Edwin Starr
Encyclopedia
Edwin Starr was an American
soul music
singer. Starr is most famous for his Norman Whitfield
produced
singles
of the 1970s, most notably the number one
hit "War".
, in 1942. He and his cousins (soul singers Roger and Willie Hatcher) moved to Cleveland, Ohio
, where they were raised.
In 1957, Starr formed a doo-wop
group, The Future Tones, and began his singing career. Starr lived in Detroit, Michigan
, in the 1960s and recorded at first for the small record label
Ric-Tic, and later for Motown Records
after it absorbed Ric-Tic in 1968.
The song which began his career was "Agent Double'O'Soul" (1965), a reference to the James Bond
films popular at the time. Other early hits included "Headline News", "Back Street", a cover of The Miracles
"Way Over There", and "S.O.S. (Stop Her On Sight)". He recorded more soul music
for the next three years before having an international hit in "25 Miles" (1968), which peaked at #6 in the United States the following year.
The biggest hit of his career, which cemented his reputation, was the Vietnam War
protest song
"War" (1970). Starr's intense vocals transformed a Temptations
album track into a #1 chart success, which spent three weeks in the top position on the US Billboard
charts, an anthem for the antiwar movement and a cultural milestone that continues to resound a generation later in movie soundtracks and hip hop music
samples. It sold over three million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
. "War" appeared on both Starr's War and Peace album
and its follow-up, Involved. Involved also featured another song of similar construction titled "Stop the War Now", which was a minor hit in its own right.
Moving to England in 1973, Starr continued to record, most notably the song "Hell Up in Harlem" for the 1974 film
Hell Up in Harlem
, which was the sequel to Black Caesar
, an earlier hit with a soundtrack by James Brown. In 1979, Starr reappeared on the charts with a pair of disco
hits, "(Eye-To-Eye) Contact" and "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio". "Contact" was the more successful of the two, peaking at #65 on the US pop charts, #13 on the R&B
chart, #1 on the dance chart, and #6 on the UK Singles Chart
. By now he had joined the well-established disco boom, and had further singles on 20th Century Records
. Over the years he released tracks on many labels, including Avatar, Calibre, 10 Records, Motown (a return to his former label for a 1989 remix
of "25 Miles"), Streetwave and Hippodrome.
In 1985, Starr released "It Ain't Fair". Despite garnering the attention of many in the soul and dance clubs, it fell short of becoming a hit. Starr appeared on the charity number one single "Let It Be" by Ferry Aid in 1987. Later that year, Starr teamed up with the Stock, Aitken and Waterman production company for the club hit "Whatever Makes Our Love Grow". In 1989, a number 17 UK hit by the Cookie Crew
called "Got to Keep On" sampled
a portion of "25 Miles". This track was then featured on a 1990 dance medley
made for the BRIT Awards
, which made number 2 in the UK Singles Chart. A club mix of various artists, it included the previous years remix of "25 Miles".
In 1989, Starr also joined Ian Levine
's Motorcity Records
, releasing six singles and the album Where Is the Sound, as well as co-writing several songs for other artists on the label. Starr resurfaced briefly in 2000 to team up with the UK
band
Utah Saints
to record a new version of "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On". He appeared again in 2002 to record a song with the British
musician
Jools Holland
, singing "Snowflake Boogie" on Holland's compact disc
More Friends; and to record another track with Utah Saints, a so-far-unreleased version of his number one hit "War" — his last-ever recording.
Starr remained a hero on England's Northern Soul
circuit and continued living in England for the remainder of his life.
On Wednesday, April 2, 2003, at the age of 61, Starr suffered a heart attack
and died while taking a bath at his home in Bramcote
near Nottingham
. He left a wife, Annette Mary Hatcher, a son André Hatcher, and two grandchildren Alonté Renfroe and Maryah Hatcher.
His brother Angelo Starr is now fronting the Team, the band Edwin Starr had been touring with for over 20 years. His previous band, Total Concept Unlimited, became the band Rose Royce
after adding a female singer.
Americans
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
soul music
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
singer. Starr is most famous for his Norman Whitfield
Norman Whitfield
Norman Jesse Whitfield was an American songwriter and producer, best known for his work with Berry Gordy's Motown label during the 1960s...
produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
of the 1970s, most notably the number one
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
hit "War".
Biography
Starr was born Charles Edwin Hatcher in Nashville, TennesseeNashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, in 1942. He and his cousins (soul singers Roger and Willie Hatcher) moved to Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, where they were raised.
In 1957, Starr formed a doo-wop
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
group, The Future Tones, and began his singing career. Starr lived in Detroit, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, in the 1960s and recorded at first for the small record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
Ric-Tic, and later for Motown Records
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
after it absorbed Ric-Tic in 1968.
The song which began his career was "Agent Double'O'Soul" (1965), a reference to the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
films popular at the time. Other early hits included "Headline News", "Back Street", a cover of The Miracles
The Miracles
The Miracles are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Record Corporation . Their single "Shop Around" was Motown's first million-selling hit record, and the group went on to become one of Motown's signature...
"Way Over There", and "S.O.S. (Stop Her On Sight)". He recorded more soul music
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
for the next three years before having an international hit in "25 Miles" (1968), which peaked at #6 in the United States the following year.
The biggest hit of his career, which cemented his reputation, was the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
protest song
Protest song
A protest song is a song which is associated with a movement for social change and hence part of the broader category of topical songs . It may be folk, classical, or commercial in genre...
"War" (1970). Starr's intense vocals transformed a Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
album track into a #1 chart success, which spent three weeks in the top position on the US Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
charts, an anthem for the antiwar movement and a cultural milestone that continues to resound a generation later in movie soundtracks and hip hop music
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
samples. It sold over three million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
. "War" appeared on both Starr's War and Peace album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
and its follow-up, Involved. Involved also featured another song of similar construction titled "Stop the War Now", which was a minor hit in its own right.
Moving to England in 1973, Starr continued to record, most notably the song "Hell Up in Harlem" for the 1974 film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
Hell Up in Harlem
Hell Up in Harlem
Hell Up in Harlem is a 1973 blaxploitation film, starring Fred Williamson and Gloria Hendry. The film was written and directed by Larry Cohen...
, which was the sequel to Black Caesar
Black Caesar (film)
Black Caesar is a 1973 American blaxploitation film, starring Fred Williamson and Gloria Hendry. The film was written and directed by Larry Cohen. It is a remake of the 1931 film Little Caesar. It features a notable musical score by James Brown , his first experience with writing music for film...
, an earlier hit with a soundtrack by James Brown. In 1979, Starr reappeared on the charts with a pair of disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
hits, "(Eye-To-Eye) Contact" and "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio". "Contact" was the more successful of the two, peaking at #65 on the US pop charts, #13 on the R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart, #1 on the dance chart, and #6 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. By now he had joined the well-established disco boom, and had further singles on 20th Century Records
20th Century Records
20th Century Fox Records, also known as 20th Fox Records and 20th Century Records, was a subsidiary of film studio 20th Century Fox.-History:It began in 1958 as 20th Fox Records. In 1963, 20th Fox Records became 20th Century-Fox Records...
. Over the years he released tracks on many labels, including Avatar, Calibre, 10 Records, Motown (a return to his former label for a 1989 remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
of "25 Miles"), Streetwave and Hippodrome.
In 1985, Starr released "It Ain't Fair". Despite garnering the attention of many in the soul and dance clubs, it fell short of becoming a hit. Starr appeared on the charity number one single "Let It Be" by Ferry Aid in 1987. Later that year, Starr teamed up with the Stock, Aitken and Waterman production company for the club hit "Whatever Makes Our Love Grow". In 1989, a number 17 UK hit by the Cookie Crew
Cookie Crew
Cookie Crew were a rap music duo formed in Clapham, South London in 1983.-Career:Their career took off after winning a national rap championship and recording two sessions for the John Peel BBC Radio 1 show...
called "Got to Keep On" sampled
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
a portion of "25 Miles". This track was then featured on a 1990 dance medley
Medley (music)
In music, a medley is a piece composed from parts of existing pieces, usually three, played one after another, sometimes overlapping. They are common in popular music, and most medleys are songs rather than instrumental. A medley which is a remixed series is called a megamix, often done with tracks...
made for the BRIT Awards
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
, which made number 2 in the UK Singles Chart. A club mix of various artists, it included the previous years remix of "25 Miles".
In 1989, Starr also joined Ian Levine
Ian Levine
Ian Levine is an English songwriter, producer, and DJ. He is also a well-known fan of the long-running television show Doctor Who.Levine attended Arnold School in Blackpool from 1963 to 1970...
's Motorcity Records
Motorcity Records
Motorcity Records is a British record label formed by producer Ian Levine in 1989. The label aimed to record new material with former Motown artists.-History:...
, releasing six singles and the album Where Is the Sound, as well as co-writing several songs for other artists on the label. Starr resurfaced briefly in 2000 to team up with the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
Utah Saints
Utah Saints
Utah Saints is a dance band based in Leeds, England. The music is produced by Jez Willis and Tim Garbutt, who are joined on-stage by other musicians whenever the band plays live...
to record a new version of "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On". He appeared again in 2002 to record a song with the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
Jools Holland
Jools Holland
Julian Miles "Jools" Holland OBE, DL is an English pianist, bandleader, singer, composer, and television presenter. He was a founder of the band Squeeze and his work has involved him with many artists including Sting, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, The Who, David Gilmour and Bono.Holland is a...
, singing "Snowflake Boogie" on Holland's compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
More Friends; and to record another track with Utah Saints, a so-far-unreleased version of his number one hit "War" — his last-ever recording.
Starr remained a hero on England's Northern Soul
Northern soul
Northern soul is a music and dance movement that emerged from the British mod scene, initially in northern England in the late 1960s. Northern soul mainly consists of a particular style of black American soul music based on the heavy beat and fast tempo of the mid-1960s Tamla Motown sound...
circuit and continued living in England for the remainder of his life.
On Wednesday, April 2, 2003, at the age of 61, Starr suffered a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
and died while taking a bath at his home in Bramcote
Bramcote
Bramcote is a settlement in the Broxtowe district of Nottinghamshire, about five miles west of Nottingham. It was a separate village but is now a suburb of Greater Nottingham. Originally one of the main roads between the cities of Nottingham and Derby passed through the village centre...
near Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
. He left a wife, Annette Mary Hatcher, a son André Hatcher, and two grandchildren Alonté Renfroe and Maryah Hatcher.
His brother Angelo Starr is now fronting the Team, the band Edwin Starr had been touring with for over 20 years. His previous band, Total Concept Unlimited, became the band Rose Royce
Rose Royce
Rose Royce is an American soul and R&B band. The group is best known for several hit singles including "Car Wash," "I Wanna Get Next to You," "Wishing on a Star", "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" and "I'm Going Down".-Career:...
after adding a female singer.
Albums
- Soul Master (1965)
- 25 Miles (1969) (#73 US) (#9 R&B)
- War and Peace (1970) (#52 US)(#9 R&B)
- Involved (1971) (# 178 US)(# 45 R&B)
- Hell Up in Harlem (1974)
- Free to Be Myself (1975) (#43 R&B) (#210 US)
- Clean (1979) (#80 US) (#22 R&B)
- Happy Radio (1979) (#115 US) (#44 R&B)
- Stronger Than You Think I Am (1979) (#203 US)
- For Sale (1983)
Singles
- "Agent Double-O-Soul" (1965) (#8 R&B) (#21 Pop)
- "Back Street" (1966) (#33 R&B) (#95 Pop)
- "Headline News" (1966) (#84 U.S.) (#39 UK)
- "I'll Love You Forever" (1966) with The Holidays (#7 R&B) (#63 Pop)
- "Lonely Summer" (1966) (written by Starr and performed by The Shades Of BlueThe Shades of BlueThe Shades of Blue was an American blue-eyed soul vocal group from Livonia, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. Their biggest hit was their 1966 song "Oh How Happy", written by Edwin Starr, which reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, #7 on the US Billboard R&B chart, and the Top 10 in Canada. ...
) - "S.O.S. (Stop Her On Sight)" (1966) (#9 R&B) (#48 Pop) (#11 UK)
- "I Want My Baby Back"
- "I Am The Man For You Baby" (1968)
- "Grits Ain't Grocery" (1968)
- "25 Miles" (1969) (#6 R&B and Pop) (#36 UK)
- "Oh How Happy" (1969) (#92 U.S.) with Blinky Williams
- "I'm Still a Struggling Man" (1969) (#27 R&B) (#80 Pop)
- "Way Over There" (1969)
- "Time" (1970) (#39 R&B) (#117 Pop)
- "War" (1970) (#3 R&B) (#1 Pop) (#3 UK)
- "Stop the War Now" (1970) (#5 R&B) (#26 Pop) (#33 UK)
- "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On" (1971) (#6 R&B) (#64 Pop)
- "My Sweet Lord" (1971)
- "There You Go" (1973) (#12 R&B) (#80 Pop)
- "Big Papa" (1974)
- "Easin' In" (1974)
- "Hell Up in Harlem" (1974)
- "I Just Wanna Do My Thing" (1978)
- "Contact" (1979) (#65 U.S.) (#6 UK)
- "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio" (1979) (#79 U.S.) (#9 UK)
- "Tell-A-Starr" (1979)
- "It's Called The Rock" (1979)
- "Twenty-Five Miles (Remix)" (1980)
- "Get Up-Whirlpool" (1980)
- "Stronger (Than You Think I Am)" (1980)
- "Smooth" (1983)
- "I Wanna Take You Home" (1983)
- "Marvin" (1984)
- "It Ain't Fair" (1985) (#56 UK)
- "Missiles" (1985)
- "Grapevine" (1985)
- "Soul Singer" (1986)
- "Whatever Makes Our Love Grow" (1987)
- "Got To Keep On" (1989) (#17) with the Cookie CrewCookie CrewCookie Crew were a rap music duo formed in Clapham, South London in 1983.-Career:Their career took off after winning a national rap championship and recording two sessions for the John Peel BBC Radio 1 show...
- "25 Miles" (Remix) (1989)
- "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On" (2000) (#23 UK) with Utah SaintsUtah SaintsUtah Saints is a dance band based in Leeds, England. The music is produced by Jez Willis and Tim Garbutt, who are joined on-stage by other musicians whenever the band plays live...
- "Snowflake Boogie" (2002) with Jools HollandJools HollandJulian Miles "Jools" Holland OBE, DL is an English pianist, bandleader, singer, composer, and television presenter. He was a founder of the band Squeeze and his work has involved him with many artists including Sting, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, The Who, David Gilmour and Bono.Holland is a...
- "War" (2002) with Utah Saints
- "25 Miles 2001" (2001) (UK #36) with The Three AmigosThe Three Amigos (band)The Three Amigos were a band in the late 1990s and early 2000s, most famous for their cover of "Louie Louie".-Biography:The Three Amigos first single was their cover of "Louie Louie". Released in July 1999, it reached #15 in the UK Singles Chart. The band's logo on the single cover paid tribute to...