Yvonne Fair

Yvonne Fair (October 21, 1942 – March 6, 1994) was an African American singer, best known for her 1976 recording of "It Should Have Been Me".

Contents

Biography

Born as Flora Yvonne Coleman in Richmond, Virginia, Fair got her start as a latter-day member of the re-formulated Chantels and the James Brown Revue.[1] While performing with Brown, she recorded the song "I Found You," which he later re-worked into his own signature hit "I Got You (I Feel Good)."

She signed to Motown Records in the early 1970s as a result of her work with Chuck Jackson and she appeared in a minor role as a chanteuse in the film, Lady Sings the Blues.[1] Fair then joined up with producer Norman Whitfield for a series of singles in a hard funk vein: "Love Ain't No Toy," "Walk Out the Door If You Wanna," and her cover version of "Funky Music Sho' 'Nuff Turns Me On."[1]. All these featured on her only album for Motown in 1975 called "The Bitch Is Black", which was re-released on cd for the first time more than 30 years later.

Her remake of the Kim Weston/Gladys Knight semi-standard "It Should Have Been Me" dented the lower end of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1976.[1]. The track proved a big hit in the UK where it climbed to number 5 in February 1976, her only UK hit record.[2] In addition, the song featured in a special episode of BBC TV programme The Vicar of Dibley, entitled "The Handsome Stranger", originally broadcast on 25 December 2006.

Personal life

She was married to Sammy Strain, who was a member of both Little Anthony & The Imperials and The O'Jays.[3]

Death

Yvonne Fair died, aged 51, from undisclosed causes, in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 6, 1994.

Albums

The Bitch Is Black (1975); reissued by Reel Music as CD (2009)

Singles

Releases on Tamla Motown (UK)

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Biography by John Lowe". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p38696. Retrieved 3 January 2009. 
  2. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 192. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 
  3. ^ Thedeadrockstarsclub.com
  4. ^ Vinylnet website

External links