Roberta Kelly

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Roberta Kelly is an African American singer who scored three hits on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in 1976-78. Her biggest hit, "Trouble-Maker," spent two weeks at #1 on that chart.

Prior to releases in the U.S. through composer Giorgio Moroder's Oasis record label, Kelly recorded, during the 1970s, a single in Germany entitled "Kung Fu Is Back Again", released on Atlantic and produced by songwriter/producer Pete Bellotte.

The album, which featured "Trouble Maker", also included the first known cover version of "Love Power", which was later made famous as a part of Luther Vandross' repertoire. The original version of the song was recorded in 1967.

[edit] Discography

Roberta Kelly released three other albums:

Zodiacs—the controversial album that Casablanca Records, during the disco heyday, refused to release. Imports from Italy swamped the international dance floors, creating a blockbuster hit in the title track and songs such as "Love Sign". Many feel this album was the warm-up to the Moroder/Bellotte team dabbling with retro flavors, as the precursor to Donna Summer's "I Remember Yesterday".^{[citation needed]}

Getting The Spirit—one of the first disco records to be a complete album of gospel songs, which followed Kelly's commitment to becoming a Christian. It has long been rumoured that is was Kelly who led Oasis label-mate Donna Summer to becoming a "born again" Christian as well.^{[citation needed]} This album featured a dance version of "Oh Happy Day" and cult dance track "In My Father's House".

Thereafter, Kelly released another album through Baby Records in Italy, featuring "Pata Pata" as a single.