- Evelyn King (singer)
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For other people with similar names, see Evelyn King (disambiguation)
Evelyn "Champagne" King Also known as Evelyn King Born July 1, 1960
The Bronx, New York, U.S.Origin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Genres R&B, boogie, dance, soul, disco Occupations Singer Instruments Vocals Years active 1977–present Labels RCA Records (US, Canada, UK)
EMI America
Expansion Records
RNB Entertainment GroupEvelyn "Champagne" King (born July 1, 1960) is an American R&B, disco and post-disco singer. Some of her best-known songs are "Shame", "Love Come Down," and "I'm in Love."
Contents
Biography
Evelyn King was born in the Bronx, New York, and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her uncle Avon Long had played the part of Sportin' Life in Porgy and Bess and worked with Lena Horne at the Cotton Club. Her father sang back-up for groups at Harlem's Apollo Theater. She was discovered while working with her mother at Philadelphia International Records as a cleaning woman. A producer, Theodore T. Life, overheard her singing in a washroom and began coaching her. She was eventually signed to a production deal with Life's Galaxy Productions and a recording contract with RCA Records.[1]
Career
King released her debut album, Smooth Talk, in 1977. The album included the song "Shame", which is her only top ten on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #9. The song also reached #7 R&B and #8 on the dance chart. The record was eventually certified gold. Another single from that album, "I Don't Know If It's Right", peaked at #23 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #7 R&B. This would become her second certified gold single. In 1981, the single "I'm in Love" was released from the same-titled album. It reached #1 on the R&B singles chart and dance chart in August of that year. It also peaked at #40 on the pop charts.
In 1982, King released the album, Get Loose. It yielded a top twenty pop and #1 R&B hit with the single, "Love Come Down". The song also peaked at #1 on the dance charts and reached the UK Singles Chart top ten, peaking at #7 for three weeks. The follow-up, "Betcha She Don't Love You," peaked at #2 on the R&B chart and #49 on the pop chart. From the mid- to late 1980s, King would continue to chart on the R&B charts, placing eight singles in the R&B top twenty, with three making it to the top ten.
On September 20, 2004, King's "Shame" became one of the first records to be inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame at a ceremony held in New York's Spirit club.[citation needed]
Return to music
On August 14, 2007, King released her first studio album in 18 years, Open Book. It featured the single "The Dance," which peaked at #12 on the Hot Dance Club Play Chart.
Discography
Studio albums
Year Album Chart positions
[2][3][4][5]US
certifications
[6]Record label US US
R&BUK 1977 Smooth Talk 14 8 — Gold RCA 1979 Music Box 35 12 — Gold 1980 Call on Me 124 58 — — 1981 I'm in Love 28 6 — — 1982 Get Loose 27 1 35 Gold 1983 Face to Face 91 24 — — 1984 So Romantic 203 38 — — 1985 A Long Time Coming (A Change Is Gonna Come) — 38 — — 1988 Flirt 192 20 — — EMI Manhattan 1989 The Girl Next Door — — — — 1995 I'll Keep a Light On — — — — Expansion 2007 Open Book — — — — RNB Entertainment "—" denotes the album failed to chart or was not certified Compilation albums
Year Album Chart positions Record label US US
R&BUK 1990 The Best of Evelyn "Champagne" King — — — BMG Music 1993 Love Come Down: The Best of Evelyn "Champagne" King — — — RCA 1997 Let's Get Funky — — — BMG Music 2001 Greatest Hits — — — RCA 2003 Platinum & Gold Collection — — — 2006 If You Want My Lovin' — — — Sony Music "—" denotes the album failed to chart Singles
Year Single Chart positions[2][3][4][5] Album US US
R&BUS
DanceUK 1978 "Shame" 9 7 8 39 Smooth Talk "I Don't Know If It's Right" 23 7 25 67 1979 "Music Box" 75 14 78 — Music Box "Out There" — 34 — — 1980 "Let's Get Funky Tonight" — 34 12 — Call on Me 1981 "I'm in Love" 40 1 1 27 I'm in Love "If You Want My Lovin'" — — — 43 "Don't Hide Our Love" — 28 — — 1982 "Spirit of the Dancer" — 51 54 — "Love Come Down" 17 1 1 7 Get Loose "Betcha She Don't Love You" 49 2 — — "Back to Love" — — — 40 1983 "Get Loose" — 61 — 45 "Action" 75 16 13 — Face to Face 1984 "Shake Down" 107 12 34 — "Teenager" — 28 — — "Just for the Night" 107 16 45 — So Romantic "I'm So Romantic" — — — 76 1985 "Out of Control" — 54 14 — "Give Me One Reason" — — — 93 "Till Midnight" — 57 — — "Give It Up" — — — — Fright Night "Your Personal Touch" 86 9 5 37 A Long Time Coming
(A Change Is Gonna Come)1986 "High Horse" — 19 12 55 "Slow Down" — 81 — — 1988 "Flirt" — 3 — — Flirt "Hold on to What You've Got" — 8 5 47 "Kisses Don't Lie" — 17 — — 1989 "Day to Day" — 80 — — Girl Next Door 1990 "Do Right" — — — — 1992 "Shame" (Hardcore Mix) (Altern 8 vs Evelyn King) — — — 74 Non-album single 1995 "I Think About You" — — — — I'll Keep a Light On 1996 "One More Time" (with Divas of Color) — — — — Non-album single 2008 "The Dance" — — 12 — Open Book "—" denotes the single failed to chart See also
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
References
- ^ Hogan, Ed. "Biography". Billboard.
- ^ a b "Evelyn "Champagne" King US chart history". billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/evelyn-champagne-king/chart-history/76577. Retrieved 2009-08-11.
- ^ a b "Evelyn "Champagne" King US chart history". allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p93992/charts-awards. Retrieved 2009-08-11.
- ^ a b "Evelyn "Champagne" King UK chart history". chartstats.com. http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=2994. Retrieved 2009-08-11.
- ^ a b "Evelyn King UK chart history". chartstats.com. http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=3468. Retrieved 2009-08-11.
- ^ "Evelyn "Champagne" King US certification history". riaa.com. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS&artist=Evelyn%20King&format=Album&go=Search&perPage=25. Retrieved 2009-08-11.
External links
- Evelyn "Champagne" King official website
- Evelyn "Champagne" King at Allmusic
- Evelyn "Champagne" King discography at Discogs
Categories:- 1960 births
- African American female singers
- American dance musicians
- American female pop singers
- American rhythm and blues singers
- American disco musicians
- Boogie musicians
- RCA Records artists
- Living people
- People from the Bronx
- People from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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