Stephanie Mills – The Sweet Sensation Of Soul & R&B

Stephanie Mills was born on 22nd March 1957 to Christine and Joseph Mills and has won a Grammy Award for Soul music and as a R&B singer. She was a born singer and has come a long way to make her career as a successful soul singer. The R&B singer started her career at the age of 9 years when she first appeared in a play. Later she was lead to chase a Broadway role in the musical “Maggie Flynn” after she won the Amateur night at the Apollo theatre six times. The singer began her musical career in 1973 with Isley Brothers and signed with Motown Records and sang with Jermaine Jackson. The singer left Motown in 1976 after her first two albums went unnoticed.

Mills got a rise in her career in 1975 when she played Dorothy in The Wiz which was an African-American adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Mills became a star after her performance in the song “Home”. In 1979, the singer saw her career rising with her contract under the 20th century Fox after which she gave great disco music and her songs were all time hits which were “What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin”, “You Can Get Over” and “Put Your Body In It”. Her first gold record was “What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin”. Her love life started as she was involved with Michael Jackson during this period. She got married to Jeffrey Daniel in 1980 but then divorced soon.

Her success continued after the 1980’s when she came out with her biggest hit “Never Knew Love Like This Before” in the Sweet Sensation which went on to be an R&B and Pop hit in the 1980’s. The period from 1981 to 1984 saw several hits from the singer which includes “Two Hearts”, “How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore” and “The Medicine Song”. The records were smash hits on the UK music chart. Success was at its peak for Mills when her R&B single “I’ve Learned to Respect the Power of Love” hit No1 on the charts in 1985. Later in 1987, Mills came with numerous hits like “I Feel Good All Over” and “You’re Puttin a Rush on Me” from the album “If I Were Your Woman”. This album was her platinum album which made her more popular.

Mills success continued as a singer in 1989 with “Home” and in 1992 with “Something Real”. Later she recorded a gospel recording in 1995 named “Personal Inspirations” which features “I Have Learned To Respect The Power Of Love” after which she went off the music line for her son.

The comeback of Mill in 1997 with her musical theater appearance in the “Children of Eden” was a great hit. Numerous singles followed in 2000 when Mills started singing with DMX and BeBe Winans and recorded “Born For This” in 2004. She gave her first single “Can’t Let Him Go” and the same was a hit on urban radio. Milles recently appeared in “Sunday Best” in 2007 and she has announced her own record label (JM Records). She also performed at Yankee Stadium on 20th April 2008.

Her Albums include “Movin in the Right Direction” in 1975, “For the First Time” in 1976, “Watcha Gonna Do with My Lovin” in 1979, “Sweet Sensation” in 1980, “Stephanie” in 1980, “Tantalizingly Hot” in 1982, “Love Has Lifted Me” in 1982, “Merciless” in 1983, “I’ve Got the Cure” in 1984, “Stephanie Mills” in 1985, “If I Were Your Woman” in 1987, “Home” in 1989, “Something Real” in 1992, “Personal Aspirations” in 1994 and “Born for This” in 2004.

She has won two awards which include the Grammy Award in 1980 where she was chosen the Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance – Female and an American Award in 1981 where she was chosen the Favorite Female Artist – Soul / Rhythm & Blues.

She is still performing and is continuing to progress in her singing skills.

TJ Grooves

Rare Soul Grooves & Soul Music TV