Gwen Guthrie
Biography
Gwen Guthrie (July 14 (some sources say July 9) 1950 – February 3, 1999) was an American singer and songwriter, who also sang backing vocals for Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, and Madonna, among others, and who wrote songs made famous by Ben E. King, Gary Glitter and Roberta Flack.
Guthrie was born in Okemah, Oklahoma and raised in Newark, New Jersey. In school, she studied classical music, and her father began teaching her piano when she was eight years old. By the early 1970s, she had joined vocal groups such as the Ebonettes and the Matchmakers, meanwhile working as an elementary school teacher. When a backup singer scheduled to sing on Aretha Franklins 1974 single "Im in Love" fell ill, Guthrie took the vocalists place beside Cissy Houston; thus Guthrie would happily state that her career on record began "at the top".
Read full biography ↓
Guthrie soon began moonlighting as a singer of commercial jingles, sometimes with her friend Valerie Simpson (of Ashford and Simpson fame). A songwriting partnership with Patrick Grant resulted in Ben E. Kings comeback single, "Supernatural Thing", and "This Time Ill Be Sweeter", covered by numerous artists. Together they wrote seven tracks on the Sister Sledges 1975 album Circle Of Love: Cross My Heart, Protect Our Love, Love Dont You Go Through No Changes On Me, Dont You Miss Him Now, Pain Reliever, Youre Much Better Off Loving Me, and Fireman. She was also the writer of Roberta Flacks "God Dont Like Ugly".
As Guthries solo career developed, she worked extensively with Sly and Robbie on dub-influenced club cuts, and began racking up dance hits. She was dubbed "The First Lady of the Paradise Garage" as several of her songs became anthems at the venue, helped by the frequent and dynamic performances she gave there. She soon teamed musically with famed Paradise Garage DJ Larry Levan.
Guthrie is probably best known for her 1986 dance anthem "Aint Nothin Goin on But the Rent", a self-written and -produced track which garnered some controversy for lyrics such as: "No romance without finance/Youve got to have a j-o-b if you want to be with me". (and "...Rent" was later sampled by numerous dance and hip hop artists, notably by Foxy Brown in 1998 "Job").
She also had a hit with a cover of "(They Long to Be) Close to You", which reached #25 in the UK charts the same year.
Her single "Cant Love You Tonight" boldly addressed AIDS at a time when the disease was a taboo subject, and she was an ally to the gay community, and people with AIDS long before the masses caught up. Proceeds from the single went to the AIDS Coalition.
Other club hits of hers include "Padlock", "Peanut Butter", and "Peek-a-Boo".
Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.
