Stephanie Mills

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stephanie Mills

Background information
Born March 22, 1957 (1957-03-22) (age 51)
Origin Brooklyn, New York U.S.
Genre(s) R&B, Soul Music, Gospel
Occupation(s) singer
Years active 1968-present
Label(s) Motown, 20th Century, Casablanca, MCA, GospoCentric, LightYear
For the TV series character, see Stephanie Mills (All in the Family)

Stephanie Mills (born March 22, 1957 in Brooklyn, New York) is a U.S. Grammy Award-winning R&B and soul singer, and a former Broadway star. Originally given the title as "the little girl with the big voice."

Contents

[edit] Career

Stephanie Mills began her career appearing in her first play at the age of 9. Two years later, Mills won Amateur Night at the world-famous Apollo Theater a record six times. The victory lead to her being cast in her first Broadway role, the orphaned child of a runaway slave in the short-lived musical Maggie Flynn.

In 1973, Mills' musical career began as she opened for the Isley Brothers. A year later, after being discovered by Jackson 5 singer Jermaine Jackson, she signed with Motown Records. Her first two albums failed to generate a buzz as the label couldn't find Mills' sound, and she left the label in 1976.

In 1975, Mills' career took a rise when she portrayed Dorothy in an African-American adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz entitled The Wiz. Filled with a more urban style of music and scenery, The Wiz made Mills a star particularly because of her stellar performance of the song "Home." It would become her signature tune for years, and would be covered later by Diana Ross for the big-screen adaptation three years later and by Whitney Houston for her dramatic musical performance debut on TV in the early 1980s.

Musical success was elusive until 1979, when signed under the 20th century Fox record label, Mills found her breakthrough in disco music, recording now-classic danceable songs such as "Put Your Body In It," "You Can Get Over," and "What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin'." The resulting album, What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin, was Mills' first gold record.

She quickly followed the success with 1980s Sweet Sensation, which featured Mills' biggest hit to date, the Reggie Lucas-produced "Never Knew Love Like This Before". The single became a #12 R&B and #6 Pop hit in 1980, even reaching #4 in the UK. 1981's Stephanie featured a top hit for her and Teddy Pendergrass entitled "Two Hearts," while her 1983 album, Merciless, featured her hit cover of Prince's "How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore?". In 1984, Mills had her second UK hit with "The Medicine Song" (#29).

Success for Mills had peaked until 1985, when her version of the Angela Winbush-penned "I've Learned to Respect the Power of Love," hit #1 on the R&B singles chart. Mills truly returned, however, with her next release, If I Were Your Woman in 1987 under MCA Records, which she was now signed. The hits from the album include the title track, originally a hit for Gladys Knight & the Pips in 1971, "I Feel Good All Over" (a song her label mate Patti LaBelle didn't want to cover), and "You're Puttin' a Rush on Me," to name a few of the songs released. The album reached platinum status.

Mills' success continued with 1989's Home album. The hits from that album include "The Comfort of a Man," the title track, a cover of her old standard from The Wiz and another song penned by Winbush titled "Something in the Way You Make Me Feel." It became another platinum record for Mills.

Mills would record one more album (1992's Something Real) and a Christmas album before being released from her contract with MCA in 1992. Mills released a live gospel recording in 1995 on GospoCentric Records entitled Personal Inspirations. The set was produced by Donald Lawrence and featured a spiritualized retooling of her hit "I Have Learned To Respect The Power Of Love." Thereafter, Stephanie took a break from recording to care for her son.

Mills returned to musical theater in 1997, playing the lead in a major production of Stephen Schwartz's Children of Eden in New Jersey, which Schwartz has called "the definitive production" of the show. Mills was heavily featured in the soundtrack CD that resulted from this production.

In 2000, Mills began a comeback with singles recorded with BeBe Winans and rapper DMX to name a few. She made a comeback in independently-releasing Born For This on 3 August 2004. Her first single in over a decade, "Can't Let Him Go," garnered buzz at urban contemporary radio. Mills is currently touring. A 2-disc, career-spanning greatest hits compilation entitled Gold was released by Hip-O/Universal Music earlier last year. Mills just finished production of a live DVD recorded at BB Kings in New York which will be sold online and at her shows.

Stephanie Mills made a soul stirring appearance in the 2007 hit gospel TV series " Sunday Best" and was recently featured in a live interview on "The Yolanda Adams Morning Show", where she mentioned that she now has her own record label (JM Records).

Singer Stephanie Mills performs prior to Pope Benedict XVI celebrating Mass at Yankee Stadium in New York Sunday, April 20, 2008


[edit] Personal life

Stephanie Mills and Michael Jackson were romantically involved for a short period of time while she was doing The Wiz.

Stephanie Mills was briefly married to Jeffrey Daniel of Shalamar. Twice divorced, Stephanie gave birth to a son, Farad in February 2001. She currently resides in North Carolina.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Year Album US Pop US R&B
1979 Whatcha Gonna Do with My Lovin' 22 12
1980 Sweet Sensation 16 3
1981 Stephanie 30 3
1982 Tantalizingly Hot 48 10
1983 Merciless 104 12
1984 I've Got the Cure 73 10
1985 Stephanie Mills 47 4
1987 If I Were Your Woman 30 1
1989 Home 82 5
1992 Something Real – 22
1994 Personal Inspirations – –
2004 Born for This! – 25

[edit] Singles

Year Title US
R&B		 US Pop UK Top 75 Album
1979 "What Cha Gonna Do with My Lovin'" 6 22 - What Cha Gonna Do ... With My Lovin'
1979 "You Can Get Over" 55 101 - What Cha Gonna Do ... With My Lovin'
1980 "Sweet Sensation" 3 52 - Sweet Sensation
1980 "Never Knew Love Like This Before" 12 6 4 Sweet Sensation
1981 "Two Hearts" With Teddy Pendergrass 3 40 49 Stephanie
1981 "Night Games" 33 - - Stephanie
1982 "Last Night" 14 101 - Tantalizingly Hot
1982 "Keep Away Girls" 13 - - Tantalizingly Hot
1983 "You Can't Run From My Love" 59 - - Tantalizingly Hot
1983 "Pilot Error" 12 - - Merciless
1983 "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" 12 - - Merciless
1984 "The Medicine Song" 8 65 29 I've Got the Cure
1984 "Edge of the Razor" 47 - - I've Got the Cure
1985 "Bit by Bit" 52 78 - Fletch Soundtrack
1985 "Stand Back" 15 - - Stephanie Mills
1986 "I Have Learned to Respect the Power of Love" 1 - - Stephanie Mills
1986 "Rising Desire" 11 - - Stephanie Mills
1987 "I Feel Good All Over" 1 - - If I Were Your Woman
1987 "(You're Puttin') A Rush on Me" 1 85 62 If I Were Your Woman
1987 "Secret Lady" 7 - - If I Were Your Woman
1988 "If I Were Your Woman" 19 - - If I Were Your Woman
1988 "Where Is The Love" With Robert Brookins 18 - - Let It Be Me - Robert Brookins
1989 "Something in the Way (You Make Me Feel)" 1 - - Home
1989 "Home" 1 - - Home
1990 "Comfort of a Man" 8 - - Home
1990 "Real Love" 53 - - Home
1991 "Heart to Heart" With J.T. Taylor 65 - - Feel The Need - J.T. Taylor
1992 "All Day, All Night" 20 - 68 Something Real
1993 "Never Do You Wrong" 33 - 57 Something Real

[edit] Awards

1974
  • 1974 – nominated for Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress - Musical ("The Wiz").
1979
1980
  • 1980 – won Grammy Award: Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance - Female ("Never Knew Love Like This Before").
  • 1980 – nominated for an American Music Award: Favorite Female Artist - Soul / Rhythm & Blues
  • 1980 – nominated for Young Artist Awards: Best Young Musical Recording Artist - Female ("Two Hearts").
1981
  • 1981 – nominated for a Grammy Award: Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance - Female (Stephanie).
  • 1981 – won American Music Award for Favorite Female Artist - Soul / Rhythm & Blues [2]
1983
  • 1983 – nominated for a Grammy Award: Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance - Female ("Merciless").
1989

[edit] Audio sample

Stephanie Mills - Bit By Bit (Fletch Theme) excerpt Image:Stephanie Mills - Bit By Bit (Fletch Theme) excerpt.ogg

An excerpt from Stephanie Mills' Bit By Bit (Fletch Theme) - the theme music to the film Fletch
Problems listening to the file? See media help.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Languages