Fern Kinney
Encyclopedia
Fern Kinney is an American
R&B
and disco
singer, who is best remembered for her releases, "Groove Me
" and "Together We Are Beautiful
".
, Mississippi
, Kinney began singing in the late 1960s, and joined the vocal group
, The Poppies, replacing their former singer, Patsy McClune. Kinney remained in the group with Dorothy Moore
and Rosemary Taylor for about two years, and also released a solo
single
, "Your Love's Not Reliable", during this time, however it was not a success.
In the early 1970s she began working as a session musician
and backing vocalist
. Among the song
s she sang on were King Floyd
's "Groove Me", and her former "Poppie" bandmate Dorothy Moore's 1976 Top 10 single, "Misty Blue
".
By then having settled as a housewife, Kinney in 1979 decided to attempt a comeback, and she recorded
her own version
of "Groove Me", but changed the rhythm
on the song
to turn it into a disco dance track. The song reached number 6 on the Billboard
dance chart
. Her next single "Together We Are Beautiful
", released in 1980 was another disco song, but with a slower and more sultry beat. It had been recorded
by the British
vocalist, Steve Allan, eighteen months earlier.
It failed to chart in the United States
, but reached number one in the United Kingdom
.
Kinney's subsequent releases attempted to continue in the disco style, however by this time the disco fad had reached its peak and Kinney was unable to repeat her success. By 1983 she had returned to her earlier career as a backing vocalist. Kinney is regarded as a one hit wonder
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
and disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
singer, who is best remembered for her releases, "Groove Me
Groove Me
"Groove Me" is a song recorded by R&B singer King Floyd. Released from his eponymous album in late 1970, it was a crossover hit, spending four non-consecutive weeks at number-one on Billboard soul chart and peaking at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100....
" and "Together We Are Beautiful
Together We Are Beautiful
"Together We Are Beautiful" was a popular single by Fern Kinney.Written by Ken Leray and produced by Caron Whitsett, Wolf Stephenson and Tommy Couch "Together We Are Beautiful" was the first and only #1 single in the UK for Fern Kinney. Originally a b-side to "Baby, Let Me Kiss You" the song was...
".
Career
Born in JacksonJackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, Kinney began singing in the late 1960s, and joined the vocal group
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
, The Poppies, replacing their former singer, Patsy McClune. Kinney remained in the group with Dorothy Moore
Dorothy Moore
Dorothy Moore is an American pop, R&B, and soul singer best known for her 1976 hit song, "Misty Blue".-Career:...
and Rosemary Taylor for about two years, and also released a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Your Love's Not Reliable", during this time, however it was not a success.
In the early 1970s she began working as a session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
and backing vocalist
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
. Among the song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s she sang on were King Floyd
King Floyd
King Floyd was a New Orleans soul singer and songwriter, best known for his Top 10 hit from 1970, "Groove Me".-Early career:...
's "Groove Me", and her former "Poppie" bandmate Dorothy Moore's 1976 Top 10 single, "Misty Blue
Misty Blue
"Misty Blue" is a song written by Bob Montgomery in 1966 which has become a hit in the pop, C&W and soul fields through various versions, the most successful being the 1976 pop/soul hit by Dorothy Moore.-C&W hit versions:...
".
By then having settled as a housewife, Kinney in 1979 decided to attempt a comeback, and she recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
her own version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Groove Me", but changed the rhythm
Rhythm
Rhythm may be generally defined as a "movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions." This general meaning of regular recurrence or pattern in time may be applied to a wide variety of cyclical natural phenomena having a periodicity or...
on the song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
to turn it into a disco dance track. The song reached number 6 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
dance chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
. Her next single "Together We Are Beautiful
Together We Are Beautiful
"Together We Are Beautiful" was a popular single by Fern Kinney.Written by Ken Leray and produced by Caron Whitsett, Wolf Stephenson and Tommy Couch "Together We Are Beautiful" was the first and only #1 single in the UK for Fern Kinney. Originally a b-side to "Baby, Let Me Kiss You" the song was...
", released in 1980 was another disco song, but with a slower and more sultry beat. It had been recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
vocalist, Steve Allan, eighteen months earlier.
It failed to chart in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, but reached number one in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Kinney's subsequent releases attempted to continue in the disco style, however by this time the disco fad had reached its peak and Kinney was unable to repeat her success. By 1983 she had returned to her earlier career as a backing vocalist. Kinney is regarded as a one hit wonder
One-hit wonders in the UK
This is a list of artists who have achieved one #1 hit on the UK Singles Chart and no other entry whatsoever on the chart. The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles uses this definition of "one-hit wonder", which is a controversial term with various other proposed definitions.-Methodology:A hit is...
.
See also
- One-hit wonders in the UKOne-hit wonders in the UKThis is a list of artists who have achieved one #1 hit on the UK Singles Chart and no other entry whatsoever on the chart. The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles uses this definition of "one-hit wonder", which is a controversial term with various other proposed definitions.-Methodology:A hit is...
- List of number-one singles from the 1980s (UK)
- List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
- List of disco artists
- List of people from Mississippi
- List of performers on Top of the Pops