Loleatta Holloway

Biography

It may surprise some that perennial dance diva Loleatta Holloway's highest charting solo record was a soulful ballad, "Cry To Me". Still, Holloway is best known for dance floor workouts like "Love Sensation", "Hit And Run" and "Gotta Be". Born in Chicago in 1946, Holloway developed her throaty, full-bodied vocal style and dramatic presentation while singing with her mother in the gospel group, the Holloway Community Singers. She then met her future producer, manager, and husband Floyd Smith. Smith who produced a cover of Gene Chandler's 1963/1965 hit "Rainbow '71" for his Apache label. Atlanta businessman Michael Thevis signed Holloway to his Aware label. The small double-sided hit "Our Love" (#43 US R&B)/"Mother Of Shame" (#63 US R&B) charted during the summer of 1973. The tunes were included on her debut album, "Loleatta" (1973). "Cry To Me", the title track of her second album, gave Holloway her highest charting solo single on the R&B and pop charts; written by master songwriter Sam Dees, it hit number ten R&B in early 1975.

Her first Gold Mind LP "Loleatta" (released March 1977) included "Hit And Run", which peaked at #56 US R&B. The two elongated alternate jam session takes of "Hit And Run" are disco classics. "Run Away" was released and was Holloway's next chart single (number 89 R&B in late 1977). After Gold Mind folded, all of their acts were transferred to Salsoul. Her first Salsoul LP, "Queen Of The Night" (Sept 1978), yielded the disco hits "Catch Me On The Rebound", "Mama Don't, Papa Won't" and "I May Not Be There When You Want Me". The LP also spawned her second highest charting single on the R&B charts, the duet ballad "Only You" by Loleatta Holloway and Bunny Sigler, which hit #11 R&B in late summer 1978.

Her next album, "Loleatta Holloway" (Sept 1979), included the disco hits "All About The Papers", "That's What You Said", "The Greatest Performance Of My Life" and the deep-soul ballad "There Must Be A Reason". Around 1979, Holloway contributed vocals to "Relight My Fire", a massive disco hit for Dan Hartman ("Instant Replay", "I Can Dream About You"). Hartman produced what became the singer's signature tune, "Love Sensation", which caused quite a sensation on the disco charts. And bore the same name as the subsequent 1980 hit album.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Holloway recorded for a succession of labels: DJ International, Saturday, Warlock, and Select, among others. Holloway's fortunes took a turn for the better when Mark Wahlberg, younger brother of New Kids On The Block's Donnie Wahlberg, sampled "Love Sensation" for his million-selling 1991 hit. "Good Vibrations" by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch featuring Loleatta Holloway hit number one pop during the fall of that year. The disco diva was more in demand than ever, riding the momentum of a number one pop hit. Holloway occasionally tours and resides in Chicago.

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