Ruby Winters
Ruby Winters (née Forehand; January 18, 1942 – August 7, 2016)[1] was an American soul singer whose records made the singles charts in both the US and UK in the 1960s and 1970s.
Life and career
Winters was born in Louisville, Kentucky to Charles Forehand, Jr. and Lucille Inez Forehand. When Ruby was five, her mother died. From that moment on, Ruby was raised by her grandmother in Cincinnati, Ohio. She had her first minor hit in 1967, a duet with pop singer Johnny Thunder on the song "Make Love To Me", which had previously been a hit in 1954 for Jo Stafford. Recording on the Diamond label, she had several further minor hits in the US in the late 1960s and early 1970s, including "I Don't Want To Cry", "Guess Who" and her cover of the Dick Glasser standard, "I Will". Just as her US chart career was ending, her version of "I Will" became an unexpected hit in Britain on the independent Creole label, where it rose to no. 4 on the UK Singles Chart in late 1977. She followed up its success in Britain with several more hits, "Come to Me", "I Won't Mention It Again" and "Baby Lay Down".[2][3]
In 1979, K-Tel International issued a compilation LP of her songs titled Songbird (#NE 1045).[4]
Ruby Winters Jenkins, a resident of Missouri City, Texas, died on August 7, 2016, at age 74. She is preceded in death by her husband, Will Jenkins.[1]
Chart singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Pop[3] | US R&B[5] |
UK[6] | ||
| 1967 | "Make Love To Me" Johnny Thunder and Ruby Winters |
96 | 13 | - |
| "I Want Action" | 109 | 47 | - | |
| 1969 | "I Don't Want To Cry" | 97 | 15 | - |
| "Just A Dream" | - | 40 | - | |
| "Always David" | 121 | 23 | - | |
| "Guess Who" | 99 | 19 | - | |
| 1973 | "I Will" | - | 39 | - |
| 1975 | "Without You" | - | 95 | - |
| 1977 | "I Will" {re-recording) |
- | 97 | 4 |
| 1978 | "Come To Me" | - | - | 11 |
| "I Won't Mention It Again" | - | - | 45 | |
| 1979 | "Baby Lay Down" | - | - | 43 |
References
- 1 2 "Obituary For: Ruby Winters Jenkins Of Missouri City | Allen Dave Funeral Homes And Crematoriums Of Texas". Allendave.com. Retrieved 2016-10-04.
- ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 607. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (2003). Top Pop Singles 1955-2002 (1st ed.). Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 773. ISBN 0-89820-155-1.
- ↑ "Ruby Winters - Songbird (Vinyl, LP)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-10-04.
- ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1996). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-1995. Record Research. p. 489.
- ↑ Betts, Graham (2004). Complete UK Hit Singles 1952-2004 (1st ed.). London: Collins. p. 854. ISBN 0-00-717931-6.