SWV

SWV
File:Swvgroup.jpg
Background information
Origin	New York City, USA
Years active	1990 – 1998 (disbanded) 2005 - present (reunited)
Members	Cheryl "Coko" Gamble Tamara "Taj" Johnson Leanne "Lelee" Lyons

SWV, also known as Sisters With Voices, is an American female R&B/new jack swing trio from New York that formed as three school friends in 1990: Cheryl "Coko" Gamble-Clemons (born June 13, 1974), Tamara "Taj" Johnson-George (born April 1974), and Leanne "Lelee" Lyons (born July 17, 1973).

Early career

All three girls began getting their singing in church at a young age. Brian Alexander Morgan took notice of a demo tape the trio had created. He was one of the main producers responsible for the making of their debut album, It's About Time, released in 1992. The album went double platinum within its first year of release. SWV's series of top 10 hits on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart made them one of the most successful and popular urban groups of the 1990s.

Their first single, "Right Here", was released in the autumn of 1992. It peaked at #13 on the R&B chart, but the hit follow-up single, "I'm So Into You", is what caused them to become a commercial force among urban fans. The two singles were followed by the biggest hits of their career, "Weak" and "Right Here/Human Nature" (a remix of their first single featuring samples of Michael Jackson's "Human Nature", produced by New Jack Swing pioneer Teddy Riley). "Weak" became their only single to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart where it stayed for 2 weeks while "Right Here (Human Nature)" peaked at #2. The fifth single, "You're Always on My Mind" was another top ten R&B hit. In December 1993 the band was nominated for 11 Billboard Music Awards, going to win 3 of the nominations.

In the spring of 1994, SWV contributed the old school radio version of "Anything", featuring Wu-Tang Clan to the soundtrack of the movie Above the Rim; it became another hit single. Their remix EP, The Remixes, was unleashed the same year and reached gold status by the end of the year. In the summer of 1995, they lended their vocals to Blackstreet's top 40 hit "Tonight's The Night".

The trio returned in 1996 with a sophomore album, New Beginning, and had another #1 R&B hit with the song "You're The One" and follow-up single "Use Your Heart" was a Top 10 R&B hit. The album was followed by next single, "Can We" produced by Timbaland and Missy Elliott, which appeared on the Booty Call soundtrack. Then they released a third album Release Some Tension in 1997, which featured a bevy of guest appearances by rappers including Lil' Kim, Missy Elliott, and Sean "P. Diddy" Combs and Snoop Dogg -- and the hits "Someone" and "Rain" (another Top 10 R&B Hit). Later that year, they released a Christmas album titled A Special Christmas. In 1999, their previous successes were recalled on their Greatest Hits compilation. Another greatest hits compilation, Best of SWV was released in 2001.

SWV disbanded in 1998 and Gamble moved on to continue with a solo career. Her solo debut, Hot Coko, was released in 1999, but the album and its main single, "Sunshine," which was dedicated to Coko's firstborn son, Jazz, did not receive much commercial attention.

Personal Life

Taj is married to former Dallas Cowboys and Tennessee Titans football player Eddie George and recently gave birth to a baby boy, Eriq Michael George. Coko's son Jazz was from a previous relationship with Butterfly of the Hip Hop group Digable Planets. She is currently married to producer Mike Clemons, of whom fathered her second child.

Reunion and latest happenings

SWV has officially reunited and will release a new album soon. They performed in their first live performance in eight years at Los Angeles urban radio station KKBT 100.3 "The Beat"'s summerjam concert on August 20, 2005. They also appeared on the 2006 New Jack Reunion Tour.

Meanwhile, Coko, now a gospel singer, has signed with Light Records, a division of Artemis Records.[1] Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, Faith Evans, Fantasia Barrino and Lil Mo are expected to collaborate with Coko on her second album called Grateful, and her first single "Clap Your Hands" had hit radio airwaves on many urban gospel radio stations in August 2006. The album itself was released October 31, 2006.[2]

According to SWV's MySpace page, we should expect a new SWV album sometime in 2007.

Trivia

• In October 2004 I'm So Into You appeared in popular videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on R&B, Soul radio station CSR 103.9.

Discography

Albums

• It's About Time (1992) Pop #8 / R&B #2 (3x Platinum)
• The Remixes (EP) (1994) Pop #92 / R&B #9 (Gold)
• New Beginning (1996) Pop #9 / R&B #3 (Platinum)
• Release Some Tension (1997) Pop #24 / R&B #5 (Gold)
• A Special Christmas (1997) R&B #85
• Greatest Hits (1999)
• Best of SWV (2001)
• Platinum and Gold Collection (2003)
• Encore Collection (2004)
• TBA (2007)

Singles

• 1992 "Right Here" #92 US #16 R&B
• 1992 "I'm So Into You" #6 US #2 R&B #17 UK (Gold Single)
• 1993 "Weak" #1 US #1 R&B #33 UK (Platinum Single)
• 1993 "Right Here/Human Nature"/"Downtown" #2 US #1 R&B #3 UK (Gold Single)
• 1994 "You're Always On My Mind" #54 US #8 R&B
• 1994 "Anything" #18 US #4 R&B #1 DMMS #24 UK
• 1996 "You're the One" #5 US #1 R&B #13 UK (Gold Single)
• 1996 "Use Your Heart" #22 US #6 R&B (Produced By Chad Hugo & Pharrell Williams (The Neptunes)
• 1997 "It's All About U" #61 US #32 R&B #36 UK
• 1997 "Can We" #75 US #31 R&B #1 RA #18 UK
• 1997 "Someone" #19 US #5 R&B #34 UK (Gold Single)
• 1998 "Rain" #25 US #7 R&B

Awards & nominations

Year	Award
1993	American Music Award nomination for Favorite New Artist - Pop / Rock
1993	American Music Award nomination for Favorite Band, Duo or Group - Soul / Rhythm & Blues
1993	American Music Award nomination for Favorite Album - Soul / Rhythm & Blues ("It's About Time")
1993	American Music Award nomination for Favorite New Artist - Soul / Rhythm & Blues
1993	Billboard Music Award Win for Top Hot 100 Singles Artists - Duos/Group
1993	Billboard Music Award Win for Top R&B Artists - Duos/Group
1993	Billboard Music Award Win for Top R&B Singles Artists - Duos/Group
1993	Billboard Music Award nomination for Top Pop Artists - Duo/Group
1993	Billboard Music Award nomination for Top New Pop Artist
1993	Billboard Music Award nomination for Top Hot 100 Singles Artist
1993	Billboard Music Award nomination for Top Hot 100 Airplay Track for "Weak"
1993	Billboard Music Award nomination for Top R&B Artist
1993	Billboard Music Award nomination for Top New R&B Artist
1993	Billboard Music Award nomination for Top R&B Album Artists - Duos/Group
1993	Billboard Music Award nomination for Top R&B Singles Artist
1993	Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist
1994	Billboard Music Award nomination for Top R&B Singles Artists - Duos/Group
1994	Billboard Music Award nomination for Top R&B Artists - Duos/Group

External links

• SWV Online
• Coko's Place