Frederick Knight (singer)
Encyclopedia
Frederick Knight is an American
R&B
singer, songwriter
and record producer
.
with Mercury
and Capitol
in New York
before signing with Stax Records
in 1972. He had his only UK
hit
single
, "I've Been Lonely For So Long
," in 1972. The song
was on the chart
for 10 weeks and reached number 22. Lack of further chart activity leaves him labelled as a one-hit wonder
. However, Knight did appear in the documentary film
, Wattstax
, which was released in 1973.
After Stax's demise Knight launched Juana Records, writing and producing The Controllers, and he had a UK Number 1 chart
credit with Anita Ward
's "Ring My Bell
" in 1979. Knight cut "I've Been Lonely for So Long" in Birmingham, Alabama, with a seasoned southern soul crew behind him, and hit again in 1975 with "I Betcha Didn't Know That."
The song "Be For Real", written by Knight and originally performed by Marlena Shaw
, was covered by Leonard Cohen
for his album The Future
and subsequently by The Afghan Whigs
for the movie Beautiful Girls.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and record producer
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...
.
Biography
Knight recordedSound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
with Mercury
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
and Capitol
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
before signing with Stax Records
Stax Records
Stax Records is an American record label, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee.Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the name Stax Records was adopted in 1961. The label was a major factor in the creation of the Southern soul and Memphis soul music styles, also releasing gospel, funk, jazz, and...
in 1972. He had his only 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...
hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
single
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...
, "I've Been Lonely For So Long
I've Been Lonely for So Long
"I've Been Lonely For So Long" is a pop-soul song recorded by American southern soul singer Frederick Knight. The song, written by Posie Knight and Jerry Weaver, was released in 1972 by Stax Records....
," in 1972. The song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
was on the chart
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....
for 10 weeks and reached number 22. Lack of further chart activity leaves him labelled as a one-hit wonder
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
. However, Knight did appear in the documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
, Wattstax
Wattstax
Wattstax is a 1973 documentary film by Mel Stuart that focused on the 1972 Wattstax music festival and the African American community of Watts in Los Angeles, California. The film was nominated for a Golden Globe award for Best Documentary Film in 1974...
, which was released in 1973.
After Stax's demise Knight launched Juana Records, writing and producing The Controllers, and he had a UK Number 1 chart
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....
credit with Anita Ward
Anita Ward
Anita Ward is an American singer and musician. She is best known for her 1979 million selling chart-topper, "Ring My Bell".-Career:Before signing a recording contract, Ward obtained a degree in psychology from Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi, and had become a schoolteacher...
's "Ring My Bell
Ring My Bell
"Ring My Bell" is a 1979 disco song by Anita Ward. It was originally written for Stacy Lattisaw, but when she signed with a different label, Ward was asked to sing it instead and it became her only major hit. The song hit number one on the disco charts. "Ring My Bell" went to number one on both...
" in 1979. Knight cut "I've Been Lonely for So Long" in Birmingham, Alabama, with a seasoned southern soul crew behind him, and hit again in 1975 with "I Betcha Didn't Know That."
The song "Be For Real", written by Knight and originally performed by Marlena Shaw
Marlena Shaw
Marlena Shaw is an American singer. Shaw began her singing career in the 1960s and is still singing today. Her music has often been sampled in hip hop music, and used in television commercials.-Biography:She was first introduced to music by her uncle Jimmy Burgess, a jazz trumpet player...
, was covered by Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
for his album The Future
The Future
The Future is a studio album from 1992 by Leonard Cohen. It has come to be recognized as his "film-score" album as nearly every one of the songs on the album has appeared in some notable form in a Hollywood film....
and subsequently by The Afghan Whigs
The Afghan Whigs
The Afghan Whigs were a soul-influenced American rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio. PopMatters described the band as "beyond simple genre categorization, and though lauded by the music press, never got their just due."-Band history:...
for the movie Beautiful Girls.