Lorraine Ellison
{{short description|American singer-songwriter}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Lorraine Ellison
| image = Lorraine Ellison.jpg
| caption =
| image_size =
| background = solo_singer
| birth_name = Marybelle Luraine Ellison
| alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1931|3|17|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Philadelphia, United States
| death_place =
| death_date = {{death date and age|1983|01|31|1931|3|17}}[http://users.efortress.com/doc-rock/1980.html The Dead Rock Stars Club – The 1980s] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928115542/http://users.efortress.com/doc-rock/1980.html |date=September 28, 2007 }}
| origin =
| instrument = Vocals
| occupation = Singer, songwriter
| years_active = 1964–1976
| label = Mercury Records
Warner Bros. Records
Loma Records
| associated_acts =
| website =
| current_members =
| past_members =
}}
Lorraine Ellison (March 17, 1931 – January 31, 1983) was an American soul singer and songwriter known for her recording of the song "Stay with Me"Joel Whitburn, Top Pop Singles 1955–2002, 2003, {{ISBN|0-89820-155-1}} (sometimes known as "Stay With Me Baby") in 1966.
Life and career
Born Marybelle Luraine Ellison,[http://users.efortress.com/doc-rock/1980.html Users.fortress.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928115542/http://users.efortress.com/doc-rock/1980.html |date=September 28, 2007 }} in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to a musical family, Ellison sang in churches from the age of six and attended the John Bartram High School.{{cite magazine
|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/60s/1966/CB-1966-10-08-OCR-Page-0022.pdf#search=%22lorraine%20ellison%22|title=BIOS FOR DEEJAYS|magazine=Cashbox|page=22|date=October 8, 1966|access-date=10 January 2022|via=worldradiohistory.com}} She originally sang gospel music, working in the groups the Ellison Singers and the Golden Chords in the early 1960s. In 1963, Ellison appeared with the Golden Chords on the Introducing The Sweet Chariot The Sensational New Pop Gospel Night Club With Soul Recorded Live album,{{cite magazine
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aQsEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Introducing+The+Sweet+Chariot+The+Sensational+New+Pop+Gospel+Night+Club+With+Soul+Recorded+Live&pg=PA15|title=HERE'S THE BIG ONE! The Authentic New Pop Gospel Sound|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|volume=75|issue=22|issn=0006-2510|date=June 1, 1963|access-date=10 January 2022|via=Google Books}} leading "Wake Me, Shake Me".{{cite web|url=https://www.shugarecords.com/products/variousintroducingthesweetchariotthesensationalnewpopgospelnightclubwithsoulrecordedlive-vglprecordusawhitelabelpromovinyl-gospelrbsoul |title=Various – Introducing The Sweet Chariot The Sensational New Pop Gospel Night Club With Soul Recorded Live - VG+ Lp Record USA White Label Promo Vinyl - Gospel / R&B / Soul |work=Shuga Records |publisher=Shopify |accessdate=10 January 2022}} Ellison also appeared at the Festival of the Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy. She switched to the R&B genre in 1964 and her first release was a chart entry, "I Dig You Baby" in 1965 {{cite web|last=Hogan |first=Ed |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4182|pure_url=yes}} |title=Lorraine Ellison at Allmusic |publisher=AllMusic |date=August 17, 1985 |accessdate=May 8, 2010}} on Mercury Records, which reached No. 22 on the US Billboard R&B chart. Initially a slow seller, five months after its release, its reported national sales were 40,000.{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/60s/1966/CB-1966-01-08-OCR-Page-0029.pdf#search=%22lorraine%20ellison%22|title=5-Month-Old Single Sparks New Sales Life|magazine=Cashbox|page=29|date=January 8, 1966|access-date=10 January 2022|via=worldradiohistory.com}}
After another unsuccessful single with Mercury, she signed with Warner Bros. Records, and in 1966 recorded "Stay with Me" at a last-minute booking, following a studio cancellation by Frank Sinatra.{{cite web|url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=7536 |title=Songfacts.com |publisher=Songfacts.com |accessdate=May 8, 2010}}{{Cite book |last=Cole |first=Laurence |title=Deep Soul Ballads: From Sam Cooke to Stevie Wonder |date=2010 |publisher=Libri Publishing |isbn=9781907471087 |location=Oxfordshire |pages=157–8}}"Stay with Me" reached number 11 in the U.S. Billboard R&B chart and number 64 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song was produced and written by Jerry Ragovoy. Some of her later single releases were on Warner's subsidiary soul music record label, Loma Records.{{cite web|url=http://www.lomarecords.com/index.htm |title=Loma Records discography |publisher=Lomarecords.com |accessdate=May 8, 2010}} "Stay with Me" would become her signature song.{{cite encyclopedia |first=Ed |last=Hogan |year=2003 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o552g5xRRiwC&q=%22eddie+floyd%22+signature+song+-wikipedia&pg=PA223 |title='Lorraine Ellison' biography |encyclopedia=All Music Guide to Soul: The Definitive Guide to R&B and Soul |editor=Vladimir Bogdanov |editor2=John Bush |editor3=Chris Woodstra |editor4=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |publisher=Backbeat Books |location=San Francisco |page=223 |isbn=0-87930-744-7 |lccn=2003052270 }} Her follow-up single was "Heart Be Still" a minor hit in 1967.{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4182|pure_url=yes}} |title=Allmusic.com |publisher=AllMusic |date=August 17, 1985 |accessdate=May 8, 2010}} Ellison also recorded "Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)", a song later covered to more success by Janis Joplin. Peter Jones of Record Mirror rated Ellison's "Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)" 4/5 stars, writing, 'Soul-filled ballad here, intense vocals from Lorraine and the femme vocal group. Intense but same-y'.{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Record-Mirror-IDX/IDX/60s/Record-Mirror-1968-06-22-IDX-9.pdf#search=%22lorraine%20ellison%22|title=YOUR GUIDE TO THIS WEEK'S NEW SINGLES|first=Peter|last=Jones|magazine=Record Mirror|page=9|date=June 22, 1968|via=worldradiohistory.com|accessdate=October 31, 2021}} In May 1967, Ellison was due to tour the UK and Ireland,{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Melody-Maker-IDX/IDX/60s/Melody-Maker-1967-0429-IDX-5.pdf#search=%22lorraine%20ellison%22|title=LORRAINE ELLISON BOOKED FOR BRITAIN|magazine=Melody Maker|page=5|date=April 29, 1967|via=worldradiohistory.com|accessdate=10 January 2022}} but cancelled due to illness.{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Melody-Maker-IDX/IDX/60s/Melody-Maker-1967-0513-IDX-5.pdf#search=%22lorraine%20ellison%22|title=ELLISON TAKEN ILL|magazine=Melody Maker|page=5|date=May 13, 1967|via=worldradiohistory.com|accessdate=10 January 2022}}
Ellison composed some of her own songs (by herself and with manager and later husband, Sam Bell, who was lead singer of soul vocal group, The Enchanters). She had her own compositions recorded by several other artists, including Jerry Butler, Garnet Mimms, Howard Tate and Dee Dee Warwick.{{cite book|title=The Guinness Who's Who of Soul Music|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1993|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-733-9|page=80}} After leaving Warner, she recorded at least two unissued tracks for the then fast-growing Philadelphia International label in her hometown.
Twice-married and using the surname Gonzalez-Keys, Lorraine Ellison gave up the music business to take care of her mother, but continued to sing in church. Ellison died in January 1983 from ovarian cancer at the age of 51.{{cite web|last=Moon |first=Tom |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6149527&ft=1&f=1039 |title=Npr.org/templates |website=NPR |date=September 27, 2006 |accessdate=May 8, 2010}}
Discography
=Studio albums=
=Compilation albums=
=Singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|+ List of singles as a band member, with selected chart positions, sales figures and certifications ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Artist ! scope="col" | Album |
| scope="row"| "Open Up Your Heart"
| 1963 | Lorraine Ellison and the Ellison Singers |{{n/a|Non-album single}} |
|---|
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|+ List of singles as a lead artist, with selected chart positions, sales figures and certifications ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/391153-Lorraine-Ellison|title=Lorraine Ellison Discography at Discogs|publisher=discogs|accessdate=December 19, 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.45cat.com/artist/lorraine-ellison|title=Lorraine Ellison Discography – USA – 45cat|publisher=45cat|accessdate=December 19, 2018}} ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="8"| Chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |
scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US Cash
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US
! scope="col" style="width:2.6em; font-size:90%;"|CAN ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| UK
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| UK
|
|---|
| scope="row"| "I Dig You Baby"
| rowspan="1"|1965 | 103 || 22 || 116 || 25 || 32 || — || — || — |{{n/a|Non-album single}} |
| scope="row"| "Call Me Anytime You Need Some Lovin'"
| rowspan="3"|1966 | — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |{{n/a|Non-album single}} |
| scope="row"| "Stay with Me"
| 64 || 11 || 66 || 16 || 9 || 58 || 56 || 6 | rowspan="1"| Heart & Soul |
| scope="row"| "A Good Love"
| 131 || — || 122 || 33 || — || — || — || — | rowspan="1"| Stay with Me |
| scope="row"| "If I Had a Hammer"
| rowspan="4"|1967 | — || — || 144 || — || — || — || — || — | Heart & Soul |
| scope="row"| "No Matter How It All Turns Out"
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — | rowspan="6"| Stay with Me |
| scope="row"| "Heart Be Still"
| 89 || 43 || 106 || 29 || 36 || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "I Want To Be Loved"
| — || — || 137 || — || — || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)"
| rowspan="1"|1968 | — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Only Your Love"
| rowspan="1"|1969 | — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Stay with Me"{{efn|group=upper-alpha|US and Germany re-issue.{{cite web|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/7361|title=45cat – Lorraine Ellison – Stay With Me / Try (Just A Little Bit Harder) – Warner Bros. – USA – 7361|work=45cat|accessdate=December 19, 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/a7361|title=45cat – Lorraine Ellison – Stay With Me / Try (Just A Little Bit Harder) – Warner Bros. – Germany – A 7361|work=45cat|accessdate= December 19, 2018}}}}
| rowspan="2"|1970 | — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "You've Really Got A Hold On Me"
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — | rowspan="2"| Lorraine Ellison |
| scope="row"| "Many Rivers to Cross"
| rowspan="1"|1973 | — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |
| colspan="11"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released. |
- Notes
{{notelist-ua}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Lorraine%20Ellison.html Soulwalking.co.uk biography]
- [https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6149527 Article: A Soul-Singing Dynamo Gets Her Day, by Tom Moon]
- {{Discogs artist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ellison, Lorraine}}
Category:African-American women singer-songwriters
Category:American women singer-songwriters
Category:American gospel singers
Category:American rhythm and blues singer-songwriters
Category:Deaths from ovarian cancer
Category:Singers from Philadelphia
Category:20th-century African-American women singers
Category:20th-century American women singers