Linda Clifford (singer)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Linda Clifford (born on August 20th, 1944 in New York, New York) is an American R&B and disco singer and actress who scored a number of R&B and disco hits in the 70s and 80s.
Contents |
[edit] Early career
Clifford is also a former Miss New York State, and fronted a jazz music trio before switching to R&B. After winning her title, Clifford started working as an actress, receiving minor roles in major films like The Boston Strangler with Tony Curtis and Henry Ford, Coogan's Bluff with Clint Eastwood and Sweet Charity with Shirley MacLaine.
[edit] Music career
Unsatisfied with her roles, Clifford decided to concentrate on her singing career, and performed in night clubs with the 'Jericho Jazz Singers', before forming her own group 'Linda & The Trade Winds'. In 1973 she was signed to Paramount Records and her first single, (It's Gonna Be) A Long Long Winter became a minor hit on the R&B charts in the winter of 74'.
By the mid-70's Curtis Mayfield signed Clifford to his Curtom Records label. The first single off her self-titled album was From Now On which again became a minor hit on the R&B charts. Her follow-up album, If My Friends Could See Me Now produced two of Clifford's biggest hit, putting her on the music map. The first, Runaway Love became a huge R&B hit peaking at #3 for two strong weeks. The second, the title track, became a smash hit on the Disco chart peaking at #1 for five impressive weeks.
The following year she released her third album, 1979's Let Me Be Your Woman. It yielded the Disco version of Simon & Garfunkel's hit Bridge Over Troubled Water. It became her first top 40 Pop hit. The album was also available in a two-album form with extended versions. It was followed by "Here's My Love" (1979) and a duet with Curtis Mayfield, "Between You and Me, Baby" (summer 1979). Eventually, Mayfield and Clifford released an albums of duets in 1980, "The Right Combination".
In 1980, Clifford was asked to produce a single for the upcoming movie Fame. The result was the top 40 smash Red Light. It became her second number-one disco hit. Her next and final album with RSO, I'm Yours, was produced by soul legend Isaac Hayes and gave her third #1 Disco hit Shoot Your Best Shot which stood it's ground at number-one on the U.S. Dance Charts for 4 weeks.
In 1981, Clifford signed to Capitol Records and released the hard edge dance single Don't Come Crying To Me. It peaked at number-one for three consecutive weeks on the disco charts. Despite the success of the single, the album I'll Keep On Loving You sold poorly, and her contract was not renewed.
Clifford was signed to local label Red Label Records and released Sneakin' Out in 1984. The release yielded a couple of minor dance and R&B hits, including the title track. My Heart's On Fire, in 1985 would be Cliffords's last full length album. It featured the top ten Dance hit The Heat In Me.
Clifford has subsequently recorded or re-recorded single tracks; she recorded "Whatcha Gonna Do" in 1995 and re-recorded "If My Friends Could See Me Now" in 1996. She also released "Wanna Give It Up" with Ralphi Rosario (#16 dance in 1999), "Philly Groove" with Romain & Krivit (2000), "Changin'" (#17 dance), "Ride the Storm" with Akabu (2001), "Going Back to My Roots", "Sunshine", "I Hear The Music" with Ralphi Rosario (2002) and "Spinnin'" with Prospect Park/Joey Negro (2003).
[edit] Other projects
After her initial record contract was not renewed, Clifford began to write jingles for such products as Tropicana, Maybelline, McDonald's, Miller Lite, Michelob Lite, Oldsmobile and Pontiac.
She also provided the theme songs for The Phil Donahue Show and the cop-drama Chicago Story and became a host to one of the first home-shopping TV shows Home Shop Chicago. She also continued to perform in local clubs and special events.
[edit] #1 Dance Hits
- 1978 "If My Friends Could See Me Now"
- 1978 "Gypsy Lady"
- 1978 "Runaway Love"
- 1980 "Red Light"
- 1980 "Shoot Your Best Shot"
- 1980 "It Don't Hurt No More"
- 1982 "Let It Ride"
- 1982 "Don't Come Crying To Me"
[edit] Single Releases
- 1973 (It’s Gonna Be) A Long, Long Winter / March Across The Land
- 1974 Turn The Key Softly
- 1977 From Now On
- 1977 You Can Do It
- 1978 If My Friends Could See Me Now
- 1978 Runaway Love
- 1978 Gypsy Lady
- 1979 Bridge Over Troubled Water /Hold Me Close
- 1979 Don’t Give It Up
- 1979 Lonely Nights
- 1979 I Just Wanna Wanna
- 1980 Between You Baby And Me (& Curtis Mayfield)
- 1980 Love’s Sweet Sensation (& Curtis Mayfield)
- 1980 Shoot Your Best Shot / It Don’t Hurt No More
- 1980 Red Light / Hot Lunch Jam
- 1980 I Had A Talk With My Man
- 1980 If You Let Me
- 1982 I’ll Keep On Loving You
- 1982 Don’t Come Crying To Me / I’ll Keep On Loving You /Let It Ride
- 1984 Runaway Love / You Are, You Are
- 1984 A Night With The Boys
- 1985 Sneakin’ Out
- 1985 You’re Mine
- 1985 The Heat In Me
- 1995 Watcha Gonna Do
- 1999 Wanna give it up (& Ralphi Rosario)
- 2000 Changin’
- 2001 Philly Groove (& Romain & Danny Krivit)
- 2001 Ride The Storm (& Akabu)
- 2002 Going Back To My Roots 2002
- 2002 Sunshine
- 2002 Strings Of Life 2 I Hear The Music (feat. Ralphi Rosario)
- 2003 Spinnin' (& Prospect Park)
- 2006 How Long
[edit] Album Releases
- 1977 Linda
- 1978 If My Friends Could See Me Now
- 1979 Let Me Be Your Woman
- 1979 Here´s My Love
- 1980 The Right Combination (& C. Mayfield)
- 1980 I´m Yours
- 1982 I´ll Keep On Loving You
- 1984 Sneakin’ Out
- 1985 My Heart´s On Fire
- 1989 Greatest Hits
- 1998 Shooting Her Best Shot – The Best Of …
- 1999 The Right Combination (& Bonus Tracks) (& Curtis Mayfield)
- 2000 Runaway Love: The Singles Anthology
- 2001 Runaway Love
- 2003 Runaway Love & Other Hits
