Thelma Houston
Born
7 May 1946, Leland, MS, United States
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Biography
Born in Mississippi (under the sign of Taurus, the ruler of singers) and raised by a cotton-picking single mother, Thelma credits her baby sitter as her tutor. Being the piano teacher in the town church, she would play religious hymns that a 3-year old Thelma would sing. That experience echoed when Thelma, relocated to California, joined the gospel group The Art Reynolds Singers, and recorded a hit version of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" for Capitol.
Houston took the decision of making a career in music, and began performing secular music in Los Angeles. Discovered by Marc Gordon, she was brought to Dunhill Records, where songwriter Jimmy Webb produced in 1969 her debut album, Sunshower. Although Webb considered her "the most prodigious talent I have ever encountered", the album was a commercial failure.
Houston moved to Mowest, a label Motown had created while moving offices to California. Her impressive 1972 self-titled album was also a flop, but Motown persevered. She was nominated for a Grammy for her 1974 R&B performance in "You've Been Doing Wrong for So Long"; she performed songs for the movies Norman, Is That You? and Motown's own The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings, and the company allowed her to participate in the Sheffield Lab's acclaimed direct-to-disc I've Got the Music in Me with Pressure Cooker.
1976 was the turning point in Houston's career, when Motown released her gospel-influenced cover version of Gamble & Huff's "Don't Leave Me This Way", which went to number 1 in both R&B and pop charts, became one of the most popular disco numbers ever, and won her a Grammy. The firm followed the hit with other disco oriented albums produced by Hal Davis, which included dance hits "Saturday Night, Sunday Morning" and "Love Machine", and duet albums with .... But when her contract expired in 1979, the disco era was ending and she moved to RCA Records. After a reunion with Jimmy Webb in Breakwater Cat and a second RCA album with other dance hits, she was signed to MCA.
By this time, Houston decided to become her own executive producer and for Qualifying Heat, she worked with newcomers Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and Monte Moir (all ex-The Time), who helped to create one of the best albums in her career. Due to its successful promotion and singles, a new club generation was introduced to her exceptional voice. In 1990, Houston worked with Richard Perry and released Throw You Down, an album that also showed her appreciation of new styles, tendencies and young producers. Unfortunately, her Reprise contract expired after its release.
Although Thelma Houston didn't have another international album release after Throw You Down, she recorded an Italian-only album in 1994, released several CD singles and also worked with Brooks Arthur in an as-yet-unreleased album. She has also recorded with the Soultans, Scott Henderson, Eric Henderson, The Winans and Mathou; composed songs for singer Patti LaBelle, the CBS series Middle Ages, and the movies Into the Night and 54; and recorded Good News in Hard Times, with Phoebe Snow, Lois Walden, Cece Peniston and Albertina Walker, collectively known as The Sisters of Glory. Her participation in the stage show and recording of British Rock Symphony brought her to Australia, where she also appeared in the stage production of the musical Fame. As a matter of fact, Houston the actress has appeared in movies and television series since the 1970's.
A much loved performer, Thelma Houston is also known as an active supporter of charitable causes and worked as governor of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
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