Her talent was spotted by a local impresario, Charles Fuller, who persuaded Inez to go solo and sing R&B.Ĭharlie was determined to work with Inez and, in 1959, overcoming parental disapproval, they journeyed to New York City. She attended Dudley high school and, upon graduating, joined the Gospel Tide Chorus and began working the southern church circuit. From an early age Inez joined her family singing at their local Baptist church and was singled out for her vocal talent. Yet Inez maintained her silence, one of those who walked away from music at the height of their talents.īorn in Greensboro, North Carolina, to John and Peggy Johnston, Inez had eight siblings and was closest to Charlie, who was two years her senior.
#Ike and tina turner songs series
A loyal UK audience, especially among northern soul aficionados, continued to champion her music and Mockingbird retained its popularity, sung by many and featuring in the 1994 film comedy Dumb and Dumber and such popular TV series as The Simpsons and Will & Grace. In 1974 she suddenly stopped recording and performing. That she never experienced greater chart success is one of those conundrums often to be found in popular music.
Inez’s striking looks, strong voice, assured stage presence and warm, engaging character won over audiences. I think the audience would enjoy that.Inez and Charlie Foxx performing No Stranger To Love in 1966. And for my own shows, maybe more costume changes.
What do you think you might take from this experience and bring it back to that part of your artistry? Goodwin: Laka, I know you perform under your own name and you also sing with the group Vote for Pedro. She was a very accomplished dancer and she could have chosen to live anywhere, but it was her mission to help people, and she found that there was a place where she could be of service and help and really impact the community. Louis developing her performing arts training center. Laka: And Katherine Dunham, the work she did in East St. From Josephine Baker to Maya Angelou, it’s like their lives went from entertainment to being really part of the struggles and the movements that were happening at the time. The one thing you see in all these women is how socially conscious some of them are.
And they all shared, as Laka’s referenced many times, a courage and a dedication to continuing the work, to continuing to grow as artists and as people. Hanrahan: They all created amazing art that transcended their neighborhood, their city, their country - that impacted the world. Goodwin: What connects all the women in this story? Laka: Yes, and I do it in a bluesy style, and that’s probably my real voice, I guess. Goodwin: Laka, you haven’t released it yet, but you’ve recorded "St. Louis Blues” and “Frankie and Johnny,” which put St. Joe Hanrahan: We start off with a couple of songs that weren’t by St. Laka: Oh yes, it’s the theme song of the show. A little rough around the edges, but I clean up all right. Louis, and I feel like I identify with her that way. She’s from small-town Tennessee, just this country girl coming to St. She’s from the country, I'm from Cape Girardeau. Would she be the one in this roster of people that you had the most familiarity with? Goodwin: You’ve cited Tina Turner as an influence before this process started, and I had the chance to watch a video of you performing a stripped-down version of “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” at the Blue Strawberry, which was very nice. And you wow them at the music venues at night. Goodwin: You're used to that hard work, right? You're an accomplished dietitian by day. And I think I identify with them in that way. If you want to people to hear your music, that's what it takes. You have to work really hard if you want to make it. You know, sometimes I think, ‘Man, I work really hard.’ That's what you have to do. Laka: I think mostly that it's just hard work. Goodwin: What did you learn from the women of “St. Goodwin spoke with Laka and playwright/director Joe Hanrahan about the inspiration they took from the powerful protagonists of “ St. Laka portrays Willie Mae Ford Smith, Josephine Baker, and Tina Turner, and also discusses and performs signature works by Katherine Dunham, Maya Angelou, Fontella Bass and Ann Peebles. Joined only by an onstage band, Laka stars in the Midnight Company’s world premiere of “St.
Louis and achieved great success in the fields of music, dance and literature. Now she’ll play a few every night.Īll are Black women who spent at least some of their lives in St. Louis vocalist Laka excels in the intimate cabaret format, but she’s never stood onstage and played a character before.
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