Brenda Russell (born Brenda Gordon, April 8, 1949, Brooklyn, New York ) is an American singer-songwriter and keyboardist. Known for her eclectic musical style, her recordings have encompassed several different genres, including pop, soul, dance, and jazz. She is perhaps best known for her 1988 hit "Piano in the Dark," and also for writing the song "Get Here" which was a hit for Oleta Adams in 1991. Russell's songwriting and vocal talents have also been utilized by Diana Ross; Stevie Wonder; Aretha Franklin; Earth, Wind & Fire; Joni Mitchell; Donna Summer; Bingo Players; Flo Rida; and Sting.
Biography
Born to musical parents (her father Gus was a one-time member of The Ink Spots), she spent her early years in Canada after moving to Hamilton, Ontario, age 12. As a teenager she began performing in local bands and was recruited to sing in a Toronto-based girl group called The Tiaras along with Jackie Richardson. The group's one single, "Where Does All The Time Go" was released on Barry Records in 1968 but was unsuccessful. In her late teens, she joined the Toronto production of Hair, during which time she had begun to play the piano. In the early 1970s she married musician Brian Russell and (as Brian & Brenda) they released two albums on Elton John's Rocket label, Word Called Love (1976) and Supersonic Lover (1977). The Russells, along with Donny Gerrard, featured as backing vocalists for Elton's concert at Wembley Stadium on 21 June 1975. The Russells also performed on two tracks from Robert Palmer's breakout soul-pop album Double Fun. Their daughter, Lindsay, was born in 1977, but the couple had divorced by the late 1970s, and Brenda, now living in Los Angeles, had set out on a solo career.
Brenda Russell is the eponymous debut album by the American singer/songwriter Brenda Russell, released in 1979.
After working for several years with her then-husband Bryan Russell as session musicians and by themselves as the duo Brian & Brenda in the mid-1970s, the couple divorced and Brenda Russell embarked on a solo career by signing with A&M Records.
Written almost entirely by Russell herself, the album included the singles "So Good, So Right" (released as a double A-sided single in the UK with "In The Thick Of It") and "Way Back When". The track "Think It Over", written by Russell with her ex-husband Bryan, was previously recorded by Charlie's Angels star Cheryl Ladd and was a top 40 for her in 1978 (Ladd and Bryan Russell would later marry in 1981). The track "If Only For One Night" was covered by Luther Vandross in 1985.
Sampling
In 1998, rapper Big Pun sampled "A Little Bit of Love" on his hit single "Still Not a Player". In 2003, Mexican singer Thalía sampled the song in "I Want You", and in 2013 Ariana Grande and Mac Miller sampled the same song for their hit single, "The Way". In 2001, singer Mary J. Blige sampled "God Bless You" in her song "Flying Away".
Hell No may refer to:
Music
Sport
"Hell No!" is the debut single by Australian recording artist Ricki-Lee Coulter. It was released as a CD single in June 2005, as the lead single from her self-titled debut album, Ricki-Lee. "Hell No!" debuted and peaked at number five on the ARIA Singles Chart and was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association for shipments of 35,000 copies. The music video for the song was directed by Bart Borghesi.
Background and reception
"Hell No!" was written by Audius Mtawarira, Andy Love and Cheryline Lim, and produced by Mtawarira. It was released as a CD single in June 2005, as the lead single from Coulter's self-titled debut album, Ricki-Lee. Lyrically, the song is about Coulter being frustrated with life. According to The Hot Hits, "Hell No!" has the "in your face yet tongue in cheek attitude" and wrote that "the hot grooved, up-tempo track is perhaps not what many people expected from the 19 year old, 2004 Idol favourite".The Age noted that "Hell No!" has "a funky street feel to it". Matthew Chisling of Allmusic wrote "Coulter's versatile voice booms proudly" on the song. "Hell No!" debuted and peaked at number five on the ARIA Singles Chart on 20 June 2005 and spent three consecutive weeks in the top ten. The song was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association for shipments of 35,000 copies.
"Hell No (Leave Home)" is a song by American singer Monica. It was written by Bryan Michael Cox, Sean Garrett, and Carl Mitchell and co-produced by Cox and Garrett, and features guest vocals by rapper Twista for her fourth studio album, The Makings of Me (2006). The song was released as the album's fourth and final single on May 14, 2007 (see 2007 in music) in the United States during the second quarter of 2007 (see 2007 in music). With a lack of promotion from the record label, the single failed to chart on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It reached a peak position of number 114 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Formats and tracklistings
These are the formats and track listings of major single-releases of "Hell No (Leave Home)."
Promotional CD single
Charts
References
External links
Podcasts:
Brenda Russell
ALBUMS
- In the Thick of It: The Best of Brenda Russell released: 2009
- The Color Purple released: 2006
- Soul Talkin released: 1993
- Get Here released: 1988
- Supersonic Lover released: 1977
- Word Called Love released: 1976
- Brenda Russell released:
- Between the Sun and the Moon released:
- Ultimate Collection released:
- Paris Rain released:
The Color Purple
Released 2006- Overture
- Huckleberry Pie / Mysterious Ways
- Somebody Gonna Love You
- Our Prayer
- That Fine Mister
- Big Dog
- Lily of the Field
- Dear God - Sofia
- A Tree Named Sofia
- Hell No!
- Brown Betty
- Shug Avery Comin' to Town
- All We've Got to Say
- Dear God - Shug
- Too Beautiful for Words
- Push Da Button
- Uh Oh!
- What About Love?
- Act I Finale
- African Homeland
- The Color Purple
- Church Ladies' Easter
- I Curse You Mister
- Celie's Curse
- Miss Celie's Pants
- Any Little Thing
- What About Love? (reprise)
- I'm Here
- The Color Purple (reprise)
Ultimate Collection
- Way Back When
- Please Pardon Me (You Remind Me of a Friend)
- Who Loves You
- So Good, So Right
- If Only for One Night
- In the Thick of It
- Something I Like to Do
- Rainbow
- If You Love (The One You Lose)
- I Want Love to Find Me
- Dinner With Gershwin
- Jarreau
- When I Give My Love to You
- Piano in the Dark
- Get Here
- Waiting for You
- Kiss Me With the Wind
- No Time for Time
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Greatest Hits
by: Brenda RussellIt's always said there's someone
waiting for you
I thought that it would never be
Someone really watching over me
But now I feel a breeze
Kiss me with the wind
Touch me with the sky sky
Hold me in the darkness
Wake me in the light
You're so very close
I'm so very shy shy
Kiss me with the wind
Touch me with the sky
Sometimes I worry
I'll be looking for you
But you keep moving off the line
I can never see you right behind
With me all the time
Kiss me with the wind
Touch me with the sky sky
Hold me in the darkness
Wake me in the light
You're so very close
I'm so very shy shy
Kiss me with the wind
Touch me with the sky sky sky
Oh, I never felt this way before
I never needed any more, no
Kiss me
You're so very close
I'm so very shy shy
Kiss me with the wind
Touch me with the sky sky
Kiss me with the wind
Touch me with the sky sky
Hold me in the darkness
Wake me in the light
You're so very close
I'm so very shy shy
Kiss me with the wind
Touch me with the sky sky sky
I waited so very long
and now you're really here
Oh baby
Kiss me
Touch me
Alright
Hold me
In the light, in the light
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Don't you wanna
kiss me
Kiss me with the wind, with the wind
Hey now, hey now
Kiss me with the wind
Touch me with the sky (hey)
Hold me in the darkness
Wake me in the light (in the light)
Kiss me with the wind
Touch me with the sky (touch me)
Hold me in the darkness
Wake me in the light
Kiss me
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