | — | ||||||||||
| "Ripped Off" | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| "We're Getting Stronger (The Longer We Stay Together)" | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||
| 1978 | "Only You" (with Bunny Sigler) | 87 | 11 | 9 | — | — | Queen of the Night | |||||||
| "I May Not Be There When You Want Me (But I'm Right on Time)" | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| "Catch Me On the Rebound" | — | 92 | — | — | ||||||||||
| 1979 | "That's What You Said" | — | — | 30 | — | — | Loleatta Holloway | |||||||
| 1980 | "Love Sensation" | — | — | 1 | — | — | Love Sensation | |||||||
| "I've Been Loving You Too Long" | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||
| 1983 | "Love Sensation" (re-release) | — | — | 45 | — | — | ||||||||
| 1984 | "Crash Goes Love" | — | 86 | 5 | — | — | ||||||||
| 1992 | "Strong Enough" | — | — | 35 | — | — | ||||||||
| 1993 | "Love Sensation" (remix) | — | — | 32 | — | — | ||||||||
| 1994 | "Stand Up!" | — | — | — | — | 68 | ||||||||
| "The Queen's Anthem" | — | — | — | — | 77 | |||||||||
| 1995 | "I Survived" | — | — | — | — | 178 | ||||||||
| 2000 | "Chocolate Sensation" / "Ride on Time" (remix) | — | — | 9 | — | — | ||||||||
| "Dreamin'" (remix) | — | — | 1 | — | 59 | |||||||||
| 2005 | "Stand Up" (remix) | — | — | 44 | — | — | ||||||||
| 2006 | "Love Sensation '06" | — | — | — | 49 | 37 | ||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||||||||||
As featured performer
| Year | Title | Artist | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [17] |
US R&B [17] |
US Dan [17] |
AUS [18] |
UK [13] | ||||||||||
| 1977 | "Run Away" | Salsoul Orchestra | — | 84 | 3 | — | — | Magic Journey | ||||||
| 1982 | "Seconds" | — | — | 22 | — | — | Heat It Up | |||||||
| 1991 | "Good Vibrations" | Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch | 1 | 64 | 10 | 4 | 14 | Music for the People | ||||||
| "Take Me Away" | Cappella | — | — | — | — | 25 | N/a | |||||||
| 1994 | "Keep the Fire Burnin'" | Dan Hartman | — | — | — | — | 49 | Keep the Fire Burnin' | ||||||
| 1998 | "Shout to the Top" | Fire Island | — | — | 1 | — | 23 | N/a | ||||||
| 1999 | "(You Got Me) Burnin' Up" | Cevin Fisher | — | — | 1 | — | 14 | |||||||
| "No Apology" | Love to Infinity | — | — | — | — | 140 | ||||||||
| 2000 | "Share My Joy" | GTS | — | — | 5 | — | — | Re-Birth 2 | ||||||
| 2001 | "What Goes Around Comes Around" | — | — | 3 | — | — | 01 | |||||||
| 2003 | "Relight My Fire" | Ricky Martin | — | — | 5 | — | — | N/a | ||||||
| "A Better World" | AgeHa w/ Jocelyn Brown |
— | — | 3 | — | — | Mix the Vibe: Past–Present–Future | |||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||||||||||
Video games
- Make My Video: Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch (1992) – Herself (archive footage)
TV series
- Re-Micks (2011) – Herself (archive footage)
See also
- List of number-one hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart
- Club Zanzibar (black electronic music venue in 1980s-era Newark, New Jersey)
References
- ^ "Greatest of All Time Top Dance Club Artists". Billboard.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. p. 612. ISBN 978-1-85227-745-1.
- ^ Simmonds, Jeremy (2012). The Encyclopedia of Dead Rock Stars: Heroin, Handguns, and Ham Sandwiches. Chicago Review Press. ISBN 978-1-61374-478-9.
- ^ Arena, James (June 1, 2013). First Ladies of Disco: 32 Stars Discuss the Era and Their Singing Careers. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-7581-0.
- ^ Bronson, Fred (2003). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits. Billboard Books. ISBN 978-0-8230-7677-2.
- ^ Leland, John (January 1988). Singles. SPIN Media LLC.
- ^ Perrone, Pierre (March 25, 2011). "Loleatta Holloway: Much-sampled disco diva who sued Black Box over their worldwide hit 'Ride on Time'". The Independent. Archived from the original on July 8, 2019. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ Osborne, Ben (June 26, 2018). "Game Changer: Black Box 'Ride on Time'". DJ Mag. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ a b Masterton, James (March 24, 2011). "Numero Uno Was Better". Masterton.co.uk. Archived from the original on August 10, 2018.
- ^ a b Laing, Dave (March 24, 2011). "Loleatta Holloway obituary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
- ^ a b Osborne, Ben (June 26, 2018). "Game Changer: Black Box 'Ride on Time'". DJ Mag. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ Barker, Andrew (March 22, 2011). "Loleatta Holloway, soul singer, dies". Variety.
- ^ a b c "UK Charts > Loleatta Holloway". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
- ^ Parales, Jon (March 23, 2011). "Loleatta Holloway, Gospel and Disco Singer, Is Dead at 64". The New York Times.
- ^ "Soul singer Loleatta Holloway dies aged 64". New York Post. March 22, 2011. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
- ^ Yenigun, Sami (March 22, 2011). "Disco Diva Loleatta Holloway Has Died". NPR.org. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "US Charts > Loleatta Holloway". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 22, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
- ^ a b Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 131.
External links
- Loleatta Holloway at AllMusic
- Loleatta Holloway at IMDb
- Loleatta Holloway discography at Discogs
- Loleatta Holloway at Disco-Disco.com