Freddi Poole
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Freddi Poole | |
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Genres | R&B/pop/soul |
Occupation(s) | Singer |
Instrument | Vocals |
Years active | 1960s - current |
Freddi Poole (born September 12, ? in Dallas Texas), is an African-American singer, known best for her work with the Former Ladies of the Supremes and The Three Degrees.[1][2]
Biography
Raised in Los Angeles, she started her singing career in the church at the age of four, and got her first recording contract at the age of fourteen with the girl group "The Delicates". The quartet recorded several singles for the Challenge, Soultown, and Pulsar Record labels. Poole went on to become a founding member of the female trio: Wild Honey. R&B star Vesta Williams, and Mary Flowers were her groupmates. Ron Townson (of The 5th Dimension) was their mentor. The group disbanded in the early 1980s. Freddi's impressive list of musical associations include performances with Lola Falana, former Supreme Jean Terrell, Lisa Stansfield, Phyllis Hyman, Patti LaBelle, Ron Townson, and Sammy Davis, Jr.. Her television appearances include The Tonight Show, The Merv Griffin Show, and The Arsenio Hall Show. Freddi has also recorded and performed with Liza Minnelli, Lou Rawls and Jermaine Jackson. She managed her own 12-piece band "The Motorcity Angels" and prior to joining Scherrie Payne and Lynda Laurence's group, Freddi was touring extensively with the legendary Motown songstress Gladys Knight.
Name Change
Freddi Poole is Freddie's stage name, her birth name being Freddie Pool. For most of her career, Freddi dropped the "e" on her first name and added it to her last name, however in 2010, Freddi reverted to her birth name. She is now billed "Freddie Pool."
Former Ladies of the Supremes
In July 1996, Freddi replaced Sundray Tucker in the Former Ladies of the Supremes. In September 2009, it was reported via Scherrie Payne and Lynda Laurence's website that Freddi would be no longer a part of "The Ladies", instead, Joyce Vincent, formerly of Tony Orlando and Dawn, had taken her place.
The Three Degrees
In January 2011, Freddie replaced Cynthia Garrison in The Three Degrees, as Garrison has been suffering Piriformis Syndrome and the Degrees had touring commitments to fulfill.
Discography
Freddie Pool - Driving Wheel Records
- The Utrecht Sessions - CD EP - Released March 2014
- Young Hearts Run Free (Radio Mix) - Digital Download Single - Released August 2014
- Young Hearts Run Free (The Remixes) - Digital Download Single - Released March 2015
- I Will Survive - Digital Download Single - Released June 2015
- I Will Survive (Berlin Remixes) - Digital Download Single/Maxi CD - Released January 2017
References
- ^ Arena, James (19 June 2013). "First Ladies of Disco: 32 Stars Discuss the Era and Their Singing Careers". McFarland. Retrieved 17 August 2018 – via Google Books.
- ^ MacKenzie, Alex (17 August 2018). "The Life and Times of the Motown Stars". Together Publications LLP. Retrieved 17 August 2018 – via Google Books.
External links
- Freddie Pool FanSite (official fansite)
- The Three Degrees (official website)
- Driving Wheel Records