Sylvia (singer)
Encyclopedia
Sylvia Jane Kirby is an American country music
and country pop
singer and songwriter. More commonly known by the singular name Sylvia, she enjoyed crossover
music success with the song "Nobody
" in 1982.
Sylvia is best known for her hit "Nobody", which reached #15 Pop and #1 Country in 1982. The song earned her a gold record certification and a Grammy Award
nomination for Best Female Country Vocal Performance (the Grammy went to Juice Newton
for her hit "Break It to Me Gently
"). Although "Nobody" was Sylvia's only single to reach the Billboard pop charts
, her other big country hits include "Drifter
" (#1 Country, 1981), "Fallin' in Love
", "Tumbleweed" and "Snapshot". In 1982, she was named Female Vocalist of the Year by the Academy of Country Music
. She is also credited with making the first "concept" music video
clip to air on Country Music Television
(CMT), with "The Matador".
on December 26, 1976. With a burning desire to become a recording artist like her idols Patsy Cline
and Dolly Parton
, Sylvia packed her bags and a demo tape and headed for Music City, where she ultimately landed a job as a secretary for producer/publisher Tom Collins
, who produced records for such luminaries as Barbara Mandrell
and Ronnie Milsap
.
After auditioning for Dave & Sugar
, Sylvia was signed as a solo artist by RCA Records
in 1979. http://www.amazon.com/dp/customer-reviews/B00000DMTY. Her first RCA single was called "You Don't Miss a Thing". The song reached the Country Top 40, which got her name noticed. In 1980 she released another single, "It Don't Hurt to Dream". The record was slightly more successful than the previous title, going to #35. That same year, she finally made it to the Top 10 with "Tumbleweed". In 1981 her song "Drifter" hit #1 on the country charts, and two other songs, "The Matador" and "Heart on the Mend" landed in the Top 10. "The Matador" was country music's first conceptual music video to air on CMT. "Drifter" was the title of her 1981 RCA debut album. The album contained several top-ten songs, including "Tumbleweed" and "Heart On The Mend".
, Dolly Parton
, Anne Murray
, Ronnie Milsap
and Kenny Rogers
-- were doing at the time.
"Nobody" and the album Just Sylvia were certified gold in the United States and Canada. "Nobody
" was the 1982 BMI
Song of the Year, awarded for receiving more radio airplay than any other single that year. Sylvia's bouncy and youthful style made her popular among teenage girls, making her a teen idol
briefly, which foreshadowed the female pop teen idols
of the late 1980s, like Debbie Gibson and Tiffany Renee Darwish (a.k.a. Tiffany). In 1982, Sylvia was the Academy of Country Music's "Female Vocalist of the Year" and a Grammy nominee for "Best Female Vocalist".
In 1983 Sylvia's album Snapshot was released; its title song climbed to #5 on the Country charts and became her second-highest selling single release. She had two other songs in the Top 20 that year, "I Never Quite Got Back (from loving you)" and "The Boy Gets Around" (which she described in the notes of her 1998 anthology album as being "pretty forgettable").
In 1985, the momentum continued with such smash hits as "Fallin' in Love
", "Cry Just a Little Bit", and "I Love You by Heart" (a duet with Michael Johnson
). By 1986 though, Sylvia's chart success was fading as more traditionally styled country singers, such as Randy Travis
, dominated the charts.
Sylvia continued to record for RCA until the end of 1987, charting 13 Top Ten and No. 1 songs, and sold more than 4 million records.
All four of Sylvia's albums were produced by Tom Collins, who also produced Mandrell, Charley Pride
, and Ronnie Milsap. They have been described by critics as too slick for country music.
Her following album, One Step Closer, produced by The Judds' producer Brent Maher, had a more "earthy" feel to it and was more acoustic as opposed to her previous slick countrified pop oriented music. Sylvia's final top 40 country hit was "Nothin' Ventured, Nothin' Gained", from the unreleased album "Knockin Around". The shelving of this album marked the end of Sylvia's tenure with RCA Records. The label did release a greatest hits compilation and a single from it titled "Straight from my Heart". The record received no promotion from RCA and the single charted in the low 60s. In the late 1980s RCA began streamlining its roster of country-pop artists and the casualties included Sylvia, Dolly Parton
, Louise Mandrell
, Deborah Allen
, Juice Newton
, John Denver
and Kenny Rogers
.
Over an eight-year period, Sylvia crisscrossed America many times with her popular concert performances (over 200 per year), and she was a frequent guest on network television talk shows and specials — from The Today Show and Good Morning, America to Dick Clark's American Bandstand and the Country Music Awards.
Her decision to stop touring and recording at the end of the 1980s was not fueled by the grueling schedule, as some might guess, but by her desire to bring more of herself to the music. So, she turned her energies to songwriting and began a new phase of her journey.
's Crook and Chase show and also hosted her own Holiday Gourmet cooking
special. After selling over four million records and touring extensively for eight years, Sylvia pulled back from the spotlight to write and record music for her own record label, Red Pony Records.
Sylvia's first independent album, The Real Story, was released from Red Pony Records. "The Real Story" was described as a "transition this multi-talented singer/songwriter has gone through over the past few years. Sylvia's reemergence as a recording artist comes after a period of personal growth that has brought her into contact with some of Nashville's finest songwriters and musicians, as well as her own deeper well. With guitarist/co-producer John Mock lending his exquisite hand and ear, she delves into diverse musical terrain. The album has an acoustic, genuine feel, highlighting Sylvia's warm and clear voice. The songs range from intimate ballads to the up-tempo title song, "The Real Story". She co-writes with well-known tunesmiths Verlon Thompson, Craig Bickhardt, and Kent Robbins." http://www.CDBABY.COM/sylvia2
In 2002, she followed with Where in the World, which marked the culmination of an 11-year musical collaboration between Sylvia and John Mock. Another shaping force is songwriter Craig Bickhardt, who penned four of the eleven songs, including the title cut. Craig has recorded, co-written and performed with Sylvia since 1984.
In 2002 Sylvia also released A Cradle in Bethlehem, her first Christmas album.
Since 2002, Sylvia has been a life coach where she helps individuals working in the music industry – singers, songwriters, musicians, recording artists, and music industry professionals. She also coaches people who work at non-profit agencies. She is currently married with the name Sylvia Hutton and lives in the Nashville, TN area.
Sylvia has also received numerous awards from Billboard, Cashbox and Record World magazines for 13 Top Ten and two Number One records.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
and country pop
Country pop
Country pop, with roots in both the countrypolitan sound and in soft rock, is a subgenre of country music that first emerged in the 1970s. Although the term first referred to country music songs and artists that crossed over to Top 40 radio, country pop acts are now more likely to cross over to...
singer and songwriter. More commonly known by the singular name Sylvia, she enjoyed crossover
Crossover (music)
Crossover is a term applied to musical works or performers appearing on two or more of the record charts which track differing musical tastes, or genres...
music success with the song "Nobody
Nobody (Sylvia song)
"Nobody" is the name of a Country Music song recorded by Sylvia, that became a Number One hit on the country charts in 1982.The song was first recorded in 1982 by Sylvia, who was already a Country Music star the previous year, achieving a #1 hit and 2 other Top Tens in 1981. "Nobody" was released...
" in 1982.
Sylvia is best known for her hit "Nobody", which reached #15 Pop and #1 Country in 1982. The song earned her a gold record certification and a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nomination for Best Female Country Vocal Performance (the Grammy went to Juice Newton
Juice Newton
Judith Kay "Juice" Newton is an American Pop music and Country singer, songwriter and guitarist...
for her hit "Break It to Me Gently
Break It to Me Gently
"Break It to Me Gently" is a pop song written by blues musician Joe Seneca with lyrics by Diane Lampert. Both Brenda Lee and Juice Newton met with considerable success with their versions of the song....
"). Although "Nobody" was Sylvia's only single to reach the Billboard pop charts
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
, her other big country hits include "Drifter
Drifter (Sylvia song)
"Drifter" is the 1981 title track from the debut album by Sylvia. "Drifter" was written by Don Pfrimmer and Archie Jordan and would become Sylvia's fourth country hit and the first of two number one songs on the country chart. The single went to number one for one week and spent eleven weeks on...
" (#1 Country, 1981), "Fallin' in Love
Fallin' in Love (Sylvia song)
"Fallin' in Love" is a single by American country music artist Sylvia. Released in January 1985, it was the first single from her album One Step Closer. The song reached #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in May 1985 and #1 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada.-Chart performance:...
", "Tumbleweed" and "Snapshot". In 1982, she was named Female Vocalist of the Year by the Academy of Country Music
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
. She is also credited with making the first "concept" music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
clip to air on Country Music Television
Country Music Television
Country Music Television, or CMT, is an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming includes music videos, taped concerts, movies, biographies of country music stars, game shows, and reality programs...
(CMT), with "The Matador".
Early career
Sylvia's musical journey began at age three when she was asked to sing at a small church near her hometown of Kokomo, Indiana. This set Sylvia on a course that eventually led her to NashvilleNashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
on December 26, 1976. With a burning desire to become a recording artist like her idols Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline , born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Gore, Virginia, was an American country music singer who enjoyed pop music crossover success during the era of the Nashville sound in the early 1960s...
and Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
, Sylvia packed her bags and a demo tape and headed for Music City, where she ultimately landed a job as a secretary for producer/publisher Tom Collins
Tom Collins
The Tom Collins is a type of Collins cocktail made from gin, lemon juice, sugar and carbonated water. First memorialized in writing in 1876 by "the father of American mixology" Jerry Thomas, this "Gin and Sparkling Lemonade" drink typically is served in a Collins glass over ice.-History:In 1874,...
, who produced records for such luminaries as Barbara Mandrell
Barbara Mandrell
Barbara Ann Mandrell is an American country music singer best known for a 1970s–1980s series of Top 10 hits and TV shows that helped her become one of country's most successful female vocalists of the 1970s and 1980s...
and Ronnie Milsap
Ronnie Milsap
Ronnie Lee Milsap is an American country music singer and pianist. He was one of country’s most popular and influential performers of the 1970s and 1980s...
.
After auditioning for Dave & Sugar
Dave & Sugar
Dave & Sugar was a pop-styled country music trio that enjoyed its peak success in the mid- to late-1970s. It consisted of lead singer Dave Rowland and initially on backing vocalists, Vicki Hackeman and Jackie Frantz...
, Sylvia was signed as a solo artist by RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
in 1979. http://www.amazon.com/dp/customer-reviews/B00000DMTY. Her first RCA single was called "You Don't Miss a Thing". The song reached the Country Top 40, which got her name noticed. In 1980 she released another single, "It Don't Hurt to Dream". The record was slightly more successful than the previous title, going to #35. That same year, she finally made it to the Top 10 with "Tumbleweed". In 1981 her song "Drifter" hit #1 on the country charts, and two other songs, "The Matador" and "Heart on the Mend" landed in the Top 10. "The Matador" was country music's first conceptual music video to air on CMT. "Drifter" was the title of her 1981 RCA debut album. The album contained several top-ten songs, including "Tumbleweed" and "Heart On The Mend".
Career heights in the 1980s
In 1982, from her "Just Sylvia" album, the singer released the single "Nobody", which reached No. 1 on the country music charts, hit #15 on Billboard's Hot 100, and sold more than a million copies. The song was also an Adult Contemporary hit, making the Top 5. "Nobody" became Sylvia's signature song and made her a success on both the Country and Pop music charts, which was what many of her contemporaries—such as Juice NewtonJuice Newton
Judith Kay "Juice" Newton is an American Pop music and Country singer, songwriter and guitarist...
, Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
, Anne Murray
Anne Murray
Morna Anne Murray CC, ONS is a Canadian singer in pop, country and adult contemporary styles whose albums have sold over 54 million copies....
, Ronnie Milsap
Ronnie Milsap
Ronnie Lee Milsap is an American country music singer and pianist. He was one of country’s most popular and influential performers of the 1970s and 1980s...
and Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
-- were doing at the time.
"Nobody" and the album Just Sylvia were certified gold in the United States and Canada. "Nobody
Nobody (Sylvia song)
"Nobody" is the name of a Country Music song recorded by Sylvia, that became a Number One hit on the country charts in 1982.The song was first recorded in 1982 by Sylvia, who was already a Country Music star the previous year, achieving a #1 hit and 2 other Top Tens in 1981. "Nobody" was released...
" was the 1982 BMI
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
Song of the Year, awarded for receiving more radio airplay than any other single that year. Sylvia's bouncy and youthful style made her popular among teenage girls, making her a teen idol
Teen idol
A teen idol is a celebrity who is widely idolized by teenagers; he or she is often young but not necessarily teenaged. Often teen idols are actors or pop singers, but some sports figures have an appeal to teenagers. Some teen idols began their careers as child actors...
briefly, which foreshadowed the female pop teen idols
Teen Idols
The Teen Idols were a pop punk band originally from Nashville, Tennessee. They were formed in 1992 by Phillip Hill and originally broke up in 2003...
of the late 1980s, like Debbie Gibson and Tiffany Renee Darwish (a.k.a. Tiffany). In 1982, Sylvia was the Academy of Country Music's "Female Vocalist of the Year" and a Grammy nominee for "Best Female Vocalist".
In 1983 Sylvia's album Snapshot was released; its title song climbed to #5 on the Country charts and became her second-highest selling single release. She had two other songs in the Top 20 that year, "I Never Quite Got Back (from loving you)" and "The Boy Gets Around" (which she described in the notes of her 1998 anthology album as being "pretty forgettable").
In 1985, the momentum continued with such smash hits as "Fallin' in Love
Fallin' in Love (Sylvia song)
"Fallin' in Love" is a single by American country music artist Sylvia. Released in January 1985, it was the first single from her album One Step Closer. The song reached #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in May 1985 and #1 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada.-Chart performance:...
", "Cry Just a Little Bit", and "I Love You by Heart" (a duet with Michael Johnson
Michael Johnson (singer)
Michael Johnson , is an American pop, country and folk singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his 1978 hit song "Bluer Than Blue". To date, he has charted four hits on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, and nine more on the Hot Country Songs charts, including two Number One country hits...
). By 1986 though, Sylvia's chart success was fading as more traditionally styled country singers, such as Randy Travis
Randy Travis
Randy Travis is an American country music singer and actor. Since 1985, he has recorded 20 studio albums and charted more than 30 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, 22 of which were number one hits...
, dominated the charts.
Sylvia continued to record for RCA until the end of 1987, charting 13 Top Ten and No. 1 songs, and sold more than 4 million records.
Surprises, country roots and retirement
The release of her fourth album, Surprise, marked her foray into the Adult Contemporary charts, but it was not well-received in country music.All four of Sylvia's albums were produced by Tom Collins, who also produced Mandrell, Charley Pride
Charley Pride
Charley Frank Pride is an American country music singer. His smooth baritone voice was featured on thirty-nine number-one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. His greatest success came in the early- to mid-1970s, when he became the best-selling performer for RCA Records since Elvis...
, and Ronnie Milsap. They have been described by critics as too slick for country music.
Her following album, One Step Closer, produced by The Judds' producer Brent Maher, had a more "earthy" feel to it and was more acoustic as opposed to her previous slick countrified pop oriented music. Sylvia's final top 40 country hit was "Nothin' Ventured, Nothin' Gained", from the unreleased album "Knockin Around". The shelving of this album marked the end of Sylvia's tenure with RCA Records. The label did release a greatest hits compilation and a single from it titled "Straight from my Heart". The record received no promotion from RCA and the single charted in the low 60s. In the late 1980s RCA began streamlining its roster of country-pop artists and the casualties included Sylvia, Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
, Louise Mandrell
Louise Mandrell
Thelma Louise Mandrell, also known as Louise Mandrell, was born July 13, 1954 and is an American country music singer. She is the younger sister of country singer Barbara Mandrell, and older sister of actress Irlene Mandrell. Louise had a successful singing career in country music with a string of...
, Deborah Allen
Deborah Allen
Deborah Allen is an American country music singer. Since 1976, Allen has issued 12 albums and charted 14 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, most notably the 1983 crossover hit "Baby I Lied" which reached #4 on the country charts and #26 on the Billboard Hot 100. Allen has also...
, Juice Newton
Juice Newton
Judith Kay "Juice" Newton is an American Pop music and Country singer, songwriter and guitarist...
, John Denver
John Denver
Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success...
and Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
.
Over an eight-year period, Sylvia crisscrossed America many times with her popular concert performances (over 200 per year), and she was a frequent guest on network television talk shows and specials — from The Today Show and Good Morning, America to Dick Clark's American Bandstand and the Country Music Awards.
Her decision to stop touring and recording at the end of the 1980s was not fueled by the grueling schedule, as some might guess, but by her desire to bring more of herself to the music. So, she turned her energies to songwriting and began a new phase of her journey.
Life today
A few years after Sylvia's retirement from the music business, she guest-hosted TNNThe Nashville Network
The Nashville Network, usually referred to as TNN, was an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming included music videos, taped concerts, movies, syndicated programs, and numerous talk shows...
's Crook and Chase show and also hosted her own Holiday Gourmet cooking
Cooking
Cooking is the process of preparing food by use of heat. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely across the world, reflecting unique environmental, economic, and cultural traditions. Cooks themselves also vary widely in skill and training...
special. After selling over four million records and touring extensively for eight years, Sylvia pulled back from the spotlight to write and record music for her own record label, Red Pony Records.
Sylvia's first independent album, The Real Story, was released from Red Pony Records. "The Real Story" was described as a "transition this multi-talented singer/songwriter has gone through over the past few years. Sylvia's reemergence as a recording artist comes after a period of personal growth that has brought her into contact with some of Nashville's finest songwriters and musicians, as well as her own deeper well. With guitarist/co-producer John Mock lending his exquisite hand and ear, she delves into diverse musical terrain. The album has an acoustic, genuine feel, highlighting Sylvia's warm and clear voice. The songs range from intimate ballads to the up-tempo title song, "The Real Story". She co-writes with well-known tunesmiths Verlon Thompson, Craig Bickhardt, and Kent Robbins." http://www.CDBABY.COM/sylvia2
In 2002, she followed with Where in the World, which marked the culmination of an 11-year musical collaboration between Sylvia and John Mock. Another shaping force is songwriter Craig Bickhardt, who penned four of the eleven songs, including the title cut. Craig has recorded, co-written and performed with Sylvia since 1984.
In 2002 Sylvia also released A Cradle in Bethlehem, her first Christmas album.
Since 2002, Sylvia has been a life coach where she helps individuals working in the music industry – singers, songwriters, musicians, recording artists, and music industry professionals. She also coaches people who work at non-profit agencies. She is currently married with the name Sylvia Hutton and lives in the Nashville, TN area.
Awards and honors
| Year | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | New Female Vocalist of the Year by the Academy of Country Music Academy of Country Music The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the... |
Nominated |
| 1982 | Female Vocalist of the Year Academy of Country Music Academy of Country Music The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the... |
Won |
| 1982 | Grammy Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "Nobody" (Country) | Nominated |
| 1982 | 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... s #1 Country Female Artist |
Won |
| 1983 | "Nobody", BMI Broadcast Music Incorporated Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed... Song of the Year For Most Air-Play |
Won |
| 1986 | Command Performance for Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor.... , Ford Theatre Ford Theatre Ford Theatre was a radio and television anthology series broadcast in the United States in the 1940s and 1950s. At various times the television series appeared on all three major television networks, while the radio version was broadcast on two separate networks and on two separate coasts... Tribute |
Sylvia has also received numerous awards from Billboard, Cashbox and Record World magazines for 13 Top Ten and two Number One records.
External links
- Sylvia page at CMTCMT- Medicine :* California mastitis test* Certified Massage Therapist* Cervical motion tenderness, a sign of pelvic inflammatory disease* Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease* Chemically modified tetracyclines* Circus Movement Tachycardia...
.com - Sylvia's personal page