FOXXY FRIDAYS - FREDA PAYNE

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY EVERYONE!!!

This Friday I'm giving props to the one & only Miss FREDA PAYNE!

Freda Charcelia Payne was born September 19, 1942 in Detroit, Michigan. At an early age, she grew up listening to different jazz singers such as Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. As a teenager, she soon began singing radio commercial jingles and took part in local TV and radio talent shows. Her voice caught the attention of many different people including Berry Gordy, who wanted to give her a recording contract with Motown.

In 1969, her old friends back home in Detroit, Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Edward Holland, Jr. (yes, THE H-D-H of Motown), persuaded her to sign with their newly-formed record label Invictus. During that same year, her first Invictus single, "Unhooked Generation" was released. Shortly thereafter, H-D-H, under the pen name "Edythe Wayne and Ron Dunbar" offered her a song entitled "Band of Gold". Almost immediately, in early 1970, the song became an instant pop smash reaching #3 in the U.S. charts and it gave Payne her first gold record. An album of the same name proved to be fairly successful as well. Other Invictus singles included "Deeper and Deeper", "You Brought the Joy", and the Vietnam protest song "Bring the Boys Home".

Freda singing "Deeper And Deeper":

In 1973, being dissatisfied with her royalties Freda left Invictus and recorded albums for ABC/Dunhill and Capitol, but she never found the commercial success she had with Invictus. She recorded a duet 'I Wanna See You Soon' with Capitol stablemates Tavares which gained radio airplay in 1977.

In 1981, she briefly hosted her own talk show "Today's Black Woman" and also found work acting in different movies, Broadway, and other theatre productions throughout the eighties. Although she was concentrating more on acting by that time, she never gave up music; in 1982, she recorded a single entitled "In Motion" for the independent Sutra label, and in 1986, she recorded a remake of her hit "Band of Gold" with Belinda Carlisle (of the Go-Gos).

In the 90s she also continued her acting career appearing on television shows including "Living SIngle, and in the 2000s she appeared in movies like The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, and Fire & Ice. She continues to record music and in early 2001, she released a new album called Come See About Me for the Volt label.

Not much is known about Freda's personal life, although it is known that she was married briefly to singer-songwriter Gregory Abbott ("Shake You Down"). She's also the older sister of singer Scherrie Payne (formerly of the 70s version of the Supremes).

Freda Payne is still performing, and is still stunning! For more info on where she's appearing check out her her website:
www.fredapayne.com

Have a great weekend!

More Freda...