Stephanie Mills's Biography (Singer)

Stephanie Dorthea Mills is an American singer and songwriter born in New York on March 22, 1957. Stephanie Mills, daughter of Joseph Mills and Christine Mills, was raised in Bedford–Stuyvesant (Brooklyn). As a child, Stephanie took her first steps into the music world as a gospel singer at Brooklyn's Cornerstone Baptist Church. At nine, she appeared in the Broadway musical "Maggie Flynn." At the age of eleven she won the "Amateur Night" award at the Apollo Theater and was called to perform as the opener for a concert of "The Isley Brothers". In 1973, Stephanie signed a contract with Michael Barbiero's "Paramount Records" and released her first single "I Knew It Was Love". She later signed a contract with "Motown Records" and released two albums between 1974 and 1975. Unfortunately, the two albums failed to achieve the desired success and Stephanie left the label in 1976. The turning point in Stephanie's career occurred in 1977, when she was called to play "Dorothy" in the Broadway musical "The Wiz" (winner of seven Tony Awards). In 1979 he signed to “20th Century Fox Records” and released three highly successful singles: “Put Your Body In It”, “You Can Get Over” and “What Cha Gonna Do with My Lovin'. The album “ What Cha'Gonna Do with My Lovin'", became Stephanie Mills' first gold record. In 1980 she recorded what would become her most famous song: "Never Knew Love Like This Before". The single reached the twelfth position in the Billboard R&B Chart and No. 6 on the Billboard Pop Chart of 1980, as well as No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart". In 1981, she won the Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for the track "Never Knew Love Like This Before". Also in 1981 she had a great success with the song "Two Hearts" sung in duet with Teddy Pendergrass. In 1983 she released the album "Merciless" with the two hit singles "Pilot Error" (No. 3 Billboard Dance Chart) and “How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore?” (Prince cover) In 1985 she recorded the soundtrack for the Michael Ritchie film "Fletch". In 1986, she reached number one on the Billboard R&B Single Chart with her version of "I Have Learned to Respect the Power of Love," written by Angela Winbush. In 1987, the album "If I Were Your Woman" won going platinum. In 1993, she returned to stage once again as Dorothy in “The Wiz".

Discography :

Album

1975 - For The First Time

1975 - Movin' In THe Right Direction

1979 - What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin'

1980 - Sweet Sensation

1981 - Stephanie

1982 - Love Has Lifted Me

1982 - Tantalizingly Hot

1983 - Merciless

1984 - I've Got The Cure

1985 - Stephanie Mills