Thelma Houston

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Thelma Houston
Background = solo_singer


Img_capt =
Birth_name = Thelma Jackson
Born = birth date and age|1946|05|7
Origin = Leland, Mississippi
Genre = Motown, Soul, Pop rock, Urban, Quiet Storm, House, Disco, Club/Dance
Occupation = Singer-songwriter, Actress
Years_active = 1966–present
Instrument = Vocals
Label = Dunhill Records (1968–1970), Motown Records (1970–1982), MCA Records (1982–1985), Reprise Records (1989–1991), "Shout Factory Records"/Sony Records/BMG (2006–present)
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.thelmahouston.com www.thelmahouston.com]

Thelma Houston (born May 7, 1946) is a Grammy Award-winning American R&B and Club/Dance singer-songwriter and actress. She scored a #1 hit in 1977 with her cover of the song "Don't Leave Me This Way".

Early life

Houston was born Thelma Jackson in Leland, Mississippi, the daughter of a cotton picker mother. She and her three sisters grew up primarily in Long Beach, California. After marrying and having two children, she joined the Art Reynolds Singers gospel group and was subsequently signed as a recording artist with Dunhill Records.

Career

In 1969, Houston released her first album titled, "Sunshower". In 1971, she signed with Motown Records, but her early recordings with them were largely unsuccessful. Her most notable single during that period was "You've Been Doing Wrong For So Long" which peaked at #64 on the R&B chart in 1974. In April of that same year she joined the cast of "The Marty Feldman Comedy Machine", playing various characters during the shows skits. The show was canceled in August and for the next several years her work was limited to demo recordings and performing at small venues.

So she took acting classes and received her first role in the 1975 made-for-TV movie "Death Scream". The following year she recorded songs for the soundtrack to the movie "The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings" starring Billy Dee Williams and James Earl Jones. She was then invited to sing backing vocals for Motown labelmate Jermaine Jackson on his 1976 album "My Name Is Jermaine".

Houston recorded her third album "Any Way You Like It" in 1976. The first single released was her version of the Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes tune "Don't Leave Me This Way". In February of 1977 it hit #1 in the U.S. on both the Billboard pop and R&B charts as well as #1 on the Club Play Singles chart. The song won the 1977 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Later on that year she teamed-up with Jerry Butler to record the album "Thelma & Jerry". In November 1977 she co-starred in the film "Game Show Models". The following year she recorded the single "Love Masterpiece" for the disco/comedy film "Thank God It's Friday".

In 1979, Houston released the single, "Saturday Night, Sunday Morning", which became her second, and final, top-40 hit in the United States, (#19 R&B, #34 Pop), from the "Ride to the Rainbow" album. She briefly returned to acting that same year, appearing in the independent film "The Seventh Dwarf".

The 1980s

Although Houston recorded other albums throughout the 80s, none of the singles from those albums matched the success of "Don't Leave Me This Way". Most of the releases became either moderate or minor R&B chart hits. She decided to concentrate on her acting career, and during the early-to-mid 80's she guest starred on several popular TV series including "Cagney & Lacey", "Simon & Simon","Faerie Tale Theatre", and the afterschool special "Little Miss Perfect" (1987). In 1988 she appeared as a prison singer in the romantic/comedy movie, "And God Created Woman".

Houston decided to return to music in 1989, when she recorded a new version of Bill Withers's "Lean on Me" for the "film of the same name". She also co-wrote and sang back-up on the song "Be Yourself" for Patti LaBelle's album of the same title.

The 1990s

In the fall of 1990 she released her first album in over 5 years, entitled "Throw You Down". The title song reached #5 on Billboard's Dance chart. A remix of "Don't Leave Me This Way", was released and once again charted on Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart at #19. Subsequent singles include "I Need Somebody Tonight" and "All of That". She briefly returned to acting in 1998 with small roles in the films "54" (about the famed nightclub Studio 54) and Oprah Winfrey's "Beloved".

Recent times

In 2000, Houston toured successfully throughout Australia in the Broadway musical version of Fame. Upon returning to the U.S. Houston toured with Nile Rodgers & Chic, and with Cher on her "Farewell" concert tour. Houston regularly performs at Teatro ZinZanni in Seattle and San Francisco.

Her version of "Don't Leave Me This Way" continues to be popular today. In recent years she has been invited to sing this song on dozens of TV shows and specials including NBC's "Today Show", ABC's "Motown 45" and "The Disco Ball...A 30-Year Celebration" and PBS specials "American Soundtrack: Rhythm, Love and Soul", "Soul Superstars", and "Old School Superstars". "Don't Leave Me This Way" was mentioned by VH1 as being among the greatest dance songs in 2000, and was named #86 in VH1's countdown of the 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders. She won an episode of the NBC show "Hit Me Baby One More Time" with her renditions of her own hit and "Fallin'" by Alicia Keys. On September 20, 2004, Houston's rendition of "Don't Leave Me This Way" was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame in New York City.

On August 14, 2007, Houston released her first studio album in 17 years entitled "A Woman's Touch". The album features cover versions of songs by male artists such as Luther Vandross, Marvin Gaye and Sting that Houston had been inspired by. The first single from the album was "Brand New Day". On August 20, 2007, Houston's 1984 album, "Qualifying Heat", was reissued as an import title in the U.S. with a bonus track.

Discography

Albums

;Dunhill release:
* 1969: "Sunshower"

;Motown releases:
* 1973: "Thelma Houston (1972)"
* 1976: "Any Way You Like It"
* 1977: "Thelma & Jerry" - Thelma Houston & Jerry Butler
* 1978: "The Devil in Me"
* 1978: "Ready to Roll"
* 1978: "Two to One" - Thelma Houston & Jerry Butler
* 1979: "Ride to the Rainbow"
* 1982: "Reachin' All Around"

;Sheffield Lab release:
* 1975: "I've Got the Music in Me" - with Pressure Cooker

;RCA releases:
* 1980: "Breakwater Cat"
* 1981: "Never Gonna Be Another One"

;MCA releases:
* 1983: "Thelma Houston (1983)"
* 1984: "Qualifying Heat"

;Reprise release:
* 1990: "Throw You Down"

;Italian only release (Fonit Cetra CDL378):
* 1994: "Thelma Houston (1994)"

;Shout Factory Records:
* 2007: "A Woman's Touch"

ingles

An Asterisk,"*", next to Pop chart singles chart peak means the single only charted on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 singles chart.

Filmography

* "Death Scream" - 1975
* "Game Show Models" - 1977
* "The Seventh Dwarf" - 1979
* And God Created Woman - 1988
* 54 - 1998
* Beloved - 1998

TV Series (Guest)

* "The Marty Feldman Comedy Machine - 1971
* Faerie Tale Theatre - 1985
* Cagney & Lacey - 1985
* Simon & Simon - 1986
* After School Special - 1987

oundtracks

* "Norman...Is That You?" (film) - "One Out Of Every Six" (song) - 1976
* The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings (film) - "Steal On Home"/"Razzle Dazzle" (songs) - 1976
* Thank God It's Friday (film) - "Love Masterpiece" (song) - 1978
* "Getting Physical" (film) - "Hot Dance"/"To Be Free" (songs) - 1984
* "Into The Night" (film) - "Keep It Light" (song) - 1985
* Lean On Me (film) - Lean On Me (song) - 1989

ee 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

References

External links

* [http://www.thelmahouston.com - Thelma's Official Website]