| Lady T | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 14, 1980 | |||
| Recorded | 1979 | |||
| Studio | Conway Studios (Los Angeles, California) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 51:15 | |||
| Label | Gordy | |||
| Producer | Richard Rudolph | |||
| Teena Marie chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Robert Christgau | B [2] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [3] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 5/10 [4] |
Lady T is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Teena Marie, released by Motown's Gordy label on February 14, 1980.
The album was produced by Richard Rudolph, and the track "Too Many Colors" features the then 7 year-old Maya Rudolph, daughter of Rudolph and his late wife Minnie Riperton. The album was dedicated to Minnie Riperton. Lady T was the nickname of Teena Marie at Motown Records. The packaging of Teena Marie's debut album Wild and Peaceful had not included a picture of the singer, and the image on the sleeve of this album surprised many people who had assumed she was African-American.
Lady T peaked at #18 on the Black Albums chart and #45 on the Pop Albums chart. Lead single "Can It Be Love" was a minor hit on the US Black Singles chart followed by "Behind the Groove" which peaked at #21 on the US Black Singles chart and became Teena Marie's only top 20 hit in the United Kingdom, reaching #6. "Lonely Desire" was released as the final single from the album.
| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Pop Albums [5] | 45 |
| Billboard Top Soul Albums [5] | 18 |
| Year | Single | Chart positions [6] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B | US Dance | UK (OCC) | ||
| 1980 | "Can It Be Love" | 57 | — | — |
| "Behind the Groove" | 21 | 4 | 6 | |
Minnie Julia Riperton Rudolph was an American soul singer and songwriter best known for her 1975 single "Lovin' You", her five-octave vocal range, and her use of the whistle register.
Mary Christine Brockert, known professionally as Teena Marie, was an American soul and R&B singer, songwriter, and producer. She was known by her childhood nickname Tina before taking the stage name Teena Marie and later acquired the nickname Lady T, given to her by her collaborator and friend Rick James.
Street Songs is the fifth studio album by American musician Rick James, released in April 1981 on Gordy Records. It contained two of James's biggest hits: the singles "Give It to Me Baby" and "Super Freak".
Lionel Richie is the debut solo studio album by American singer Lionel Richie, released on October 6, 1982, on Motown Records. Originally intended as a side project at the suggestion of Motown, it was recorded and released while Richie was still a member of the Commodores; he left the group shortly after the album's release. The first single from the album, "Truly", topped the Billboard Hot 100. Follow-up single "You Are" reached number four, and "My Love" reached number five. The album reached number one on the Cashbox albums chart on December 11, 1982.
Bustin' Out of L Seven is the second album by the American musician Rick James, released in 1979 through Gordy Records. Included on the album is the top ten R&B hit, "Bustin' Out ". L7 is slang for "square", as in the opening lyrics of "Bustin' Out ", "Well, alright, you squares, it's time you smoked, Fire up this funk and let's have a toke". The letter L and the number 7 form a square.
Throwin' Down is the 6th studio album by Rick James, released in 1982 via the Gordy imprint of Motown Records. It peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard 200. Although not as popular as Street Songs, Throwin' Down is certified gold by the RIAA. It was nominated for an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Album.
Fulfillingness' First Finale is the seventeenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder, released on July 22, 1974 by Tamla, a subsidiary of Motown Records. It is the fourth of five albums from what is considered Wonder's "classic period".
With Everything I Feel in Me is the twenty-first studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, Released on November 25, 1974, by Atlantic Records.
"Lovin' You" is a song recorded by American singer Minnie Riperton from her second studio album, Perfect Angel (1974). It was written by Riperton and her husband, Richard Rudolph, produced by Rudolph and Stevie Wonder, and released as the album's fourth single on January 18, 1975. The song peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 on April 5, 1975. Additionally, it reached number two on the UK Singles chart, and number three on the Billboard R&B chart. In the US, it ranked number 13 on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1975.
Love Lives Forever is the sixth and final studio album by the American soul singer Minnie Riperton. Released posthumously in 1980, it was co-produced by her husband Richard Rudolph and released on her then-label Capitol Records. It consists of tracks that she recorded in 1978 during vocal sessions before her death, and music recorded after her early death, occurred on July 12, 1979.
Wild and Peaceful is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Teena Marie. Released on March 20, 1979 by Motown. It features significant contributions from Rick James who produced and wrote the bulk of material as well as providing co-vocals on "I'm a Sucker for Your Love".
Brilliance is the fourth studio album by Atlantic Starr. This album featured hit singles "Love Me Down" and "Circles". The album also contained the Sam Dees composition "Your Love Finally Ran Out", which was previously recorded by their then labelmate Les McCann under the title "So Your Love Finally Ran Out For Me" on his 1979 album Tall, Dark & Handsome.
Perfect Angel is the second studio album by American singer Minnie Riperton, released on August 9, 1974 by Epic Records. The album contains the biggest hit of Riperton's career, "Lovin' You", which topped the U.S. Pop Singles chart for one week in early April 1975.
It Must Be Magic is the fourth studio album by Teena Marie, released on May 14, 1981. It was her last album for Motown and the highest-selling of Marie's tenure with Motown. The album peaked at No. 2 on the US Black Albums chart and No. 23 on the Pop Albums chart.
All This Love is the second studio album by DeBarge, released by Gordy Records on July 22, 1982.
Born to Love is a 1983 studio album of duets by American singers Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack. It was released by Bryson's label Capitol Records on July 22, 1983, in the United States. The album yielded the hit single "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love", written by Gerry Goffin and Michael Masser. The track "Maybe" was written and recorded for the film Romantic Comedy (1983).
Stay in Love is the fourth studio album by American singer Minnie Riperton, released under Epic Records. The album features the hits "Young Willing and Able" and the Stevie Wonder collaboration "Stick Together". Unlike her previous works, the soft soul elements here tend to fade, replaced by a more upbeat disco sound which was the musical trend at the time. "Stick Together" peaked at no. 23 on Billboard's Hot Dance Play, an alternate version known as "Stick Together " reached no. 57 on the U.S. Hot Black Singles chart.
Tender Togetherness is a studio album by tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, released in April 1981 on Elektra Records. The album reached No. 13 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.
Irons in the Fire is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Teena Marie, released on August 14, 1980, by Motown. Her first self produced effort, it was dedicated to her father, Thomas Leslie Brockert (1919-1976). It received positive reviews on its release. In a 2009 interview she named it as her personal favourite of all her albums.
Robbery is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Teena Marie, released in September 18, 1983. It is her first album for Epic Records, following her acrimonious departure from Motown the previous year. The album was written and produced by Marie herself and features contributions from Patrice Rushen, Paulinho da Costa, and Steve Ferrone among others. However, the album did not repeat the success of her last Motown release It Must Be Magic (1981) stalling at number 13 on the Black Albums chart and only reaching number 119 on the Billboard Albums chart.
