Jody Watley

Jody Watley
Jody Watley in 2008
Background information
Birth name	Jody Watley
Born	January 30, 1959 (1959-01-30) (age 50) Chicago, Illinois, United States
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, record producer, pianist
Years active	1977–present
Label(s)	SOLAR, MCA, Atlantic, Avitone Recordings
Associated acts	Shalamar, Babyface, 4Hero, Destiny's Child, Band Aid, George Michael

Jody Watley (born January 30, 1959 in Chicago, Illinois, United States) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and founder of Avitone Records [3].

Watley has sold over twenty million albums and singles worldwide.^[1] Along with Janet Jackson and Madonna, she ranks as one of MTV Video Music Awards most nominated female artists ever, with ten nominations. In 1987, she won the Grammy Award for "Best New Artist" [4]. In 2008, she was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from Billboard Magazine, and was also prominently featured^[2] in an historic issue of Vogue Italia highlighting black beauty that same year.

Jody Watley ranks as the #144 most successful R&B artist of all time according to Billboard magazine.^{[citation needed]}

Biography

Shalamar (1977–1984)

With an early influence of the legendary Diana Ross, [5], Watley got her start on the hit TV show Soul Train at the age of 14 but was not just any dancer. Documented by Ebony magazine in 1977 as a part of 'The New Generation', Jody Watley was one of the most popular on the show and recognized as a trendsetter.^[3] She was noted as innovative and influential to teenage girls all over the United States who copied her hairstyles and dance moves. The article states that one of her innovations was to use fans in her dance routines, which were called 'freestyle' and 'Waack Dancing.'^[4]

Founder of Soul Train, Don Cornelius would say in an interview with Jet in 1980, ^[5], that Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel were the most interesting of the dancers on Soul Train, and it was lucky that the duo could sing, as they were recruited to join the group.

From 1977 to 1984, she was an original member in the R&B group Shalamar with Howard Hewett and Jeffrey Daniel. Previously, the line-up included Gerald Brown^[5] as lead singer, prior to the addition of Hewett. Jody's style contributions from her Soul Train days, continued to be evident as wardrobe designer and choreographer for the group. ^[5]. Shalamar achieved a platinum-selling album, Friends, and the #1 R&B single The Second Time Around. After several reported conflicts in the group, and with Solar Records, Watley abruptly quit the group in 1984, determined to call her own shots.^[6]

Post-Shalamar, Jody recorded a guest vocal with British Jamaican roots reggae child pop stars Musical Youth [6] for their "Different Style" album. Musical Youth were most known for their international hit 'Pass The Dutchie'. She also recorded demo's with Gary Langan, Anne Dudley and J.J Jeczalik who later became Art of Noise as she charted a new music direction. A brief stint with Phonogram Records yielded two of the demo's as 12" promo recordings, 'Where the Boys Are' [7]and 'Girls Night Out'[8].

Most notably during this era, she took part in Bob Geldof's historic Band Aid alongside such stars as Sting, Bono from U2, and George Michael. Released by Phonogram, their charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" became the fastest selling single of all time in the UK, before being surpassed by Elton John's 'Candle in the Wind (Tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales)' in 1997. 'Do They Know It's Christmas' helped raise millions of dollars for famine relief in Ethiopia.

She is said to be related to Michele Watley, also known as "Midori," a former adult film actress and singer who also appeared in mainstream films.^{[citation needed][citation needed]}

Solo Debut Jody Watley (1986–1988)

Jody Watley in Paris, France on location for 'Still a Thrill' Video from solo debut.

In late 1986, MCA released the first single from her debut album called "Looking for a New Love", co-penned by Watley[9]. The single became a hit with an instant catch phrase ("Hasta La Vista…Baby").

Watley's solo debut album, Jody Watley, with her sharing in co- writing the majority of the album, was released in March 1987 on MCA Records. Looking for a New Love stayed at #2 on the Billboard's Hot 100 Single chart for four weeks and sold over 750,000 copies in the U.S. ^[7] The album peaked at #10 on The Billboard 200, and topped the Billboard Hot R&B Albums Chart at #1. [10].

The album, which also included a duet with English pop soul singer George Michael, produced four more hits; "Don't You Want Me" (#6), "Still a Thrill" (#56), "Some Kind of Lover" (#10) and "Most of All" (#60) according to Billboard. All singles were also hits in other genres such as R&B and Dance[11] . It sold over 2 million copies in the U.S. and nearly 5 million worldwide.

Jody Watley had the honor of performing another duet with one of her music influences Stevie Wonder, for his MTV Special "Characters Gathering". Also appearing in the performance were hip hop's Salt-n-Pepa, and influential guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughn.[12]

At the 30th Annual Grammy Awards, Watley was named Best New Artist and was nominated for Grammy Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. That same year (1988), she was also nominated for four MTV Video Music Awards and three Soul Train Awards, including Album of the Year and Single of the Year.

Larger Than Life (1989)

Jody Watley 1989.

In the spring of 1989, Watley released her second album, Larger than Life. Her second album solidified her as a pop icon in the music industry. The album sold over four million copies worldwide and hit the Top 5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in America. The first single release, Real Love , was a massive hit that set a trend with its new style of bass heavy-thumping beat dance. In America, it hit #1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, the Single Sales chart, and the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, while hitting #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The single went gold for attaining sales of over 500,000 copies. The album contained two more Top 10 Pop, Dance and R&B hits: "Friends" (featuring Eric B. & Rakim). It is noted as the first singer/rapper collaboration that became commonplace by the late 1990s. The ballad "Everything" peaked at #11 on the Adult Contemporary chart, #3 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The albums final single, "Precious Love" became a moderate hit peaked at #51 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and #87 on the Billboard Hot 100.

During the summer of 1989, Watley's "Real Love" video, directed by David Fincher, was nominated for seven MTV Video Music Awards including Breakthrough Video, Best Art Direction, Best Dance Video, and Best Female Video at the 1989 award show. That record was held until Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson's video "Scream" received 11 VMA nominations in 1995. The next year, she was nominated for two Soul Train Awards, an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Female Artist, and a Narm Award for Best Selling R&B Female Album. While riding high on her Larger Than Life World Tour, a remix album, You Wanna Dance with Me?, was released in October 1989 and hit Gold status in America.

Into the 90s

Fashion and Style.

Jody Watley as featured in Italian Vogue.

In 1990, Watley released a million-selling home video, Dance To Fitness, a first for a black woman. Leaving behind the trendy looks of her solo debut, Jody was photographed by famed fashion photographer Steven Meisel for her second album 'Larger Than Life'. With a sleeker fashion forward image for the album and accompanying videos such as the heavily nominated Real Love and Friends where she appeared in couture Jean-Paul Gaultier, Watley became somewhat of an early fashion darling during this era; evidenced by her visibility in ad campaigns for Gap titled 'Individuals', and fashion layouts in such high profile magazines as Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, Vogue Italia, Rolling Stone, and Essence. Further embraced into the mainstream and fashion media, Watley was featured in Vanity Fair, Interview, and also named one of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People of 1990[13]. In 1990, she also further broadened her musical horizons by contributing a jazzy rendition of "After You, Who?" (on which she also apparently played piano) to Red, Hot, & Blue, the first major AIDS-awareness charity recording by contemporary stars. Singing Cole Porter, included in the project with Watley was a diverse cast including Annie Lennox, Tom Waits, and David Byrne. During the 1990s the subject of HIV and AIDS was, according to the New York Times being largely ignored [14]. Red, Hot and Blue went on to sell over a million copies [15] launching a series of Red Hot benefit albums. The project helped open the doors for greater HIV and AIDS awareness in the media,[16]. The following year, Jody quietly married long time producer André Cymone.

Affairs of the Heart (1991)

On December 17, 1991, Watley released her third album, Affairs of the Heart, described by Justin Kantor, in 'Guide to Soul', an overlooked standout of her 80's and 90's output[17]. "Affairs of the Heart" was described as deeper than her previous two albums, with a broader lyrical scope, which may have caused some confusion with her fan base. The album peaked at #21 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, #124 on The Billboard 200), and sold less than 400,000 copies in the U.S. Watley claimed to have had only minor marketing and promotional support for her new sound and artistic vision. Although the lead single, "I Want You," peaked at #5 on the Hot R&B Singles chart, it only managed to climb to #61 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The next single, "I'm The One You Need" fared better, peaking at #19 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was Watley's first foray into House music produced by international DJ David Morales who also remixed the track to produce his infamous Dead Zone mix. It was seen as an underground masterpiece, with vinyl promos trading at one time in excess of $100. The remix is featured on the DJ John Digweed's Choice Classics compilation album produced by Azuli Records.

The final single was the inspirational pop ballad "It All Begins With You". The performance earned Watley a special invitation by President George H. W. Bush in 1992 to perform the song at the White House[18], Watley also used the opportunity to encourage the government to provide more support and funding for public schools [19]. "It All Begins With You" peaked at #80 on the Hot R&B Singles chart.

Intimacy (1993)

On November 9, 1993 MCA released Jody's fourth solo album, the introspective relationship themed Intimacy. Noting that the New Jack Swing was all the rage in R&B at the time, Amy Linden wrote in People Magazine that 'Intimacy' continued the process of Watley's move toward more refreshingly adult themes, which began with 'Affairs of The Heart, and stated that Watley was deserving of serious attention.[20]. Jody Watley noted at the time that the songs she wrote were always personal statements, and strong female statements.[21]

'Intimacy' with its songs of romance and angst[22] reached #38 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and #164 on The Billboard 200. The first single was the danceable R&B jazz influenced "Your Love Keeps Working On Me", peaking at #26 R&B and #2 Dance. Watley added video director to her resume, for the spoken word/hip-hop tune "When a Man Loves a Woman".[23] With her lyrics aimed at respect of women, relationships, HIV and AIDS achieved moderate success on the R&B and Dance singles charts, and #11 R&B and #16 Dance. The BBG Remix of "When a Man Loves a Man" also topped the dance charts in the UK. It also contained the song "Ecstasy", produced by David Morales, which became an underground hit and later appeared on her Greatest Hits collection.

Affection (1995)

After having parted ways with MCA Records, Watley took an independent and entrepreneurial path releasing her fifth solo album, Affection, on July 11, 1995 through her own Avitone Records label. The launch of the label seemed to mark a new chapter in Watley's continued metamorphosis. [24]. She told USA Today in an interview that year that though she knew critics and fans expected her to do the same thing all the time, she didn't like being tied down to formulas.

She aligned Avitone with with noted independent Bellmark Records as distributor. After leaving Warner Brothers Records, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Prince [25] had begun his independent label NPG Records, releasing the hit single 'The Most Beautiful Girl in The World', with Bellmark as distributor in 1994.

According to Jose Promis of All Music Guide, the release lacked the urgency and immediancy of her dance era hits, but was an engaging collection of slow burners, mid tempo and jazzy R&B [26]. The album's title track, "Affection", became a modest R&B hit, peaking at #28 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart [27].

Greatest Hits (1996)

Jody Watley on Broadway in New York as Rizzo in the hit musical GREASE!.

In 1996, Watley's career continued to evolve. She made history as the first African-American to play Rizzo in the hit Broadway musical Grease at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre.

Watley was photographed by famous photographer, Victor Skrebneski, for the popular Saks Fifth Avenue Defining Style Fall Catalog, where she appeared in a 15 page high fashion layout.

That fall, Watley scored a platinum-selling single as a guest vocalist on Babyface's "This Is For The Lover In You". The single, which also featured vocals from LL Cool J and Watley's former Shalamar bandmates Howard Hewett and Jeffrey Daniel, was a remake of Shalamar's Top 10 hit by the same name. Babyface's version peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and #2 on the R&B Singles Chart. The song's video received heavy rotation on MTV and BET. As the year wound to a close, taking a slight detour from her Avitone label, Watley signed with Big Beat/Atlantic Records. The same year MCA released a Greatest Hits package with Watley's recordings for the label.

The late 90s and the Millennium

Flower (1997-1998)

After spending most of 1997 in the recording studio crafting her sixth studio album, Flower, Watley was back in early 1998 with its lead singles "Off The Hook" and "If I'm Not In Love." "Off The Hook" peaked at #23 on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart and #73 Billboard Hot 100 but fared much better on Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. Propelled by remixes from Masters At Work and Soul Solution(Dance act), the track reached #1 on the dance chart, making it her first #1 Hot Dance Music/Club Play hit in nine years. Later the same year, a single of "If I'm Not In Love" was released, with promo mixes by Sal Dano (credited as BK Dano) and Lenny Bertoldo, and that song reached #2 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.

Big Beat Records was absorbed into its parent label, Atlantic Records, which then shelved the album from a U.S. release. Flower was, however, released in Canada, Great Britain, and Japan. The critically-acclaimed release was championed by many UK magazines, including Blues and Soul and Echoes among others.

The Saturday Night Experience (1999)

Jody Watley during Saturday Night Experience era.

In November 1999, Jody reactivated her independent label, Avitone, and released her seventh studio album: The Saturday Night Experience, which marked another stylistic musical change. A collection of organic club music tracks, it was released in Japan, along with a single "Another Chapter" with remixes by DJ Soma. Also included on the project was the drum and bass[28] title song 'Saturday Night Experience'. The song would later be included on tastemaking indepedendent label Giant Step Records[29] compilation 'Soul Sessions'[30], which spotlighted a diverse cast of artists from Herbie Hancock[31], electronic jazz duo Koop[32], and critically acclaimed Donnie[33]. It was during this era that Watley says she was inspired by 4Hero[34], whose MOBO Award Winning[35] 'Two Pages' in 1998, exposed her to this new genre of electronic dance music, which provided new inspiration after wanting to retire from the music industry after the disappointment of the handling of 'Flower'[36]. 'The Saturday Night Experience Vol. 1', as Watley told music historian David Nathan[37] was intended to be a concept album, a liberating experience, and one which she had no desire to try to get licensed or released in the U.S. Instead, the project was intended soley for those looking for something different.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, in 1999, Destiny's Child, with an additional mini bridge added by Beyonce Knowles[38] released a cover of the Watley-penned Flower album track "Sweet Sixteen", on their multi-platinum The Writing's On The Wall album[39].

The following year, MCA released 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Jody Watley, a sort of leaner version of Watley's previous Greatest Hits album.

Midnight Lounge (2001-2005)

Jody Watley meeting Queen of Malaysia in 2005.

In 2001, Jody released her eighth studio album, Midnight Lounge in Europe and Japan. It was a collection of tracks that combined a blend of soul, jazz, R&B, and club music. After achieving moderate success in its original release, Watley arranged for it to be released in the U.S. through her Avitone imprint in a short-term license deal with Shanachie Records on March 11, 2003. Midnight Lounge was Watley's first studio album released in the U.S. in eight years, reaching Top 20 status on Billboard Top Electronic Albums chart. Junior Vasquez and several other producers contributed remixes to the single release of "Whenever", bringing the track to #19 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play Chart. One of the album's other single, "Photographs", became a sizable hit overseas, especially in Japan. It became an underground hit stateside. Photographer Michael Walls is credited on the album sleeve.

In 2005, Watley made history on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play Chart, when she re-released her 1987 smash hit "Looking For a New Love", her 2005 remixes of the song hit #1 on the Billboard Dance/Club Play chart for the second time in 2005, making her the first artist ever to take the same song to #1 in two different decades. The 2005 mixes of the single sold well in multiple formats. As a result of this single hitting #1, Jody Watley has the distinction of being among the few artists who have been to #1 on Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in all of the past three decades (the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s).

The same year, Watley was among those invited to participate in the Force of Nature Relief Concert [40] to aid the thousands affected by devastating effects of a massive tsumani [41]. During the trip Watley along with other participants including The Black Eyed Peas, Lauryn Hill, actor Jackie Chan and others were invited by special invitation to the Royal Palace to meet The King and Queen of Malaysia for a special Tea reception in showing their gratitude for all involved with Force of Nature.[42]

The Makeover (2006-2008)

Jody Watley promoting 'The Makeover' in-store.

Watley's album The Makeover was released on August 8, 2006 through Avitone Records in a unique partnership as an exclusive with the Virgin Megastore chain, where it debuted at #1 for the retailer over major label releases, in a "new paradigm" concept in the music business. The 1st single/video is a remake of Madonna's "Borderline". The single reached #2 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, January 13, 2007. The second single, a cover of Chic's "I Want Your Love" reached #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play for the week of June 16, 2007. The album is coproduced by Watley's long-term collaborator Rodney Lee and an international selection of producers and DJs such as 4hero, King Britt, Mark De Clive Lowe, DJ Spinna, and Chris Brann of the Wamdue Project.

Watley was asked by her long-time trainer to appear with him while working out, as a guest of the Bravo's reality series, Work Out, to promote The Makeover.

In 2007, Watley was listed as #5 in the Year End Billboard Dance Play Artists. Her single "I Want Your Love" was #15 and "Borderline" #19 according to Billboard Year End Chart Review for 2007.^{[8] [9]} In January 2008, Watley topped the U.K. Dance Charts according to Music Week Jan. 7 at #1, her first U.K. mainstream dance hit in two decades.^[10]

In 2008 Jody Watley branched further into the entrepreneurial side launching an online music store, [43], while extending her singles chart streak by securing with the Top Five Billboard Dance Single, "A Beautiful Life".[44], bringing the total to 3, of Top Five Singles for "The Makeover".

Discography

Awards and nominations

Personal life

Watley's father was a minister/disc jockey. Her sister Michelle is supposedly known as adult star Midori. Jody's brother John was her tour manager in 1996, and now operates a vocal training and production company in Japan.^[11] She has two children, Lauren and Arie, and was married to producer André Cymone.^[12][13]

References

• New Jody Watley Interview, UrbanBridgez.com
• Ebony Magazine August 1978 pg. 64-68 discusses Jody Watley as trendsetting popular dancer
• Jet Magazine May 1980 notes Jody Watley as designer for stage costumes and group choreographer
• Ebony Magazine February 1988 pg. 170 Jody Watley Interview where she states she wanted to be in control of her own destiny, with regard to her departure from the group Shalamar
• Soul Music Historian David Nathan references UK electronic duo 4Hero's influence on Watley for The Saturday Night Experience Vol
• Jet Magazine 1992 pg.6 Johson Publications Jody Watley Invited to perform at White House for President

All Music Guide, 'Guide to Soul'. June 2003 pg. 736 'Affairs of the Heart' chronicled. ISBN 0879307447

• USA Today Feb 23, 2009 USA Today, Feb 23, 2009, Red, Hot and Blue Stays on It's Mission
• Portraits From The GAP Collection, ISBN 159591066, 978159910165 pg. 46-47
• Photographed by Michel Comte. Interview by Lynn Hirshberg Vanity Fair Magazine, October 1991, Page 197
• Harper's Bazaar, November 1991 pg. 142-145, Jody Watley, 'Heart and Soul'.
• Michel Comte, 1979-1999 Fashion Images from Italian Vogue, ISBN 3-8238 0999-7, Jody Watley pg. 46-47
• NY Times Article related to HIV and AIDS
• Artist Chart History 'A Beautiful Life' Single, Billboard.com
• Jody Watley Launches Online Music Store, Essence.com
• Intimacy, People Magazine, Amy Linden, 8 November 1993
• Jody Watley Quote on Diana Ross Influence ^[14]
• Jody Watley Meets Queen of Malaysia ^[15]
• All Music Guide, Best New Artist Grammy Award. ^[16]
• Saks Fifth Avenue, Defining Style Fall Catalog 1996. Pages 81-96^[17]
• USA Today, Monday July 17, 1995 by James T. Jones IV, USA Today Life Section^[18]
• Jet Magazine May 30, 1988 Pages-58-61, Stevie Wonder MTV Special with Jody Watley ^[19] [45]

See also

• List of best-selling music artists
• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jody Watley

• Ebony Magazine 1978 "The New Generation"
• Jet Magazine May 1980
• Ebony Magazine Feb. 1988
• Jody Watley's official site
• Jody Watley's My Space page
• Jody Watley at Allmusic

• Jody Watley at the Internet Movie Database
• Soul Express - Jody Watley on tour with Chris Standring & Jeff Lorber
• Jody Watley: MAD Jody Pages
• Aria - 10 Questions with Jody Watley
• People Magazine Nov. 1993 [46]
• Billboard Magazine][47]
• Essence Magazine][48]
• Jody Watley at ArtistDirect [49]
• Stevie Wonder MTV Special, Jet May 30, 1988, Page 58-50 [50]
• Ebony Magazine, Jody Watley 'Intimacy' [51]
• Billboard Magazine, "The Eye Column", with Deborah Russell, Quick Cuts[52]
• Jody Watley at Billboard Magazine Discography [53]
• Jody Watley on Songs from the Alchemist's Playground with Tony Blass and Eric G. KCLA-FM 99.3 - Interview Part 1
• Jody Watley on Songs from the Alchemist's Playground with Tony Blass and Eric G. KCLA-FM 99.3 - Interview Part 2
• Jody Watley on Songs from the Alchemist's Playground with Tony Blass and Eric G. KCLA-FM 99.3 - Interview Part 3
• Jody Watley on Songs from the Alchemist's Playground with Tony Blass and Eric G. KCLA-FM 99.3 - Interview Part 4