January
6 is the birthday of Doris Troy (1937-2004), American R&B singer and
songwriter, known to her many fans as "Mama Soul". She was born Doris
Elaine Higginsen, in The Bronx, the daughter of a Barbadian Pentecostal
minister. She later took her grandmother's name and grew up as Doris Payne. Her
parents disapproved of "subversive" forms of music like rhythm &
blues, so Doris cut her teeth singing in her father's choir. She worked as an
usherette at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, where she was discovered by James Brown.
Doris worked with Solomon Burke, The Drifters, Cissy Houston, and Dionne Warwick, before she co-wrote and recorded "Just One Look", which hit #10 in the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1963. The song has been covered by The Hollies, Major Lance, Linda Ronstadt, Bryan Ferry, Anne Murray, Klaus Nomi, and Harry Nilsson. Her only foray into the UK Singles Chart, "Whatcha Gonna Do About It", peaked at #37 in December 1964.
As her solo career peaked, Doris sang back-up for Rolling Stones, Humble Pie, Kevin Ayers, Pink Floyd (on their album Dark Side of the Moon), George Harrison, Johnny Hallyday, Vivian Stanshall, Dusty Springfield, Nick Drake, Junior Campbell and Carly Simon.
Doris was signed by The Beatles to their Apple Records label in 1969, and released the Doris Troy album the following year, co-produced by Doris and George Harrison. Doris worked in the UK throughout the 1970s, appearing at Ronnie Scott's Club and recording a live album, The Rainbow Testament. Her People Records album, Stretching Out, was not a big seller.
Mama, I Want To Sing is a stage musical based on Doris’ life, and was co-written with her sister, Vy, a popular New York radio personality. It ran for 1,500 performances at the Heckscher Theatre in Harlem. Doris played her own mother, Geraldine. Chaka Khan played her aunt in the London production, as did Deniece Williams. The musical was made into a motion picture, starring Ciara, Patti Labelle and Hill Harper, which was released on DVD in 2012.
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Doris worked with Solomon Burke, The Drifters, Cissy Houston, and Dionne Warwick, before she co-wrote and recorded "Just One Look", which hit #10 in the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1963. The song has been covered by The Hollies, Major Lance, Linda Ronstadt, Bryan Ferry, Anne Murray, Klaus Nomi, and Harry Nilsson. Her only foray into the UK Singles Chart, "Whatcha Gonna Do About It", peaked at #37 in December 1964.
As her solo career peaked, Doris sang back-up for Rolling Stones, Humble Pie, Kevin Ayers, Pink Floyd (on their album Dark Side of the Moon), George Harrison, Johnny Hallyday, Vivian Stanshall, Dusty Springfield, Nick Drake, Junior Campbell and Carly Simon.
Doris was signed by The Beatles to their Apple Records label in 1969, and released the Doris Troy album the following year, co-produced by Doris and George Harrison. Doris worked in the UK throughout the 1970s, appearing at Ronnie Scott's Club and recording a live album, The Rainbow Testament. Her People Records album, Stretching Out, was not a big seller.
Mama, I Want To Sing is a stage musical based on Doris’ life, and was co-written with her sister, Vy, a popular New York radio personality. It ran for 1,500 performances at the Heckscher Theatre in Harlem. Doris played her own mother, Geraldine. Chaka Khan played her aunt in the London production, as did Deniece Williams. The musical was made into a motion picture, starring Ciara, Patti Labelle and Hill Harper, which was released on DVD in 2012.
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