Song:(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher
Album:The Collection
This 1977 cover of the Jackie Wilson classic Higher and Higher was the biggest hit for Rita Coolidge. It took a while for her to break through commercially but her smooth vocal style made her a favourite on the Adult Contemporary charts through the mid-80s. She was born May 1, 1945 in Lafayette, TN near Nashville. She earned a BA at Florida State University and wanted to give music a shot before settling into teaching. So she moved to Memphis with her sister Priscilla Coolidge and they became backup vocalists with Delaney & Bonnie. They moved to Los Angeles and sang on sessions with Stephen Stills, Eric Clapton, Leon Russell and toured with Joe Cocker. After finishing Cocker's Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour, Rita signed with A & M Records in 1971. Though her debut album Rita Coolidge was critically acclaimed, it didn't sell. And that was true of her first few albums. They were all produced by A & M house producer David Anderle along with the legendary Booker T. Jones of Booker T. & The MG's who was married to Priscilla at the time. Rita married Kris Kristofferson in 1973 and recorded albums with him as well. They did well on the country charts but she had trouble breaking through as a solo artist. The 1977 album Anytime...Anywhere finally established Rita as a star. Higher and Higher reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the album reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 200 and was certified Platinum. The follow up single We're All Alone reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. Though Rita Coolidge never reached the pop top ten again, she did very well on the Adult Contemporary charts until she left A & M in 1984. There are a few Rita Coolidge comps available. This Australian one has 20 songs and is good value. Rita divorced Kris Kristofferson in 1980. They have one daughter. In 1997, she formed a group called Walela with Priscilla and Priscilla's daughter Laura Satterfield and have released several CDs. Rita attempted to reinvent herself as a jazz singer with the 2005 CD And So Is Love on Concord. We're seeing a lot of 70s pop singers try that. Here's the video for Higher and Higher by Rita Coolidge.
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