Stephanie Mills
Biography
Stephanie Mills first came to fame as "the little girl with the big voice" as the star of the hit Broadway play, The Wiz, an adaptation of L. Frank Baum's classic book, The Wizard Of Oz. She had many R&B hits such as "I Have Learned to Respect the Power of Love," "I Feel Good All Over," "(You're Puttin') A Rush On Me," "Something in the Way (You Make Me Feel)" and "Home" along with one certified million selling single, "Never Knew Love Like This Before." In addition, she also had five gold albums: Whatcha Gonna Do With My Lovin', Sweet Sensation, Stephanie, If I Were Your Woman and Home.
Born on March 22, 1957 in Brooklyn, NY, Mills honed her rich vocals singing gospel music at Brooklyn's Cornerstone Baptist Church as a small child. At age 9, she began appearing in the Broadway play Maggie Flynn. She was presented with first prize after winning "The Amateur Hour" talent contest six weeks straight at New York's famed Apollo Theater when she was nine. That success led to her being chosen as the opening act for The Isley Brothers, eventually becoming good friends with lead singer Ronald Isley. Many years later, Isley would manage and later marry singer/songwriter Angela Winbush, who co-wrote one of her number one R&B hits. Mills' debut album, Movin' In The Right Direction was recorded for ABC Records in 1974. A year later, she won the role of Dorothy in The Wiz. Her rendition of the beautiful ballad "Home" was a showstopper, mesmerizing audiences nightly for a number of years. The original cast recording of The Wiz was produced by Jerry Wexler and issued by Atlantic Records in spring 1975. Curiously, when The Wiz was made into a full length feature film by Motown Records' film division and Universal Pictures, Diana Ross played the role of Dorothy instead of Mills. The film ended up being a major flop.
Singer Jermaine Jackson referred Mills to Motown head Berry Gordy, who signed her to the label. Her Motown debut was For the First Time, written and produced by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, being issued in October 1976. For the First Time is a sweet affair with Mills convincingly covering Bacharach/David standards, most of which were originally recorded by Dionne Warwick. In 1978, she signed to 20th Century Records and was teamed with the hit production duo of James Mtume -- later leader of Mtume, who had a gold single with "Juicy Fruit" -- and Reggie Lucas. Her first LP for the label, Whatcha Gonna Do With My Lovin', went gold, going to number 12 R&B and number 22 pop on Billboard's charts in summer 1979 and spawned the singles, "Whatcha Gonna Do With My Lovin'" and "You Can Get Over." Her next LP, Sweet Sensation (#3 R&B, #16 Pop, spring 1980) yielded "Sweet Sensation," "Never Knew Love Like This Before," and the radio-aired LP track, "Try My Love." Around this time, she briefly married former Soul Train dancer Jeffrey Daniels of the group Shalamar. Next came the LP titled Stephanie in spring 1981, which also was a huge hit, peaking at #3 R&B and #30 Pop. The album included notable songs such as "Two Hearts" -- a midtempo duet with Teddy Pendergrass -- "Night Games" and the radio-aired LP cut, "Don't Stop Doin' What Cha Do."
In 1981, Mills switched to Neil Bogart's Casablanca Records. Her LPs for the label included Tantalizingly Hot, Merciless and I've Got The Cure. During 1983, she had her own NBC-TV daytime talk show and reprised on role in a Broadway revival of The Wiz. She also signed with MCA Records, where she released her Stephanie Mills album.
The first single from the Stephanie Mills album was "Stand Back," in late 1985, which also included the passionate ballad "I Have Learned To Respect The Power Of Love." "I Have Learned To Respect The Power Of Love" was initially written by Rene Moore and Angela Winbush -- best known as the hit singing duo Rene & Angela -- as a gospel song and originally was recorded by Alton McClain and Destiny on their self-titled 1978 Polydor LP. The original version is available on Polygram's Power of Love: Best of Soul Essentials Ballads. Because of its massive radio play as an album track, Mills' version of "I Have Learned To Respect The Power Of Love, -- produced by Philly Soul keyboardist Ron Kersey -- was reissued as an A side holding the #1 R&B spot for two weeks in spring 1986. Its follow-up, "Rising Desire" reached #11 R&B in summer 1986.
Her next LP's title cut was the Clay McMurray/Gloria Jones/Pam Sawyer song, "If I Were Your Woman," originally a 1971 #1 R&B, #9 Pop smash for Gladys Knight and the Pips. Philly-based producer Nick Martinelli gave Mills her second #1 R&B hit with "I Feel Good All Over," written by husband and wife songwriting duo, Gabriel Hardeman and Annette Hardeman. The song held the #1 R&B spot for three weeks in spring 1987. Originally submitted to Mills' fellow MCA labelmate Patti Labelle by the Hardemans, the track was included on Mills' LP If I Were Your Woman, issued June 1987 and peaked at #30 Pop in summer 1987. Paul Laurence produced and co-wrote with Timmy Allen the chugging '"(You're Putting) a Rush On Me" giving the singer her third #1 R&B hit in fall 1987. The single made it to #85 Pop and was followed by "Secret Lady," which landed at #7 R&B in late 1987. Her covers of "If I Were Your Woman" and "Where Is The Love" followed. All were included on her If I Were Your Woman album, which peaked at #1 R&B, #30 Pop in summer 1987. Following these hits, Mills contacted Ronald Isley about working with singer/songwriter/producer Angela Winbush who had hits as half of Rene and Angela and was forging a hit-filled career as a recording artist and producer for the group Body among others. The collaboration between Mills and Winbush resulted in another #1 R&B single, "Something In The Way You Make Me Feel," in summer 1989.
Having starred for five years in the smash Broadway show The Wiz and recorded the song "Home for the play's 1975 original cast soundtrack album, she wanted to record the song again as a posthumous tribute to the play's producer, Ken Harper, and the song's composer, Charlie Smalls. On her new version of "Home," Take 6 sung the background vocals. The song went to #1 R&B in late 1989 and was followed by "Comfort Of A Man" and "Real Love." The Home LP ended up peaking at #5 R&B, #82 Pop in summer 1989. She then recorded a charting single with J.T. Taylor titled "Heart To Heart" in late 1991. Her final MCA album, Something Real included the hit "All Day All Night" and "Never Do Wrong." Following this album, she recorded a gospel album, Personal Inspirations, for Interscope Records and recorded several tracks at Philadelphia International Records with Bunny Sigler among others in the late '90s. ~ Ed Hogan, All Music Guide
Selected Discography

Born For This!
2004

The Ultimate Collection
1999

The Best Of Stephanie Mills
1997

Home
1989

If I Were Your Women
1987
SHES ALWAYS BEEN MY INSPIRATION, SHE KEEPS A SMILE ON A SAD FACE,ALWAYS A DEVA AND THAT VOICE OH WOW LIKE HOME KEEPS ME AFLOAT
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Stephanie Mills one of the most powerful yet sweet voices of the 21st century, her voice puts shivers up your spine, it echoes like speakers through your body
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The Sister's got it all togeather, The voice is Just Outstanding! And boy can babygirl Dress her a** off. Keep listening People...
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i like her music. i did'nt know she went out with michael jackson back in the day.
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Her music makes me want to fall in love and have more sex than a person is allowed to have.
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This woman has had many ups and downs, but her talent still shines through. I saw her in a play "His Woman, His Wife" about five years ago and was still blown away by her talent. Keep the faith and make new music, the business missed you!
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Stephanie Mills can really blow! What lungs this woman has to reach those CRAZY notes! LOVE HER
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I love her music. She is very talented. I have been following her since the 80's when she was married to Jeffrey. I went to school with Jeffrey. What is she doing now?
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stephanie is trully gifted,when she sings it gives me goose bumps and there ain't to many people now days that can do that.
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Stephanie Mills is one of the most dynamic singers I 've heard. i don't care what you're doing her music will make it better
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awesome vocal ability, nothing like what we hear today. Truly a gifted woman
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yeah i love this song too bad artists of the new millenium cant even compare to the artists of the 80's and 90's in vocal abilities
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she is busy with family. I certainly hope that she hurry on back. Debarge was a fool.
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I love this lady, and "Home" in my opinion was the icing on the cake to a truley stellar career. She is living proof that great things often times come in small packages.
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ONE OF THEE BEST R&B SINGERS OF ALL TIME...STEPH A N I E MILLS BABY!!! JUDY GLAZE THE NEXT TOP R&B SINGER!?
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Please play this entire cd 1999 The Ultimate Collection by Stephanie Mills.
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this lady is a strong black woman that i'm happy to say she is my sister keep up the great work
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She's a tremendous & outstanding singer. Mrs Mills was the one who catappult me into listening to R&B.
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I truly believe that Stephanie Mills is an inspiring artist to new becoming artist like myself.
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I love 'Stephanie Mills she has a wonderful voice , i was surprise to here she has went back to singing gospel music but it all good. I still love her. I have all her music and it still sounds good today.
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i thought Stephanie was from marshville, nc or albemarle nc . her parents live in charlotte, nc i love her would like to follow her footsteps as a singer
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i have all of her music wish she would come out with some more music. seen her on sunday best and she was the best.
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