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Rita Coolidge

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Rita Coolidge
Coolidge performing at an outdoor concert in Seattle in September 2002
Coolidge performing at an outdoor concert in Seattle in September 2002
Background information
Born (1945-05-01) May 1, 1945 (age 79)
Lafayette, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Instrument(s)
Years active1969–present
Labels
Websitewww.ritacoolidge.com

Rita Coolidge (born May 1, 1945) is an American recording artist. During the 1970s and 1980s, her songs were on Billboard magazine's pop, country, adult contemporary, and jazz charts,[1] and she won two Grammy Awards with fellow musician and then-husband Kris Kristofferson. Her recordings include "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher", "We're All Alone", and the theme song for the 1983 James Bond film Octopussy: "All Time High".

Coolidge at Willie Nelson's 4th of July Picnic in 1972.
Coolidge with Kris Kristofferson at the private party after the premiere of the movie A Star Is Born, on the third floor of Dillon's Disco on December 18, 1976.

Career

Coolidge is a graduate of Florida State University. After singing around Memphis (including a stint singing jingles), she was discovered by Delaney & Bonnie, who worked with her in Los Angeles. There, she became a background singer on many other people's albums.[2] She sang for Leon Russell, Joe Cocker, Harry Chapin, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Dave Mason, Graham Nash, and Stephen Stills.[3] She was featured in Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour and album, singing Russell's and Bonnie Bramlett's song "Superstar." She became known as "The Delta Lady" and inspired Russell to write a song of the same name for her.[4]

In November 1970, she met Kris Kristofferson at the Los Angeles airport when they were both catching the same flight to Tennessee. He got off in Memphis with her, rather than continue to his intended destination in Nashville. The two married in 1973 and recorded several duet albums, which sold well and earned the duo a Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1974 for "From the Bottle to the Bottom", and in 1976 for "Lover Please".

Coolidge's greatest success on the pop charts came during 1977–1978 with four consecutive top 25 hits, remakes of Jackie Wilson's "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher", Boz Scaggs' "We're All Alone", the Temptations' "The Way You Do The Things You Do", and Marcia Hines' "You".

Coolidge also was among the first hosts on VH1, a U.S. cable network. In 2006, she recorded a standards album, And So Is Love.[3]

On June 25, 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed Rita Coolidge among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.[5]

Layla

In the recording of the original hit "Layla" by Eric Clapton's band Derek and the Dominos in 1970, Clapton returned to the studio where he heard the band's drummer Jim Gordon playing a piano piece he had allegedly composed himself separately. Clapton, impressed by the piece, convinced Gordon to allow it to be used as part of the song in the coda section. Though only Gordon has been officially credited with this part, the band's keyboardist Bobby Whitlock claims, "Jim took that piano melody from his ex-girlfriend, Rita Coolidge. I know because in the Delaney & Bonnie days, I lived in John Garfield's old house in the Hollywood Hills and there was a guest house with an upright piano in it. Rita and Jim were up there in the guest house and invited me to join in on writing this song with them called "Time". Her sister Priscilla wound up recording it with her husband, Booker T. Jones (of Booker T. & the M.G.'s). Jim took the melody from Rita's song and didn't give her credit for writing it. Her boyfriend ripped her off".[6] "Time" ended up on the 1973 album Chronicles by Booker T. and Priscilla.

Personal life

Coolidge is the daughter of Dick and Charlotte Coolidge, a minister and schoolteacher, with sisters Linda and Priscilla, and brother Raymond.[7]

Coolidge was married to Kris Kristofferson from 1973 to 1980.[1] Their daughter is her only child, Casey Kristofferson (also a musician), born in 1974. In her memoir, Coolidge describes her marriage to Kristofferson as volatile due to his alcoholism and infidelity.[8] She alleges he was sometimes abusive and when they divorced she did not ask him for anything.[8] In 2016, Coolidge told People that she and Kristofferson still share a bond.[9]

Coolidge previously had romantic liaisons with Stephen Stills and Graham Nash. Rita leaving Stills for Nash has been cited as a contributing factor behind the initial 1970 breakup of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.[10] She was the "sweet little Indian girl" named "Raven" in the Grateful Dead collaboration "Cowboy Movie" on David Crosby's album If I Could Only Remember My Name.[11]

Coolidge was also involved with Leon Russell and Joe Cocker. During the Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour, Coolidge claims her boyfriend at the time, Jim Gordon, physically assaulted her which resulted in a black eye for the rest of the tour. Coolidge ended the relationship and never spoke to him again.[8]

Coolidge married Tatsuya Suda, a world leader in computer architecture research, on June 19, 2004, in the Cook Islands.[12] Suda, a Japanese citizen, retired in 2010 after a long tenure as a professor at the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences (UC Irvine), when allegations of professional misconduct against him surfaced. In 2014, he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of receiving illegal payments.[13][14] Coolidge had lived in Fallbrook, California, where she painted and exhibited her work.[3] Her autobiography, Delta Lady: A Memoir, was published in April 2016.[15] In 2017, Coolidge rekindled a romantic relationship with a former college lover, Joe Hutto,[16][17] and moved back to Tallahassee.[18]

In October, 2014, Coolidge's sister, Priscilla, was killed by her husband, Michael Siebert, in a murder/suicide. The pain of that loss was exacerbated when the killer's ashes were delivered to Rita's home and she had to dispose of them.[19]

Walela

In 1997, Coolidge was one of the founding members of Walela, a Native American music trio, that also included Priscilla and her daughter Laura Satterfield. The trio released studio albums in 1997 (Walela) and 2000 (Unbearable Love), a live album and DVD (Live in Concert) in 2004 and a compilation album (The Best of Walela) in 2007.[20] Walela means hummingbird in Cherokee. Coolidge considered this group important, not only in honoring her Cherokee ancestors but also in bringing their culture to others. Also as part of her Native American heritage, she performed with Robbie Robertson, who has Mohawk ancestry, at the 2002 Winter Olympics.[3]

Discography

Albums (North American)

Year Album Peak positions Certification Label
US US Country CAN
1971 Rita Coolidge 105 — 71 A&M
Nice Feelin' 135 — —
1972 The Lady's Not for Sale 46 — 27
1974 Fall into Spring 55 — 41
1975 It's Only Love 85 — —
1977 Anytime...Anywhere 6 23 4
1978 Love Me Again 32 — 39
1979 Satisfied 95 — 58
1980 Greatest Hits 107 — 47
1981 Heartbreak Radio 160 — —
1983 Never Let You Go — — —
1984 Inside the Fire — — —
1992 Love Lessons — — — Caliber/Critique
1996 Out of the Blues — — — Beacon
1998 Thinkin' About You — — — Innerworks
2005 And So Is Love — — — Concord
2012 A Rita Coolidge Christmas — — —
2018 Safe in The Arms of Time — — — Blue Elan

Albums with Kris Kristofferson

Year Album Peak positions Certification Label
US Country US CAN
1973 Full Moon 1 26 7 A&M
1974 Breakaway 19 103 81 Monument
1978 Natural Act 24 106 — A&M

International albums

Year Album Label
1990 Fire Me Back Attic
1991 Dancing with an Angel
1993 For You Alpha
1995 Behind the Memories Pony Canyon

Compilation albums

Year Album Label
1979 All About Rita Coolidge (Japanese release) A&M
1980 Greatest Hits
1987 Classics Volume 5
1991 A&M Gold Series (West German release)
1994 All Time High: Best of Rita Coolidge
1995 The Collection (Australian release) Spectrum
1999 Master Series A&M
2000 20th Century Masters – The Millenium Collection
2001 Universal Masters Collection
2004 Delta Lady – The Rita Coolidge Anthology

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Certification Album
US US
AC 		US
Country 		CA CA
AC 		CA
Country 		UK[22] AU
1969 "Turn Around and Love You" 96 — — — — — — — single only
1971 "I Believe in You" — — — 38 16 — — — Rita Coolidge
1972 "Fever" 76 — — — — — — — The Lady's Not for Sale
1973 "My Crew"A flip 38 — — — — — —
"Whiskey, Whiskey" 106 — — — — — — —
"A Song I'd Like to Sing" (w/Kris Kristofferson) 49 12 92 53 3 54 — 97 Full Moon
1974 "Loving Arms" (w/Kris Kristofferson) 86 25 98 83 9 — — 96
"Mama Lou" — — 94 — — — — — Fall Into Spring
"Rain" (w/Kris Kristofferson) — 44 87 — 40 — — — Breakaway
1975 "Lover Please" (w/Kris Kristofferson) — 42 — — — — — —
1977 "(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher" 2 5 — 1 3 — 48 6B Anytime...Anywhere
"We're All Alone" 7 1 82 5 1 — 6 32
1978 "The Way You Do the Things You Do" 20 9 — 16 6 — — 74
"Words" — — — — — — 25 —
"You" 25 3 — 17 1 — — — Love Me Again
"The Jealous Kind" — — 63 — — — — —
"Love Me Again" 68 20 83 73 35 — — —
"Slow Dancer" — — — — — — — 60
1979 "Hello, Love, Goodbye" — — — — 27 — — —
"One Fine Day" 66 15 — 89 4 — — 68 Satisfied
"I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love" 38 3 32 87 1 24 — —
1980 "Somethin' 'Bout You Baby I Like"
(w/Glen Campbell) 		42 39 60 — 36 23 — — Somethin' Bout You Baby I Like
(Glen Campbell album)
"Fool That I Am" 46 15 72 — — 52 — — Coast to Coast soundtrack
"We Could Stay Together" (w/Booker T. Jones) — — — — — — — 60 The Best of You (Booker T. Jones album)
1981 "Let's Go Dancing" (w/Booker T. Jones) — — — — — — — 60 Satisfied
"The Closer You Get" 103 — — — 16 — — — Heartbreak Radio
1983 "Lake Freeze" — — — — — — — — Lake Freeze – The Raccoons Songtrack
"All Time High" 36 1 — 38 1 — 75 80 Octopussy soundtrack
"Only You" — 37 — — — — — — Never Let You Go
1984 "Something Said Love" — 15 — — — — — — Inside the Fire
1990 "I Stand in Wonder" — — — 49 21 — — — Fire Me Back

References

  1. ^ a b c Huey, Steve. "Rita Coolidge - Music Biography, Streaming Radio and Discography - AllMusic". AllMusic.
  2. ^ "Rita Coolidge Biography". theuncool.com.
  3. ^ a b c d Palisin, Steve (April 17, 2014). "Rita Coolidge shares Myrtle Beach area memories and more ahead of concert in Brunswick County". The Sun News.
  4. ^ Greenwald, Matthew. "Delta Lady - Leon Russell - Song Review". AllMusic.
  5. ^ Rosen, Jody (June 25, 2019). "Here Are Hundreds More Artists Whose Tapes Were Destroyed in the UMG Fire". The New York Times. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  6. ^ "Layla's 40th: The Where's Eric! Interview With Bobby Whitlock". Where's Eric!.
  7. ^ Charlotte Coolidge (obituary), Mendocino Beacon, August 23, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  8. ^ a b c Conroy, Catherine (April 12, 2016). "Rita Coolidge's tales of pain and hedonism from rock's inner circle". The Irish Times. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  9. ^ Dodd, Johnny (March 23, 2016). "'70s Songbird Rita Coolidge on Her Former Husband Kris Kristofferson: We Still 'Have a Bond That Is Beyond Any Kind of Understanding'". People. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  10. ^ Zimmer, Dave, and Diltz, Henry (1984). Crosby Stills & Nash: The Authorized Biography (First edition), St. Martin’s Press, ISBN 0-312-17660-0.
  11. ^ Browne (2019). Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young: The Wild, Definitive Saga of Rock's Greatest Supergroup (First edition), Da Capo Press, [[ISBN|978-0306903281}}.
  12. ^ "Rita Coolidge Marriage". American Profile. 2005-08-07. Retrieved 2018-07-14.
  13. ^ "Former UCI Professor Pleads Guilty to Felony Conflict of Interest | Voice of OC". voiceofoc.org. Retrieved 2018-07-14.
  14. ^ "Vocal supporter - The San Diego Union-Tribune". utsandiego.com.
  15. ^ Coolidge, Rita; Walker, Michael (2016). Delta Lady: A Memoir. New York: Harper. ISBN 978-0062372048.
  16. ^ "Rita Coolidge launching series of US concerts tonight in support of new album - Music News - ABC News Radio". ABC News Radio. Retrieved 2018-07-14.
  17. ^ "Rita Coolidge, Joe Hutto join Authors in Apalach event". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved 2018-07-14.
  18. ^ Flanigan, Tom. "Rita Coolidge Will Call Tallahassee Home. Again". Retrieved 2018-07-14.
  19. ^ Stephenson, Hannah (May 9, 2016). "'1970s star Rita Coolidge talks music and mourning after sister's murder'". The Irish News. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  20. ^ Huey, Steve. "Walela - Music Biography, Streaming Radio and Discography - AllMusic". AllMusic.
  21. ^ a b c d e "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved 2019-04-13.
  22. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 119. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rita Coolidge.
Preceded by
Sheena Easton
For Your Eyes Only, 1981 		James Bond title artist
Octopussy ("All Time High"), 1983 		Succeeded by
Duran Duran
A View to a Kill, 1985
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