Joyce Melissa Morgan[2] (usually spelled Meli'sa; born December 6, 1964) is an American R&B/Soul singer–songwriter. Morgan had a string of urban contemporary hits from the mid–1980s to the mid–1990s. Most notable include her cover version of Prince's "Do Me, Baby" (1985), "Do You Still Love Me" (1986) and "Still in Love with You" (1992).
Meli'sa Morgan | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Joyce Melissa Morgan |
| Born | December 6, 1964[1] Queens, New York, U.S. |
| Origin | New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Singer–songwriter |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Labels | |
Early life
editBorn in Queens, New York, Morgan got her start in the music industry while singing with a church gospel choir called the Starlets of Corona. Morgan cites Chaka Khan as a major influence.[2]
Career
edit1982–1992
editHer initial chart entry was as the lead singer of the dance group, Shades of Love. They had a single entry at #26 on Billboard magazine's Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1982 with "Body to Body (Keep in Touch)." This was re-popularized in 1994 by new remixes and reached number 1 on the same chart. That same year, music entrepreneur Jacques Fred Petrus asked her to join his newly created studio group, High Fashion, that featured Morgan and two other New York vocalists, Eric McClinton and Alyson Williams. High Fashion's sole hit, "Feelin' Lucky Lately," reached #32 on the US Black Singles chart.[3] In 1983, Morgan left, and was replaced in the group by the jazz vocalist, Marcella Allen. Morgan worked as a backing singer with Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston, and Melba Moore.[4]
As a solo artist, she topped the R&B chart with her cover version of Prince's "Do Me, Baby" for 3 weeks,[5] (the title track from her debut album) which also became her only Billboard Hot 100 entry, peaking at number 46 in 1986.[6] She also had a top 5 R&B single with "Do You Still Love Me" from her debut album.[6] She had several solo hits on the US dance chart as well, including "Still in Love with You," which hit #3 in 1992.[6]
A verse from Morgan's 1986 single "Fool's Paradise" was re-vamped, with modified lyrics, by Mary J. Blige as the chorus to the 1996 Jay-Z single "Can't Knock the Hustle."
2005–present
editAfter a lengthy hiatus, Morgan released her fifth solo album, I Remember. The first single, "Back Together Again", a song originally recorded by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, received moderate airplay on urban contemporary radio stations during early 2006 and peaked at number 46 on Billboard's R&B chart.[6] The follow-up singles included "I Remember," "Will You?," and "High Maintenance" which were released in September 2006. New material by Meli'sa Morgan can be heard on a German release by Cool Million, which features Meli'sa Morgan on lead vocals on the opening track "Sweet Baby."
In 2014, Morgan was honored with an Unsung Heroine Award by the National R&B Music Society[7] at Resorts Casino in Atlantic City, NJ.
Morgan was featured on an episode of TVOne's Unsung which aired in 2015.
On May 28, 2024, Morgan scored her first gold album, for the 1986 debut album entitled, "Do Me Baby." It was certified gold by the RIAA for sales reaching over 500,000 units.[8][9][10]
Personal life
editMorgan was married to playwright, writer, and director Shelly Garrett from 1993 until 1994.[11]
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [12] |
US R&B /HH [13] | ||||
| Do Me Baby | 41 | 4 | |||
| Good Love |
|
108 | 11 | ||
| The Lady in Me |
|
— | — | ||
| Still in Love with You |
|
— | 38 | ||
| I Remember |
|
— | 96 | ||
| Love Demands |
|
— | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | |||||
Compilation albums
edit| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Do You Still Love Me?: The Best of Meli'sa Morgan |
|
Singles
edit| Title | Year | Chart positions | Artist | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B /HH [17] |
US Dance [18] | |||||
| "I'm in the Prime of Love" | 1978 | — | — | Business Before Pleasure (stylised as B.B.P.) | — | |
| "Feelin' Lucky Lately" | 1982 | 32 | — | High Fashion | Feelin' Lucky | |
| "Keep in Touch (Body to Body)" | — | 1 | Shades of Love | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||
| Title | Year | Chart positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [19] |
US R&B /HH [20] |
US Dance [21] |
UK [22] | |||
| "Do Me Baby" | 1985 | 46 | 1 | — | — | Do Me Baby |
| "Do You Still Love Me?" | 1986 | — | 5 | — | — | |
| "Fool's Paradise" | — | 24 | — | 41 | ||
| "Now or Never" | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Deeper Love" | 1987 | — | 74 | — | — | The Golden Child |
| "If You Can Do It: I Can Too" | — | 2 | 27 | 86 | Good Love | |
| "Love Changes" (with Kashif) | — | 2 | — | — | ||
| "Here Comes the Night" | 1988 | — | 17 | — | — | |
| "Good Love" | — | — | — | 59 | ||
| "Can You Give Me What I Want" | 1990 | — | 33 | — | — | The Lady in Me |
| "Don't You Know" | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Still in Love with You" | 1992 | — | 9 | 3 | — | Still in Love with You |
| "Through the Tears" | — | 18 | — | — | ||
| "I'm Gonna Be Your Lover (Tonight)" | — | 68 | — | — | ||
| "Tell Me (How It Feels)" (with Mike Stevens) | 1995 | — | — | — | —[A] | Joy |
| "Searchin'" (with Mike Stevens) | 1996 | — | — | — | — | |
| "Believe In Yourself" (with Soul Switch) | 1999 | — | — | — | — | — |
| "How" (with JT Taylor) | 2000 | — | 82 | — | — | A Brand New Me |
| "Don't Say Love" (with Soul Switch) | 2003 | — | — | — | — | — |
| "Back Together Again" (with Freddie Jackson) | 2005 | — | 46 | — | — | I Remember |
| "I Remember..." | 2006 | — | 86 | — | — | |
| "Sweet Baby" (with Cool Million) | 2015 | — | — | — | — | — |
| "So Good" | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Footprints of an Angel" | 2022 | — | — | — | — | TBA |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ "Tell Me (How It Feels)" did not enter the UK Singles Chart, but peaked at number 39 on the UK R&B Singles Chart.[22]
References
edit- ^ Mallegg, Kristin B. (2008). Who's Who Among African Americans (21 ed.). University of Michigan: Gale / Cengage Learning. ISBN 9781414400204.
- ^ a b "Introducing: Sultry Singer Meli'sa Morgan". Ebony. Vol. 43, no. 6. Johnson Publishing Company. April 1988. p. 140. ISSN 0012-9011.
- ^ "High Fashion". Billboard. July 10, 1982. Archived from the original on December 22, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
- ^ "Record News". Sounds. December 14, 1985. p. 6.
- ^ Wynn, Ron. "Biography: Meli'sa Morgan". AllMusic. Retrieved May 30, 2010.
- ^ a b c d "Meli'sa Morgan Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography". Music VF. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
- ^ "National R&B Society 4th annual black tie gala, award ceremony" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 5, 2015.
- ^ "R&B star Meli'sa Morgan finally gets her gold after 37 year wait". SoulTracks - Soul Music Biographies, News and Reviews. May 31, 2024. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
- ^ "Meli'sa Morgan's Debut Album Is Now Certified Gold". WBLS. June 1, 2024. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
- ^ "MSN". www.msn.com. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
- ^ "Making Wedding Plans". Jet. Vol. 84, no. 7. Johnson Publishing Company. June 14, 1993. p. 37. ISSN 0021-5996.
- ^ "Meli'sa Morgan Album & Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Meli'sa Morgan Album & Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ "US Certifications > Meli'sa Morgan". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
- ^ "I Remember - Meli'sa Morgan - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
- ^ "Do You Still Love Me?: The Best of Meli'sa Morgan - Meli'sa Morgan - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
- ^ "High Fashion Album & Chart History (R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2016. Retrieved August 7, 2017 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Shades of Love Album & Chart History (Dance Club Play Songs)". Billboard.com. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
- ^ "Meli'sa Morgan Album & Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Meli'sa Morgan Album & Chart History (R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^
- For "If You Can Do It: I Can Too": "Dance Club Play Songs". Billboard.com. February 20, 1988. Archived from the original on August 29, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2022 – via 12ft.io.
- For "Still in Love with You": "Dance Club Play Songs". Billboard.com. June 6, 1992. Archived from the original on August 29, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2022 – via 12ft.io.
- ^ a b "UK Charts > Meli'sa Morgan". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
External links
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