Stephanie Mills

Stephanie Mills, 2017

Stephanie Mills (* 22. March 1957 as Stephanie Dorthea Mills in Brooklyn , New York ) is an American R & B - and soul singer . Between the late 1970s and early 1990s, it had 29 hits on the American R&B charts . Never Knew Love Like This Before was a worldwide hit in 1980 and received two Grammys . Before that, she also played a number of years successfully in the Broadway musical The Wiz , a role that earned her the name "The Little Girl With the Big Voice".

Career

Stephanie Mills began her career as a little girl on Broadway. In the fall of 1968 she made her debut in the musical Maggie Flynn at the age of eleven . In 1974, ABC released her little-noticed debut album Movin 'in the Right Direction . A year later, the role of Dorothy in the African-American musical The Wiz Mills made a star. The singer also played this role during a tour in 1976. When preparations for the film version began in 1978 , however, the singer Diana Ross , who was 13 years her senior, was selected for the lead role. In the meantime, Mills had signed a recording deal with Motown . The album For the First Time (1975) contained only songs by Burt Bacharach and Hal David , who also took over the production. The attempt to build Mills as the successor to Dionne Warwick failed, however, the LP was a commercial flop.

Mills was only able to conquer the charts in 1979 with the help of the disco sound that was popular at the time . Whatcha Gonna Do with My Lovin ' was her first Top 25 success in the US. Things went even better with the gentle mid-tempo track Never Knew Love Like This Before from the Sweet Sensation album . The song reached number 6 in the US and received a gold award. In Great Britain the title was in the top 5, in the Netherlands in second place. From then on Mills was one of the most successful R&B stars in the USA. The albums Whatcha Gonna Do with My Lovin ' , Sweet Sensation and Stephanie received gold awards between 1979 and 1981, and Never Knew Love Like This Before received a Grammy in 1980 for the best R&B song and the best R&B performance by a woman . The following year, she was also honored with an American Music Award for best R&B singer.

Mills didn’t define her style: Between pulsating disco songs, she preferred to sing sensitive ballads, but also songs that can be assigned to the soul and R&B genre. Including successful duets with Teddy Pendergrass ( Two Hearts , Feel the Fire ). That's why Mills managed to remain successful through the 1980s. Notable among other things was the series of number one hits in the R&B charts from 1986 to 1989: I Have Learned to Respect the Power of Love (1986), I Feel Good All Over , (You're Puttin ') A Rush on Me (1987), Something in the Way (You Make Me Feel) and a remake of the old The Wiz ballad Home (1989). With The Medicine Song she achieved number 1 in the American disco charts in 1984. In the same year she also appeared briefly in the musical The Wiz .

After the two gold albums If I Were Your Woman (1987) and Home (1989), Mills' success slowly waned. After the little-noticed work Something Real , Mills ended her seven-year collaboration with the MCA record company . In 1994 she recorded the gospel CD Personal Inspirations for an indie label . Ten years later she tried a comeback with Born for This! on her own label JM Records. The single Yesterday was released in 2010 .

Private

Stephanie Mills was briefly married to Jeffrey Daniel, singer of the disco and funk band Shalamar , in 1980 . Marriages with Dino Meminger and Michael Saunders followed. Mills has a son named Farad. In interviews, Mills also spoke of a brief love affair with Michael Jackson in the late 1970s.

Discography

Studio albums

year	Title music label	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes)			Remarks
		UK	US	R&B
1979	What Cha 'Gonna Do with My Lovin'? 20th Century Fox 583	-	US22nd gold (34 weeks)US	R&B12 (43 weeks) R&B	First published: March 29, 1979 Producers: James Mtume , Reggie Lucas
1980	Sweet Sensation 20th Century Fox 603	-	US16 gold (44 weeks)US	R&B3 (52 weeks) R&B	First published: April 16, 1980 Producers: James Mtume, Reggie Lucas
1981	Stephanie 20th Century Fox 700	-	US30th gold (23 weeks)US	R&B3 (27 weeks) R&B	First published: April 22, 1981 Producers: James Mtume, Reggie Lucas
1982	Tantalizingly Hot Casablanca 7265	-	US48 (19 weeks) US	R&B10 (33 weeks) R&B	First published: July 17, 1982 Producers: James Mtume, Reggie Lucas, Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson , Stephanie Mills
1983	Merciless Casablanca 811 364	-	US104 (19 weeks) US	R&B12 (29 weeks) R&B	First published: April 20, 1983 Producers: David Wolfert, Gary Klein, Phil Ramone
1984	I've Got the Cure Casablanca 822 421	-	US73 (15 weeks) US	R&B10 (22 weeks) R&B	First published: September 10, 1984 Producers: George Duke , Hawk Wolinski
1986	Stephanie Mills MCA 5669	-	US47 (22 weeks) US	R&B4 (39 weeks) R&B	First published: January 1986 Producers: Nick Martinelli, George Duke, Richard Rudolph, Ron Kersey
1987	If I Were Your Woman MCA 5996	-	US30th gold (36 weeks)US	R&B1 (50 weeks) R&B	First published: June 1, 1987 Producers: Nick Martinelli, Paul Laurence, Wayne Brathwaite, Robert Brookins, Ron Kersey, LaForrest Cope, David Reeves, Russell Simmons
1989	Home MCA 6312	-	US82 gold (38 weeks)US	R&B5 (49 weeks) R&B	First published: June 26, 1989 Executive Producer: Cassandra Mills, Stephanie Mills
1992	Something Real MCA 10690	-	-	R&B22 (23 weeks) R&B	First published: November 24, 1992 Producers: Tony Peluso, Steve Barri, Vassal Benford, Donald Lawrence, Stephanie Mills, Kenny Harris, Dave Hall
2004	Born for This! JM Records / Lightyear Entertainment 54660	-	-	R&B25 (26 weeks) R&B	First published: August 3, 2004 Producers: Barry Eastmond, Gordon Chambers, Darryl McClary, Michael Allen, Edward Ferrell, Ryan Leslie , Darren Lighty

More studio albums

• 1974: Movin 'in the Right Direction ( ABC 869; released October 28)
• 1975: For the First Time ( Motown 859; release: October 11th)
• 1982: Love Has Lifted Me (recorded in 1975; Motown 6033; release: November 17th)
• 1991: Christmas (MCA 10427; release: October 29th)
• 1994: Personal Inspirations (Gospo Centric 2123; release: September 6th)

Participation in soundtracks

• 1975: The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz" ( Atlantic 18137; US:gold)

Compilations

• 1987: In My Life: Greatest Hits (Casablanca 832 519; release: August 24th)
• 1992: The Collection ( Castle Communications 337)
• 1995: The Best of Stephanie Mills (Casablanca 526 720)
• 1996: Greatest Hits (1985–1993) (MCA 11448; release: June 4th)
• 1999: Ultimate Collection ( Hip-O 076744014627; Release: February 23)
• 1999: Stephanie Mills: The Collection ( Spectrum Music 544 151)
• 2000: The Power of Love: A Ballad Collection (MCA 112 153)
• 2000: The Best of Stephanie Mills (MCA 112 357)
• 2004: Love Is to Listen: A Retrospective (Expansion 7)
• 2006: Gold (2 CDs; Hip-O 5890)
• 2011: Feel the Fire: The 20th Century Collection (2 CDs; Hip-O 15795)

Singles

year	Title album	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes)				Remarks	[↑]: treated together with the previous entry; [←]: placed in both charts
		UK	US	R&B	Dance
1979	What Cha Gonna Do with My Lovin ' What Cha' Gonna Do with My Lovin '?	-	US22 (14 weeks) US	R&B8 (24 weeks) R&B	-	First published: March 1979 Authors: James Mtume , Reggie Lucas
	Put Your Body in It What Cha 'Gonna Do with My Lovin'?	-	-	-	Dance8 (35 weeks) Dance	First release: May 1979 as an album track in the dance charts. Authors: Edward Moore, Howard King
	You Can Get Over What Cha 'Gonna Do with My Lovin'?	-	-	R&B55 (8 weeks) R&B[Dance: ↑]		First release: October 1979 as an album track in the dance charts. Authors: James Mtume, Reggie Lucas
1980	Sweet Sensation Sweet Sensation	-	-	R&B3 (21 weeks) R&B	Dance5 (23 weeks) Dance	First published: May 1980 Authors: James Mtume, Reggie Lucas
	Never Knew Love Like This Before Sweet Sensation	UK4th silver (14 weeks)UK	US52 gold (6 weeks)US	R&B12 (22 weeks) R&B[Dance: ↑]		First published: July 1980 2 Grammys : R&B Song + R&B Female Vocal Authors: James Mtume, Reggie Lucas
1981	Two Hearts Stephanie	UK49 (5 weeks) UK	US40 (13 weeks) US	R&B3 (19 weeks) R&B	Dance82 (6 weeks) Dance	First release: May 1981 feat. Teddy Pendergrass Authors: James Mtume, Reggie Lucas, Tawatha Agee
	Night Games Stephanie	-	-	R&B33 (11 weeks) R&B	-	First published: August 1981 Authors: James Mtume, Reggie Lucas
1982	Last Night Tantalizingly Hot	-	-	R&B14 (16 weeks) R&B	-	First published: June 1982 Authors: James Mtume, Reggie Lucas
	Keep Away Girls Tantalizingly Hot	-	-	R&B13 (17 weeks) R&B	-	First published: September 1982 Authors: Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
1983	You Can't Run from My Love Tantalizingly Hot	-	-	R&B59 (8 weeks) R&B	Dance15 (12 weeks) Dance	First published: January 1983 Authors: James Mtume, Reggie Lucas
	Pilot Error Merciless	-	-	R&B12 (15 weeks) R&B	Dance3 (16 weeks) Dance	First published: August 1983 Author: Peter Kingsbery
	How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore? Merciless	-	-	R&B12 (14 weeks) R&B	-	First published: October 1983 Author: Prince
1984	The Medicine Song I've Got the Cure	UK29 (10 weeks) UK	US65 (6 weeks) US	R&B8 (17 weeks) R&B	Dance1 (13 weeks) Dance	First published: August 1984 Author: Hawk Wolinski
	In My Life I've Got the Cure	UK92 (1 week) UK	-	-	-	First published: November 1984 Authors: Keithen Carter, Pat Leonard
	Edge of the Razor I've Got the Cure	-	-	R&B47 (10 weeks) R&B	Dance14 (10 weeks) Dance	First published: December 1987 Authors: Roy Freeland, Tom Snow
1985	Bit by Bit Fletch (Soundtrack)	-	US78 (6 weeks) US	R&B52 (9 weeks) R&B	Dance15 (9 weeks) Dance	First published: June 1985 Title song of the film Fletch - The Troublemaker Authors: Harold Faltermeyer , Franne Golde
	Stand Back Stephanie Mills	-	-	R&B15 (14 weeks) R&B	Dance7 (8 weeks) Dance	First published: November 1985 Authors: Carl Sturken, Evan Rogers
1986	I Have Learned to Respect the Power of Love Stephanie Mills	-	-	R&B1 (20 weeks) R&B	-	First published: May 1986 Authors: Angela Winbush, René Moore
	Rising Desire Stephanie Mills	-	-	R&B11 (14 weeks) R&B	-	First published: June 1986 Author: Raymond Jones
1987	I Feel Good All Over If I Were Your Woman	-	-	R&B1 (18 weeks) R&B	-	First published: April 1987 Authors: Annette Hardeman, Gabriel Hardeman
	(You're Puttin ') A Rush on Me I Feel Good All Over	UK62 (2 weeks) UK	US85 (2 weeks) US	R&B1 (16 weeks) R&B	Dance23 (8 weeks) Dance	First published: August 1987 Authors: Paul Laurence, Timmy Allen
	Secret Lady If I Were Your Woman	-	-	R&B7 (17 weeks) R&B	-	First published: November 1987 Authors: Cassandra Mills, Howard Grate
1988	If I Were Your Woman If I Were Your Woman	-	-	R&B19 (13 weeks) R&B	-	First published: February 1988 Author: Clay McMurray
	Where Is the Love Let It Be Me	-	-	R&B18 (16 weeks) R&B	-	First release: October 1988 Robert Brookins feat. Stephanie Mills Authors: Ralph MacDonald , William Salter Original: Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway , 1972
1989	Something in the Way (You Make Me Feel) Home	-	-	R&B1 (18 weeks) R&B	-	First published: May 1989 Author: Angela Winbush
	Home Home	-	-	R&B1 (18 weeks) R&B	-	First published: October 1989 Author: Charlie Smalls
1990	Comfort of a Man Home	-	-	R&B8 (16 weeks) R&B	-	First published: January 1990 Authors: David Young, Dyna Brein
	Real love home	-	-	R&B53 (11 weeks) R&B	-	First published: May 1990 Tammy Lucas, Teddy Riley
1991	Heart to Heart Feel the Need	-	-	R&B65 (10 weeks) R&B	-	First published: October 1991 J. T. Taylor with Stephanie Mills Authors: JT Taylor, Barry Eastmond
1992	All Day, All Night Something Real	UK68 (1 week) UK	-	R&B20 (19 weeks) R&B	-	First published: October 1992 Authors: Ron Spearman, Vassal Benford
1993	Never Do You Wrong Something Real	UK57 (2 weeks) UK	-	R&B33 (17 weeks) R&B	-	First published: January 1993 Authors: Rod Temperton , Carol Duboc, Ron Spearman, Vassal Benford

More singles

• 1974: I Knew It Was Love
• 1974: Movin 'in the Right Direction (release: December)
• 1975: This Empty Place (released December 1st)
• 1979: Put Your Body In It (release: August 3rd)
• 1979: DANCI-N '
• 1981: Top of My List (release: July)
• 1986: Time of Your Life (release: September)
• 1991: This Christmas (Promo)
• 1999: Latin Lover
• 1999: Let Me Love You Tonight
• 2004: For You
• 2005: Free (Louie Vega Remixes)
• 2007: Rush on Me (Eighteen feat. Stephanie Mills)
• 2010: Yesterday

Other chart placements

year	Title album	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChartsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes)	Remarks
		AT
1981	Never Knew Love Like This Before Sweet Sensation	AT11 (4 weeks) AT	First published: July 1980

swell

1. ↑ Biography, AOL Music ( Memento of the original from May 24, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
2. ↑ Information about the tour, broadwayworld.com
3. ^ Serene Dominic: Burt Bacharach - Song by Song, USA 2003, page 232
4. ↑ ^{a b c} gold / platinum databases: UK US
5. ↑ Chart information at hitparade.ch
6. ^ The Awards Insider , Los Angeles Times
7. ↑ Information about the CD at CDUniverse
8. ↑ Biography, IMDB
9. ↑ Interview, Just Soul, December 2005 ( Memento of the original from March 7, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
10. ↑ Interview excerpt on YouTube
11. ↑ Copy of the interview, Michael Jackson Fanclub ( Memento of the original from November 26, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
12. ↑ ^{a b c} Chart sources: AT UK Billboard Hot 100 Billboard 200 Billboard R&B albums (from 1999)
13. ^ Joel Whitburn : Top R&B Albums 1965–1998, ISBN 0-89820-134-9 .
14. ^ Joel Whitburn : Hot R&B Songs 1942–2010: 6th Edition, ISBN 978-0-89820-186-4 .
15. ^ Joel Whitburn : Hot Dance / Disco 1974-2003, ISBN 978-0-89820-156-7 .

Web links

• Official website
• Stephanie Mills at Allmusic (English)
• Stephanie Mills at Discogs (English)
• Stephanie Mills at 45cat.com
• Stephanie Mills in the Internet Movie Database (English)