Joyce Jean Kennedy
Joyce Jean Kennedy (also known as "Baby" Jean Kennedy; * 1948 in Anguilla ) is an American funk and R&B singer.
Life
Kennedy grew up in Mississippi in a musical Masonic family that stayed away from the racial tensions of the time. In 1955 she moved to Chicago with her mother , where she later began her singing career. Joyce Kennedy released her first single in 1963 on Ran-Dee Records. It initially remained with regional successes until she met Glenn Murdock in the early 1970s, whom she later married. Together they founded the original black funk rock band Mother’s Finest .
The band first came under contract with RCA Records , later switched to Epic Records and released several albums, some of which achieved gold status. The singles Fire (1976) and Baby Love (1977) reached number 93 and 58 respectively on the Billboard Hot 100 . In 1978 the band was a guest on the 2nd Rockpalast Night and in the following period also achieved a high level of awareness in Europe.
In 1983 the band broke up and Kennedy devoted himself to her solo career. Her lyrics turned increasingly to social issues and her other publications were henceforth published by A&M Records .
The band got back together in 1989 and released other albums. This time on the drums sat Dion Derek Murdock , the son of JJ Kennedy and Glenn Murdock.
However, Kennedy continued to release her own music as well, reaching number 2 on the R&B charts and number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Discography (excerpt, only solo)
- 1984: Stronger Than Before
- 1984: The Last Time I Made Love (with Jeffrey Osborne , 1985 nominated for the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals )
- 1985: Didn't I Tell You
Filmography
- 2002: Class hard (as "Baby Jean" Kennedy)
- 2012: Mother's Finest Live at Rockpalast , DVD (with Mother's Finest)
Web links
- Joyce Jean Kennedy in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Kennedy, Joyce Jean |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Kennedy, baby Jean |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American singer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1948 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Anguilla , Mississippi , United States |