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Shannon (singer)
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Shannon (born Shannon Brenda Greene on May 2, 1958, is an American singer. She is best known for her 1983 record "Let the Music Play." The record redefined the electro funk sound that Arthur Baker and John Rocca (who produced "I.O.U" by Freeez and "One More Shot/Get Wet" by C-Bank) developed in 1982.
he spring of 1983, a young Shannon Greene was enrolled at York College and toured with the New York Jazz Ensemble.
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Shannon (born Shannon Brenda Greene on May 2, 1958, is an American singer. She is best known for her 1983 record "Let the Music Play." The record redefined the electro funk sound that Arthur Baker and John Rocca (who produced "I.O.U" by Freeez and "One More Shot/Get Wet" by C-Bank) developed in 1982.
Before music career
In the spring of 1983, a young Shannon Greene was enrolled at York College and toured with the New York Jazz Ensemble. Quintin Hicks, an associate of the soon-to-be-renowned production team of Mark Liggett and Chris Barbosa later saw Shannon singing with a live band in her cousin's studio. Hicks thought she was perfect for what the duo was looking. Shannon auditioned for Liggett and Barbosa with the song "She Can't Love You Like I Do" (Little Tony 14 Yrs., a project prior to Shannon's mainstream success). They liked her and her vocals so much that they introduced her to the track "Fire and Ice," which would later evolve into Shannon's signature song, "Let the Music Play." Under the direction of Chris Barbosa, Shannon added artist contribution (the Shannon stamp to the vocals), which would create a world hit. This title would also be applied to Shannon's debut album.
Music career
In July 1983, the "Let the Music Play" single was released without her knowledge. Shannon was invited back to lay down more songs with Liggett and Barbosa. "Let the Music Play" had become widely acknowledged as the first Latin freestyle track. Its heavy syncopated drum machine sound with Latin American rhythms. The Shannon sound was considered so innovative. The single's success led to the number-eight pop position on the Billboard Top 100 and ruled the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart spending 6 weeks at #1, making Shannon the international Dance Queen of the World. Today, the song is well-regarded as one of the most influential dance records of all time and the #22 best song in the world ever recorded.
Her debut album,also entitled, "Let the Music Play " was released February 1984. The follow-up single from the album was "Give Me Tonight" which was listed in Billbord's top 10 songs for the year of 1985. It received the same wild enthusiasm as its predecessor and also hit the top spot on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. It also became a significant hit on Urban radio.
In the US, the third single was "My Heart's Divided," another Latin freestyle track, which again featured Jimmi Tunnel on the refrain vocals, and the woo-woo-wooowoo synth baseline. The song was a Club, Pop, Latin, Urban and World smash and could be heard on boomboxes and out of IROC-Z's and Monte Carlos around any area. The superior "Sweet Somebody," a mid-tempo soul jam, made the top 40 in Europe.
The Let the Music Play album would go on to sell over 8 million copies worldwide. It is considered the first freestyle album in history. Shannon was nominated for a Grammy and received numerous other awards, including the Dianah Washington (Jack the Rapper) Award, the Hall of Fame Award, the Gold Ampex Reel Award, a certified gold single by the RIAA, and the Best Billboard Top 10 female R&B vocalist.
In 1985, Shannon released her second album Do You Wanna Get Away, which sported a sound similar to that of her debut album. The title track charted on the Billboard Hot 100, and it was also embraced by the club/dance music community. She scored three more Urgent]]" by [[Foreigner (band)|Foreigner]], and "Stop the Noise," with a video sponsered by Pepsi and Black Angus. The subsequent slow sell to make it a hit was because there were major staff change in the record compay.
1986 her third album, Love Goes All the Way, released was not as successful as her previous LPs. The title track was pop sound reminiscent of a cross between a Chaka Kahn and a Whitney Houston ballad and may have been a big hit if it had been released. "Prove Me Right" from the Quincy Jones Camp and produce by Robbie Buchanan had a bass heavy dance floor sound; Shannon also released a 12-inch single called "Dancin'." The single mix differed from the album mix, and was beat-driven with a melodic melody. Perhaps fans of earlier Shanon dance singles were looking for something more freestyle- or soul-based. A 7-inch single of the single featured the mid-tempo "Right Track" from the album on a double-A-side single, but despite being perhaps the best song from Love Goes All the Way, it disappeared quickly. "Right Track" could potentially blend well today on a smooth-jazz station. Singles from Love Goes All the Way were released without the ever-important (in the 1980s) video, or even picture sleeves for the singles.
Politics within Atlantic Records were affecting the atmosphere, and Shannon asked to be released from her recording contract in 1987. Earlier that year, she had managed to record one last single, "Criminal," for the movie Fatal Beauty. This track was a pop-sounding single typical of the era, and lacked the soulful punch of other Shannon recordings. .
While touring the world, Shannon attended and graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York for acting,
Adding broadway plays to her résumé makes her well-rounded as a singer, dancer, and actress. Some claim she is the most-emulated Dance freestyle performer of all time.
The 1990s
In the late 1990s interest of Shannon rekindled VH1's spotlight her on their One Hit Wonders series, Entertainment Tonight taped their one hour special about her life. There were many remixes of "Let the Music Play" and "Give Me Tonight" that surfaced.
Featured recordings with Sash! and Todd Terry. In 1998, she co-wrote and sang on the track Take a Little Time by Les Rythmes Digitales.
2000 to present
In the year 2000, Shannon released her fourth studio album, The Best Is Yet to Come, on which she is credited as a co-writer. Chris Barbosa was invited back as a producer to recapture the sound of her 1980's hits "Let The Music Play" and "Give Me Tonight." Many notable producers, including Andy Panda and Tony Moran were also featured on the new album. An Hex Hector remix 2000 AD (After The Decade) "Give Me Tonight" from the set made the song a colossal club hit again while its follow-up, an update of "Let the Music Play", though still a hit, interestingly proved to be less popular - a role reversal of when she debuted with the songs in the 80's).
The Greatest Hits album released in November 2004.
On April 20, 2006, Shannon participated in the Freestyle Extranvaganza concert along with fellow acts such as Judy Torres, George Lamond, Cynthia, Lisette Melendez, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, the Cover Girls, Hanson and Davis, Coro, Stevie B., and more. The event was sponsored by WKTU, WSKQ, and WCAA in New York.
Singles
| Title (Year) | Position
US Charts | Position
UK Charts | Position
R&B Charts | Position
Dance Charts |
|---|
| "Let the Music Play" (1983) | 8 | 14 | 2 | 1 | | "Give Me Tonight" (1984) | 46 | 24 | 6 | 1 | | "My Heart's Divided" (1984) | | | 48 | 3 | | "Sweet Somebody" (1984) | | 25 | | | | "Do You Wanna Get Away?" (1985) | 49 | | 13 | 1 | | "Stronger Together" (1985) | | 46 | 26 | 25 | | "Stop the Noise" (1985) | | n/a | n/a | n/a | | "Urgent" (1985) | | 84 | 68 | | | "Love Goes All the Way" (1986) | | | | | | "Prove Me Right" (1986) | | | 82 | | | "Dancin'" (1987) | | 91 | | | | "It's Got To Be Love" (1995) | | | | | | "Do the Wrong Thing" *(1996) | | | | | | "It's Over Love" **(1997) | | #16 | | 1 | | "Move Mania" ***(1999) | | 8 | 25 | | "Give Me Tonight 2000" (2000) | | | | 1 | | "Let the Music Play 2000" (2000) | | | | 32 |
*-"Do the Wrong Thing" with Afrika Bambaataa
**-Todd Terry featuring Shannon
***-Sash! featuring Shannon
Albums
- 1984 Let the Music Play - Mirage/Atlantic Records
- 1985 Do You Wanna Get Away - Mirage/Atlantic Records
- 1986 Love Goes All the Way - Atlantic Records
- 1996 Essential Dancefloor Artists - Deep Beats
- 2000 The Best Is Yet to Come - Contagious Records
- 2004 Let the Music Play: The Best of Shannon - Shout Factory
- 2007 A Beauty Returns - Diggin4Brown
See also
External links
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