Evelyn "Champagne" King is an American singer whose particularity, apart from her numerous hits, is to have been spotted by the Philadelphia International Records label ... in the company bathroom. Back in the day as a housekeeper in society, it was singing while cleaning the toilets that she got noticed by Theodore T. Life !
After signing to RCA Records in the end, she released her first album "Smooth talk" in 1977, an album that will bring her her biggest hit in the USA with the flagship single "Shame".
From the same album, "I don’t know if it’s right" will also have a more than honorable journey. Both will be certified Gold.
In 1981 the album "I’m in love" was released, from which the title of the same name was extracted, a new success.
A year later, the album "Get loose" was released which was to give her her biggest hit, this time worldwide, with the enormous "Love come down". Single that will make the whole world dance.
The single "Betcha she don’t love you" was released immediately after. Less successful but success nonetheless.
Other titles will be released later without being able to match the success of the previous ones. She will nevertheless experience a last notorious success with the single "High horse" in 1986.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Shame 1978
I don’t know if it’s right 1978
Music box 1979
Out there 1979
Let’s get funky tonight 1980
I need your love 1980
I’m in love 1981
If you want my lovin 1981
Don't hide your love 1981
Spirit of the dancer 1982
Love come down 1982
Betcha she don’t love you 1982
Back to love 1982
Get loose 1983
Action 1983
Shake down 1984
Teenager 1984
Just for the night 1984
I’m so romantic 1984
Out of control 1985
Give me one reason 1985
Till midnight 1985
Give it up 1985
Your personal touch 1985
High horse 1986
Slow down 1986
Flirt 1988
Hold on to what you've got 1988
Kisses don't lie 1988
Day to day 1989
I think about you 1995
It doesn't really matter 1995
Star child 1995
One more time 1996
Skillz 2007
Open book 2007
Clips :
1978 ... the first steps. Debut necessarily Disco considering the time. A first single that turns straight into a global hit. This is called starting phew !
1978 ... a sequel that will be almost as strong. We could not ask for a better launching pad with a career that is starting off under the best auspices ...
1979 ... always so Dance, still in tune with the times. Unfortunately, the year 1979 is not really going to be on the same level as the year 1978 in terms of success in the Charts ...
1979...this title will go almost unnoticed and will only find its salvation in the R&B Charts. It now remains to be seen whether the young singer will know how to bounce back properly…
1980 ... a change of decade straddling 2 major influences. The end of the Disco and the beginning of the Funk. This title is a subtle blend of the 2 ...
1980...a nice title full of finesse that will not attract crowds as they say. It's hard to understand because it is far from unworthy, it's clear...
1981 ... that's it, the seesaw is done. It's now 100 % Funky and it grooves serious. It's the least we can say !
1981 ... the years pass and musical maturity arrives slowly but surely. So we imagine that the best is yet to come !
1981...here she is again in finesse and emotion mode and once again it works. She displays a versatility of styles worthy of the greatest, that's clear...
1982... back in Dance mode to start a year 1982 which will turn out to be exceptional. Especially thanks to the title that will follow...
1982 ... and the best, here it is ! The title which will make her definitively fit into the musical legend of the 80s. Here she signs quite simply a HUGE hit which will set fire to all the Dancefloor on the planet and which will undoubtedly remain as one of the best Funky sounds of all time. MAS-TER-FUL !
1982 ... a sequel of certain quality but which cannot live up to its predecessor as the bar has been raised ...
1982...this one won't do much better. It is clear that she dazzled the planet so much with 'Love come down' that it will be extremely difficult for her to repeat the feat twice...
1983... business picks up a little with this title but nothing more. And yet her will to do well is obvious...
1983 ... the following years will be more complicated to manage. A good job certainly but it lacks the stroke of genius of the past years which made all the difference ...
1984 ... in the same vein. An inspiration which lacks depth and which no longer allows to produce exceptional hits ...
1984...difficult to fight on equal terms with the competition now. But she clings and resists as much as she can, it is clear...
1984 ... and this one won't do much better. The singer is only a shadow of herself, a singer among many others. Cruel turnaround ...
1984 ... there, on the other hand, we find the Evelyn of yesteryear on a track much more inspired and which fits her like a glove. Phewww !
1985 ... a new year which will undoubtedly remain one of its best vintages. No mega hit but an overall quality more than certain ...
1985 ... there is better, it is undeniable. As paradoxical as it may seem, this title will be more successful across the Channel than in the USA ...
1985 ... in an ocean of Dance titles, here comes one of his very rare Intimist titles. And my gosh, she is far from being ridiculous in this area. An area that she surely should have explored a little more ...
1985 ... a BIG year 1985 with a plethora of titles and quality on every level. Surprisingly, this title on the other hand will go completely under the radar. Go figure ...
1985 ... his last notorious hit. Notably thanks to this top-notch Funky sound. There will be other hits behind but which will not have the same impact ...
1986 ... the adventure continues anyway and for the moment she has not yet completely taken down on the Charts side. So there is still hope...
1986 ... we are almost 10 years into her career and her prize list is still impressive. Certainly she will not have produced only masterpieces but all the same...
1988 ... a career that drags on and which only produces boat products. Really too bad but when it doesn't want anymore, it doesn't want anymore ...
1988 ... a last little hit to end a career which will remain as one of the most brilliant of the decade on the women's side. Things have to stop one day as they say ...
1988 ... come on, the adventure is not quite over. She gives us here a high-caliber Intimist title which shows that in this area, she could have really done great things too ...
1989 ... the adventure is over on the Charts side but that does not prevent her from continuing to produce titles. For how long, the future will tell us...
1995...a title of more than certain quality but which will pass completely under the radar. When it no longer wants, it no longer wants...
1995... too bad that this opus went unnoticed to say the least because it frankly deserved a little more recognition. Hard law of the trade...
1995...a poor performance that did not necessarily encourage her to go further. Will she have the courage to come back later, good question...
1996 ... we find her on a title where she is more like a chorister than anything else. More anecdotal than anything else as they say...
2007...we thought we would never see her again and here she is back 11 years later. A desire to believe in it to the end which undoubtedly commands respect...
2007...knowing that with her nothing is ever over, so we can imagine that this title won't be the last. It remains to be seen now when she will return... if she returns...
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :