SWV

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SWV
SWV group members Cheryl "Coko" Clemons (left), Leanne "Lelee" Lyons (middle), and Tamara "Taj" Johnson-George (right)
Background information
Also known as	Sisters with Voices
Origin	New York City, New York,United States
Genre(s)	R&B, new jack swing, hip hop soul, pop, dance
Years active	1990—1999 2005—present
Label(s)	RCA Records
Associated acts	Teddy Riley, Brian Alexander Morgan, Allstar, The Neptunes, Michael Jackson, New Edition, Diddy, Missy Elliott, Timbaland, Prince, New Edition
Members
Cheryl "Coko" Clemons Tamara "Taj" Johnson-George Leanne "Lelee" Lyons

SWV, also known as Sisters with Voices, is an American Grammy-award nominated female R&B/pop trio from New York. Formed in 1990, SWV had a series of hits, including "Weak", "Right Here/Human Nature", "I'm So Into You". The group disbanded in 1999 and pursued solo projects in different genres. SWV is currently ranked #100 on the Top 500 Pop Artists of the Past 25 Years^[1].

History and early career

SWV (an acronym for Sisters With Voices) was formed by three friends: Cheryl "Coko" Gamble-Clemons, Tamara "Taj" Johnson-George and Leanne "Lelee" Lyons. SWV got their start when they sent a 5 song demo to over 15 major record labels in the U.S. They scored a record deal with RCA Records after producer Teddy Riley, a former member of Guy, heard their demo. With Riley's help, the group's 1992 debut album, It's About Time, went double platinum and produced several Top Ten hits..^[2] Initially the girls had named themselves TLC (Taj, Lele & Coko), but were beaten to the name by r&b girl group TLC just 2 weeks earlier.^{[citation needed]}

SWV's first single, "Right Here", was released in the fall of 1992, reaching number 13 on the R&B charts. Their second single, "I'm So Into You," peaked at number 2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and reach the top 10 of the The Billboard Hot 100 peaking at number 6. The third single, "Weak", reached number 1 on both the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and The Billboard Hot 100. "Right Here/Human Nature," the third single and a remix of their first single, "Right Here", featured samples of Michael Jackson's hit "Human Nature." "Right Here/Human Nature" peaked at number 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album's final single, "Always On My Mind" would reach number 8 the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks.^[2][3]

Following the success of their first album, SWV appeared on the soundtrack for the 1994 film Above the Rim. The single, "Anything", became a Top Ten R&B hit and reached number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the spring of 1994. That same year, SWV released The Remixes, which went gold by the end of the year. In the summer of 1995, the trio lent vocal harmonies to Blackstreet's Top 40 R&B hit "Tonight's the Night." In 1995, SWV returned with New Beginning, which was preceded by the Allstar produced number one R&B hit "You're the One in 1996."^[3]

In 1996 - 1997, SWV released their third album, Release Some Tension followed by the release of A Special Christmas, the group's last studio album. Shortly after the release of A Special Christmas, SWV parted ways to pursue various solo projects.^[2]

2005 - present

Tamara "Taj" Johnson-George was a contestant on reality the show Survivor: Tocantins.^[4] She will participate in a 2009 national tour of the Vagina Monologues with an all-black cast, most of whom are also former reality show contestants.^[5]

On June 24, 2008, SWV made a special appearance at the BET Awards of 2008, performing "Weak" with Alicia Keys. They also sang the chorus to TLC's "Waterfalls". Coko currently resides in Virginia Beach. Lelee currently resides in Atlanta and Taj currently resides in Nashville.^{[citation needed]}.

In 2008, producer Brian Alexander Morgan announced plans to re-release SWV's first album It's About Time. In addition to past hits, the release is set to include six unreleased songs.^{[citation needed]}

In 2007, Taj appeared in the TV One reality series "I Married A Baller" which documented her life with husband Eddie George, former NFL player and present Nashville entrepreneur.^[6] SWV members Coko and Lelee (who sing the theme song along with Taj) appear in a couple of the show's episodes.

In 2005, SWV reunited and announced plans to record a new album the following year.^[2] In 2007, the group performed dates with After 7, Bobby Brown, New Edition, and Blackstreet.^[7]

Legacy

R&B/Pop act Jojo is heavily influenced and inspired by the work and vocal stylings of this group. She paid tribute to them on her debut album with her own version of "Weak".^{[citation needed]}

Discography

Compilations

• 1998: Greatest Hits (RCA) (Europe-Only Release)
• 1999: Greatest Hits (Simitar)
• 2001: Best of SWV
• 2003: Platinum and Gold Collection

Tours

• Weak (1993, UK)
• SWV World Tour (1996, USA, Europe, South Africa, Asia, New Zealand)
• Sistaz Only (1997)
• Release The Tension (1997, USA)
• New Jack Swing Tour (2005, USA, Canada)
• Billboard Live Tour (June 16 - June 21, 2008 Japan)

Opening Acts

SWV featured a number of successful female groups as opening acts throughout their various touring engagements. Those groups included such contemporaries as Xscape, Jade, Total, 702, and Destiny's Child.^{[citation needed]}

Awards and nominations

See also

• List of best selling music artists
• List of best selling female R&B groups
• Top Heatseekers
• List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (United States)
• List of performers on Top of the Pops
• Girl Group

References

External links

• SWV at the Internet Movie Database
• SWV at TV.com
• SWV at MySpace
• SWV at Allmusic
• SWV Online
• SWV official tour 2007
• SWV performing April 2008