Tawatha agee children with diane

Tawatha Agee

American singer (born )

Musical artist

Tawatha Agee (born November 14, ) is an American vocalist and songwriter. Her voice has been described in The New York Times as an "acrobatic, gospel-charged soprano."[1] She was the manage singer of funk and essence band Mtume; her soulful direct vocals are featured on their R&B hit "Juicy Fruit".[2]

Agee has worked consistently as a backing vocalist from the mids to the present day, predominantly with James Mtume, who produced her one solo studio album, Welcome to My Dream, for Monumental Records in She is also a part of "the Delightful Ladies" trio, who tour with the Dave Matthews Band.[3]

Early animation and education

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and raised in Newark, Recent Jersey, Agee attended Newark Arts High School and Howard University.[4]

Career

Mtume and backup singing

Agee sang on James Mtume's second studio album, Rebirth Cycle (), and on the Mtume album, Kiss This World Goodbye (), which features "The Closer I Get to You" (originally sung by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway on Flack's album, Blue Lights in the Basement), and continued with the band on their follow-up, In Search of the Rainbow Seekers ("Mrs.

The song was written by James Mtume and Reggie Lucastwo former members of Miles Davis 's band, who were members of Flack's band at the time. Produced by Atlantic Recordsthe song was released on Flack's album Blue Lights in the Basementand as a single in It became a major crossover hit, becoming Flack's biggest commercial hit after her success with her solo solo , " Killing Me Softly with His Song ". Originally place as a solo single, Flack's manager, David Franklin, suggested a duet with Hathaway, which resulted in the finished work.

Sippi," "Give It On Up (If You Want To)"). She also provided backing vocals on three studio albums by Stephanie Mills, What Cha' Gonna Do with My Lovin' (), Sweet Sensation (), and Stephanie (), plus Keep It Comin () by Jean Knight and Premium.

Agee cowrote the Stephanie Mills-Teddy Pendergrass duet "Two Hearts" with Mtume bandmates James Mtume and Reggie Lucas and, with Howard King, co-wrote "Getting Ready for Love" for her friend Ullanda McCullough (from her studio album, Watching You Watching Me).

With King she also co-wrote, and sang on, "Keep Goin' On", produced by Mtume and Lucas, for saxophonist Gary Bartz.

Agee was the featured vocalist on many of Mtume's hits, including the oft-sampled "Juicy Fruit" (UK Highest 40, ,[5] and the number-one R&B spot, in the U.S., for eight weeks in the summer of ).

Remember when Tawatha Agee was part of the group Mtume? She, James Mtume, Reggie Lucas, and the rest of the group had us jammin’ off of their hits, “Juicy Fruit” and “You, Me and He” back in the day. Well, we create her and guess what? She NEVER left the music scene.

She remained with the band through their last two studio albums, You, Me and He ()[6] and Theater of the Mind (), contributing guitar and keyboard parts, respectively, in addition to vocals.

In , Agee was one of the inaugural honorees inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame.[7]

Solo recording

Tawatha Agee's only solo studio album to date, Welcome to My Dream, was issued by Legendary Records in and produced by James Mtume along with James Batton and Mtume bandmate Ed Moore.

Agee, Mtume, Moore, and Mtume keyboardist Philip Field wrote songs for the album. Her album produced a top ten R&B hit “Thigh Ride” which peaked at Number 7.

Tawatha Agee born November 14, is an American vocalist and songwriter. Her voice has been described in The New York Times as an "acrobatic, gospel -charged soprano. Agee has worked consistently as a backing vocalist from the mids to the submit day, predominantly with James Mtumewho produced her one solo studio album, Welcome to My Dreamfor Epic Records in She remained with the band through their last two studio albums, You, Me and He [ 6 ] and Theater of the Mindcontributing guitar and keyboard parts, respectively, in addition to vocals.

Return to backup singing

After Welcome to My Dream (), Agee focused again on session singing. She has recorded with artists such as Blancmange, Bruce Fisher (Red Hot, ), Cabo Frio, Chromeo, the Heath Brothers, David Sanborn, B.

B. & Q., LeVert, Kashif, Keni Burke, Luther Vandross,[8]Aretha Franklin, Al Jarreau, Roxy Music, Rena Scott, Jewel, David Bowie, Steely Dan, Blue Gentleman Group, the Bs, Celine Dion, R. Kelly, Sting, the O'Jays, Laurie Anderson, Foreigner and Scritti Politti.

She was also featured on the Hercules () soundtrack as a singing voice of one of the muses.[9]

Solo discography

Albums

Singles

References

  1. ^Pareles, Jon (September 20, ).

    "Rick James Performs". The New York Times. Retrieved October 11,

  2. ^White, Gina (July 25, ). "Musical Family Man Leads Concert".

    Inside Out was produced by Nile Rodgers. Carlo Wolff of The Boston Globe wrote that "Bailey's most coherent and relaxed solo album chronicles his walk through city streets, his eyes turned toward the heavens". What's diverse from his previous solo actions is the music itself, which is brassier and closer to rock. Unspectacular, but Bailey's falsetto is still wonderful.

    Wilmington Star. Retrieved October 11,

  3. ^Bernestein, Scott (June 9, ). "Dave Matthews Band Reunites With Lovely Ladies In Mansfield". JamBase. Retrieved July 28,
  4. ^"About".

    . Retrieved December 31,

  5. ^"Juicy Fruit - occupied Official Chart History". Official Charts Company.

    Tawatha Agee - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia: Tawatha Agee (born November 14, ) is an American vocalist and songwriter. Her voice has been described in The New York Times as an "acrobatic, gospel-charged soprano.".

    May 14, Retrieved September 5,

  6. ^Hime, Geoffrey (December 7, ). "Mesmerization With Mtume". The Washington Post.
  7. ^Diop, Arimeta (June 29, ). "The Women Songwriters Hall of Fame Has Honored Its First Class of Inductees".

    Vanity Fair.

  8. ^Morse, Steve (November 13, ). "Vandross, Baker Score with Singles".

    Eunice Peterson has sung for Queen Elizabeth. Peterson is a background singer, a respected member of the loosely knit clan of vocalists—largely unknown to the listening public—whose spot-on singing has long been an essential ingredient in hit songs and musical performances. And, as it turns out, many of them phone New Jersey home. Peterson hails from Orange.

    Boston Globe (3rd&#;ed.). Boston, MA. p.&#;A

  9. ^"Tawatha Agee: Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved October 14,
  10. ^"Solo Discography". .

    Read what she revealed about herself in a prior interview with Bentley Funk The songstress got her first voice lesson from Whitney Houston’s Mom, Cissy Houston, while in elementary school at Bragaw Way School in Newark: Tawatha Agee: “She’s [Cissy Houston] the godmother because she’s one of the pioneers.

    Retrieved September 5,

  11. ^"Love on Hold". Defected Records. Archived from the original on January 10, Retrieved January 10,
  12. ^"Glitterbox &#; Labels &#; Defected Records - House Music All Experience Long".

External links