Rita Coolidge
| Rita Coolidge | |
|---|---|
 Coolidge performing at an outdoor concert in Seattle in September 2002 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Rita Coolidge |
| Born | May 1, 1945 |
| Origin | Lafayette, Tennessee, United States |
| Genres | Pop, adult contemporary, country, Native American,[1] soft rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer–songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Labels | A&M, Monument, Attic, Alpha, Spectrum, Pony Canyon, Caliber/Critique, Beacon, Innerworks, Concord |
| Associated acts | Eric Clapton, Leon Russell, Kris Kristofferson, Joe Cocker |
| Website |
www |
Rita Coolidge (born May 1, 1945) is an American recording artist and songwriter. During the 1970s and 1980s, she charted hits on Billboard magazine's pop, country, adult contemporary and jazz charts[1] and won two Grammy Awards with fellow musician and former husband Kris Kristofferson.
Early life
Coolidge was born in Lafayette, Tennessee. Coolidge attended Nashville's Maplewood High School. She graduated from Andrew Jackson Senior High in Jacksonville, Florida. She is a member of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority.[2] She is of Scottish and self-identified Cherokee ancestry.[3]
Career
Coolidge is a graduate of Florida State University. After singing around Memphis (including a stint singing jingles), she was discovered by Delaney & Bonnie, who took her to Los Angeles where, besides her work with Delaney & Bonnie, she became a popular background singer on many other people's albums.[4] She sang for Leon Russell, Joe Cocker, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Dave Mason, Graham Nash, and Stephen Stills.[5] She was featured in Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour and album, singing Russell's and Bonnie Bramlett's song "Superstar." She became known as "The Delta Lady" and inspired Russell to write a song of the same name for her.[6]
In November 1970, she met Kris Kristofferson at the Los Angeles airport when they were both catching the same flight to Tennessee. He got off in Memphis with her, rather than continue to his intended destination in Nashville. The two married in 1973 and recorded several duet albums, which sold well and earned the duo a Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1974 for "From the Bottle to the Bottom", and in 1976 for "Lover Please".
Coolidge's greatest success on the pop charts came during 1977–78 with four consecutive top 25 hits, covers of Jackie Wilson's "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher", Boz Scaggs' "We're All Alone", The Temptations' "The Way You Do The Things You Do", and Marcia Hines' "You".
Coolidge also was among the first hosts on VH1, a U.S. cable network. In 2006, she recorded a standards album, And So Is Love.[5]
Layla
In the recording of the original hit "Layla" by Eric Clapton's band Derek and the Dominoes in 1970, Clapton returned to the studio where he heard the band's drummer Jim Gordon playing a piano piece he had allegedly composed himself separately. Clapton, impressed by the piece, convinced Gordon to allow it to be used as part of the song in the coda section. Though only Gordon has been officially credited with this part, the band's keyboardist Bobby Whitlock claims, "Jim took that piano melody from his ex-girlfriend Rita Coolidge. I know because in the Delaney & Bonnie days, I lived in John Garfield's old house in the Hollywood Hills and there was a guest house with an upright piano in it. Rita and Jim were up there in the guest house and invited me to join in on writing this song with them called "Time". Her sister Priscilla wound up recording it with her husband, Booker T. Jones (of Booker T. & the M.G.'s). Jim took the melody from Rita's song and didn't give her credit for writing it. Her boyfriend ripped her off".[7] "Time" ended up on the 1973 album Chronicles by Booker T. and Priscilla.
Personal life
Coolidge is the daughter of Dick and Charlotte Coolidge, a minister and schoolteacher, with sisters Linda and Priscilla, and brother Raymond.[8] Coolidge was married to Kris Kristofferson from 1973 to 1980.[1] They have one daughter, Casey. Coolidge previously had romantic liaisons with Stephen Stills and Graham Nash; her leaving Stills for Nash has been cited as a contributing factor behind the initial 1970 breakup of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.[9] She was also involved with Leon Russell and Joe Cocker during their Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour. Coolidge married Tatsuya Suda on June 19, 2004, in the Cook Islands: Suda is a Japanese citizen who retired in 2010, after a tenure of over twenty-five years as a professor at the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences (UC Irvine).[10][11]
Rita's sister Priscilla Coolidge was also a singer & recording artist. Priscilla married Booker T. Jones[12] of the popular '60s R&B band Booker T & The MG's in 1969; followed by TV journalist/broadcaster/reporter Ed Bradley[13] in 1981. She then married Michael Seibert. Seibert and Priscilla were found dead in their home in October 2014, from what police called a murder-suicide allegedly perpetrated by Michael Seibert.[14]
Coolidge now lives in Fallbrook, California. She is currently a painter and has exhibited her work.[5] Coolidge is also a sister of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority.
Her autobiography, Delta Lady: A Memoir, was published in April, 2016.[15]
Walela
In 1997, Coolidge was one of the founding members of Walela, a Native American music trio, that also included Priscilla and her daughter Laura Satterfield. The trio released studio albums in 1997 (Walela) and 2000 (Unbearable Love), a live album and DVD (Live in Concert) in 2004 and a compilation album (The Best of Walela) in 2007.[16] Walela means hummingbird in Cherokee. Coolidge considered this group important, not only in honoring her Cherokee ancestors but also in bringing their culture to others. Also as part of her Native American heritage, she performed with Robbie Robertson, who is Mohawk, at the 2002 Winter Olympics.[5]
Discography
Albums (North American)
| Year | Album | Peak positions | Label | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Country | CAN | |||
| 1971 | Rita Coolidge | 105 | — | 71 | A&M |
| Nice Feelin' | 135 | — | — | ||
| 1972 | The Lady's Not for Sale | 46 | — | 27 | |
| 1974 | Fall into Spring | 55 | — | 41 | |
| 1975 | It's Only Love | 85 | — | — | |
| 1977 | Anytime...Anywhere | 6 | 23 | 4 | |
| 1978 | Love Me Again | 32 | — | 39 | |
| 1979 | Satisfied | 95 | — | 58 | |
| 1980 | Greatest Hits | 107 | — | 47 | |
| 1981 | Heartbreak Radio | 160 | — | — | |
| 1983 | Never Let You Go | — | — | — | |
| 1984 | Inside the Fire | — | — | — | |
| 1992 | Love Lessons | — | — | — | Caliber/Critique |
| 1996 | Out of the Blues | — | — | — | Beacon |
| 1998 | Thinkin' About You | — | — | — | Innerworks |
| 2005 | And So Is Love | — | — | — | Concord |
| 2012 | A Rita Coolidge Christmas | — | — | — | 429 Records |
Albums with Kris Kristofferson
| Year | Album | Peak positions | Label | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US | CAN | |||
| 1973 | Full Moon | 1 | 26 | 7 | A&M |
| 1974 | Breakaway | 19 | 103 | 81 | Monument |
| 1978 | Natural Act | 24 | 106 | — | A&M |
International albums
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Fire Me Back | Attic |
| 1991 | Dancing with an Angel | |
| 1993 | For You | Alpha |
| 1995 | Behind the Memories | Pony Canyon |
Compilation albums
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | All About Rita Coolidge (Japanese release) | A&M |
| 1980 | Greatest Hits | |
| 1987 | Classics Volume 5 | |
| 1991 | A&M Gold Series (West German release) | |
| 1994 | All Time High: Best of Rita Coolidge | |
| 1995 | The Collection (Australian release) | Spectrum |
| 1999 | Master Series | A&M |
| 2000 | 20th Century Masters - The Millenium Collection | |
| 2001 | Universal Masters Collection | |
| 2004 | Delta Lady - The Rita Coolidge Anthology |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US AC |
US Country |
CA | CA AC |
CA Country |
UK[17] | AU | |||
| 1969 | "Turn Around and Love You" | 96 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | single only |
| 1971 | "I Believe in You" | — | — | — | 38 | 16 | — | — | — | Rita Coolidge |
| 1972 | "Fever" | 76 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Lady's Not for Sale |
| 1973 | "My Crew"A | flip | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Whiskey, Whiskey" | 106 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "A Song I'd Like to Sing" (w/Kris Kristofferson) | 49 | 12 | 92 | 53 | 3 | 54 | — | 97 | Full Moon | |
| 1974 | "Loving Arms" (w/Kris Kristofferson) | 86 | 25 | 98 | 83 | 9 | — | — | 96 | |
| "Mama Lou" | — | — | 94 | — | — | — | — | — | Fall Into Spring | |
| "Rain" (w/Kris Kristofferson) | — | 44 | 87 | — | 40 | — | — | — | Breakaway | |
| 1975 | "Lover Please" (w/Kris Kristofferson) | — | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1977 | "(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher" | 2 | 5 | — | 1 | 3 | — | 48 | 6B | Anytime...Anywhere |
| "We're All Alone" | 7 | 1 | 82 | 5 | 1 | — | 6 | 32 | ||
| 1978 | "The Way You Do the Things You Do" | 20 | 9 | — | 16 | 6 | — | — | 74 | |
| "Words" | — | — | — | — | — | — | 25 | — | ||
| "You" | 25 | 3 | — | 17 | 1 | — | — | — | Love Me Again | |
| "The Jealous Kind" | — | — | 63 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Love Me Again" | 68 | 20 | 83 | 73 | 35 | — | — | — | ||
| "Slow Dancer" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 60 | ||
| 1979 | "Hello, Love, Goodbye" | — | — | — | — | 27 | — | — | — | |
| "One Fine Day" | 66 | 15 | — | 89 | 4 | — | — | 68 | Satisfied | |
| "I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love" | 38 | 3 | 32 | 87 | 1 | 24 | — | — | ||
| 1980 | "Somethin' Bout You Baby I Like" (w/Glen Campbell) |
42 | 39 | 60 | — | 36 | 23 | — | — | Somethin' Bout You Baby I Like (Glen Campbell album) |
| "Fool That I Am" | 46 | 15 | 72 | — | — | 52 | — | — | Coast to Coast soundtrack | |
| "We Could Stay Together" (w/Booker T. Jones) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 60 | The Best of You (Booker T. Jones album) | |
| 1981 | "Let's Go Dancing" (w/Booker T. Jones) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 60 | Satisfied |
| "The Closer You Get" | 103 | — | — | — | 16 | — | — | — | Heartbreak Radio | |
| 1983 | "Lake Freeze" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Lake Freeze - The Raccoons Songtrack |
| "All Time High" | 36 | 1 | — | 38 | 1 | — | 75 | 80 | Octopussy soundtrack | |
| "Only You" | — | 37 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Never Let You Go | |
| 1984 | "Something Said Love" | — | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Inside the Fire |
| 1990 | "I Stand in Wonder" | — | — | — | 49 | 21 | — | — | — | Fire Me Back |
- A B-side of "Fever"
- B Charted as a double A-side in Australia, backed with "I Don't Want to Talk About It"
References
- 1 2 3 Steve Huey. "Rita Coolidge - Music Biography, Streaming Radio and Discography - AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ↑ "Accomplished Alpha Gams", Alpha Gamma Delta fraternity.
- ↑ "Rita Coolidge Biography". Musicianguide.com. Retrieved April 10, 2010.
- ↑ "Rita Coolidge Biography". theuncool.com.
- 1 2 3 4 Palisin, Steve (April 17, 2014). "Rita Coolidge shares Myrtle Beach area memories and more ahead of concert in Brunswick County". The Sun News.
- ↑ Matthew Greenwald. "Delta Lady - Leon Russell - Song Review". AllMusic.
- ↑ "Layla's 40th: The Where's Eric! Interview With Bobby Whitlock". Where's Eric!.
- ↑ Charlotte Coolidge (obituary), Mendocino Beacon, August 23, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
- ↑ Zimmer, Dave, and Diltz, Henry (1984). Crosby Stills & Nash: The Authorized Biography (First edition), St. Martin’s Press, ISBN 0-312-17660-0.
- ↑ Tribune, Chicago. "Rita Coolidge marriage". Retrieved September 11, 2012.
- ↑ "Vocal supporter - The San Diego Union-Tribune". utsandiego.com.
- ↑ Andrew Hamilton. "Booker T. & Priscilla - Booker T. & Priscilla - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards - AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ↑ Jacques Steinberg, "Ed Bradley, TV Correspondent, Dies at 65", New York Times, November 10, 2006.
- ↑ Becca Whitnall. "Murder-suicide shocks Sunset Hills neighborhood". Thousand Oaks Acorn.
- ↑ Coolidge, Rita; Walker, Michael (2016). Delta Lady: A Memoir. New York: Harper.
- ↑ Steve Huey. "Walela - Music Biography, Streaming Radio and Discography - AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 119. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rita Coolidge. |
| Preceded by Sheena Easton For Your Eyes Only, 1981 |
James Bond title artist Octopussy ("All Time High"), 1983 |
Succeeded by Duran Duran A View to a Kill, 1985 |
| Studio albums | |
|---|---|
| Duet albums | |
| Soundtrack albums | |
| Compilation albums | |
| Singles | |
| Related topics | |
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