Stephanie Mills

Last updated

Stephanie Mills
Stephanie Mills for 2020 Census.jpg
Mills for the 2020 United States Census
Born (1957-03-22) March 22, 1957 (age 67) [1]
Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active1966–present
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1980;div. 1983)​
[2] [3] [4]
Dino Meminger
​
​
(m. 1989;div. 1991)​
[5]
Michael Saunders
​
​
(m. 1993;div. 2001)​
[6] [7]
Children1
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)Vocals
Labels
Website https://iamstephaniemills.com/

Stephanie Mills [8] [9] (born March 22, 1957) [1] [10] is an American singer and songwriter. She rose to stardom as "Dorothy" in the original seven-time Tony Award winning Broadway run of the musical The Wiz from 1974 to 1979. The song "Home" from the show later became a Number 1 U.S. R&B hit and her signature song. During the 1980s, she had five Number 1 R&B hits, including "Home", "I Have Learned to Respect the Power of Love", "I Feel Good All Over", "(You're Puttin') A Rush on Me" and "Something in the Way (You Make Me Feel)". She won a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for her song "Never Knew Love Like This Before" in 1981. Her albums What Cha Gonna Do with My Lovin , Sweet Sensation and Stephanie went gold or platinum, all through 20th Century Fox Records.

Contents

Biography

Early life and career

Born Stephanie Dorthea Mills to Joseph and Christine Mills [2] and raised in Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, [11] [12] Mills sang gospel music as a child at Brooklyn's Cornerstone Baptist Church. Mills began her professional career at age nine, appearing in the Broadway musical Maggie Flynn . [10] After winning Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater six weeks straight at age eleven, Mills went on to become the opening act for the Isley Brothers. [10] In 1973, Mills was signed to Paramount Records by Michael Barbiero, and her first single "I Knew It Was Love" was released. Mills was later signed to Motown after being suggested by Suzanne de Passe. Her first two albums there failed to produce a hit, and Mills left the label in 1976.

1970s–1980s

Mills's career took a rise when she portrayed Dorothy in the seven-time Tony Award winning Broadway musical The Wiz , an African-American adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz . [13] The song "Home" was first performed by Mills in the stage production and would be covered later by Diana Ross for the movie adaptation three years later. [14] [15] Mills’s commercial success in the music industry remained elusive until 1979, when she signed to the 20th Century Fox Records label. There, Mills found her niche in mainly disco music, recording songs such as "Put Your Body In It", "You Can Get Over", and "What Cha Gonna Do with My Lovin'". The resulting album, What Cha' Gonna Do with My Lovin' , being Mills's first gold record. [16] [17]

She quickly followed the success with 1980's Sweet Sensation, which featured Mills's hit "Never Knew Love Like This Before". The single became a #12 R&B and #6 Pop hit in 1980, as well as reaching #4 in the UK Singles Chart. [18] 1981's Stephanie featured a top hit for her and Teddy Pendergrass entitled "Two Hearts".

Her 1983 album, Merciless, featured her hit cover of Prince's "How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore?", as well as the #3 dance chart hit "Pilot Error", which was her first dance hit in the U.S. In 1984, Mills had her third UK hit with "The Medicine Song" (#29), [18] which also reached #1 on the U.S. dance chart and #8 on the R&B chart. On May 24, 1984, Mills returned to theater to star in a short-lived touring revival of The Wiz .

In 1985, Mills's recording of "Bit by Bit (Theme from Fletch )" was featured in the Chevy Chase film, Fletch , and reached #52 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, #78 on The Billboard Hot 100 and #15 on the Dance Chart. [19]

Success for Mills had peaked until 1986, when her version of the Angela Winbush-penned "I Have Learned to Respect the Power of Love", hit #1 on the R&B singles chart. She truly returned with her next release, If I Were Your Woman in 1987 under MCA Records, which she was now signed. The hits from the album include the title track, originally a hit for Gladys Knight & the Pips in 1971, a three-week #1 R&B hit, "I Feel Good All Over", and "You're Puttin' a Rush on Me", to name a few of the songs released. The album reached platinum status. That same year, she appeared in the NBC TV special, Motown: Merry Christmas along with other musical artists and actors, performing the song, "Christmas Everyday", which was written by actor/comedian Redd Foxx.

Mills's success continued with 1989's Home album. The hits from that album include "The Comfort of a Man", the title track, a cover of her old standard from The Wiz and another song penned by Winbush titled "Something in the Way You Make Me Feel", which became another platinum record for Mills.

1990s

Mills would record one more album (1992's Something Real) and a Christmas album before being released from her contract with MCA in 1992. In 1993, she once again starred in the role of Dorothy in The Wiz. This revival was also short lived, closing after 28 performances. Mills released a live gospel recording in 1994 on GospoCentric Records entitled Personal Inspirations. The set was produced by Donald Lawrence and featured a spiritualized retooling of her hit "I Have Learned To Respect The Power Of Love". Thereafter, Mills took a break from recording to care for her son.

In 1997, Mills played the lead in a major production of Stephen Schwartz's Children of Eden in New Jersey, which Schwartz has called "the definitive production" of the show. Mills was heavily featured in the cast recording CD that resulted from this production.

2000s

In 2008, Mills began a comeback with singles recorded with BeBe Winans and rapper DMX to name a few. She made a comeback in independently-releasing Born For This (released on Expansion Records in the UK) on August 3, 2004. Her first single in over a decade, "Can't Let Him Go", garnered buzz at urban contemporary radio. Mills is currently touring. A 2-disc, career-spanning greatest hits compilation entitled Gold was released by Hip-O/Universal Music earlier last year. Mills just finished production of a live DVD recorded at BB Kings in New York which will be sold online and at her shows.

Mills made an appearance in the 2007 gospel TV series Sunday Best and was featured in a live interview on The Yolanda Adams Morning Show, where she mentioned that she has her own record label (JM Records). Mills performed prior to Pope Benedict XVI celebrating Mass at Yankee Stadium in New York on April 20, 2008. Her track, "Yesterday", is available for download on iTunes.

2010s

Mills on stage performing at the Detroit Opera House, April 2017 Stephanie Mills Performing in April 2017 at the Detroit Opera House (cropped).jpg
Mills on stage performing at the Detroit Opera House, April 2017

Towards the end of 2012, Mills released a new single "So In Love This Christmas", available for download. In 2015, Mills was cast as Aunt Em in the NBC live musical production of The Wiz, forty years after her initial Broadway run in the show. [20]

Mills made headlines in August 2018 with her response to singer Sam Smith, who remarked in a video posted to Instagram that he did not like Michael Jackson, but the Jackson hit "Human Nature" was a "decent song". [21] Mills' fiery response quickly gained traction as she criticized Smith in her own Instagram responses, both accusing Smith of cultural appropriation and referring to him as a "one hit wonder". [22]

2020s

In November 2021, Mills participated in a Verzuz battle with singer Chaka Khan, at which both singers performed hits from their discography. [23]

Personal life

Mills has been married three times: [2] [24] [25] [26]

Mills has a son, Farad Mills, who was born with Down syndrome. [27] She also once had a brief relationship with fellow singer Michael Jackson. [28]

Discography

Studio albums

Stage work

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1978 Watch Your Mouth NadineEpisode: "New Blues"
1983 The Wiz Dorothy Gale Live recording
1985 The Love Boat TaraEpisode: "Forties Fantasy"
2015 The Wiz Live! Aunt Em Television special
2023 Pride: Seven Deadly Sins Birdie MooreTelevision film

Awards

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
1975 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actress in a Musical The Wiz Won
1980 Young Artist Awards Best Young Musical Recording Artist – Female Two Hearts Nominated
American Music Award Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist HerselfWon
1981Won
Grammy Award Best Female R&B Vocal Performance "Never Knew Love Like This Before"Won
1982 Stephanie Nominated
American Music Award Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist HerselfWon
1984 Grammy Award Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Merciless Nominated
1990 American Music Award Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist HerselfNominated

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irene Cara</span> American singer and actress (1958–2022)

Irene Cara Escalera was an American singer and actress who rose to prominence for her role as Coco Hernandez in the 1980 musical film Fame, and for recording the film's title song "Fame", which reached No. 1 in several countries. In 1983, Cara co-wrote and sang the song "Flashdance... What a Feeling", for which she shared an Academy Award for Best Original Song and won a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scherrie Payne</span> American singer (born 1944)

Scherrie Ann Payne is an American singer. Payne is best known as a member and the final lead singer of the R&B/Soul vocal group the Supremes from 1973 until 1977. Payne is the younger sister of singer Freda Payne. Payne continues to perform, both as a solo act and as a part of the "Former Ladies of the Supremes" (FLOS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chaka Khan</span> American singer (born 1953)

Yvette Marie Stevens, better known by her stage name Chaka Khan, is an American singer. Known as the "Queen of Funk", her career has spanned more than five decades beginning in the early 1970s as the lead vocalist of the funk band Rufus. With the band she recorded the notable hits "Tell Me Something Good", "Sweet Thing", "Do You Love What You Feel" and the platinum-certified "Ain't Nobody". Her debut solo album featured the number-one R&B hit "I'm Every Woman". Khan scored another R&B charts hit with "What Cha' Gonna Do for Me" before becoming the first R&B artist to have a crossover hit featuring a rapper, with her 1984 cover of Prince's "I Feel for You". More of Khan's hits include "Through the Fire" and a 1986 collaboration with Steve Winwood that produced a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, "Higher Love".

<i>The Wiz</i> 1974 musical based on the 1900 book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz" is a musical with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls and book by William F. Brown. It is a retelling of L. Frank Baum's children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) in the context of contemporary African-American culture. It opened on October 21, 1974, at the Morris A. Mechanic Theatre in Baltimore, and moved to Broadway's Majestic Theatre with a new cast on January 5, 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cindy Birdsong</span> American singer (born 1939)

Cynthia Ann Birdsong is an American singer who became famous as a member of The Supremes in 1967, when she replaced co-founding member Florence Ballard. Birdsong had previously been a member of Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angela Winbush</span> American singer

Angela Lisa Winbush is an American R&B/soul singer-songwriter, musician and record producer who rose to fame first in the 1980s R&B duo René & Angela, also scoring hits as a solo artist. To date, Winbush has sold over 10 million albums and singles worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dawn Robinson</span> American singer (born 1965)

Dawn Sherrese Robinson is an American singer and actress best known as a founding member of the R&B/pop group En Vogue, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. Following her departure from En Vogue, Robinson joined Lucy Pearl and released their self-titled debut album Lucy Pearl in 2000, which went platinum worldwide and produced the successful singles "Dance Tonight" and "Don't Mess with My Man".

Judy Cheeks is an American singer. In the 1970s and 1980s, she recorded as a soul and R&B singer, before releasing more dance-oriented music in the 1990s. Cheeks performed with Ike & Tina Turner as an Ikette. She also worked as a backing vocalist for various artists such as Stevie Wonder, Donna Summer, Amanda Lear, and David Knopfler.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeanie Tracy</span> American musician

Jeanie Tracy is an American singer-songwriter, actress, and record producer. She rose to fame in the late 1970s as a background singer of Sylvester, an American disco singer. Her first album, Me and You (1982), featured post-disco hits "I'm Your Jeanie","Sing Your Own Song" and the overlooked 1983 smash R&B and Funk hit,"Can I Come Over And Play With You Tonight". From late 1984 to early 1985, she performed on television Show Star Search where she was the winner in the Female Vocalist category for six weeks. In 1995, Tracy released her second album It's My Time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ease on Down the Road</span>

"Ease on Down the Road" is a song from the 1975 Broadway musical The Wiz, an R&B re-interpretation of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The Charlie Smalls–composed tune is the show's version of both "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" and "We're Off to See the Wizard" from the 1939 version of The Wizard of Oz. In the song, performed three times during the show, Dorothy and her friends the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion dance their way down the Yellow Brick Road and give each other words of encouragement.

<i>Roots of Evil</i> 1998 studio album by Kool G Rap

Roots Of Evil is the second solo album by Mafioso rap artist Kool G Rap, released in 1998 by Kool G's record label, Illstreet. It boasts two singles, "Foul Cats" and "Can't Stop the Shine," and reached #43 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album contains the first recorded appearance of Papoose.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Blossoms</span> American girl group

The Blossoms were an American girl group that originated from California. During their height of success in the 1960s, the group's lineup most famously consisted of Darlene Love, Fanita James, and Jean King.

"Home" is a song from the 1975 Broadway musical, The Wiz. It was written by Charlie Smalls and was performed by Stephanie Mills in the stage production and by Diana Ross in the 1978 film adaptation and released on the soundtrack album in 1978.

<i>What Cha Gonna Do with My Lovin</i> 1979 studio album by Stephanie Mills

What Cha Gonna Do with My Lovin' is the third album by Stephanie Mills. It was released in 1979 and produced by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What Cha Gonna Do with My Lovin' (song)</span>

"What Cha Gonna Do with My Lovin'" is a song by American singer and songwriter Stephanie Mills, released in July 1979 as the first single from the album of the same name (1979). It became a hit, reaching No. 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was also a top 10 hit on the Billboard R&B chart, as well as a minor hit in Canada.

<i>Reaching for the Sky</i> 1978 studio album by Peabo Bryson

Reaching for the Sky is the second album by soul vocalist Peabo Bryson.

Paul Laurence is an American songwriter, producer and keyboardist. He had several number one R&B hits Freddie Jackson's "Rock Me Tonight ," "Jam Tonight," "Tasty Love," "Hey Lover," "Do Me Again"; Stephanie Mills' "(You're Putting) A Rush on Me"; and Meli'sa Morgan's "Do Me Baby." His other credits include Evelyn King's number one R&B hits "I'm in Love," "Love Come Down," as well as hits by "I'm in Love" Lillo Thomas' "(You're A) Good Girl," "Your Love's Got a Hold on Me," "Settle Down," "Sexy Girl," "Wanna Make Love ".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tawatha Agee</span> American singer

Tawatha Agee is an American vocalist and songwriter. Her voice has been described in The New York Times as an "acrobatic, gospel-charged soprano." She was the lead singer of funk and soul band Mtume; her soulful lead vocals are featured on their 1983 R&B hit "Juicy Fruit".

<i>In My Life: Greatest Hits</i> 1985 compilation album by Stephanie Mills

In My Life: Greatest Hits is a compilation album by American recording R&B singer Stephanie Mills released in 1985. It is Mills first greatest hits album which features her hit charting songs, "What Cha' Gonna Do With My Lovin'", Never Knew Love Like This Before", and the top five R&B hits "Two Hearts" a duet with Teddy Pendergrass and "Sweet Sensation".

<i>Greatest Hits (1985–1993)</i> 1996 greatest hits album by Stephanie Mills

Greatest Hits: 1985–1993 is a compilation album by American recording R&B singer Stephanie Mills released in 1996. This is Mills fourth hits compilation and includes most of her hit singles released from her catalog on MCA Records. The album features "Bit by Bit" theme song from Fletch and "Where Is the Love" a duet with singer Robert Brookins, a song was originally recorded by Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack.

References

  1. 1 2 @iamstephaniemills (August 12, 2017). "Celebrating 60 years of me". Instagram. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 Charles L. Sanders (February 1, 1982). "Stephanie Mills: The Painful Education Of A Young Superstar". Google Books. Ebony Magazine/Johnson Publishing Company. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Marriage Gone Sour For Mills And Daniels". Google Books. JET Magazine/Johnson Publishing Company. August 27, 1981. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Music: There's More To Stephanie Mills Than Meets The Eye". Google Books. Orange Coast Magazine. March 1, 1984. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Special Occasion". Google Books. JET Magazine/Johnson Publishing Company. June 11, 1990. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  6. ↑ Annie Gowen (February 23, 1996). "There's Still No Place Like Home For Mills". articles.chicagotribune. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Stephanie Mills Wed". Google Books. JET Magazine/Johnson Publishing Company. February 8, 1993. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  8. ↑ Betts, Graham (June 2, 2014). Motown Encyclopedia. AC Publishing. ISBN   9781311441546 . Retrieved May 19, 2018– via Google Books.
  9. ↑ Hogan, Ed. "Stephanie Mills Biography". allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  10. 1 2 3 Hogan, Ed. "Artist Biography [Stephanie Mills]". AllMusic.com . Retrieved May 11, 2015.
  11. ↑ Morris, C. Zawadi (February 4, 2012). "Today's Pride of Bed-Stuy: Stephanie Mills". Patch Bed-Stuy. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Stephanie Mills". Internet Broadway Database . Retrieved May 11, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Stephanie Mills and Forty Years of 'The Wiz'". NBC News . December 2, 2015.
  14. ↑ ""Diana Ross Sings Songs from The Wiz" Released Today".
  15. ↑ "Stephanie Mills, Broadway's original Dorothy in 'The Wiz,' cast as Aunt Em in the live NBC TV special". New York Daily News . May 11, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Stephanie Mills".
  17. ↑ "Stephanie Mills". Recording Industry Association of America .
  18. 1 2 Roberts, David (1998). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 367. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  19. ↑ "Fletch – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack". AllMusic.com . Retrieved April 26, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Stephanie Mills Cast in 'The Wiz Live!' on NBC". Deadline.com. May 11, 2015. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
  21. ↑ Zauzmer, Emily (August 13, 2018). "Sam Smith Shades Michael Jackson While Boating with Adam Lambert — and Twitter Isn't Having It". People.com. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  22. ↑ Golding, Shenequa (August 14, 2018). "Stephanie Mills To Sam Smith: 'Go Sit Your One-Hit Wonder Ass Down'". Vibe.com. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  23. ↑ Mitchell, Gail (November 19, 2021). "'Sister Love': Best Moments From Chaka Khan & Stephanie Mills' 'Verzuz' Legacy Showcase". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  24. ↑ V109.9 "Happy Birthday Stephanie Mills" March 22, 2010 Archived July 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine . V1019.radio.com (March 22, 2010). Retrieved on April 13, 2012
  25. ↑ "The new Stephanie Mills – singer – Interview – Ebony – Find Articles". Archive.today. July 12, 2012. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  26. ↑ Archived March 28, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  27. ↑ "Stephanie Mills : Interview". Windy City Times . Chicago. August 11, 2010. Archived from the original on August 15, 2010. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
  28. ↑ "'The Wiz' Star Stephanie Mills Opens Up About Dating Michael Jackson". Mjvibe.com. February 5, 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.