T. C. Curtis

Last updated

T. C. Curtis
Birth nameWilliam Alexander Smith
Also known asTerry Curtis, Meltdown
Occupations
  • Singer
  • producer
  • record label executive
InstrumentVoice
LabelsHot Melt, Hot Melt Records, Groove Production, Romantic Records, Virgin Records
Formerly ofHip Street Crowd

T. C. Curtis is a UK based singer who had a string of chart hits during the 1980s. He is most likely remembered for his hits "Body Shake" and "You Should Have Known Better". In addition to his national hits on the UK singles chart chart, he has also had other hits on the dance, R&B, club and disco charts.

Contents

Background

T. C. Curtis was born in Jamaica and emigrated to the UK at age 14. During the 1970s he had been playing in various gospel genre bands. In the 1980s, he was recording Dance club music. [1]

Curtis has had five chart hits in the main UK charts from 1985 to 1988. They include "You Should Have Known Better", "Take It Easy", "Let's Make Love", "Slave of Love" and "Pack Up Your Things and Get Out of My Life". [2]

Career

Curtis composed and recorded the song "Body Shake" which he co-produced with Al Williams. It was released in the UK on the Groove Production label in 1981. [3] [4] It got a review in the United States by Brian Chin of Record World in the magazine's 13 March 1982, issue. [5] And James Hamilton reported that it was getting played in the United States on New York urban contemporary radio. [6] But in the UK is where the action happened. Spending a total of eleven weeks in the Record Business Disco Top 50 chart, [7] it peaked at no. 16. [8] [9] It also got to no. 12 on the Record Business Twelve Inchers chart. [10] [11]

"You Should Have Known Better"

Curtis recorded the single, "You Should Have Known Better" which was released on the Hot Melt label (cat #VS 75)4 as well as Virgin VS 754. It debuted in the main UK chart on 16 February 1985. [12] [13] It also debuted in the Music Week Airplay Action Bubbling chart at no. 10 on the week of 23 February 1985. [14] It was also at no. 11 on the UK Club Play Chart that week, [15] and at week three, it was at no. 10 on the Music Week Disco chart. [16] It spent five weeks in the main chart, peaking at no. 50. [17]

Further activities

Curtis' single, "Slave of Love" entered the UK chart on 27 September 1986. It spent three weeks in the chart, peaking at no. 88. It would enter the chart briefly again the following year for one week, peaking at no. 95. [18]

It was reported in the R&B Report magazine (issue 2 - 15 October 1987) that the single, "Jacko" by T. C. Curtis and T. Jam had been on the Top 60 U.K. R&B Singles chart for two weeks. It had moved up from no. 49 to no. 28. [19]

Further reading

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References

  1. ↑ Music Week, 23 February 1985 - Page 16 TALENT Edited by Chris White, Chart newcomers
  2. ↑ Official Charts - TC CURTIS, TC CURTIS Songs, Official Singles Chart
  3. ↑ Discogs - T.C. Curtis – Body Shake
  4. ↑ Beat Electric, Friday, 18 June 2010 - SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER
  5. ↑ Record World, March 13, 1982 - Page 38 Record World Disco, Disco File By BRIAN CHIN
  6. ↑ James Hamilton's Disco Page, April 10, 1982 - April 10, 1982: Sharon Brown, Patrice Rushen, Richard ‘Dimples’ Fields, “D” Train, Fat Larry’s Band, ODDS 'N' BODS
  7. ↑ Record Business , March 1, 1982 Volume Four Number 48 - Page 10 Disco Top 50, 49 37 11 BODYSHAKE
  8. ↑ Record Business, February 1, 1982 Volume Four Number 44 - Page 12 Disco Top 50, 16 16 7 BODYSHAKE
  9. ↑ Record Business, February 1, 1982 Volume Four Number 45 - Page 12 Disco Top 50, 18 16 8 BODYSHAKE
  10. ↑ Record Business, January 25, 1982 Volume Four Number 43 - Page 23 DISCO, Twelve Inchers, 12 14 BODYSHAKE T.C. Curtis Groove Prod.
  11. ↑ Record Business, February 1, 1982 - Page 5 DISCO, Twelve Inchers, 15 12 BODY SHAKE T.C. Curtis Groove Prod.
  12. ↑ Official Charts - YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER by TC CURTIS
  13. ↑ Music Week, 23 February 1985 - Page 16 TALENT Edited by Chris White, Chart newcomers
  14. ↑ Music Week, February 23, 1985 - Page 10 AIRPLAY BUBBLING action, 10 (-) CURTIS, T. C.: You Should Have ., . Hot Melt/Virgin
  15. ↑ Music Week, 23 February 1985 - Page 29 UK Club Play Chart, 11 T.C. CURTIS; You Should Have Known Better
  16. ↑ Music Week, February 23, 1985 - Page 31 MUSIC WEEK DISCO and dance TOP SINGLES, THIS WEEK 10, LAST WEEK 25, WEEKS ON CHART 3 YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER
  17. ↑ Official Charts - YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER by TC CURTIS
  18. ↑ Official Charts - SLAVE OF LOVE by TC CURTIS
  19. ↑ The R&B Report, 2 - 15 October 1987 Vol. 1 No. 17 - Page 18 THE R&B IN THE UK, TOP 60 U.K. R & B SINGLES, LW 49, TW 28, T.C. CURTIS/T. JAM Jacko
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