Debi Doss
Encyclopedia
Debi Doss is an American
-born photographer and singer.
Doss attended Webster University
in Webster Groves
, a suburb of St. Louis
, Missouri
in the United States
, where she became interested in photography.
on a mission to photograph the fledgling super-stars of the 1970s. She soon discovered a voice of her own and stepped on stage as a backing vocalist, touring with The Kinks
for over three years. Debi also recorded backing vocals for the The Kinks
musical concept album Schoolboys In Disgrace.
Debi’s memorable vocal on "Video Killed the Radio Star
" helped push the hit song to number one on the charts. Debi was on tour with Hot Chocolate when the song reached number one, and Errol Brown
gave Debi a bottle of champagne, as well as the day off, which allowed her to travel to London to perform on Top Of The Pops alongside The Buggles
.
Debi joined the girl-band Love Force, produced and managed by Dominic ’Bugatti’ King and Frank Musker
. During the 1980s, Debi began a successful partnership with songwriters / producers Charlie Skarbek and Tim Smit
. As a group, the trio were signed to CBS
and issued singles as The Rhythm Slaves, "Electricity" in 1981 and Dream Regime. In 1984, Charlie and Tim produced Debi’s solo single "Romantique" issued by Ariola Records
, the record received airplay across Europe.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Debi continued to work as a session singer recording demos and backing vocals for artists as diverse as Chris De Burgh
, Cilla Black
, Twiggy
, Samantha Fox
, Mike Oldfield
and Bill Wyman
. Debi also worked for theatre impresario Bill Kenwright
, recording demos for potential shows, this included an early demo of the Chess
hit "I Know Him So Well
". During this period, Debi also performed as lead session singer on a 1987 recording of songs from the Petula Clark
/ Dee Shipman
musical Someone Like You.
Debi continues to work as an established music photographer, recently recruited by Duran Duran
to capture their latest UK tour. As a singer, Debi performs on the Pet Shop Boys
' last album Fundamental
and performs lead vocals on the new studio recording of songs from the musical Someone Like You.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-born photographer and singer.
Doss attended Webster University
Webster University
Webster University is an American non-profit private university with its main campus in Webster Groves, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Webster University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools...
in Webster Groves
Webster Groves, Missouri
Webster Groves is an inner-ring suburb of St. Louis, located in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 22,995 at the 2010 census. The city is named after New England politician Daniel Webster....
, a suburb of St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where she became interested in photography.
Career
Doss traveled to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on a mission to photograph the fledgling super-stars of the 1970s. She soon discovered a voice of her own and stepped on stage as a backing vocalist, touring with The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
for over three years. Debi also recorded backing vocals for the The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
musical concept album Schoolboys In Disgrace.
Debi’s memorable vocal on "Video Killed the Radio Star
Video Killed the Radio Star
"Video Killed the Radio Star" is a song by the British synthpop/New Wave group The Buggles, released as their debut single on 7 September 1979, on Island Records from their debut album The Age of Plastic. It celebrates the golden days of radio, describing a singer whose career is cut short by...
" helped push the hit song to number one on the charts. Debi was on tour with Hot Chocolate when the song reached number one, and Errol Brown
Errol Brown
Errol Brown MBE is a singer and songwriter, best known as the frontman of Hot Chocolate. He has British citizenship by marriage to Ginette and they live in The Bahamas...
gave Debi a bottle of champagne, as well as the day off, which allowed her to travel to London to perform on Top Of The Pops alongside The Buggles
The Buggles
The Buggles were an English New Wave band consisting of Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes . They are remembered chiefly for their 1979 debut single "Video Killed the Radio Star" that was #1 on the singles chart in 16 countries. Its music video was the first to be shown on MTV in the U.S...
.
Debi joined the girl-band Love Force, produced and managed by Dominic ’Bugatti’ King and Frank Musker
Frank Musker
Frank Musker is a songwriter and composer. Especially in the 80s and 90s he worked with artists like Sheena Easton, The Babys, Robert Miles, Jennifer Rush, Bucks Fizz , Air Supply, Zucchero and Brian May...
. During the 1980s, Debi began a successful partnership with songwriters / producers Charlie Skarbek and Tim Smit
Tim Smit
Tim Smit KBE is a Dutch-born British businessman, famous for his work on the Lost Gardens of Heligan and the Eden Project, both in Cornwall, Britain.-Biography:...
. As a group, the trio were signed to CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
and issued singles as The Rhythm Slaves, "Electricity" in 1981 and Dream Regime. In 1984, Charlie and Tim produced Debi’s solo single "Romantique" issued by Ariola Records
Ariola Records
Ariola Records is a German record label. As of the late 1980s, it was a subsidiary label of BMG which in turn has since become a part of the international media conglomerate Sony Music Entertainment...
, the record received airplay across Europe.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Debi continued to work as a session singer recording demos and backing vocals for artists as diverse as Chris De Burgh
Chris de Burgh
Chris de Burgh is a British/Irish singer-songwriter. He is most famous for his 1986 love song "The Lady in Red".-Early life:...
, Cilla Black
Cilla Black
Cilla Black OBE is an English singer, actress, entertainer and media personality, who has been consistently popular as a light entertainment figure since 1963. She is most famous for her singles Anyone Who Had A Heart, You're My World, and Alfie...
, Twiggy
Twiggy
Lesley Lawson née Hornby known as Twiggy is an English model, actress, and singer. In the early-1960s she became a prominent British teenage model of swinging sixties London with others such as Penelope Tree....
, Samantha Fox
Samantha Fox
Samantha Karen "Sam" Fox is an English dance-pop singer, actress, and former glamour model. In 1983, at the age of 16, she began her topless modeling career on Page Three of The Sun, and went on to become a popular pin-up girl...
, Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield
Michael Gordon Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature...
and Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman is an English musician best known as the bass guitarist for the English rock and roll band the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1992. Since 1997, he has recorded and toured with his own band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings...
. Debi also worked for theatre impresario Bill Kenwright
Bill Kenwright
Bill Kenwright CBE is a leading West End theatre producer and film producer.He is also the Chairman of Everton Football Club, an English professional football club from the city of Liverpool....
, recording demos for potential shows, this included an early demo of the Chess
Chess (musical)
Chess is a musical with music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, formerly of ABBA, and with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story involves a romantic triangle between two top players, an American and a Russian, in a world chess championship, and a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other;...
hit "I Know Him So Well
I Know Him So Well
"I Know Him So Well" is a song from the concept album and subsequent musical Chess by Tim Rice, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. In this duet, two women – Svetlana, the Russian chess champion's estranged wife, and Florence, his mistress – express their bittersweet feelings for him and at seeing...
". During this period, Debi also performed as lead session singer on a 1987 recording of songs from the Petula Clark
Petula Clark
Petula Clark, CBE is an English singer, actress, and composer whose career has spanned seven decades.Clark's professional career began as an entertainer on BBC Radio during World War II...
/ Dee Shipman
Dee Shipman
Dee Shipman is a songwriter who has worked with Charles Aznavour and Petula Clark, with whom she wrote the 1990 West End musical Someone Like You.-Early Acting and Singing:...
musical Someone Like You.
Debi continues to work as an established music photographer, recently recruited by Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
to capture their latest UK tour. As a singer, Debi performs on the Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
' last album Fundamental
Fundamental (Pet Shop Boys album)
Fundamental is the sixteenth album, the ninth of entirely new music, by the British band Pet Shop Boys. It was released in May 2006 in the United Kingdom, Europe, Japan, and Canada, and was released in late June 2006 in the United States. The album entered the UK Albums Chart at number five on 28...
and performs lead vocals on the new studio recording of songs from the musical Someone Like You.