Phyllis Nelson

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Phyllis Nelson (born on 3 October 1950 in Indiana - died 12 January 1998 in Los Angeles), was an American singer.

Nelson worked and recorded for several years from the late 1970s into the mid 1980s without achieving much success. Her records were usually dance tracks, and she had also recorded quite a number of records during the disco era.

In 1985 she recorded a self written ballad titled "Move Closer". It was a complete departure from the type of music she had been recording. While it failed to find an audience in her home country, it reached number one on the UK singles chart in the summer of 1985, making her the first black woman to top those charts with a self-composed offering. The song remained on the charts for almost six months, and became one of the highest selling singles of the year. But her subsequent releases failed to make any impression, and she is remembered as a one hit wonder.

"Move Closer" returned to the British charts in 1994, reaching the Top 40, after being featured in a television commercial for anti-perspirant.

In the United States, Nelson had success on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, where her song entitled "I Like You" peaked at number one in 1985.

Phyllis died from breast cancer on 12 January 1998, in Los Angeles, California. She had been living in LA at the time of her death, and was also divorced. She was just 47 years old.