Gwen Guthrie (July 14 [some sources say July 9], 1950 – February 3, 1999) was an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer and
songwriterA songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics, as well as the musical composition or melody to songs. One who writes only lyrics is a lyricist, while one who writes only music is a composer.-History and background of songwriters:...
, who also sang backing vocals for
Aretha FranklinAretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter and pianist commonly referred to as "The Queen of Soul". Although renowned for her soul recordings, Franklin is also adept at jazz, rock, soul, blues, pop, R&B and Gospel music...
,
Billy JoelBilly Joel is an American rock musician, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist in the United States, according to the RIAA....
,
Stevie WonderStevie Wonder is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. Blind from birth, Wonder signed with Motown Records at the age of eleven, and continues to perform and record for the label. He has recorded more than thirty U.S...
, and
MadonnaMadonna is an American recording artist, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, and raised in Rochester Hills, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977, for a career in modern dance...
, among others, and who wrote songs made famous by
Ben E. KingBen E. King is an American soul singer. He is perhaps best known as the singer and co-composer of "Stand by Me," a U.S...
, and
Roberta FlackRoberta Flack is an American singer, songwriter and musician who is notable for jazz, soul, R&B and folk music. Flack is best known for singles such as "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", "Killing Me Softly with His Song", and "Feel Like Makin' Love", as well as "Where Is the Love" and "The...
.
Guthrie was born in
OkemahOkemah is a city in Okfuskee County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 3,038 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Okfuskee County. It is the birthplace of folk music legend Woody Guthrie. Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, a federally recognized Indian tribe, is headquartered in...
,
OklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,617,316 residents in 2007 and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and raised in
NewarkBrick City redirects here. For the township in Ocean County, see Brick Township, New Jersey.Newark is the largest city in New Jersey, and the county seat of Essex County. Newark has a population of 281,402, making it the largest municipality in New Jersey and the 65th largest city in the U.S...
,
New JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered on the north by New York, and to the east by the Hudson River, Upper New York Bay, the Kill Van Kull, Newark Bay, the Arthur Kill, Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook Bay, Westchester County, New York City, Long Island, and...
. In school, she studied classical music, and her father began teaching her
pianoThe piano is a musical instrument which is played by means of a keyboard. Widely used in Western music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music, and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
when she was eight years old. By the early 1970s, she had joined vocal groups such as the Ebonettes and the Matchmakers, meanwhile working as an elementary school teacher.
Gwen Guthrie (July 14 [some sources say July 9], 1950 – February 3, 1999) was an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer and
songwriterA songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics, as well as the musical composition or melody to songs. One who writes only lyrics is a lyricist, while one who writes only music is a composer.-History and background of songwriters:...
, who also sang backing vocals for
Aretha FranklinAretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter and pianist commonly referred to as "The Queen of Soul". Although renowned for her soul recordings, Franklin is also adept at jazz, rock, soul, blues, pop, R&B and Gospel music...
,
Billy JoelBilly Joel is an American rock musician, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist in the United States, according to the RIAA....
,
Stevie WonderStevie Wonder is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. Blind from birth, Wonder signed with Motown Records at the age of eleven, and continues to perform and record for the label. He has recorded more than thirty U.S...
, and
MadonnaMadonna is an American recording artist, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, and raised in Rochester Hills, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977, for a career in modern dance...
, among others, and who wrote songs made famous by
Ben E. KingBen E. King is an American soul singer. He is perhaps best known as the singer and co-composer of "Stand by Me," a U.S...
, and
Roberta FlackRoberta Flack is an American singer, songwriter and musician who is notable for jazz, soul, R&B and folk music. Flack is best known for singles such as "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", "Killing Me Softly with His Song", and "Feel Like Makin' Love", as well as "Where Is the Love" and "The...
.
Life and career
Guthrie was born in
OkemahOkemah is a city in Okfuskee County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 3,038 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Okfuskee County. It is the birthplace of folk music legend Woody Guthrie. Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, a federally recognized Indian tribe, is headquartered in...
,
OklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,617,316 residents in 2007 and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and raised in
NewarkBrick City redirects here. For the township in Ocean County, see Brick Township, New Jersey.Newark is the largest city in New Jersey, and the county seat of Essex County. Newark has a population of 281,402, making it the largest municipality in New Jersey and the 65th largest city in the U.S...
,
New JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered on the north by New York, and to the east by the Hudson River, Upper New York Bay, the Kill Van Kull, Newark Bay, the Arthur Kill, Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook Bay, Westchester County, New York City, Long Island, and...
. In school, she studied classical music, and her father began teaching her
pianoThe piano is a musical instrument which is played by means of a keyboard. Widely used in Western music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music, and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
when she was eight years old. By the early 1970s, she had joined vocal groups such as the Ebonettes and the Matchmakers, meanwhile working as an elementary school teacher. When a backup singer scheduled to sing on
Aretha FranklinAretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter and pianist commonly referred to as "The Queen of Soul". Although renowned for her soul recordings, Franklin is also adept at jazz, rock, soul, blues, pop, R&B and Gospel music...
's 1974 single "
I'm in Love"I'm in Love" is the name of a song written by Bobby Womack in the 1960s in response to some of the heat he'd been receiving after marrying the widow of the recently deceased Sam Cooke. The song was given to Wilson Pickett and his version became a top-ten R&B hit on Billboard's chart in 1968,...
" fell ill, Guthrie took the vocalist's place beside
Cissy HoustonEmily Cissy Drinkard Houston , better known as Cissy Houston, is a Grammy Award winning American soul and gospel singer. She led a very successful career as a backup singer for such artists as Elvis Presley, Mahalia Jackson, and Aretha Franklin, and is now primarily a solo artist...
; thus Guthrie would happily state that her career on record began "at the top".
Guthrie soon began moonlighting as a singer of commercial jingles, sometimes with her friend Valerie Simpson (of
Ashford & SimpsonNickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson are a successful husband and wife songwriting/production team and recording artists. They met at Harlem's White Rock Baptist Church in 1964...
fame). A songwriting partnership with her then boyfriend, trombonist/bassist
Haras FyreHaras Fyre, also professionally known as Patrick Grant, was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. He is a affiliated songwriter as well as a singer and multi-instrumentalist.- Haras Fyre's Background :...
(professionally known as "Patrick Grant") resulted in
Ben E. KingBen E. King is an American soul singer. He is perhaps best known as the singer and co-composer of "Stand by Me," a U.S...
's comeback single, "Supernatural Thing", and "This Time I'll Be Sweeter", covered by numerous artists. Together they wrote seven tracks on the
Sister SledgeSister Sledge is an American musical group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, formed in 1972 and consisting of four sisters: Kim Sledge , Debbie Sledge , Joni Sledge , and Kathy Sledge...
's 1975 album
Circle Of Love: "Cross My Heart", "Protect Our Love", "Love Don't You Go Through No Changes On Me", "Don't You Miss Him Now", "Pain Reliever", "You're Much Better Off Loving Me", and "Fireman". She was also the writer of
Roberta FlackRoberta Flack is an American singer, songwriter and musician who is notable for jazz, soul, R&B and folk music. Flack is best known for singles such as "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", "Killing Me Softly with His Song", and "Feel Like Makin' Love", as well as "Where Is the Love" and "The...
's "God Don't Like Ugly".
As Guthrie's solo career developed, she worked extensively with
Sly and RobbieSly and Robbie are one of reggae's most prolific and long lasting production teams. The rhythm section of drummer Lowell Dunbar and bass guitarist Robert Shakespeare started working together in the mid 1970s, after having established themselves separately on the Jamaican music scene...
on dub-influenced club cuts, and began racking up
danceThis article is about dance music in general. You may also be looking for electronic dance music or dance-pop.Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
hits. She was dubbed "The First Lady of the
Paradise GarageThe Paradise Garage was a nightclub notable in the history of modern gay and nightclub cultures and in dance and pop musics. It was founded by Michael Brody, its sole proprietor, and was located at 84 King Street, New York City. It operated from 1976 to 1987 and was the base for DJ Larry Levan. Its...
" as several of her songs became anthems at the venue, helped by the frequent and dynamic performances she gave there. She soon teamed musically with famed Paradise Garage DJ
Larry LevanLarry Levan was a DJ who spun discs at the New York City night club Paradise Garage. The club has been described as the prototype of the modern dance club, because it was entirely focused on dancing, and was the first to put the DJ at the center of attention...
, and recorded her first major landmark hit, "Padlock" in 1983 with the
Compass Point All StarsThe Compass Point phenomenon was meant to be to reggae-based pop/rock music of the 80s, what Nashville was to country music, or the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section was to soul and R&B in the 60s: a recording facility animated by inhouse sets of artists, musicians, producers and engineers, all...
in Nassau, Bahamas, which became a
clubA nightclub is a drinking, dancing and entertainment venue which does its primary business after dark. People who frequent nightclubs are known as clubbers...
and
radioRadio is the transmission of signals by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
hit two years later.
Guthrie is probably best known for her 1986
danceThis article is about dance music in general. You may also be looking for electronic dance music or dance-pop.Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
anthemThe term anthem means either a specific form of Anglican church music , or more generally, a song of celebration, usually acting as a symbol for a distinct group of people, as in the term "national anthem" or "sports anthem".-Etymology:The word is derived from the Greek ἀντίφωνα through the Saxon...
"
Ain't Nothin' Goin' on But the Rent"Ain't Nothin' Goin' on But the Rent" is a controversial hit song recorded by R&B singer Gwen Guthrie. Released as a single in 1986 on Polydor Records, the song became the biggest hit of Guthrie's career, and the song's title became a semi-popular catchphrase among many women throughout the late...
," a self-written and produced track (referred to by some as "the original anthem of golddiggers") which garnered some controversy for its
misandricMisandry is hatred of men or boys.Misandry comes from Greek misogunia from misos and anēr, andros . It is parallel to misogyny—the hatred of women or girls. Misandry is also comparable with misanthropy which is the hatred of humanity in general...
and materialistic
lyricsLyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
such as: "You've got to have a j-o-b if you want to be with me/No romance without finance". A literal reading suggests a man only require the finances to make a relationship work. However, Guthrie's lyrics intend to motivate her partner into being
responsibleMoral responsibility can refer to two different but related things. First, a person has moral responsibility for a situation if that person has an obligation to ensure that something happens. Assume that John promises to baby-sit for his neighbour while she goes to a job interview. However, he...
for maintaining equality and financial stability.
"...Rent" was later
sampledIn music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song. This is typically done with a sampler, which can be a piece of hardware or a computer program on a digital computer. Sampling is also...
by numerous dance and
hip hopHip hop music is a musical genre which developed alongside hip hop culture, and is commonly based on concepts of loop, rapping, freestyle, DJing, scratching, sampling and beatboxing. The music is used to express concerns of political, social, and personal issues...
artistsA musician is a person who performs or writes music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music:* An instrumentalist plays a musical instrument.* A singer uses his or her voice as an instrument....
, notably by Foxy Brown in 1998 "Job"), and by
Utah SaintsUtah Saints are a dance band based in Leeds, England. The music is produced by Jez Willis and Tim Garbutt, who are joined on-stage by other musicians whenever the band plays live...
for the original version of their hit "What Can You Do For Me". The song is referenced in the
Eddie MurphyEdward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American actor, voice actor, film director, producer, comedian and singer. He is the second-highest grossing actor in motion picture history. He was a regular cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1980 to 1984, and has worked as a stand-up comedian...
monologue "No Romance Without Finance", in his
Eddie Murphy RawEddie Murphy Raw is an American stand-up comedy film directed by Robert Townsend and starring Eddie Murphy. It was Murphy's second feature stand-up video, following Eddie Murphy Delirious. The 90 minute show was filmed in New York City's Felt Forum, the venue in the Madison Square Garden complex...
concert and film (also available on DVD). Guthrie also had a hit with a
coverIn popular music, a cover version, or simply cover, is a new rendition of a previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "
(They Long to Be) Close to You" Close to You" is a popular song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. It was first recorded by Richard Chamberlain and released as a single in 1963 as "They Long to Be Close to You," without parentheses. However, it was the single's flip side, "Blue Guitar," that became a hit...
", which reached #25 in the
UK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record industry. The full chart contains the top 200 singles based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 of this list...
the same year.
Her single "Can't Love You Tonight" boldly addressed
AIDSAcquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus ....
at a time when the disease was a taboo subject, and she was an ally to the
gay communityThe gay community, or LGBT community, is a loosely defined grouping of LGBT and LGBT-supportive people, organizations and subultures, united by a common culture and civil rights movements. The term "gay community" may also refer to gay men only, or gay men and lesbians only. Generally these...
, and people with AIDS long before the masses caught up. Proceeds from the single went to the AIDS Coalition.
Other club hits of hers include
Compass Point All StarsThe Compass Point phenomenon was meant to be to reggae-based pop/rock music of the 80s, what Nashville was to country music, or the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section was to soul and R&B in the 60s: a recording facility animated by inhouse sets of artists, musicians, producers and engineers, all...
-produced "Seventh Heaven", "Peanut Butter", and "Peek-a-Boo". "Padlock" was later covered by
M PeopleM People are a British house music act from Manchester formed in 1990 which achieved success throughout most of the 1990s. The name M People is from the initials of Mike Pickering, who formed the group.-Career:...
, who included it on their 1995 album
Bizarre FruitBizarre Fruit is the third album by British house music band M People.The album's two most popular singles were "Sight for Sore Eyes", which reached #6 in the UK Singles Chart and "Search for the Hero", which peaked at #9 on the same chart....
, featuring vocalist
Heather SmallHeather Small is a British soul singer, best known for being the lead singer in the Manchester based band M People, her previous involvement was in the band 'Hot House' who released the album 'South'. Her solo debut album Proud...
.
Death
Gwen Guthrie died of
uterine cancerThe term uterine cancer may refer to any of several different types of cancer which occur in the uterus, namely:*Uterine sarcomas: sarcomas of the myometrium, or muscular layer of the uterus, are most commonly leiomyosarcomas.*Endometrial cancer:...
on February 3, 1999, at the age of 48, and was interred in
Fairmount Cemeterythumb|190px|The Krueger Mausoleumthumb|190px|The Setters' MonumentFairmount Cemetery is a 150 acre Victorian cemetery in the West Ward of Newark, New Jersey, in the neighborhood of Fairmount. It opened in 1855, shortly after the Newark City Council banned burials in the central city due to fears...
in
Newark, New JerseyBrick City redirects here. For the township in Ocean County, see Brick Township, New Jersey.Newark is the largest city in New Jersey, and the county seat of Essex County. Newark has a population of 281,402, making it the largest municipality in New Jersey and the 65th largest city in the U.S...
.
Albums
- 1973: East Coast (Encounter)
- 1982: Gwen Guthrie (Island) - R&B #28
- 1983: Portrait (Island)
- 1985: Just for You
Just for You is Lionel Richie's seventh studio album, which was released on May 4 2004. International bonus tracks include "If You Belong To Me" and "Heaven".-Track listing:...
(4th & Broadway / Island) - R&B #55
- 1985: Padlock (Garage / Island) - R&B #47
- 1986: Good To Go Lover (Polydor) - US #89, R&B #20, UK
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website ; the full Top 200 is published exclusively in ChartsPlus.To qualify for the UK albums...
#42
- 1987: Ticket To Ride (4th & Broadway / Island)
- 1988: Lifeline (Jellybean Productions / Warner Brothers)
- 1990: Hot Times (Reprise / Warner Brothers)
- 1999: Ultimate Collection (Hip-O)
Singles
- 1979: "Never (Gonna Let You Go)" - Charme featuring Gwen Guthrie
- 1981: "Nothing But Love" - with Peter Tosh
Peter Tosh, born Winston Hubert McIntosh was a reggae musician who was a core member of The Wailers who then went on to have a successful solo career as well as being a trailblazer for the Rastafari movement....
- R&B #43
- 1982: "It Should Have Been You" - R&B #27
- 1982: "Peek-A-Boo"
- 1982: "For You (With A Melody Too)"
- 1983: "Peanut Butter" - R&B #83
- 1983: "Hopscotch"
- 1984: "Love In Moderation" - US #110, R&B #17
- 1985: "Say Yeah" with The Limit
- 1985: "Just For You
Just for You is Lionel Richie's seventh studio album, which was released on May 4 2004. International bonus tracks include "If You Belong To Me" and "Heaven".-Track listing:...
" - R&B #53
- 1985: "Padlock" [Larry Levan Remix] - US #102, R&B #25
- 1985: "Peanut Butter" [Larry Levan Remix] - R&B #75
- 1986: "Ain't Nothin' Goin' on But the Rent
"Ain't Nothin' Goin' on But the Rent" is a controversial hit song recorded by R&B singer Gwen Guthrie. Released as a single in 1986 on Polydor Records, the song became the biggest hit of Guthrie's career, and the song's title became a semi-popular catchphrase among many women throughout the late...
" - US #42, R&B #1, UKThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record industry. The full chart contains the top 200 singles based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 of this list...
#5
- 1986: "Seventh Heaven" - UK #85
- 1986: "Outside In The Rain" - R&B #51
- 1986: "(They Long to Be) Close To You" - R&B #69, UK #25
- 1987: "Good To Go Lover" / "Outside In The Rain" - UK #37
- 1987: "Family Affair" [Larry Levan Remix]
- 1987: "Ticket To Ride"
- 1987: "Friends And Lovers" - with Boris Gardiner
Boris Gardiner is a Jamaican singer, songwriter and bass guitarist.-Career:Gardiner performed on the tourist circuit for much of the 1960s and was a member of Carlos Malcolm & the Afro Caribs and Byron Lee's Dragonaires...
- 1988: "Can't Love You Tonight" - UK #79, R&B #83
- 1988: "Rockin' Chair"
- 1990: "Miss My Love"
- 1990: "Say It Isn't So"
- 1991: "Sweet Bitter Love" - R&B #74
- 1992: "Eyes (You Never Really Cared)"
- 1993: "This Christmas Eve"
- 1993: "Ain't Nothin' Goin' On But the Rent" [Remix] - UK #42
- 1993: "What A Life" - Joey Negro
Dave Lee is a British DJ and house music producer, also known by the stage name Joey Negro. Lee was born on the Isle of Wight. He has released music under a variety of pseudonyms, including the name Jakatta.-Career:...
featuring Gwen Guthrie
External links