Tawatha Agee

Last updated

Tawatha Agee
Tawatha Agee on poster.jpg
Agee in 2021
Background information
Born (1954-11-14) November 14, 1954 (age 69)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Origin New York City, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • backing vocalist
Years active1978–present
Labels Epic
Formerly of Mtume

Tawatha Agee (born November 14, 1954) is an American vocalist and songwriter. Her voice has been described in The New York Times as an "acrobatic, gospel-charged soprano." [1] 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". [2]

Contents

Agee has worked consistently as a backing vocalist from the mid-1970s to the present day, predominantly with James Mtume, who produced her one solo studio album, Welcome to My Dream, for Epic Records in 1987. She is also a part of "the Lovely Ladies" trio, who tour with the Dave Matthews Band. [3]

Early life and education

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Agee attended Newark Arts High School and Howard University. [4]

Career

Mtume and backup singing

Agee sang on James Mtume's second studio album, Rebirth Cycle (1977), and on the Mtume album, Kiss This World Goodbye (1978), which features "The Closer I Get to You" (originally sung by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway on Flack's 1977 album, Blue Lights in the Basement ), and continued with the band on their 1980 follow-up, In Search of the Rainbow Seekers ("Mrs. Sippi," "Give It On Up (If You Want To)"). She also provided backing vocals on three studio albums by Stephanie Mills, What Cha' Gonna Do with My Lovin' (1979), Sweet Sensation (1980), and Stephanie (1981), plus Keep It Comin (1981) by Jean Knight and Premium. Agee cowrote the Stephanie Mills-Teddy Pendergrass duet "Two Hearts" with Mtume bandmates James Mtume and Reggie Lucas and, with Howard King, co-wrote "Getting Ready for Love" for her friend Ullanda McCullough (from her 1982 studio album, Watching You Watching Me ). With King she also co-wrote, and sang on, "Keep Goin' On", produced by Mtume and Lucas, for saxophonist Gary Bartz.

Agee was the featured vocalist on many of Mtume's hits, including the oft-sampled "Juicy Fruit" (UK Top 40, 1983, [5] and the number-one R&B spot, in the U.S., for eight weeks in the summer of 1983). She remained with the band through their last two studio albums, You, Me and He (1984) [6] and Theater of the Mind (1986), contributing guitar and keyboard parts, respectively, in addition to vocals.

In 2021, Agee was one of the inaugural honorees inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame. [7]

Solo recording

Tawatha Agee's only solo studio album to date, Welcome to My Dream, was issued by Epic Records in 1987 and produced by James Mtume along with James Batton and Mtume bandmate Ed Moore. Agee, Mtume, Moore, and Mtume keyboardist Philip Field wrote songs for the album. Her album produced a top ten R&B hit “Thigh Ride” which peaked at Number 7.

Return to backup singing

After Welcome to My Dream (1987), Agee focused again on session singing. She has recorded with artists such as Blancmange, Bruce Fisher (Red Hot, 1977), Cabo Frio, Chromeo, the Heath Brothers, David Sanborn, B. B. & Q., LeVert, Kashif, Keni Burke, Luther Vandross, [8] Aretha Franklin, Al Jarreau, Roxy Music, Rena Scott, Jewel, David Bowie, Steely Dan, Blue Man Group, the B-52s, Celine Dion, R. Kelly, Sting, the O'Jays, Laurie Anderson, Foreigner and Scritti Politti. She was also featured on the Hercules (1997) soundtrack as a singing voice of one of the muses. [9]

Solo discography

Albums

Singles

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luther Vandross</span> American singer (1951–2005)

Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. was an American soul and R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer. Throughout his career, he achieved eleven consecutive RIAA-certified platinum albums and sold over 40 million records worldwide. Known as the "Velvet Voice", Vandross has been recognized as one of the 200 greatest singers of all time (2023) by Rolling Stone, as well as one of the greatest R&B artists by Billboard. In addition, NPR named him one of the 50 Great Voices. He was the recipient of eight Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year in 2004 for a track recorded not long before his death, "Dance with My Father". In 2021, he was posthumously inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Jackson Jr.</span> Musical artist

Paul Milton Jackson Jr. is an American fusion/urban jazz composer, arranger, producer and guitarist.

Mtume was an American funk and soul group that rose to prominence during the early 1980s and had several R&B hits during its career. Its founder, former percussionist James Mtume, previously played and toured with Miles Davis in the early 1970s. Other members of the group included Reggie Lucas, Philip Field, and vocalist Tawatha Agee. Mtume also gained recognition after having its hit single "Juicy Fruit" extensively sampled by many hip-hop artists, most notably by the Notorious B.I.G. in the 1994 hit song "Juicy".

Reginald Grant Lucas was an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. Lucas is perhaps best known for producing the majority of Madonna's 1983 self-titled debut album, and for playing rhythm guitar with the Miles Davis electric band during the first half of the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Mtume</span> American jazz and R&B musician (1946–2022)

James Forman, known professionally as Mtume or James Mtume, was an American jazz and R&B musician, songwriter, record producer, activist, and radio personality.

<i>Jump to It</i> 1982 studio album by Aretha Franklin

Jump to It is the twenty-eighth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, produced by Luther Vandross and released on July 26, 1982, by Arista Records.

<i>Forever, for Always, for Love</i> 1982 studio album by Luther Vandross

Forever, for Always, for Love is the second studio album by American R&B singer and songwriter Luther Vandross, released on September 21, 1982, by Epic Records. It became Vandross' second album to chart in the top 20 on the Billboard 200 and was his second album to top the R&B Albums chart where it spent three weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Never Knew Love Like This Before</span> 1980 single by Stephanie Mills

"Never Knew Love Like This Before" is a 1980 song written and produced by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas, and recorded by American R&B singer Stephanie Mills for her fourth studio album Sweet Sensation (1980). The song was inspired by the birth of Lucas' daughter Lisa.

<i>Juicy Fruit</i> (album) 1983 studio album by Mtume

Juicy Fruit is a 1983 album by R&B group Mtume. It contains their No. 1 R&B hit, "Juicy Fruit". It was their third album for Epic Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Closer I Get to You</span> 1978 romantic ballad by Donnie Hathaway and Roberta Flack

"The Closer I Get to You" is a romantic ballad performed by singer-songwriter Roberta Flack and soul musician Donny Hathaway. The song was written by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas, two former members of Miles Davis's band, who were members of Flack's band at the time. Produced by Atlantic Records, the song was released on Flack's 1977 album Blue Lights in the Basement, and as a single in 1978. It became a major crossover hit, becoming Flack's biggest commercial hit after her success with her 1973 solo single, "Killing Me Softly with His Song". Originally set as a solo single, Flack's manager, David Franklin, suggested a duet with Hathaway, which resulted in the finished work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juicy Fruit (Mtume song)</span> 1983 single by Mtume

"Juicy Fruit" is a song written by James Mtume and released as the lead-off single from Mtume's third album, also titled Juicy Fruit. It features lead vocals by Tawatha Agee. The mid-tempo song is Mtume's most well-known, proving enormously successful on R&B radio stations when first released.

<i>Roberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway</i> 1980 studio album by Roberta Flack

Roberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Roberta Flack. Released via Atlantic in March 1980, the album features posthumous vocals by close friend and collaborator Donny Hathaway, who had died in 1979. At the 23rd Grammy Awards in 1981, the album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. The award, however, went to Stephanie Mills for "Never Knew Love Like This Before."

<i>Sweet Sensation</i> (Stephanie Mills album) 1980 studio album by Stephanie Mills

Sweet Sensation is the fourth album by American R&B and soul singer Stephanie Mills. Released in 1980, produced by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas. The album features her biggest hit, "Never Knew Love Like This Before" which peaked within the top ten of the US Billboard Hot 100 and won two Grammy Awards for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female and Best R&B Song, the former becoming her first career Grammy win. Sweet Sensation received gold status by the Recording Industry Association of America for sells over 500,000 copies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Two Hearts (Stephanie Mills song)</span> 1981 single by Stephanie Mills and Teddy Pendergrass

"Two Hearts'" is a hit duet sung by American R&B singers Stephanie Mills and Teddy Pendergrass, from Mills' fifth studio album Stephanie (1981). The song was written and produced by James Mtume, Reggie Lucas and Tawatha Agee. Released in January 1981, the single reached number 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1981. On the US Billboard R&B chart, "Two Hearts" reached number three.

<i>Stephanie</i> (album) 1981 studio album by Stephanie Mills

Stephanie is the Grammy-nominated fifth studio album by American R&B/soul singer Stephanie Mills. It was released in 1981 and produced by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas. The album features hit song "Two Hearts" a duet with Teddy Pendergrass. By default, this fulfilled her contract with 20th Century-Fox Records, as the following year, the label was sold to PolyGram Records, which quickly folded it into Casablanca Records, to which Mills' contract was subsequently transferred. Stephanie scored Mills her second nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 24th Annual Grammy Awards in 1982.

<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.

<i>In Search of the Rainbow Seekers</i> 1980 studio album by Mtume

In Search Of The Rainbow Seekers is a 1980 album by R&B group Mtume. This was their second album on the Epic Records label.

<i>You, Me and He</i> 1984 studio album by Mtume

You, Me and He is a 1984 album by R&B group Mtume. This was their fourth album released on the Epic Records label. The title track was interpolated by Aaliyah for her remixes of her cover of "(At Your Best) You Are Love", originally by The Isley Brothers

<i>Kiss This World Goodbye</i> 1978 studio album by Mtume

Kiss This World Goodbye is a 1978 album by R&B group Mtume. This was their debut album on the Epic Records label as well as the first album featuring vocals by Tawatha Agee.

<i>Watching You Watching Me</i> 1982 studio album by Ullanda McCullough

Watching You Watching Me is the third and final studio album by R&B/soul singer/backing vocalist Ullanda McCullough, released in 1982 by Atlantic Records. It features the title cut, written by William Eaton, and a cover version of Carrie Lucas' "Men Kiss and Tell" written by Deniece Williams, Lani Groves and Clarence McDonald. It also features herself, Luther Vandross, Tawatha Agee from the soul/R&B band, Mtume, and her friends providing the background vocals on the album.

References

  1. ↑ Pareles, Jon (September 20, 1983). "Rick James Performs". The New York Times . Retrieved October 11, 2013.
  2. ↑ White, Gina (July 25, 1985). "Musical Family Man Leads Concert". Wilmington Star . Retrieved October 11, 2013.
  3. ↑ Bernestein, Scott (June 9, 2014). "Dave Matthews Band Reunites With Lovely Ladies In Mansfield". JamBase . Retrieved July 28, 2019.
  4. ↑ "About". TawathaAgee.com. Retrieved December 31, 2021. She later attended Arts High School in Newark and then Howard University, where she majored in music education.
  5. ↑ "Juicy Fruit - full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company . May 14, 1983. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  6. ↑ Hime, Geoffrey (December 7, 1984). "Mesmerization With Mtume". The Washington Post .
  7. ↑ Diop, Arimeta (June 29, 2021). "The Women Songwriters Hall of Fame Has Honored Its First Class of Inductees". Vanity Fair .
  8. ↑ Morse, Steve (November 13, 1988). "Vandross, Baker Score with Singles". Boston Globe (3rd ed.). Boston, MA. p. A.7.
  9. ↑ "Tawatha Agee: Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Solo Discography". jacquespetrus.com. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Love on Hold". Defected Records. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2022.{{cite web}}: More than one of |archiveurl= and |archive-url= specified (help)
  12. ↑ "Glitterbox | Labels | Defected Records™ - House Music All Life Long".
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.