Evelyn "Champagne" King

Music Box (#35 on the Billboard 200), released in 1979 and Call On Me (#124 on the Billboard 200), released in 1980 were a pair of follow-up disco-R and B albums to Smooth Talk, that featured danceable tracks and soul ballads. However, her follow-up albums did not match the same amount of success as her debut album, due to popular musics sudden transition from the disco craze of the late 1970s to the 1980s dance music scene.

In 1981, King released the #6 R and B Album Im in Love (also #28 on the Billboard 200), and released the title track, which became a #1 Dance and R and B hit, as well as a top 40 pop hit. The song was groundbreaking, in that no one had ever incorporated such heavy synthesizers into their music before. A second single from the Im in Love album, "Dont Hide Our Love", also made it to #6 on the R and B Chart.

In 1982, King released the gold-certified album Get Loose (#5 on the Billboard 200, #1 on the R and B Albums Chart). It yielded a top 20 pop hit (and #1 R and B hit) with the single, "Love Come Down." "Love Come Down" is also Kings only UK top 10, peaking at #7. The follow up, "Betcha She Dont Love You," was also a #2 R and B smash hit, as well as a #49 pop hit. The title track, "Get Loose", released as a European single, was a top 10 hit on the Euro charts, as well as a top 40 hit in the UK. The album Get Loose proved to be the biggest selling album of Kings career.

In 1984 King had her last top 40 pop hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Just For the Night" (charting at #32), from the album So Romantic. It was less successful on the Dance Chart, though, stalling at (#45).

Though she continued to have a high level of R and B success, the pop hits stopped coming following her album A Long Time Coming (A Change is Gonna Come). The singles "High Horse" and "Your Personal Touch" were both top ten hits on the Euro charts, and R and B successes in the US.

Following a move to EMI Records in 1986, her first album for EMI, Flirt, stalled at #192 on the Billboard 200, despite the success of the title track (#3 on the R and B Chart). The album did reach #20 on the R and B Albums Chart, though the follow-up to Flirt, Girl Next Door failed to chart on either the Billboard 200 or the R and B Albums Chart.

Following Girl Next Door King has released several greatest hits compilations, but didnt release another album until 1995s Ill Keep A Light On which virtually went unnoticed.

On September 20, 2004, Kings anthem record "Shame" became among the first records to be inducted into the newly formed Dance Music Hall of Fame at a ceremony held in New Yorks Spirit club.

"Shame" has been covered by artists such as Kim Wilde and Zhane. "Love Come Down" was covered by Sweetbox, and features Evelyn herself. Dance artists such as Alison Limerick and Eve Gallagher also covered "Love Come Down," and Ruff Driverz covered "Shame."

"Shame" was also featured in the game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and can be heard on the radio station Fever 105. A part of the instrumental background was also played as lead-ins to the half-hour and hour commercial/local news breaks on Bill OReillys Radio Factor show. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.