Cry To Me LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY Video Steven Bogarat

Описание: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/loleat...

Artist Biography by Ed Hogan
It may surprise some that perennial dance diva Loleatta Holloway's highest charting solo record was a soulful ballad, "Cry to Me." Still, Holloway is best known for dancefloor workouts like "Love Sensation," "Hit and Run," and "Run Away." Born in Chicago in 1946, Holloway developed her throaty, full-bodied vocal style and dramatic presentation while singing with her mother in the gospel group, the Holloway Community Singers. She later began taking acting classes. As a teenager, she joined classic gospel group the Caravans led by Albertina Walker, who recorded for Savoy Records. In the early '70s, she joined the Chicago cast of the musical Don't Bother Me I Can't Cope. Around this time, she met her future producer, manager, and husband, Floyd Smith. Smith produced a cover of Gene Chandler's 1963/1965 hit "Rainbow '71" for his Apache label. Atlanta businessman Michael Thevis, who had just started GRC (General Recording Corporation), signed Holloway to his Aware label. The small double-sided hit "Our Love" (number 43 R&B)/"Mother of Shame" (number 63 R&B) charted during the summer of 1973. The tunes were included on her debut album, Loleatta (1973). "Cry to Me," the title track of her second album, gave Holloway her highest charting solo single on the R&B and pop charts; written by master songwriter Sam Dees, it hit number ten R&B in early 1975.

While with GRC, Holloway met promotion director Gus Redmond, whom she would later work with at Salsoul Records. In 1976, GRC went out of business and Holloway signed with Norman Harris' Salsoul-distributed label, Gold Mind Records. Guitarist/arranger/songwriter/producer Harris was a veteran of the Philly soul scene, having been a member of MFSB, the studio band for Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International Records. He'd joined with fellow MFSB vets bassist Ron Baker and drummer Earl Young to form Baker-Harris-Young Productions (the Trammps, First Choice, Double Exposure, Love Committee, Eddie Holman). Oddly enough (possibly the label was hedging its bets), dance-oriented Gold Mind's first release on Holloway was the Dees ballad "Worn Out Broken Heart." The catchy Harris-produced uptempo flip side, "Dreamin'," reached number 72 pop and was popular in discos. Her first Gold Mind LP, Loleatta (released March 1977), was both produced in Chicago by Floyd Smith and in Philadelphia by Baker-Harris-Young. In addition to "Worn Out Broken Heart," the album included "Hit and Run," which peaked at number 56 R&B. The two elongated alternate jam session takes of "Hit and Run" are disco classics.