Song:If You Should Ever Be Lonely
Album:Disco Box Vol. 9: Dance Machine
The 1985 single If You Should Ever Be Lonely was the only hit single for career background singer Val "Lady V" Young. She only recorded two albums but she has toured and recorded with all kinds of black music legends. She was born June 13, 1958 in Detroit. She was discovered by George Clinton and she toured with him in 1977 as a member of the Brides Of Funkenstein backup singers. But before she could record with them, she left to join Roy Ayers' band. After a brief time, she joined The Gap Band and she was featured on the hit I Don't Believe You Want To Get Up And Dance (Oops Upside Your Head). She stayed with The Gap Band for five years until Rick James brought her to Motown and got her a contract by telling Berry Gordy she was the "black Marilyn Monroe". James was executive producer on Val's 1985 album Seduction. Most of the album was produced by James' keyboard player Levi Ruffin Jr. and Gap Band guitarist Fred Jenkins. If You Should Ever Be Lonely topped the dance charts. Jenkins played the guitar solo. Mariah Carey covered If You Should Ever Be Lonely on her album Heartbreaker. The problem was James had a habit of lying to Gordy about all of his signings. And so Val only recorded one album at Motown. You can get If You Should Ever Be Lonely on this various artists budget comp. James took Val to his pals at Amherst Records in his home town of Buffalo and produced Val's 1987 album Private Conversations. Then Val returned to backup singing. She went on tour with Bobby Brown and for years Val toured and recorded with many artists. Currently she is a member of the reformed Mary Jane Girls. They released a single in 2016. Here's a video for If You Should Ever Be Lonely by Val Young.
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