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Roberta Kelly (born November 23, 1942) is an American disco and urban contemporary gospel singer who scored three hits on the US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart between 1976 and 1978. Her most successful US hit single, "Trouble-Maker", spent two weeks at No. 1.
From 1975 until 1983, she also performed as a backing vocalist with Thelma Houston and on a number of Donna Summer albums.
Kelly grew up in Los Angeles, California. In August 1972, during the Olympic Games, she traveled to Munich, West Germany to pursue her dreams of becoming a singer. [1]
Prior to releases in the US through composer Giorgio Moroder's Oasis record label during the 1970s, Kelly recorded a single in Germany entitled "Kung Fu Is Back Again" (1974), released on Atlantic and produced by the songwriter-producer Pete Bellotte alongside Moroder. In 1974, Kelly was also hired by Sylvester Levay and Michael Kunze to provide vocals on an upcoming album for what would eventually be known as the Silver Convention. [2]
In 1975 she released the single "Love Power" a cover version of a 1967 hit by the Sandpebbles, written by Teddy Vann, and later made famous as part of the repertoire of Luther Vandross. The single was backed with "Drifter", never included in any album and an example of the pre-disco Moroder-Bellotte production, similar to Donna Summer's "Lady of the night" material. In April 1976, Kelly turned to disco with the single "Trouble-Maker" and released an album by the same name. The album contained five tracks, including an extended version of "Love Power".
In 1977, she released Zodiac Lady, a controversial album that Casablanca Records, during the disco heyday, refused at first to release.[ citation needed ] Imports from Italy swamped the international dance floors, creating a hit for the title track and songs such as "Love Sign". This album spawned a twelve-inch single, "Zodiacs", which had major club and radio play. "Funky Stardust", "Love Sign" and "I'm Sagittarius" were released from that album, in addition to "Zodiacs" itself in different countries. "Zodiacs" peaked at No. 24 in the US Hot Dance/Club Play chart in 1977, [3] and at No. 44 in the UK Singles Chart in 1978. [4] "Love Sign" was released as a single in few countries only.[ citation needed ] Both "Trouble-Maker" and "Zodiac Lady" were produced by Moroder and Bellotte.
"One good thing about disco manufacturers is that they'll try anything. Here the gimmick is Jesus, invoked by name over unusually bright, bouncy, and consistent dance tracks flavored with gospel piano and some Jerry Jumonville saxophone. For me, this conjunction adds a perverse fillip to an already attractive record—I'm sure the folks at Studio 54 can use any kind of salvation that comes their way. Mary Magdalene would approve."
—Review of Gettin' the Spirit in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981) [5]
Gettin' the Spirit, followed in March 1978. Produced by Giorgio Moroder and Bob Esty, it was an album consisting of gospel songs, performed in the disco style. The album featured dance versions of the Edwin Hawkins penned, "Oh Happy Day" and "To My Father's House", with both songs released on one single. "Gettin' the Spirit" was also released with a disco version of "My Sweet Lord". It peaked at No. 9 on the US Hot Dance/Club Play chart in 1978. [3]
When Pope John Paul II succeeded John Paul I in 1978, Kelly released the single "John Paul II", which never made it onto an album, but the B-side, "Tribute to Love", did in the late 1980 release, Roots Can Be Anywhere. By this time, Kelly was no longer with Casablanca Records. Two singles were released: "Kabacka Shaka" and "Roots Can Be Anywhere", but the album had limited success also due to poor distribution. It was also released as "This is Roberta Kelly" with a longer version of Kabacka Shaka" and without "Coconut Rock". It was produced by Michael Holm.
In 1981, Kelly released the album, Tell Me, through Baby Records in Italy, featuring "Patty Cake", produced by Jürgen Koppers. It was a last attempt to revive disco. After that, Kelly's next release was not until 1995,[ citation needed ] when she issued The Sound of Color and "Jubilee in Germany", celebrating the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II.
In mid-2008, Kelly resurfaced with the single, "America (The Sound of Colour Realized)".
LaDonna Adrian Gaines, known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the "Queen of Disco", while her music gained a global following.
Victim of Love is the thirteenth studio album by English singer-songwriter Elton John. It is a disco album, released in 1979 shortly after the peak of disco's popularity. It was not critically or commercially well-received, and is Elton John's third lowest charting album to date in the US, after 1986's Leather Jackets and 1985's Ice on Fire.
Thank God It's Friday is a 1978 American musical disco comedy film directed by Robert Klane and produced by Motown Productions and Casablanca FilmWorks for Columbia Pictures. Produced at the height of the disco craze, the film features The Commodores performing "Too Hot ta Trot", and Donna Summer performing "Last Dance", which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1978. The film features an early performance by Jeff Goldblum and the first major screen appearance by Debra Winger. The film also features Terri Nunn, who would go on to fame in the 1980s new wave group Berlin. This would be one of several Columbia Pictures films in which the studio's "Torch Lady" came to life in the opening credits, showing off her moves for a few seconds prior to the start of the film.
Love to Love You Baby is the second studio album by American singer Donna Summer, released on August 27, 1975, and her first to be released internationally and in the United States. Her previous album Lady of the Night (1974) was released only in the Netherlands.
"I Feel Love" is a song by Donna Summer. Produced and co-written by Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte, it was recorded for Summer's fifth studio album, I Remember Yesterday (1977). The album concept was to have each track evoke a different musical decade; for "I Feel Love", the team aimed to create a futuristic mood, employing a Moog synthesizer.
A Love Trilogy is the third studio album by American singer and songwriter Donna Summer. It was released on March 5, 1976, just eight months after her international breakthrough with the single and album of the same name – "Love to Love You Baby". The bold, sexual nature of that particular song had earned Summer the title 'the first lady of love'. By now Summer's work was being distributed in the U.S. by Casablanca Records, and the label encouraged Summer, Moroder and team to continue in this vein. A Love Trilogy uses the first side for one long disco track in three distinct movements 'Try Me', 'I Know', 'We Can Make It', and coalescing into the "love trilogy" of the title – "Try Me, I Know We Can Make It". Side two contained three additional erotic disco songs, including a cover of Barry Manilow's "Could It Be Magic". The album's artwork showed Summer floating light-heartedly through the clouds, again adding to the image of her as a fantasy figure.
The Wanderer is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter Donna Summer. It was released on October 20, 1980. The inaugural release of the Geffen Records label, it became a Top 20 album in the United States, with the title track reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Four Seasons of Love is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Donna Summer. Released on October 11, 1976, this concept album became her third consecutive successful album to be certified gold in the US. It peaked at #29 on the Billboard 200. In addition, all the cuts on this album went to number one on the disco chart.
Live and More is the first live album recorded by American singer-songwriter Donna Summer, and it was her second double album, released on August 28, 1978 by Casablanca Records. The live concert featured on the first three sides of this double album was recorded in the Universal Amphitheater, Los Angeles, California in 1978.
Nº 1 in Heaven is the eighth studio album by American rock band Sparks. Recorded with Italian disco producer Giorgio Moroder, the album marked a change of musical direction for the group and became influential on later synth-pop bands.
I Remember Yesterday is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Donna Summer. It was released on May 13, 1977, seven months after the release of her previous album. Like her previous three albums, it was a concept album, this time seeing Summer combining the recent disco sound with various sounds of the past. I Remember Yesterday includes the singles "Can't We Just Sit Down ", "I Feel Love", the title track, "Love's Unkind" and "Back in Love Again". "I Feel Love" and "Love's Unkind" proved to be the album's most popular and enduring hits, the former of which came to be one of Summer's signature songs.
Once Upon a Time is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Donna Summer. It was released on October 31, 1977, and peaked at No. 26 on the US Billboard 200, number thirteen on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 24 on the UK Albums Chart. The entire album charted as one entry at No. 1 on the Hot Dance/Disco chart. Once Upon a Time includes the singles "I Love You", "Fairy Tale High", "Once Upon a Time" and "Rumour Has It". The album did not spawn a hit single as popular as "I Feel Love".
Peter John Bellotte is an English songwriter, record producer and author, most noted for his work in the 1970s with Giorgio Moroder and Donna Summer.
On the Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes I & II is the first greatest hits album by American singer Donna Summer, released on October 15, 1979. It was her fourth consecutive double album, and also made her the first person ever to take three consecutive double albums to the number one spot on the U.S. album chart. This would become Summer's third multi-platinum album to date.
The Donna Summer Anthology is a double compilation album by the American singer Donna Summer, released by Polygram Records in 1993. The compilation featured the majority of Summer's best known songs right from the start of her success to the present day. Summer had originally made her name during the disco era in the 1970s and in the decade that followed had experimented with different styles. Most of the tracks on this compilation are the original album versions of the songs, which were sometimes edited down for their release as a single. Included for the first time are two remixed tracks from her then previously unreleased I'm a Rainbow album, which had been recorded in 1981 but had been shelved by her record company at the time. The album also featured the Giorgio Moroder-penned and produced song "Carry On"', marking the first time Summer and Moroder had worked together since 1981. Summer and Moroder, together with Pete Bellotte had written the vast majority of her 1970s disco hits. Four years later, "Carry On" would be remixed and become a big dance hit. It also won Summer a Grammy for Best Dance Recording, her first win since 1984 and her fifth win in total.
Endless Summer: Donna Summer's Greatest Hits is a compilation album by American singer-songwriter Donna Summer, released on November 8, 1994. It contains many of Summer's best known songs, from her 1970s breakthrough to the release of the album. Unlike 1993's The Donna Summer Anthology, which contains the majority of the songs in their original longer forms, Endless Summer generally includes single versions of the songs. However, the version sold in the United Kingdom uses the album version of the track "I Don't Wanna Get Hurt",, not the more club-oriented mix released as a single there.
"Love to Love You Baby" is a song by American singer Donna Summer from her second studio album Love to Love You Baby (1975). Produced by Pete Bellotte, and written by Italian musician Giorgio Moroder, Summer, and Bellotte, the song was first released as a single in the Netherlands in June 1975 as "Love to Love You" and then released worldwide in November 1975 as "Love to Love You Baby". It became one of the first disco hits to be released in an extended form.
"Cold Love" is a song by American singer Donna Summer, released as the second single from her album The Wanderer. The song was written by Harold Faltermeyer, Keith Forsey and Pete Bellotte and produced by Bellotte and Giorgio Moroder. It peaked at No. 33 in the Billboard Hot 100, and No. 41 in Cash Box. Summer earned a Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance.
The Ultimate Collection is a greatest hits three-CD compilation of recordings by American singer Donna Summer released in the Netherlands in early 2003.
"Trouble-Maker" is a 1976 single by disco/gospel singer, Roberta Kelly. The single, written and produced by Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte, was a number-one hit on the disco chart for two weeks. "Trouble Maker" failed to reach either the pop or soul charts.
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