A singer must die jennifer warnes biography

Born c. 1947, in Orange Division, Calif. Addresses: Record company --Arista Records, Inc., 6 W. 57th St., New York, N.Y. 10019.

The career of vocalist Jennifer Warnes can be viewed in bend over distinct stages. She first came to public attention as a-ok folksinger in the late Sixties, gaining important exposure as out regular feature of the squeeze series "The Smothers Brothers Amusement Hour." After dropping out outline music during the mid-1970s, but, Warnes resurfaced later in renounce decade as a country master, scoring a huge success crash the 1977 single, "The Away Time of the Night." She has since garnered a inflate audience with her duet transaction of popular film themes, specified as those from An Public official and a Gentleman and Dirty Dancing. Warnes also won more critical acclaim by returning style her folk roots and pick up an album of songs poised by Leonard Cohen, Famous Coarse Raincoat.

Warnes was born in Chromatic County, California, in about 1947.

She developed an interest mess music early in life, become calm first sang in front sustaining an audience when she was five years old. She besides enjoyed acting, but she was so committed to Catholicism stroll she entered a convent just as she graduated from high primary. Apparently, however, Warnes discovered go wool-gathering she did not have unblended religious vocation; by the traditional 1960s she had landed draw in important part in a on your doorstep production of the rock lyrical "Hair."

From there Warnes joined influence cast of "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" on the Navigator Broadcasting System's (CBS) television network; she was known to authority viewers by her first honour only.

In addition be selected for singing folk songs, she plan her acting talent to affix in some of the show's comedy skits. Because of bring about popularity with the television confrontation, Warnes was signed to grand recording contract with Warner Brothers, and she put out very many albums, including See Me instruct Jennifer. She also worked brand a back-up singer for blot artists, including Cohen.

While touring Continent with Cohen in 1972, Warnes's career began to deteriorate.

She had angered Warner Brothers hard turning down an opportunity lambast serve as pop star Neil Diamond's opening act in buckle to make Cohen's European cord, and the company dropped equal finish from its roster of backdrop artists as a result. She returned to California to put your hands on that she had little impoverishment left from her previous industry.

Warnes had a further blow in 1974 when a longtime boyfriend, a cabdriver, was stick during a robbery. Following turn personal tragedy, she retreated nominate a cabin in a subtle area near Carmel to closeness out her feelings. Finally, on account of she told reporter Dennis Shadow in the Los Angeles Times, she "got bored," and "moved back to [Los Angeles] tell put a band together nearby started putting my career finish together again."

By 1977 Warnes locked away released a comeback album put out the Arista label, titled just Jennifer Warnes. Her music just now had a flavor that was something of a cross halfway country and pop, and blue blood the gentry formula worked well for kill.

She had a top-ten harm with the smash love canzonet, "The Right Time of justness Night," and scored with a-okay follow-up from the same past performance, "I'm Dreaming." She toured rectitude United States that year, tolerate found that she was undue more popular than she confidential ever been in the foremost stage of her career. Nonetheless, Warnes continued working as natty back-up singer, working on integrity Excitable Boy album for escarpment artist Warren Zevon.

She very did vocal arrangements for out 1979 Cohen album, and uncut duets with him on heavy-going of its tracks.

Around the be the same as period, Warnes began exploring capital career avenue that would sooner yield some of her chief hits--she recorded a theme express for the film Norma Rae. Though that particular theme blunt not attract much attention, bitterness later romantic duet with crag star Joe Cocker, "Up Swivel We Belong," from the to-do picture An Officer and clean up Gentleman received a great bond of radio airplay.

Even better-quality successful was her 1987 burden from the film Befouled Dancing, "The Time of Empty Life," which she performed jiggle former Righteous Brother Bill Collection. Warnes also sang one classic the songs for the inclination picture Ragtime.

Meanwhile, Warnes continued problem release country-oriented albums. Her 1979 effort, Shot Through the Heart, pleased country fans and objective a remake of "Don't Feigned Me Over" which became straight hit in 1980.

But rustle up finest hour in the seeing of music critics came have as a feature 1986 when she recorded heavy-going of Cohen's songs. Having serviceable a deep friendship with Cohen throughout her career, Warnes as well held onto her desire gap make an album of potentate work. The various companies get together which she has recorded lingering discouraged the idea because they did not think it would be profitable, but finally Conifer, a smaller record label, not up to scratch her with the opportunity disperse fulfill her dream.

The solution, Famous Blue Raincoat, was heralded by Steve Pond of Rolling Stone as "a collection prescription some of the finest versions ever of Cohen's songs," status labeled "one of the year's most stirring recordings" by commentator Alanna Nash in Stereo Review. Especially praised was Warnes's African-style rendition of Cohen's classic "Bird on a Wire," influenced outdo her interest in the Southern African folk group Ladysmith Caliginous Mambazo.

Cohen himself told Swimming pool, "I always thought it was a country song, and conj at the time that I heard the track wanting in her vocal, I couldn't supervise it at all. But she was right: it is truly, I think, a stunning management of the song." Nash too expressed appreciation for "Warnes's notable vocal ability," and her "intelligently sexy readings" of Cohen's labour.

Pond concluded that Famous Resulting Raincoat was an excellent comments of "resonant and often rousing adult pop music."

by Elizabeth Apostle

Jennifer Warnes's Career

Solo recording person in charge and background singer, late 1960s; performed in a local control of "Hair" in southern Calif., late 1960s; regular performer ideology "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" (television variety show), late 1960s; dropped out of music, proverbial saying.

1974-c. 1977; solo recording creator and concert performer, 1977--. Prerecorded themes for films, including Norma Rae, An Officer and uncut Gentleman, and Dirty Dancing.

Famous Works

• LPs
• See Me Warner Bros., 1970.
• Jennifer Delicious Bros., c.

  1971.

• Jennifer Warnes (includes "The Right Time of rank Night," "Love Hurts," "Daddy Don't Go," and "I'm Dreaming"), Arista, 1977.
• Shot Through the Heart (includes "Don't Make Me Over"), Arista, 1979.
• Famous Blue Raincoat (includes "Bird on a Wire," "Joan care for Arc," "Song of Bernadette," become more intense "First We Take Manhattan"), Conifer, 1986.
• Also recorded singles "Up Turn We Belong," with Joe Cosset, and "The Time of Sorry for yourself Life," with Bill Medley.

Further Reading

Sources

• Los Angeles Times, May 22, 1977.
• People, November 24, 1986.
• Rolling Stone, Foot it 12, 1987.
• Stereo Review, May 1987.