Jessica Cleaves

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Jessica Cleaves (born December 10, 1948 in Los Angeles , California - † May 2, 2014 ) was an American singer and songwriter. Cleaves was the lead singer of The Friends of Distinction from 1968 to 1975 .

life and career

Jessica Cleaves was born in 1948 to librarian Gladys Mary Cleaves and US Postal worker Lane C. Cleaves II. Her paternal grandfather, C. Lane Cleaves Sr., was the presiding bishop of Phillips Temple Church , CME .

The vocal quartet The Friends of Distinction was founded by Harry Elston and Floyd Butler. In addition to Cleaves, Barbara Jean Love and Charlene Gibson, who represented Love during her pregnancy, also belonged to the band. In the 1970s, Cleaves also appeared with Earth, Wind and Fire , and later with George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic .

Cleaves' godson, the filmmaker Armand Araujo, planned to film her life story in 2013 under the title Jessica Cleaves, My Friends of Distinction .

Discography (selection)

with The Friends of Distinction :

  • 1969: Grazin , RCA Victor
  • 1969: Highly Distinct , RCA Victor
  • 1970: Real Friends , RCA Victor

with Earth, Wind and Fire :

  • 1972: Last Days And Time , Columbia Records
  • 1973: Head To The Sky , Columbia Records

with Funkadelic / Parliament (background vocals):

  • 1976: Tales Of Kidd Funkadelic , Westbound Records
  • 1979: Uncle Jam Wants You , Warner Bros. Records
  • 1979: GloryHallaStoopid (Pin The Tale On The Funky) , Casablanca Records
  • 1980: Trombipulation , Casablanca Records
  • 1981: The Electric Spanking Of War Babies , Warner Bros. Records

with George Clinton :

  • 1989: George Clinton Presents Our Gang Funky , MCA Records
  • 1992/3: George Clinton And Family Part 1-4 , Essential

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ REST IN LOVE & PEACE: JESSICA CLEAVES 1948 - 2014
personal data
SURNAME Cleaves, Jessica
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American singer and songwriter
DATE OF BIRTH December 10, 1948
PLACE OF BIRTH Los Angeles , California
DATE OF DEATH May 2, 2014
Place of death Los Angeles , California