Evelyn "Champagne" King Biography

b 1 July 1960, the Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. A former office cleaner at Gamble And Huffs Sigma Sound studios, King was overheard singing Sam Cookes A Change Is Gonna Come by Theodore Life, a member of the companys writing and production staff. He coached the aspiring singer on recording technique and was instrumental in preparing Kings career. Her debut single, Shame, was released in 1977 and after considerable success on the dance/club circuit - since regarded as a classic of its kind - it finally broke into the national pop charts the following year, reaching the US Top 10/UK Top 40. Evelyns second hit, I Dont Know If Its Right, became the artists second gold disc and she later enjoyed internationalhits with Im In Love (1981) and Love Come Down (1982). After a disappointing period during the mid-80s, her 1988 set Flirt was generally considered to be a return to form. Although her recording career has since gone into the doldrums, King remains a popular performer on the soul/dance music scene.

Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze.