- LaLa (songwriter)
La Forrest Cope, professionally known as La La, is an American
songwriter and performer raised in the East Elmhurst neighborhood ofQueens , New York,U.S.A. She is best known for writing the BillBoard #3 hit song “You Give Good Love” recorded by Whitney Houston for her self-titled debut album in 1985 that sold over 15 million units.
History
La La took up the piano at the age of five and gave a piano recital at
Carnegie Hall aged nine.After leaving New York's High School of Music and Art she formed a band called Jack Sass, which played Top 40 cover versions on the club scene.
As the group's reputation grew, La La began introducing more of her own songs into the repertoire before she went to
Juilliard to major in composition.In 1981, she was invited to tour with
Stacy Lattisaw who opened forThe Jacksons on a national tour.Following this she sang with the group Change, along with
Luther Vandross , where her voice was heard on their tune 'The Glow Of Love', co-written by her childhood friend from East Elmhurst, Queens, Wayne K. Garfield.She played one of her songs, 'Stone Love', to another neighborhood friend,
Kashif , who recorded it on his debut album in 1983.ongs
La La has penned songs for many artists inclcuding
Lillo Thomas ('All Of You'),Melba Moore ('Living For Your Love' and 'It's Really Love'),Glenn Jones ('Show Me' and 'Stay'),Giorge Pettus ('My Night For Love') and a solo release "Into The Night" which was featured on the 'Beat Street' soundtrack album.Through Kashif, she had a couple of her tunes recorded by
Whitney Houston ('You Give Good Love' and 'Thinking About You') before signing to Arista (both Kashif and Whitney Houston's label) as an artist. In 1987 she released a debut album, "La La", including 'We'll Keep Striving' (a duet with Bernard Wright), but she left the label shortly afterwards.La La also wrote for
Carl Anderson andStephanie Mills in addition to further songs for herself, after a move toMotown Records in the early nineties. Her debut Motown album was "La La Means I Love You" in 1991.
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