Formed in Harlem, New York, USA, this R&B trio comprising Lisa Lisa (Lisa Velez, 15 January 1967, New York City, New York, USA; vocals), Mike Hughes (guitar) and Alex ‘Spanador’ Moseley (guitar) was put together and produced by rap crew Full Force. The trio was signed to Columbia Records in 1985 and recorded their debut single, ‘I Wonder If I Take You Home
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30 January 1959, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Formerly one third of Shalamar between 1977 and 1984, a hugely successful group of the disco era, Watley’s first professional experience had come as a dancer on the television show Soul Train. After Shalamar disbanded she made the progression to solo artist, working in a contemporary soul/urban R&B vein. Her self-titled debut
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Lesley Wonderman, 7 March 1962, Baldwin, Nassau County, New York, USA. Dayne rose from obscurity to the top of the US pop charts in the late 80s and early 90s. Dayne listened to rock and soul music as a child and made her onstage singing debut at the age of six. In high school she took singing lessons and after graduating joined the rock band Felony followed by a new wave ba
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19 June 1962, San Fernando, California, USA. After spending much of her childhood in dance schools and troupes, Paula Abdul secured a role in the L.A. Lakers basketball cheerleaders team and at 17 became their choreographer. Spotted by the Jacksons, she was employed to assist them on dance routines for their live dates on the Victory tour. Abdul’s big break came when sh
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A family act originally from the Polynesian island of Tonga, the Jets are eight of the 14 children of Mike and Vake Wolfgramm. The family moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, USA but eventually settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The oldest boy, Leroy, began showing musical interest as a young child and joined a club act including some of his uncles when he was aged 11. Leroy and seve
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Deborah Ann Gibson, 31 August 1970, Brooklyn, New York, USA. This pop singer generated massive sales in the late 80s, particularly in her homeland. Following training in piano and early songwriting ventures, Gibson was signed to the management of Doug Breithart by the time she was 13 years old. The following three years saw her apprenticeship in recording studios as she prod
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Perri Alette McKissack, Oakland, California, USA. This female singer, nicknamed ‘Pebbles’ by her family for her resemblance to the cartoon character Pebbles Flintstone, is based in San Francisco, California, and enjoyed substantial success after teaming up with black pop’s hottest production team, L.A. Reid And Babyface. Before their meeting she had spent her
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Sheena Shirley Orr, 27 April 1959, Bellshill, Scotland. Orr began performing while studying speech and drama at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music And Drama, studying by day and singing with the band Something Else in the evenings. Her short-lived marriage to actor Sandi Easton gave Orr her new name, and as Sheena Easton she was signed to EMI Records in 1979 following an au
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15 April 1966, London, England. While studying for her O-level examinations, 16-year-old Fox was ‘discovered’ by the Sun newspaper and promoted as a topless model. Before long she became something of a British institution and a recording career beckoned. Her debut single in 1986, ‘Touch Me’ elicited almost universally favourable reviews with critics regis
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Formed in London, England in 1980, this all-female pop trio originally comprised Keren Woodward (2 April 1961, Bristol, England), Sarah Dallin (b. 17 December 1961, Bristol, England) and Siobhan Fahey (b. Siobhan Marie Fahey, 10 September 1958, Dublin, Eire). After singing impromptu at various parties and pubs in London, the trio was recorded by former Sex Pistols drummer Pa
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Steven B. Hill, Miami, Florida, USA. Latin hip-hop artist whose records were bedecked with vocals for which the term crooning was not too strong. As well as dance numbers and rap excursions, he was equally adept at balladeering. In fact, the latter style gave him his first crossover hits, ‘Love & Emotion’ and ‘Because I Love You (The Postman Song)’. T
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