Hattie Littles
Encyclopedia
Hattie Littles was an American
soul
singer, best known for her 1963 single, "Your Love Is Wonderful," released on Motown's Gordy label
.
, and began her singing career in gospel music
shows and competitions. She was discovered by Motown producer Clarence Paul
, who recruited her in 1962 after she had won three talent shows at "Lee's Sensation Lounge" in Detroit. She was signed to Motown for four years, resulting in her recording ten singles, but only one - "Your Love Is Wonderful" / "Here You Come", both sides written and produced by Berry Gordy Jr. - was released at the time. She preferred performing blues
material, and toured in support of Marvin Gaye
.
After her contract expired, Littles left the music business and experienced stints of alcoholism
and drug abuse
. According to British record producer
Ian Levine
, she spent time in jail in the 1960s for killing her abusive husband.
She was rediscovered by Levine, with the help of former Motown guitarist Dave Hamilton, singing gospel in Detroit in the 1980s. Levine started Motorcity Records
, which represented more than one hundred artists who previously recorded with Motown. She then released several singles in the UK, including "Running a Fever" (1989), "You're the First, the Last, My Everything
" (1990), and "Waiting for the Day" (1991), and the albums The Right Direction (1991), Borderline (1992), and The Very Best of Hattie Littles (1996), which included re-recordings of some of her earlier tracks. Littles had a full, soulful, gospel-tinged voice with a deep vibrato. Tracks on The Very Best of Hattie Littles feature short monologues or "raps", in the classical and bluesy style of Lou Rawls
, James Brown
, Bobby Blue Bland, and BB King.
She died of a heart attack
in Detroit in June 2000.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
singer, best known for her 1963 single, "Your Love Is Wonderful," released on Motown's Gordy label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
.
Music career
She was born in Shelby, MississippiShelby, Mississippi
Shelby is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,926 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Shelby is located at ....
, and began her singing career in gospel music
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
shows and competitions. She was discovered by Motown producer Clarence Paul
Clarence Paul
Clarence Otto Pauling , better known as Clarence Paul, was a songwriter and record producer for Detroit's Motown Records....
, who recruited her in 1962 after she had won three talent shows at "Lee's Sensation Lounge" in Detroit. She was signed to Motown for four years, resulting in her recording ten singles, but only one - "Your Love Is Wonderful" / "Here You Come", both sides written and produced by Berry Gordy Jr. - was released at the time. She preferred performing blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
material, and toured in support of Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
.
After her contract expired, Littles left the music business and experienced stints of alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
and drug abuse
Drug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
. According to British record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Ian Levine
Ian Levine
Ian Levine is an English songwriter, producer, and DJ. He is also a well-known fan of the long-running television show Doctor Who.Levine attended Arnold School in Blackpool from 1963 to 1970...
, she spent time in jail in the 1960s for killing her abusive husband.
She was rediscovered by Levine, with the help of former Motown guitarist Dave Hamilton, singing gospel in Detroit in the 1980s. Levine started Motorcity Records
Motorcity Records
Motorcity Records is a British record label formed by producer Ian Levine in 1989. The label aimed to record new material with former Motown artists.-History:...
, which represented more than one hundred artists who previously recorded with Motown. She then released several singles in the UK, including "Running a Fever" (1989), "You're the First, the Last, My Everything
You're the First, the Last, My Everything
"You're the First, the Last, My Everything" is a popular song recorded by Barry White. Written by White, Tony Sepe and Peter Radcliffe and produced by White, "You're the First, The Last, My Everything" was White's fourth top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, reaching #2; it spent a...
" (1990), and "Waiting for the Day" (1991), and the albums The Right Direction (1991), Borderline (1992), and The Very Best of Hattie Littles (1996), which included re-recordings of some of her earlier tracks. Littles had a full, soulful, gospel-tinged voice with a deep vibrato. Tracks on The Very Best of Hattie Littles feature short monologues or "raps", in the classical and bluesy style of Lou Rawls
Lou Rawls
Louis Allen "Lou" Rawls was an American soul, jazz, and blues singer. He was known for his smooth vocal style: Frank Sinatra once said that Rawls had "the classiest singing and silkiest chops in the singing game"...
, James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
, Bobby Blue Bland, and BB King.
She died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in Detroit in June 2000.