| Brenda Holloway | |
|---|---|
Holloway performing at a memorial tribute for the founder of the Watts Summer Festival, Tommy Jacquette, on November 18, 2009 |
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| Background information | |
| Born | June 21, 1946 |
| Origin | Atascadero, California, United States |
| Genres | Soul |
| Occupations | Singer |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1964–present |
| Labels | Motown, Motorcity |
| Associated acts | Mary Wells, Patrice Holloway |
Brenda Holloway (born June 21, 1946 in Atascadero, California, United States) is an American singer and songwriter, a recording artist for the Motown label during the 1960s. Her best-known recordings are the soul hits, "Every Little Bit Hurts" and "You've Made Me So Very Happy." The latter was later widely popularized when it became a Top Ten hit for Blood, Sweat & Tears.[1]
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Born in Atascadero, California, the eldest of three children to Wade and Johnnie Mae (Fossett) Holloway.[2] In 1948, she and her infant brother, Wade, Jr., moved with their parents to the Watts section of Los Angeles where Brenda took up violin and sang in her church choir. Her sister, Patrice, was born there three years later. At 14, she and sister Patrice began working on demonstration records and singing backup for Los Angeles-based R&B acts. In 1962, Holloway made her recording debut with the single, "Hey Fool". Two years later, she recorded the song that she would later be known for in the coming decades, "Every Little Bit Hurts".
After being overheard singing Mary Wells' "My Guy", Motown CEO Berry Gordy signed her to the label's Tamla imprint. For her first single, she was required to re-record "Every Little Bit Hurts," much to the budding singer-songwriter's chagrin. Released in May 1964, "Every Little Bit Hurts" became a hit for Holloway, reaching #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and helping to win the singer a concert spot on Dick Clark's "Caravan of Stars" tour. Holloway followed "Every Little Bit Hurts" with the more modest "I Will Always Love You", before hitting the Top 40 again with the #25 pop hit, "When I'm Gone" (written and produced by Smokey Robinson) and released shortly after Mary Wells' Motown contract expired; Wells had recorded "When I'm Gone" before Holloway.
After the success of "When I'm Gone," Motown provided Holloway with other songs that were originally recorded by Wells, including "Operator" and "I'll Be Available". Holloway became a fixture on several 1960s television programs including Shindig!, and was later asked by The Beatles to open for them on their US tour in 1965. Holloway performed in the first rock stadium concert at Shea Stadium for the Beatles as their opening act. Her performance at Shea was featured in the The Beatles at Shea Stadium concert film which was released in 1966. Holloway was only one of three female acts who opened for the Beatles; the other two were Mary Wells and Jackie DeShannon. Despite her modest success, Holloway felt out of place at Motown. Being the first West Coast-based artist on the label, she also was one of the few female artists in Motown to write her own songs, and had a much grittier approach to songs than her contemporaries at the label. Between 1966 and early 1968, Holloway recorded a string of singles that were to be put on her second album, Hurtin' & Cryin', which was never officially released. Its first single was "Just Look What You've Done", which hit the Top 30 on the R&B chart. Its follow-up was "You've Made Me So Very Happy", was one of the few singles written by Holloway allowed to be released. The single peaked at number 39 on the pop chart and number 40 on the R&B chart. Holloway left Motown in 1968. A year later, Holloway received royalties for "You've Made Me So Very Happy" when Blood, Sweat & Tears took it to number 2 on the US pop chart and the Top 40 in the UK Singles chart. One year later, Holloway retired from performing.
Holloway married a pastor and left the music industry to become a housewife. During this period, she occasionally sang with her sister Patrice. In 1980, Holloway briefly emerged from retirement to record a gospel album. After Holloway and her husband were divorced, she returned to performing secular music in 1988, recording for the UK label Motorcity Records, which often released material of former Motown artists. In 1990, Holloway issued the album All It Takes. After the 1992 death of her friend Mary Wells, Holloway again emerged from retirement and resumed performing and recording. Her most recent album, My Love is Your Love, was released in 2003.
| Year | Song | U.S.[3] | U.S. R&B[4] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | "Hey Fool" | — | — |
| "Game of Love" | — | — | |
| "I'll Give My Life" | — | — | |
| 1964 | "Every Little Bit Hurts" | 13 | n/a[5] |
| "I'll Always Love You" | 60 | n/a[5] | |
| 1965 | "When I'm Gone" | 25 | 12 |
| "Operator" | 78 | 36 | |
| "You Can Cry on My Shoulder" | — | — | |
| 1966 | "Together 'Til the End of Time" | — | — |
| "Hurt a Little Everyday" | — | — | |
| 1967 | "Just Look What You've Done" | 69 | 21 |
| "You've Made Me So Very Happy" | 39 | 40 | |
| 1988 | "Give Me A Little Inspiration" | — | — |
| "On the Rebound" (duet with Jimmy Ruffin) | — | — | |
| 1991 | "Hot and Cold" | — | — |