Vernessa Mitchell
Encyclopedia
Vernessa Mitchell is an R&B/soul
/gospel
/house
music artist from Pasadena, California
. She was the lead singer of the Motown recording act High Inergy
before gaining success as gospel artist.
. Vernessa appeared on the group's first two albums, Turnin' On and Steppin' Out. On the latter, she also co-wrote two songs, "Hi!" and "Peaceland."
She left the group in 1978 to pursue a gospel career after becoming a born-again Christian. Mitchell released two gospel
/CCM
music albums during the 1980s. This Is My Story was released in 1985 and Higher Ground followed in 1988.
Although she had success as a gospel
/CCM
artist, Mitchell has also done well as a Gospel dance diva. Her uplifting house songs have charted seven times on Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play with gospel/inspirational themed dance songs "Reap (What You Sow)" (#19/1996), "This Joy" (#5/1998), "Issues" (#12/2000), "Serious" (#37/2003), "Took My Life" (#2/2004; #1 Club Play track in 2004 year-end chart) and "Accept Me"(#1/2005). Mitchell's 2006 single, "Love Will Find A Way" peaked at #5 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
/gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
/house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
music artist from Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
. She was the lead singer of the Motown recording act High Inergy
High Inergy
High Inergy was an American R&B and soul girl group who found fame on Motown Records in the late 1970s. They are best known for their hit, "You Can't Turn Me Off ".-History:...
before gaining success as gospel artist.
Career
Vernessa and her sister Barbara Mitchell were first discovered and introduced to the music industry by producer Melvin Ware in the mid-70s, and later they also became part of the 1970s Motown R&B vocal quartet High InergyHigh Inergy
High Inergy was an American R&B and soul girl group who found fame on Motown Records in the late 1970s. They are best known for their hit, "You Can't Turn Me Off ".-History:...
. Vernessa appeared on the group's first two albums, Turnin' On and Steppin' Out. On the latter, she also co-wrote two songs, "Hi!" and "Peaceland."
She left the group in 1978 to pursue a gospel career after becoming a born-again Christian. Mitchell released two gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
/CCM
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
music albums during the 1980s. This Is My Story was released in 1985 and Higher Ground followed in 1988.
Although she had success as a gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
/CCM
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
artist, Mitchell has also done well as a Gospel dance diva. Her uplifting house songs have charted seven times on Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play with gospel/inspirational themed dance songs "Reap (What You Sow)" (#19/1996), "This Joy" (#5/1998), "Issues" (#12/2000), "Serious" (#37/2003), "Took My Life" (#2/2004; #1 Club Play track in 2004 year-end chart) and "Accept Me"(#1/2005). Mitchell's 2006 single, "Love Will Find A Way" peaked at #5 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.
Albums
- This Is My Story 1985 Top Gospel Albums #19
- Higher Ground 1988 Top Gospel Albums #32
- On a Mission 1990 Benson
- Destiny 1992 A&M
- Let Your Presence Fall 1998 Priority Sound
- Love Is The Message 2010 Continuous Cool
Singles
- "Reap (What You Sow)"
- "This Joy"
- "Higher"
- "Serious"
- "Took My Life"
- "Accept Me"
- "Trouble don't last always
- "Love Will Find A Way"
- "Rise!"
See also
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart