Thelma Houston

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Thelma Houston
Birth name Thelma Jackson
Born May 7, 1946 (1946-05-07) (age 62)
Origin Leland, Mississippi
Genre(s) Motown, Soul, Pop rock, Urban, Quiet Storm, House, Disco, Club/Dance
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, Actress
Instrument(s) Vocals
Years active 1966–present
Label(s) Dunhill Records (1968–1970), Motown Records (1970–1982), MCA Records (1982–1985), Reprise Records (1989–1991), Shout Factory Records/Sony Records/BMG (2006–present)
Website 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".

Contents

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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 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.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Dunhill release
Motown releases
Sheffield Lab release
RCA releases
MCA releases
Reprise release
Shout Factory Records

[edit] Singles

Year Song U.S. Pop U.S. R&B U.S. Club/Dance U.S. Dance Airplay U.K. Pop
1966 "Baby Mine" - - - - -
1967 "Don't Cry, My Soldier Boy" - - - - -
1969 "Everybody Gets To Go To The Moon" - - - - -
1969 "Sunshower" - - - - -
1969 "Jumpin' Jack Flash" - - - - -
1970 "Save the Country" 74 - - - -
1970 "The Good Earth" - - - - -
1972 "I Want To Go Back There Again" - - - - -
1972 "Me and Bobby McGee" - - - - -
1972 "Piano Man" - - - - -
1972 "What If?" - - - - -
1972 "I'm Just A Part Of Yesterday" - - - - -
1974 "You've Been Doing Wrong For So Long" - 64 - - -
1976 "Don't Leave Me This Way" 1 1 1 - 13
1976 "Any Way You Like It" - - 1 - -
1976 "If It's The Last Thing I Do" 47 - - - -
1977 "I'm Here Again" - 21 18 - -
1977 "I Can't Go On Living Without Your Love" - - - - -
1977 "It's A Lifetime Thing" - 84 - - -
1977 "Don't Pity Me" (with Jerry Butler) - - - - -
1978 "I'm Not Strong Enough (To Love You)" - - - - -
1979 "Love Masterpiece" (from the "Thank God It's Friday Soundtrack) - - - - -
1979 "Saturday Night, Sunday Morning" 34 19 33 - -
1979 "Love Machine" - - - - -
1980 "Suspicious Minds" - - - - -
1981 "If You Feel It" - - 6 - 48
1981 "96 Tears" - 76 22 - -
1983 "Working Girl" - 46 - - -
1983 "Just Like All The Rest" - 80
1984 "You Used To Hold Me So Tight" - 13 7 - 49
1984 "What A Woman Feels Inside"/"Fantasy and Heartbreak" - - - - -
1985 "I'd Rather Spend The Bad Times With You, Than The Good Times With Someone New" - - 4 - -
1985 "(I Guess) It Must Be Love" - 59 - - 80
1985 "Why Do People Fall In Love" (with Dennis Edwards) - - - - -
1985 "Moonlight Serenade" - - - - -
1985 "In The Mood" (from Into The Night) - - - - -
1985 "My Lucille (with B.B. King)/ Keep It Light" - - - - -
1989 "Lean On Me" - 73 - - -
1990 "Hold On" - - - - -
1990 "Out Of My Hands" - 82 - - -
1990 "Throw You Down / What He Was" - - - - -
1991 "High" - 66 - - -
1991 "Throw You Down" - - 6 - -
1996 "Don't Leave Me This Way" (Junior Vasquez '96 Version) - - 19 - 35
1996 "I Need Somebody Tonight" - - - - -
1998 "All of That" - - - - -
1999 "Let It Be" (with Roger Daltrey) - - - - -
2004 "Don't Leave Me This Way" (Soultans Mix) - - - - -
2007 "Brand New Day" - - 20 30 -

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

[edit] Filmography

[edit] TV Series (Guest)

[edit] Soundtracks

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links