Jermaine Stewart
Encyclopedia
William Jermaine Stewart (September 7, 1957 – March 17, 1997) was an American
R&B singer best known for his Billboard hits "The Word Is Out
" (from his 1984 debut album of the same name) and "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off
" (in 1986, from the album Frantic Romantic
).
, to parents Ethel M. and Eugene Stewart, the family moved to Chicago
, Illinois
in 1972, where Stewart took his first steps toward a career in entertainment. Eventually he gained recognition as a dancer on the nationally syndicated TV show Soul Train
. He became a backing vocalist
and dancer for R&B/disco group Shalamar
, and a few years later he recorded backing vocals for Culture Club
's 1983 album Colour by Numbers
. The band allowed Stewart to record some demos at their studio. As a result of this, the group helped him land a recording contract
with Arista Records
.
Stewart saw success with the single "The Word Is Out" from the album of the same name
. The album was a moderate success with the title track becoming an American hit. The 1986 Frantic Romantic
album, which included the hit single "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off
," went on to become a million seller, and a second single, "Jody
", was released, the inspiration of the song being Jody Watley
of Shalamar
. A modest success, "Jody" reached both the United Kingdom
and United States
Top 40.
Stewart's third album was his most successful internationally. Titled Say It Again
, the production was handled largely by André Cymone. Supported by international live dates with his band The Party, the title track "Say It Again
" became Stewart's second U.S. Top 40 Billboard
hit, and also reached the U.S. R&B
Top 10. In the UK Singles Chart
it reached number 7, helping the album achieve Top 40 status.
The next three singles all received remix
es by Phil Harding. "Get Lucky
" (UK #13), "Don't Talk Dirty to Me
" (UK #61), and "Is It Really Love?
" found Europe
an success, particularly in Germany
, where "Don't Talk Dirty to Me" was one of the biggest selling records of 1988, making the Top 5.
His fourth and final album under his contract with Arista Records was What Becomes a Legend Most
. The album failed to make any impact in America whilst the lead single "Tren de Amor
" just reached the top 100 in the UK. In 1989, Stewart sang "Hot and Cold," co-written by Andy Summers
, which was featured over the closing credits of the film Weekend at Bernie's
.
In 1991, Stewart teamed up with Chicago
producer Jesse Saunders for his last recorded work, an album for Reprise Records
, Set Me Free
. The title track "Set Me Free
" was released as a single in the U.S., but sold poorly. The album remains unreleased.
Shortly before his death, Stewart returned to the studio to record a new album titled "Believe In Me". Although the album wasn't completed, the finished tracks were released on the 2005 compilation "Attention: A Tribute to Jermaine Stewart" which was released under BFG Records, owned by Stewart's brother.
On October 18, 2010, Cherry Red Records re-issued his album Frantic Romantic on CD for the first time since 1986. It includes bonus tracks, most notable of which are the 12" mixes of "Jody" and "Dance Floor", making their CD debut.
In 2011 the song We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off
was used in a Cadbury
advert in the UK called The Charity Shop. This exposed the song to a new generation who downloaded the track and returned it to the UK Top 40 so far reaching No.29.
-related liver cancer
on March 17, 1997 at age 39 in the Chicago suburb of Homewood, Illinois
.
In 2005, a compilation album
was released by BGF Records, an Ohio
record label
run by Stewart's brother.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B singer best known for his Billboard hits "The Word Is Out
The Word Is Out
The Word Is Out is the 1984 debut album by Jermaine Stewart. It yielded the single "The Word Is Out," his first major single and first to chart.-Track listing:# "The Word Is Out" # "I Like It" The Word Is Out is the 1984 debut album by Jermaine Stewart. It yielded the single "The Word Is Out,"...
" (from his 1984 debut album of the same name) and "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off
We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off
"We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" is pop vocalist Jermaine Stewart's first of three singles from 1986. The song was included on Stewart's second album "Frantic Romantic"...
" (in 1986, from the album Frantic Romantic
Frantic Romantic
Frantic Romantic is a 1986 bestselling album by Jermaine Stewart. The album included Stewart's biggest pop hit, "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off," as well as the minor follow-up hit, "Jody," for whom Stewart's former Soul Train dance-mate Jody Watley was the inspiration...
).
Early life and career
Born in Columbus, OhioColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, to parents Ethel M. and Eugene Stewart, the family moved to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
in 1972, where Stewart took his first steps toward a career in entertainment. Eventually he gained recognition as a dancer on the nationally syndicated TV show Soul Train
Soul Train
Soul Train is an American musical variety show that aired in syndication from October 1971 to March 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists have also appeared.As a nod to Soul Trains...
. He became a backing vocalist
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
and dancer for R&B/disco group Shalamar
Shalamar
Shalamar was an American music group, primarily of the 1970s and 1980s, that was originally a disco-driven vehicle created by Soul Train booking agent Dick Griffey and show creator Don Cornelius. They went on to be an influential dance trio, masterminded by Soul Train producer Don Cornelius...
, and a few years later he recorded backing vocals for Culture Club
Culture Club
Culture Club are a British rock band who were part of the 1980s New Romantic movement. The original band consisted of Boy George , Mikey Craig , Roy Hay and Jon Moss...
's 1983 album Colour by Numbers
Colour by Numbers
Colour by Numbers is the second album by New Wave band Culture Club, released in 1983.-Overview:The album features several international hits such as "Church of the Poison Mind" and the worldwide hit "Karma Chameleon" which had sales of over one million in the United Kingdom alone...
. The band allowed Stewart to record some demos at their studio. As a result of this, the group helped him land a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
.
Stewart saw success with the single "The Word Is Out" from the album of the same name
The Word Is Out
The Word Is Out is the 1984 debut album by Jermaine Stewart. It yielded the single "The Word Is Out," his first major single and first to chart.-Track listing:# "The Word Is Out" # "I Like It" The Word Is Out is the 1984 debut album by Jermaine Stewart. It yielded the single "The Word Is Out,"...
. The album was a moderate success with the title track becoming an American hit. The 1986 Frantic Romantic
Frantic Romantic
Frantic Romantic is a 1986 bestselling album by Jermaine Stewart. The album included Stewart's biggest pop hit, "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off," as well as the minor follow-up hit, "Jody," for whom Stewart's former Soul Train dance-mate Jody Watley was the inspiration...
album, which included the hit single "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off
We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off
"We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" is pop vocalist Jermaine Stewart's first of three singles from 1986. The song was included on Stewart's second album "Frantic Romantic"...
," went on to become a million seller, and a second single, "Jody
Jody (song)
"Jody" is pop vocalist Jermaine Stewart's third of three singles from 1986. The song was included on Stewart's second album Frantic Romantic....
", was released, the inspiration of the song being Jody Watley
Jody Watley
Jody Vanessa Watley is an American, singer, songwriter, record producer, and founder of Avitone Records whose music crosses genres from Pop, R&B, Jazz, Dance and Electronic Soul....
of Shalamar
Shalamar
Shalamar was an American music group, primarily of the 1970s and 1980s, that was originally a disco-driven vehicle created by Soul Train booking agent Dick Griffey and show creator Don Cornelius. They went on to be an influential dance trio, masterminded by Soul Train producer Don Cornelius...
. A modest success, "Jody" reached both the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Top 40.
Stewart's third album was his most successful internationally. Titled Say It Again
Say It Again (Jermaine Stewart album)
Say It Again is a 1987 album by Jermaine Stewart. It was released in 1987 on Arista Records; his second full-length album for the label. The title track was a moderate chart hit.-Track listing:...
, the production was handled largely by André Cymone. Supported by international live dates with his band The Party, the title track "Say It Again
Say It Again (Jermaine Stewart song)
"Say It Again" is pop vocalist Jermaine Stewart's second of two singles from 1987. The song was included on Stewart's third album Say It Again. This single was the leading single from the album....
" became Stewart's second U.S. Top 40 Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
hit, and also reached the U.S. R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
Top 10. In the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
it reached number 7, helping the album achieve Top 40 status.
The next three singles all received remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
es by Phil Harding. "Get Lucky
Get Lucky (song)
"Get Lucky" is pop vocalist Jermaine Stewart's first of two singles from 1988. The song was included on Stewart's third album Say It Again. This single was the second of four singles released from the album....
" (UK #13), "Don't Talk Dirty to Me
Don't Talk Dirty to Me
"Tren de Amor" is pop vocalist Jermaine Stewart's second and last single of 1988. The song is the album opener on his third album Say It Again. This single was the third of four singles released from the album....
" (UK #61), and "Is It Really Love?
Is It Really Love?
"Is It Really Love?" is pop vocalist Jermaine Stewart's first of three singles of 1989. The song is from his third album Say It Again. It was the last of four singles from this album....
" found Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an success, particularly in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, where "Don't Talk Dirty to Me" was one of the biggest selling records of 1988, making the Top 5.
His fourth and final album under his contract with Arista Records was What Becomes a Legend Most
What Becomes a Legend Most
What Becomes a Legend Most is a 1989 album by Jermaine Stewart.This album would be Stewart's last official album. He fully recorded the 1992 album "Set Me Free" however it was never released. In his final years, he began recording the new album "Believe In Me" until his death in 1997...
. The album failed to make any impact in America whilst the lead single "Tren de Amor
Tren de Amor
"Tren de Amor" is pop vocalist Jermaine Stewart's second and last single of 1989. The song is the album opener on his fourth album What Becomes a Legend Most. This single was the lead single from the album....
" just reached the top 100 in the UK. In 1989, Stewart sang "Hot and Cold," co-written by Andy Summers
Andy Summers
Andy Summers is an English guitarist born in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, England. Best known as the guitarist for rock band The Police, he has also recorded twelve solo albums, collaborated with many other artists, toured extensively under his own name, published several books, and composed...
, which was featured over the closing credits of the film Weekend at Bernie's
Weekend at Bernie's
Weekend at Bernie's is a 1989 American comedy film directed by Ted Kotcheff. A comedy starring Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman features the two as a couple of young insurance agency employees who discover their boss is deceased...
.
In 1991, Stewart teamed up with Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
producer Jesse Saunders for his last recorded work, an album for Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
, Set Me Free
Set Me Free (Jermaine Stewart album)
Set Me Free is the fifth and final album by singer Jermaine Stewart. The album was withdrawn from release by Reprise Records, but many fans have copies of it...
. The title track "Set Me Free
Set Me Free (Jermaine Stewart song)
"Set Me Free" is pop vocalist Jermaine Stewart's last single from his music career, released in 1992. The song is from the album of the same name "Set Me Free" which remains unreleased to date...
" was released as a single in the U.S., but sold poorly. The album remains unreleased.
Shortly before his death, Stewart returned to the studio to record a new album titled "Believe In Me". Although the album wasn't completed, the finished tracks were released on the 2005 compilation "Attention: A Tribute to Jermaine Stewart" which was released under BFG Records, owned by Stewart's brother.
On October 18, 2010, Cherry Red Records re-issued his album Frantic Romantic on CD for the first time since 1986. It includes bonus tracks, most notable of which are the 12" mixes of "Jody" and "Dance Floor", making their CD debut.
In 2011 the song We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off
We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off
"We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" is pop vocalist Jermaine Stewart's first of three singles from 1986. The song was included on Stewart's second album "Frantic Romantic"...
was used in a Cadbury
Cadbury
-Businesses:*Cadbury Adams, the company's North American subsidiary*Cadbury Ireland, the company's Irish subsidiary*Cadbury UK, the company's UK subsidiary*Cadbury India, the company's Indian subsidiary*Cadbury New Zealand, the company's New Zealand subsidiary...
advert in the UK called The Charity Shop. This exposed the song to a new generation who downloaded the track and returned it to the UK Top 40 so far reaching No.29.
Death
Stewart died of AIDSAIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
-related liver cancer
Hepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer. Most cases of HCC are secondary to either a viral hepatitide infection or cirrhosis .Compared to other cancers, HCC is quite a rare tumor in the United States...
on March 17, 1997 at age 39 in the Chicago suburb of Homewood, Illinois
Homewood, Illinois
Homewood is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 19,543 at the 2000 census. Homewood is a sister city to Homewood, Alabama.- Geography :...
.
In 2005, a compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
was released by BGF Records, an Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
record 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,...
run by Stewart's brother.
Albums
- 1984: The Word Is OutThe Word Is OutThe Word Is Out is the 1984 debut album by Jermaine Stewart. It yielded the single "The Word Is Out," his first major single and first to chart.-Track listing:# "The Word Is Out" # "I Like It" The Word Is Out is the 1984 debut album by Jermaine Stewart. It yielded the single "The Word Is Out,"...
(US PopBillboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
#90, US R&BTop R&B/Hip-Hop AlbumsTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
#30) - 1986: Frantic RomanticFrantic RomanticFrantic Romantic is a 1986 bestselling album by Jermaine Stewart. The album included Stewart's biggest pop hit, "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off," as well as the minor follow-up hit, "Jody," for whom Stewart's former Soul Train dance-mate Jody Watley was the inspiration...
(US Pop #34, US R&B #31, UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#49) - 1987: Say It AgainSay It Again (Jermaine Stewart album)Say It Again is a 1987 album by Jermaine Stewart. It was released in 1987 on Arista Records; his second full-length album for the label. The title track was a moderate chart hit.-Track listing:...
(US Pop #98, US R&B #45, UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#32) - 1989: What Becomes a Legend MostWhat Becomes a Legend MostWhat Becomes a Legend Most is a 1989 album by Jermaine Stewart.This album would be Stewart's last official album. He fully recorded the 1992 album "Set Me Free" however it was never released. In his final years, he began recording the new album "Believe In Me" until his death in 1997...
- 1992: Set Me FreeSet Me Free (Jermaine Stewart album)Set Me Free is the fifth and final album by singer Jermaine Stewart. The album was withdrawn from release by Reprise Records, but many fans have copies of it...
(unreleased) - 1999: A Tribute to Jermaine Stewart, Attention
- 2005: Greatest Hits
Singles
- 1983: "The Word Is Out" (US PopBillboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
#41, US R&BHot R&B/Hip-Hop SongsHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
#17) - 1985: "I Like It"
- 1986: "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes OffWe Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off"We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" is pop vocalist Jermaine Stewart's first of three singles from 1986. The song was included on Stewart's second album "Frantic Romantic"...
" (US Pop #5, US R&B #64, UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#2) - 1986: "Frantic Romantic"/"Versatile"
- 1986: "JodyJody (song)"Jody" is pop vocalist Jermaine Stewart's third of three singles from 1986. The song was included on Stewart's second album Frantic Romantic....
" (US Pop #42, UK #50) - 1987: "Don't Ever Leave MeDon't Ever Leave Me (song)"Don't Ever Leave Me" is pop vocalist Jermaine Stewart's first of two singles from 1987. The song was included on Stewart's second album Frantic Romantic. It was the last single from the album. This single was exclusively released to the United Kingdom....
" (UK #76) - 1987: "Say It AgainSay It Again (Jermaine Stewart song)"Say It Again" is pop vocalist Jermaine Stewart's second of two singles from 1987. The song was included on Stewart's third album Say It Again. This single was the leading single from the album....
" (US Pop #27, US R&B #15, UK #7) - 1988: "Get LuckyGet Lucky (song)"Get Lucky" is pop vocalist Jermaine Stewart's first of two singles from 1988. The song was included on Stewart's third album Say It Again. This single was the second of four singles released from the album....
" (US R&B #69, UK #13) - 1988: "Don't Talk Dirty to MeDon't Talk Dirty to Me"Tren de Amor" is pop vocalist Jermaine Stewart's second and last single of 1988. The song is the album opener on his third album Say It Again. This single was the third of four singles released from the album....
" (UK #61) - 1989: "Is It Really Love?Is It Really Love?"Is It Really Love?" is pop vocalist Jermaine Stewart's first of three singles of 1989. The song is from his third album Say It Again. It was the last of four singles from this album....
" - 1989: "Tren de AmorTren de Amor"Tren de Amor" is pop vocalist Jermaine Stewart's second and last single of 1989. The song is the album opener on his fourth album What Becomes a Legend Most. This single was the lead single from the album....
" (UK #97) - 1990: "Every Woman Wants ToEvery Woman Wants To"Every Woman Wants To" is pop vocalist Jermaine Stewart's only single of 1990. It is his second and final single from his fourth album What Becomes a Legend Most....
" (UK #95) - 1992: "Set Me FreeSet Me Free (Jermaine Stewart song)"Set Me Free" is pop vocalist Jermaine Stewart's last single from his music career, released in 1992. The song is from the album of the same name "Set Me Free" which remains unreleased to date...
"