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{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| name = Frances Nero
| name = Frances Nero
Line 7: Line 8:
| alias =
| alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1943|3|13}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1943|3|13}}
| birth_place = [[Asheville, North Carolina|Asheville]], [[North Carolina]], United States
| birth_place = [[Asheville, North Carolina|Asheville]], North Carolina, United States
| death_date = {{death date and age|2014|11|28|1943|3|13}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|2014|11|28|1943|3|13}}
| death_place =
| death_place =
| instrument = [[Singing|Vocals]]
| instrument = Vocals
| genre = [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]], [[dance music]]
| genre = [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]], [[dance music]]
| occupation = [[Singer]]
| occupation = Singer
| years_active = 1960–1970, 1991-2014
| years_active = 1960–1970, 1991–2014
| label = [[Soul Records|Soul]], [[Motorcity Records|Motorcity]], AJA
| label = Soul ([[Motown]]), [[Shrine Records|Shrine]], [[Motorcity Records|Motorcity]], AJA
| associated_acts = [[Gino Parks]]
| associated_acts = [[Gino Parks]]
| website = http://www.francesnero.com
| website =
| notable_instruments =
}}
}}
'''Willie Frances Nero''' (née '''Peak'''; March 13, 1943 – November 28, 2014) was an [[United States|American]] [[soul music|soul]] and [[jazz]] singer. She recorded for [[Motown]] after winning their 1965 [[talent contest]] and had a UK [[hit single]] in 1991 with "Footsteps Following Me".
'''Willie Frances Nero''' (née '''Peak'''; March 13, 1943 – November 28, 2014) was an American [[soul music|soul]] and [[jazz]] singer. She recorded for [[Motown]] after winning their 1965 [[talent contest]] and had a UK [[hit single]] in 1991 with "Footsteps Following Me".


==Life and career==
==Life and career==
Peak was born in 1943 in [[Asheville, North Carolina]],<ref name=discogs/><ref name=soulexpress/> and attended Stephens-Lee High School. She performed on local radio, and sang lead vocals with two local groups, the Tams (not [[The Tams]]) featuring William "PO Bill" Mills, and the Untils, a group of classmates who included Stanley Baird, Bynum Griffin and Clifford Cotton, some of whom went on to play with such stars as [[Chuck Jackson]] and [[James Brown]].<ref name=soulexpress/><ref name=allmusic>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/frances-nero-mn0000799786|title=Frances Nero - Biography - AllMusic|author=Andrew Hamilton|work=AllMusic|accessdate=29 November 2014}}</ref>
Peak was born in 1943 in [[Asheville, North Carolina]],<ref name=discogs/><ref name=soulexpress/> and attended Stephens-Lee High School. She performed on local radio, and sang lead vocals with two local groups, the Tams (not [[The Tams]]) featuring William "PO Bill" Mills, and the Untils, a group of classmates who included Stanley Baird, Bynum Griffin and Clifford Cotton, some of whom went on to play with such stars as [[Chuck Jackson]] and [[James Brown]].<ref name=soulexpress/><ref name=allmusic>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/frances-nero-mn0000799786|title=Frances Nero – Biography – AllMusic|author=Andrew Hamilton|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=November 29, 2014}}</ref>


In 1960, she married [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]] native Johnny Nero and moved to the city. She almost joined [[The Marvelettes]], but returned to Asheville for a time before going back to Detroit and settling into married life. She had two children, and sang [[jazz]] in [[nightclub]]s, before entering a talent contest on [[WCHB]], the [[soul music|soul]] [[radio station]] in Detroit, sponsored by Motown. She became the first [[Live television|live performance]] winner in [[Motown Records]]'s history, emerging the winner out of 5,000 contestants in June 1965. She was awarded $500, a dozen long stemmed red roses, a [[recording contract]] for one year and the honor of being the first female artist signed to Motown's subsidiary [[Soul Records|Soul]] [[record label|label]].<ref name=soulexpress>{{cite web|url=http://www.soulexpress.net/deep110.htm#francesnero|title=Deep Online April 2010|publisher=Soulexpress.net|accessdate=29 November 2014}}</ref><ref name=dahl>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_3NBSvayMdgC&pg=PA284&dq=%22Frances+Nero%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=wskeU6adDYqphAe974GQAw&ved=0CEAQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22Frances%20Nero%22&f=false|title=Motown|publisher=Books.google.co.uk|accessdate=29 November 2014}}</ref> Her first record release was "Keep On Lovin' Me", written by [[William Weatherspoon]] and [[James Dean (songwriter)|James Dean]], and originally intended for The Marvelettes. It was [[record producer|produced]] by [[William "Mickey" Stevenson]], and released by Soul in early 1966.<ref name=discogs>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/88908-Frances-Nero|title=Frances Nero|publisher=Discogs.com|accessdate=29 November 2014}}</ref> However, it was not a major hit. She made no further recordings with Motown, and left the company after three years.<ref name=soulexpress/>
In 1960, she married Detroit, Michigan native Johnny Nero and moved to the city. She almost joined [[The Marvelettes]], but returned to Asheville for a time before going back to Detroit and settling into married life. She had two children, and sang [[jazz]] in [[nightclub]]s, before entering a talent contest on [[WMKM|WCHB]], the [[soul music|soul]] radio station in Detroit, sponsored by Motown. She became the first [[Live television|live performance]] winner in [[Motown Records]]'s history, emerging the winner out of 5,000 contestants in June 1965. She was awarded $500, a dozen long stemmed red roses, a recording contract for one year and the honor of being the first female artist signed to Motown's subsidiary [[Soul Records|Soul]] label.<ref name=soulexpress>{{cite web|url=http://www.soulexpress.net/deep110.htm#francesnero|title=Deep Online April 2010|publisher=Soulexpress.net|accessdate=November 29, 2014}}</ref><ref name=dahl>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/motownes00estl|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/motownes00estl/page/284 284]|title=Motown|year=1991|publisher=Internet Archive|isbn=9780553074215|accessdate=November 29, 2014}}</ref> Her first record release was "Keep On Lovin' Me", written by [[William Weatherspoon]] and [[James Dean (songwriter)|James Dean]], and originally intended for The Marvelettes. It was [[record producer|produced]] by [[William "Mickey" Stevenson]], and released by Soul in early 1966.<ref name=discogs>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/88908-Frances-Nero|title=Frances Nero|publisher=discogs|accessdate=November 29, 2014}}</ref> However, it was not a major hit. She made no further recordings with Motown, and left the company after three years.<ref name=soulexpress/>


After leaving Motown, Nero made further recordings with [[Raynoma Gordy]] and [[Gino Parks]] at [[Shrine Records]], which went unreleased. In the 1970s she cared for her mother until her death, and went to [[cosmetology]] school. She then began teaching the beauty trade, and worked on fashion shows, script writing and other businesses.<ref name=soulexpress/> Later, Frances got married again to Evelton Hines on March 3, 1976 and their daughter Evealyn Hines was born on March 28, 1978. In 1989, she was contacted by [[Ian Levine]], a British record producer and promoter of [[Northern soul]] music, and they recorded "Footsteps Following Me", written by Levine with [[Ivy Jo Hunter]] and Steven Wagner.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://soul-vendor.blogspot.co.uk/2008/06/frances-nero-footsteps-1991.html|title=The Soul Vendor: Frances Nero - Footsteps 1991|author=Mickey P.|publisher=Soul-vendor.blogspot.co.uk|accessdate=29 November 2014}}</ref> Her first recording for 23 years, the [[single (music)|single]] reached no.17 in the [[UK Singles Chart]] in 1991,<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book| first= David| last= Roberts| year= 2006| title= British Hit Singles & Albums| edition= 19th| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited| location= London| isbn= 1-904994-10-5| page= 390}}</ref> and was dubbed by British [[disc jockey]]s "the soul anthem of the nineties".<ref name=allmusic/> She made further recordings with Gino Parks, and released an album, ''Out On The Floor'', on Levine's [[Motorcity Records|Motorcity]] label.<ref name=soulwalking>{{cite web|url=http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Frances%20Nero.html|title=Frances Nero Page|publisher=Soulwalkiing.co.uk|accessdate=29 November 2014}}</ref> She appeared on [[Canada]]'s [[television program]], ''Swinging Time'' with host [[Robin Seymour]], and on UK shows such as ''[[Top of the Pops]]'', ''[[Terry Wogan|The Terry Wogan Show]]'' and ''[[The Hitman and Her]]''.<ref name=allmusic/>
After leaving Motown, Nero made more recordings with [[Raynoma Gordy]] and [[Gino Parks]] at [[Shrine Records]], which went unreleased. In the 1970s she cared for her mother until her death, and she went on to [[cosmetology]] school. She then began teaching the beauty trade, and worked on fashion shows, script writing and other businesses.<ref name=soulexpress/> Later, Frances got married again to Evelton Hines on March 3, 1976, and their daughter Evealyn Hines was born on March 28, 1978. In 1989, she was contacted by [[Ian Levine]], a British record producer and promoter of [[Northern soul]] music, and they recorded "Footsteps Following Me", written by Levine with [[Ivy Jo Hunter]] and Steven Wagner.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://soul-vendor.blogspot.co.uk/2008/06/frances-nero-footsteps-1991.html|title=The Soul Vendor: Frances Nero – Footsteps 1991|author=Mickey P.|date=June 6, 2008|publisher=Soul-vendor.blogspot.co.uk|accessdate=November 29, 2014}}</ref> Her first recording for 23 years, the single reached No. 17 in the [[UK Singles Chart]] in 1991,<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book| first= David| last= Roberts| year= 2006| title= British Hit Singles & Albums| edition= 19th| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited| location= London| isbn= 1-904994-10-5| page= 390}}</ref> and was dubbed by British disc jockeys "the soul anthem of the nineties".<ref name=allmusic/> She made further recordings with Gino Parks, and released an album, ''Out on the Floor'', on Levine's [[Motorcity Records|Motorcity]] label.<ref name=soulwalking>{{cite web|url=http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Frances%20Nero.html|title=Frances Nero Page|publisher=Soulwalkiing.co.uk|accessdate=November 29, 2014}}</ref> She appeared on Canada's television program, ''Swinging Time'' with host [[Robin Seymour (DJ)|Robin Seymour]], and on UK shows such as ''[[Top of the Pops]]'', ''[[Terry Wogan|The Terry Wogan Show]]'' and ''[[The Hitman and Her]]''.<ref name=allmusic/>


She formed her own record label, AJA Records, and released a single in 1996, "Love Ride". A CD compilation of her recordings with Levine, ''The Very Best of Frances Nero'', was issued in the US. In 2006, she issued a DVD autobiography, ''Mountains, Motown & Motion Pictures'', and in 2007 AJA released a CD, ''Frances Nero Salutes [[Dinah Washington]]''.<ref name=soulexpress/><ref name=allmusic/>
She formed her own record label, AJA Records, and released a single in 1996, "Love Ride". A CD compilation of her recordings with Levine, ''The Very Best of Frances Nero'', was issued in the US. In 2006, she issued a DVD autobiography, ''Mountains, Motown & Motion Pictures'', and in 2007 AJA released a CD, ''Frances Nero Salutes [[Dinah Washington]]''.<ref name=soulexpress/><ref name=allmusic/>


⚫
Nero's death was announced by various agencies on November 29, 2014, at the age of 71.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/news/3101-frances-nero-dies.html|title=FRANCES NERO DIES....|author=Bill Buckley|publisher=Soulandjazzandfunk.com|accessdate=November 29, 2014|archive-date=December 4, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141204013517/http://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/news/3101-frances-nero-dies.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thedeadrockstarsclub.com/2014b.html|title=The Dead Rock Stars Club 2014 July To December|publisher=Thedeadrockstarsclub.com|accessdate=November 29, 2014}}</ref>
==Death==
⚫
Nero's death was announced by various agencies on November 29, 2014, at the age of 71.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/news/3101-frances-nero-dies.html|title=FRANCES NERO DIES....|author=Bill Buckley|publisher=Soulandjazzandfunk.com|accessdate=29 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thedeadrockstarsclub.com/2014b.html|title=The Dead Rock Stars Club 2014 July To December|publisher=Thedeadrockstarsclub.com|accessdate=29 November 2014}}</ref>


== Discography==
== Discography==
1965 - Motown Records
1965 – [[Motown Records]]
*"Keep On Loving Me"
*"Keep On Loving Me"
*"Fight Fire With Fire"
*"Fight Fire With Fire"


1968 - [[Shrine Records]]
1968 – [[Shrine Records]]
*"Lady In Waiting" (duo with [[Gino Parks]])
*"Lady in Waiting" (duo with [[Gino Parks]])

1993 - MotorCity Records
*"Footsteps Following Me"


1991 – [[Motorcity Records]]
*"Footsteps Following Me" (licensed to Debut Records) - #17 UK Singles Chart<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/26968/frances-nero/|title=FRANCES NERO &#124; full Official Chart History &#124; Official Charts Company|website=[[Official Charts Company|Official Charts]] }}</ref>
*''Footsteps Following Me''
*''Footsteps Following Me''
*''The Best Of Frances Nero''
*''The Best Of Frances Nero''
*''MotorCity Various Artists Albums''
*''MotorCity Various Artists Albums''


1996 - Aja Records
1996 – AJA Records
*"Love Ride"
*"Love Ride"
*"It Ain't The Same Without You"
*"It Ain't The Same Without You"
⚫
*''For My Very Special Fans'' – A [[compilation album|compilation]] of [[Christmas carol]]s

⚫
*''For My Very Special Fans'' - A [[compilation album|compilation]] of [[Christmas carol]]s


2007/8
2007/8
Line 61: Line 58:


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.francesnero.com Official website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070129073445/http://www.francesnero.com/ Official website]
* [http://www.soulexpress.net/deep110.htm#francesnero An interview on her career in Soul Express]
* [http://www.soulexpress.net/deep110.htm#francesnero An interview on her career in Soul Express]
*{{Find a Grave|139347028}}


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME = Nero, Francis
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = American musician
| DATE OF BIRTH = March 13, 1943
| PLACE OF BIRTH = Asheville, North Carolina, US
| DATE OF DEATH = November 29, 2014
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nero, Francis}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nero, Francis}}
[[Category:1943 births]]
[[Category:1943 births]]
Line 80: Line 69:
[[Category:Motown artists]]
[[Category:Motown artists]]
[[Category:American soul musicians]]
[[Category:American soul musicians]]
[[Category:American pop singers]]
[[Category:American women jazz singers]]
[[Category:American jazz singers]]
[[Category:American dance musicians]]
[[Category:American dance musicians]]
[[Category:Northern soul musicians]]
[[Category:Northern soul musicians]]
[[Category:People from Asheville, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Musicians from Asheville, North Carolina]]
[[Category:21st-century American women]]

Latest revision as of 05:18, 6 September 2023

Frances Nero
Birth nameWillie Frances Peak
Born(1943-03-13)March 13, 1943
Asheville, North Carolina, United States
DiedNovember 28, 2014(2014-11-28) (aged 71)
GenresR&B, dance music
Occupation(s)Singer
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active1960–1970, 1991–2014
LabelsSoul (Motown), Shrine, Motorcity, AJA

Willie Frances Nero (née Peak; March 13, 1943 – November 28, 2014) was an American soul and jazz singer. She recorded for Motown after winning their 1965 talent contest and had a UK hit single in 1991 with "Footsteps Following Me".

Life and career[edit]

Peak was born in 1943 in Asheville, North Carolina,[1][2] and attended Stephens-Lee High School. She performed on local radio, and sang lead vocals with two local groups, the Tams (not The Tams) featuring William "PO Bill" Mills, and the Untils, a group of classmates who included Stanley Baird, Bynum Griffin and Clifford Cotton, some of whom went on to play with such stars as Chuck Jackson and James Brown.[2][3]

In 1960, she married Detroit, Michigan native Johnny Nero and moved to the city. She almost joined The Marvelettes, but returned to Asheville for a time before going back to Detroit and settling into married life. She had two children, and sang jazz in nightclubs, before entering a talent contest on WCHB, the soul radio station in Detroit, sponsored by Motown. She became the first live performance winner in Motown Records's history, emerging the winner out of 5,000 contestants in June 1965. She was awarded $500, a dozen long stemmed red roses, a recording contract for one year and the honor of being the first female artist signed to Motown's subsidiary Soul label.[2][4] Her first record release was "Keep On Lovin' Me", written by William Weatherspoon and James Dean, and originally intended for The Marvelettes. It was produced by William "Mickey" Stevenson, and released by Soul in early 1966.[1] However, it was not a major hit. She made no further recordings with Motown, and left the company after three years.[2]

After leaving Motown, Nero made more recordings with Raynoma Gordy and Gino Parks at Shrine Records, which went unreleased. In the 1970s she cared for her mother until her death, and she went on to cosmetology school. She then began teaching the beauty trade, and worked on fashion shows, script writing and other businesses.[2] Later, Frances got married again to Evelton Hines on March 3, 1976, and their daughter Evealyn Hines was born on March 28, 1978. In 1989, she was contacted by Ian Levine, a British record producer and promoter of Northern soul music, and they recorded "Footsteps Following Me", written by Levine with Ivy Jo Hunter and Steven Wagner.[5] Her first recording for 23 years, the single reached No. 17 in the UK Singles Chart in 1991,[6] and was dubbed by British disc jockeys "the soul anthem of the nineties".[3] She made further recordings with Gino Parks, and released an album, Out on the Floor, on Levine's Motorcity label.[7] She appeared on Canada's television program, Swinging Time with host Robin Seymour, and on UK shows such as Top of the Pops, The Terry Wogan Show and The Hitman and Her.[3]

She formed her own record label, AJA Records, and released a single in 1996, "Love Ride". A CD compilation of her recordings with Levine, The Very Best of Frances Nero, was issued in the US. In 2006, she issued a DVD autobiography, Mountains, Motown & Motion Pictures, and in 2007 AJA released a CD, Frances Nero Salutes Dinah Washington.[2][3]

Nero's death was announced by various agencies on November 29, 2014, at the age of 71.[8][9]

Discography[edit]

1965 – Motown Records

  • "Keep On Loving Me"
  • "Fight Fire With Fire"

1968 – Shrine Records

1991 – Motorcity Records

  • "Footsteps Following Me" (licensed to Debut Records) - #17 UK Singles Chart[10]
  • Footsteps Following Me
  • The Best Of Frances Nero
  • MotorCity Various Artists Albums

1996 – AJA Records

2007/8

  • Frances Nero Salutes Dinah Washington

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Frances Nero". discogs. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Deep Online April 2010". Soulexpress.net. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d Andrew Hamilton. "Frances Nero – Biography – AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  4. ^ Motown. Internet Archive. 1991. p. 284. ISBN 9780553074215. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  5. ^ Mickey P. (June 6, 2008). "The Soul Vendor: Frances Nero – Footsteps 1991". Soul-vendor.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  6. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 390. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  7. ^ "Frances Nero Page". Soulwalkiing.co.uk. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  8. ^ Bill Buckley. "FRANCES NERO DIES..." Soulandjazzandfunk.com. Archived from the original on December 4, 2014. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  9. ^ "The Dead Rock Stars Club 2014 July To December". Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  10. ^ "FRANCES NERO | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Frances_Nero&oldid=1174075444"