The most successful white artist to emerge on the Motown label, Teena Marie has also enjoyed unparalleled acceptance and popularity in R&B music, scoring over 20 R&B hits in the last 25 years.
Born Mary Christine Brockert in 1957, Teena grew up in California, and was already performing as a child (this included an appearance on TV's "The Beverly Hillbillies" at age 8).
Signing to Motown Records in the mid-70's, Teena floundered until fellow Motown artist Rick James took her under his wing. James was largely responsible for the material on her 1979 debut, WILD AND PEACEFUL (which did not feature Teena's picture, leading many to think she was black). The album produced her first Top Ten hit, "I'm Just a Sucker For Your Love", a wild duet with James, that peaked at #8 R&B (but missed the pop chart).
Marie quickly followed up with LADY T, on which she had a greater contribution, co-writing and producing most of the tracks with Richard Rudolph. The album had a better pop reception and featured a big club hit in "Behind the Groove" (which reached #21 R&B). But her real breakthrough came with her next release, IRONS IN THE FIRE, which she wrote and produced alone. The album reached the Top Ten on the R&B album chart, and spawned her first Top 40 pop single, the infectious "I Need Your Lovin'" (which also became her second R&B Top Ten hit).
Now a star (and her ethnicity now common knowledge), Teena Marie released what became her final Motown album, IT MUST BE MAGIC, in 1981. Her most successful outing to date (reaching #23 and #2 on Billboards Pop and R&B Album chart, respectively), the album had no less than 3 R&B hits take from it: the classic "Square Biz" (a #3 hit, where Teena had a memorable rap interlude), the title track and "Portuguese Love", which featured vocals from mentor Rick James. Teena's infamous affair with James was later revealed to be the inspiration for "Portuguese Love".
However, aside from the memorable James/Marie duet of "Fire and Desire" from James' own album STREET SONGS, there would be no further Teena Marie releases on Motown, as the two became involved in a bitter legal dispute. After a long battle, Teena Marie won her independence from Motown, and triggered the passing a government law named after her, "The Teena Marie Bill", which guarantees a minimum salary to a recording artist under contract, as well stating that a label cannot hold an artist to a contract while refusing to release their material.
The legal trouble behind her, Teena signed with Epic Records, but her first album on the new roster, ROBBERY (1983), failed to generate the interest her previous work had, spawning only the moderate hit "Fix It" (it has, however, been recognized in recent years as an overlooked gem, highlighted by the fan favorite "Casanova Brown", another James inspiration). The following year she rebounded with STARCHILD, a huge hit which included her biggest pop hit to date, "Lovergirl" (#4 pop, #9 R&B), as well as the Quiet Storm followup "Out On a Limb".
Two years later, Marie returned with EMERALD CITY, a concept album that was greeted with mixed reviews (although hailed by some as a masterpiece), but sales lagged without a hit single. Taking more time off, Marie found herself in somewhat a comeback position when her fourth Epic album, NAKED TO THE WORLD, was released in 1988. Album sales were respectable, if modest, but benefited from the success of the single "Ooh La La La", which knocked Terence Trent D'Arbys' "Wishing Well" out of the R&B pole position in April of that year, becoming her first #1 hit, as well as her last pop entry to date. The followup "Work It" also reached the R&B Top Ten.
As the decade closed, musical tastes were shifting, and Marie attempted to keep up with the changes on her final Epic set, IVORY (1990). Collaborating again (with, among other, SOUL II SOUL's Jazzie B), the album incorporated New Jack and Hip-Hop elements (most successfully on album tracks like "The Sugar Shack"), but sold poorly, spawning the two modest hits "If I Were a Bell" (#8 R&B) and "Here's Looking At You (#11 R&B). Shortly thereafter she was dropped by Epic.
The 90's found Teena Marie without a major record deal, yet still performing live, making guest spots on several artists albums (as well as a memorable appearance on the TV series "New York Undercover"). She had a daughter, and formed an independent label titled Sarai Records. In 1994 she released one album, PASSION PLAY, a worthy effort that suffered from limited distribution. The followup, BLACK RAIN, was delayed and eventually shelved.
The new millenium saw a reversal of fortune for Teena: she finally landed a major deal with Cash Money Records, and 2004 saw Teena Marie's return to the R&B charts with "Still in Love", the leadoff single from her album LA DONA.
25 years after her debut, Teena Marie has stood the test of time- not only as a unique figure in R&B music, but as a gifted, truly remarkable musician.
Bio written by: markus1976 |
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