Loleatta Holloway
Encyclopedia
Loleatta Holloway was an American
singer
, mainly known for disco
song
s such as "Hit and Run" and "Love Sensation
", both of which have been sampled
extensively.
Holloway began singing gospel
with her mother
in the Holloway Community Singers and recorded
with Albertina Walker
in the Caravans
gospel group. Holloway was also a cast member of the Chicago troupe of Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope
. Around this time, she met her future producer, manager, and husband Floyd Smith
, and recorded "Rainbow ’71" in 1971, a Curtis Mayfield
song that Gene Chandler
had recorded in 1963. It was initially released on the tiny Apache label, but shortly thereafter, it got picked up for national distribution by Galaxy Records.
In the early 1970s, Holloway signed a recording contract
with the Atlanta-based soul music
label Aware, part of the General Recording Corporation (GRC), owned by Michael Thevis. Holloway recorded two albums for the label, both of them produced by Floyd Smith—Loleatta (1973) and Cry to Me (1975). Holloway later married Smith. Her first single from the second album, the ballad "Cry to Me" rose to #10 Billboard R&B and #68 on the Hot 100, but before the label could really establish Holloway, it went out of business.
Top Philadelphia arranger and producer Norman Harris
quickly signed Holloway in 1976 for his new label, Gold Mind, a subsidiary of New York's Salsoul Records. The first release from the album Loleatta was another Sam Dees ballad, "Worn-Out Broken Heart," which reached #25 R&B, but the B-side, "Dreaming," climbed to #72 on the pop chart and launched her as a disco
act. She contributed vocals to "Re-Light My Fire" for Dan Hartman, who then wrote and produced the title track of her fourth and final album for Gold Mind, "Love Sensation" (1980). Eighteen songs of hers charted on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, including four #1s
. However, it was a ballad that proved to be another big R&B hit for her. "Only You" was written and produced by Bunny Sigler, who also sang with Holloway on the track, and it reached #11 in 1978.
In the early 1980s, she had another dance hit with "Crash Goes Love" (#5 on the U.S. Dance chart
, #86 on the US R&B Chart). She also recorded one single, "So Sweet," for the fledgling house-music
label DJ International Records. In the late 1980s, her vocals from "Love Sensation" were used in the UK
#1 hit "Ride on Time
" by Black Box
. Holloway, however, was uncredited for her vocals, and both Holloway and her attorneys successfully sued the group, which lead to an undisclosed court settlement in Holloway's favor. In 1992, she also had a hit with dance band Cappella
. There she appeared billed as Cappella featuring Lolleatta Holloway on the single "Take Me Away" (UK #25). Holloway's fortunes dramatically improved, however, when she had her first US #1 hit when Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
featured her vocals in the chart-topping "Good Vibrations
" (1991). Holloway also performed with Marky Mark
and the Funky Bunch to promote the single, and she received full vocal credit and a share of the royalties
.
More recent dance chart entries include "What Goes Around Comes Around" (credited to GTS featuring Loleatta Holloway) in 2000, and "Relight My Fire" (credited to Martin featuring Holloway), which hit #5 in 2003. While not a single, "Like a Prayer
", a Madonna
cover, was a track on the Madonna tribute album
Virgin Voices. "Love Sensation '06," peaked at #22 in the Dutch Top 40
, and reached #37 on the UK Singles Chart
as well as #49 in Australia
.
People of the United States
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...
singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, mainly known for 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...
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...
s such as "Hit and Run" and "Love Sensation
Love Sensation
"Love Sensation" is the title of a 1980 song performed by American R&B singer Loleatta Holloway, taken from her album of the same name. The song was produced and written by Dan Hartman, arranged by Norman Harris, and mixed by Tom Moulton. It was a hit on the U.S...
", both of which have been 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...
extensively.
Biography
Holloway began singing gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
with her mother
Mother
A mother, mum, mom, momma, or mama is a woman who has raised a child, given birth to a child, and/or supplied the ovum that grew into a child. Because of the complexity and differences of a mother's social, cultural, and religious definitions and roles, it is challenging to specify a universally...
in the Holloway Community Singers and recorded
Sound 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 Albertina Walker
Albertina Walker
-Early years:Walker was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Ruben and Camille Coleman Walker. Her mother was born in Houston County, Georgia, and her father in Bibb County, Georgia. They moved to Chicago between 1917-1920 where they lived out their lives. Albertina had four siblings born in Bibb County...
in the Caravans
The Caravans
The Caravans is a Jubilee Gospel group that was started by Albertina Walker . The group reached its peak popularity during the 1950s and 1960s, launching the careers of a number of artists, including: Delores Washington, Albertina Walker, Bessie Griffin, Cassietta George, Dorothy Norwood, Inez...
gospel group. Holloway was also a cast member of the Chicago troupe of Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope
Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope
Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope is a musical revue with music and lyrics by Micki Grant. It was originally produced by Edward Padula.The all-singing, all-dancing show focuses on the African American experience with songs on such topics as tenements, slumlords, ghetto life, student protests, black...
. Around this time, she met her future producer, manager, and husband Floyd Smith
Floyd Smith (musician)
Floyd Smith was an American jazz guitarist.Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Smith studied music theory as a teenager and leared ukelele as a child before taking up guitar...
, and recorded "Rainbow ’71" in 1971, a Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Lee Mayfield was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer.He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly...
song that Gene Chandler
Gene Chandler
Gene Chandler also known as "The Duke of Earl" or simply "The Duke", is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, producer and record executive. He is one of the leading exponents of the 1960s Chicago soul scene...
had recorded in 1963. It was initially released on the tiny Apache label, but shortly thereafter, it got picked up for national distribution by Galaxy Records.
In the early 1970s, Holloway signed a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with the Atlanta-based 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...
label Aware, part of the General Recording Corporation (GRC), owned by Michael Thevis. Holloway recorded two albums for the label, both of them produced by Floyd Smith—Loleatta (1973) and Cry to Me (1975). Holloway later married Smith. Her first single from the second album, the ballad "Cry to Me" rose to #10 Billboard R&B and #68 on the Hot 100, but before the label could really establish Holloway, it went out of business.
Top Philadelphia arranger and producer Norman Harris
Norman Harris
Norman Harris was an American guitarist, producer, arranger and songwriter associated with Philly soul. He was a founding member of MFSB and one-third of the production trio of Baker-Harris-Young...
quickly signed Holloway in 1976 for his new label, Gold Mind, a subsidiary of New York's Salsoul Records. The first release from the album Loleatta was another Sam Dees ballad, "Worn-Out Broken Heart," which reached #25 R&B, but the B-side, "Dreaming," climbed to #72 on the pop chart and launched her as a 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...
act. She contributed vocals to "Re-Light My Fire" for Dan Hartman, who then wrote and produced the title track of her fourth and final album for Gold Mind, "Love Sensation" (1980). Eighteen songs of hers charted on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, including four #1s
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....
. However, it was a ballad that proved to be another big R&B hit for her. "Only You" was written and produced by Bunny Sigler, who also sang with Holloway on the track, and it reached #11 in 1978.
In the early 1980s, she had another dance hit with "Crash Goes Love" (#5 on the U.S. Dance chart
Hot Dance Club Play
The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
, #86 on the US R&B Chart). She also recorded one single, "So Sweet," for the fledgling house-music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
label DJ International Records. In the late 1980s, her vocals from "Love Sensation" were used in 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...
#1 hit "Ride on Time
Ride on Time
"Ride on Time" is a 1989 song recorded by band Black Box. It was later released on their debut LP Dreamland. The song was a chart success in many countries and a number-one hit in the UKand Ireland.-Music and lyrics:...
" by Black Box
Black Box (band)
Black Box was an Italian house music group popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The members of the group included a trio made up of a club DJ , a classically trained clarinet teacher , and a keyboard and electronic music "wiz"...
. Holloway, however, was uncredited for her vocals, and both Holloway and her attorneys successfully sued the group, which lead to an undisclosed court settlement in Holloway's favor. In 1992, she also had a hit with dance band Cappella
Cappella
Cappella was an Italian Eurodance act formed in 1987 by producer Gianfranco Bortolotti. The act went through a number of line-up changes over the years but was most successful in the early 1990s when it was fronted by British performers Kelly Overett and Rodney Bishop...
. There she appeared billed as Cappella featuring Lolleatta Holloway on the single "Take Me Away" (UK #25). Holloway's fortunes dramatically improved, however, when she had her first US #1 hit when Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch was a hip-hop group led by Mark Wahlberg. The Funky Bunch consisted of Wahlberg , Scott Ross , Hector Barros , Terry Yancey and Anthony Thomas...
featured her vocals in the chart-topping "Good Vibrations
Good Vibrations (Marky Mark song)
"Good Vibrations" is a 1991 dance song by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch from the album Music for the People and was released at the end of 1991. The song became a number-one hit in the US, Sweden and Switzerland.-Song information:...
" (1991). Holloway also performed with Marky Mark
Marky Mark
- People :* Mark Wahlberg , American musician & actor* Marky Mark , Brazilian musician a.k.a. DJ Marky* Marky Mark, a Canadian professional wrestler- Music :* Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, Mark Wahlberg's rap group of early 1990s fame...
and the Funky Bunch to promote the single, and she received full vocal credit and a share of the royalties
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
.
More recent dance chart entries include "What Goes Around Comes Around" (credited to GTS featuring Loleatta Holloway) in 2000, and "Relight My Fire" (credited to Martin featuring Holloway), which hit #5 in 2003. While not a single, "Like a Prayer
Like a Prayer
Like a Prayer is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on March 21, 1989 by Sire Records, three years after her previous studio album. Madonna worked with Stephen Bray, Patrick Leonard, and fellow icon Prince on the album while co-writing and co-producing all the...
", a Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
cover, was a track on the Madonna tribute album
Tribute album
A tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions. Its concept may be either various artists making a tribute to a single artist, a single artist making a tribute to various artists, or a single artist making a tribute to another single artist.There...
Virgin Voices. "Love Sensation '06," peaked at #22 in the Dutch Top 40
Dutch Top 40
The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting...
, and reached #37 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 ...
as well as #49 in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Death
Holloway died aged 64 on March 21, 2011 from heart failure. She is survived by her four children.Studio albums
- Loleatta (Aware 1973)
- Cry To Me (Aware 1975)
- Loleatta (Gold Mind 1977)
- Queen of the Night (Gold Mind 1978)
- Loleatta Holloway (Gold Mind 1979)
- Love Sensation (Gold Mind 1980)
- Greatest Hits (The Right Stuff/EMI, 1996)
- Queen of the Night: the Ultimate Club Collection (The Right Stuff/EMI, 2001)
- Loleatta Holloway: The Anthology (Salsoul, 2005)
Singles
- "Cry to MeCry to Me"Cry to Me" is a song written by Bert Russell a/k/a Bert Berns, first recorded under the production of Bert Berns by Solomon Burke, reaching #5 on the R&B charts in 1962....
" (#10 R&B, #68, US Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
)(1975) - "Worn-out Broken Heart" (#25 R&B)
- "Only You" with Bunny SiglerBunny SiglerWalter "Bunny" Sigler is a pop and R&B songwriter and record producer who has done extensive work with the team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, and who was instrumental in creating the "Philly Sound" in the early 1970s. He is nicknamed "Mr...
(#87 US, Billboard Hot 100, #11 US R&B) - "Dreamin'" (US #72), (US Dance #3)(1977)
- "Love SensationLove Sensation"Love Sensation" is the title of a 1980 song performed by American R&B singer Loleatta Holloway, taken from her album of the same name. The song was produced and written by Dan Hartman, arranged by Norman Harris, and mixed by Tom Moulton. It was a hit on the U.S...
" (#1 US Dance) (1980) - "Vertigo/Relight My FireRelight My Fire"Relight My Fire" is a popular song which was written and released by Dan Hartman in 1979, when it topped the U.S. dance-music charts for six weeks...
" (with Dan HartmanDan HartmanDaniel Earl "Dan" Hartman was an American singer, songwriter and record producer, best known for such songs as: "Free Ride", "I Can Dream About You", "Instant Replay", "Love Sensation", and "Relight My Fire", all of which had world-wide success.-Career:Born in Pennsylvania's capital, Harrisburg,...
) - "Hit and Run" (#3 US Dance), (#56 US R&B)(1977)
- "Catch Me on the Rebound" (#16 US Dance)
- "Crash Goes Love" (#5 US Dance), (#86 US R&B)(1984)
- "Runaway" by The Salsoul Orchestra
- "All About the Paper"
- "The Greatest Performance of My Life"
- "Catch Me on the Rebound"
- "Seconds"
- "So Sweet"
- "I May Not be there When You Want Me (But I'm Right on Time)"
- Black BoxBlack boxA black box is a device, object, or system whose inner workings are unknown; only the input, transfer, and output are known characteristics.The term black box can also refer to:-In science and technology:*Black box theory, a philosophical theory...
- "Ride On TimeRide on Time"Ride on Time" is a 1989 song recorded by band Black Box. It was later released on their debut LP Dreamland. The song was a chart success in many countries and a number-one hit in the UKand Ireland.-Music and lyrics:...
" (#1 UK; contains vocal samples from "Love Sensation" - Holloway's vocals are also the only vocals on the track; also Britain's best selling single of 1989) - Marky Mark (aka Mark WahlbergMark WahlbergMark Robert Michael Wahlberg is an American actor, film and television producer, and former rapper. He was known as Marky Mark in his earlier years, and became famous for his 1991 debut as a musician with the band Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. He was named No. 1 on VH1's 40 Hottest Hotties of...
) & The Funky Bunch - "Good VibrationsGood Vibrations (Marky Mark song)"Good Vibrations" is a 1991 dance song by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch from the album Music for the People and was released at the end of 1991. The song became a number-one hit in the US, Sweden and Switzerland.-Song information:...
" (#1 US, #14 UK; prominently features Holloway's vocals sampled from "Love Sensation." This was Holloway's only US #1 on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
)(1991) - Latin Swing featuring Loleatta Holloway - "Gotta Be #1" (#2, US Dance) (1992)
- CappellaCappellaCappella was an Italian Eurodance act formed in 1987 by producer Gianfranco Bortolotti. The act went through a number of line-up changes over the years but was most successful in the early 1990s when it was fronted by British performers Kelly Overett and Rodney Bishop...
featuring Loleatta Holloway - "Take Me Away" (#25 UK; contains vocal samples from "Love Sensation") (1992) - "I Survived" (UK-only release, produced by Johnny ViciousJohnny ViciousJohnny Vicious is an American house DJ, producer and remixer. He DJed in New York City clubs Mars and Paladium in the 1980s, and in the early 1990s started his own label, Vicious Musik Records, with Jeffrey Rodman....
) (1994) - Fire Island featuring Loleatta Holoway - "Shout it to The Top" (#23 UK) (1998)
- Cevin FisherCevin FisherCevin Fisher is an American house music record producer. He is best known for songs such as "The Freaks Come Out" and " Burning Up," the latter of which featured vocals by Loleatta Holloway...
featuring Loleatta Holloway - "(You Got Me) Burning Up" (#14 UK; contains vocal samples from "Love Sensation") (1999) - "Dreamin'" (remix) (#1, US Dance)(2000)
- GTS featuring Loleatta Holloway - "What Goes Around Comes Around" (2000)
- AgeHa featuring Loleatta Holloway & Jocelyn BrownJocelyn BrownJocelyn Lorette Brown is an American R&B and dance music singer...
- "A Better World" (2003) - "Love SensationLove Sensation"Love Sensation" is the title of a 1980 song performed by American R&B singer Loleatta Holloway, taken from her album of the same name. The song was produced and written by Dan Hartman, arranged by Norman Harris, and mixed by Tom Moulton. It was a hit on the U.S...
'06" (#37 UK) (2006) - "Don't Leave Me this Way - 2007" (2007 Deep Influence Mix)
- "I-N-S-I-D-E" by CJ TOBA feat Loleatta Holloway (2009 DJ Remix of "Dreamin'," which reached success in DJ/Club Charts)
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