Jennifer Warnes is an American singer-songwriter who can boast of having won no less than 2 Grammy Awards to date thanks to 2 duets that will stay in history : first, in 1983 in a duet with Joe Cocker then in 1988 in duet this time with Bill Medley.
She officially started her artistic career much earlier at the end of the 60s and she could even have started it at the age of 7 but it was her father who declined the contract offer when she was not than a child.
It was therefore at the end of the 60s and more precisely in 1968 that she signed with the label Parrot Records, label which allowed her to release a first album called "I can remember everything". A first album that will go somewhat unnoticed ...
It was the musical Hair that finally brought her to light in 1969 with one of her leading roles in the comedy. Flagship role that will allow her to release as the first Single one of the titles of the show namely "Easy to be hard", Single which will allow her to land a nice esteem success.
Single that we will find on the album "See me, feel me, touch me, heal me" which will also be released in 1969 and which unfortunately does not do much better than its predecessor in terms of success in the Charts. Ditto for the album "Jennifer" which will be released three years later in 1972 ...
She will have to wait another 4 years and the year 1976 to finally rise to the surface thanks to the release of the album "Jennifer Warnes", album which did not go unnoticed this time around. The album was a real global success and finally launched the singer's career for good on the international stage. Notably thanks to the huge track "Right time of the night" followed by little other successful track "I’m dreaming".
A rise in power confirmed 3 years later in 1979 with the title "It goes like it goes", title on the soundtrack of the film 'Norma Rae', title which won an Academy Award, just that !
A year 1979 when everything succeeded her with the release of a new hit album "Shot trough the heart", album whose flagship Single will be "I know a heartache when I see one".
New successful soundtrack two years later in 1981 this time with the track "One more hour" which we will find on the soundtrack of the film 'Ragtime' and which will earn her a second nomination for an Academy award.
Soundtracks that really bring her luck since she goes into duet mode in 1982 on the soundtrack of the film 'An Officer and a gentleman' and what a duo ! The association with Joe Cocker on the title "Up where we belong" will be a huge success, will allow them to win an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and a Grammy Award, a real feat. A title which remains to this day one of the most significant duets of the decade.
We find her again on a soundtrack in 1983 this time of the film 'Twilight Zone' with the title "Nights are forever". A title which will not really know the same level of success as "Up where we belong". Ditto for the duet with Chris Thompson and the title "All the right moves" on the soundtrack of the film of the same name.
Her duet two years later in 1985 with B.J. Thomas on the title “As long as we got each other” will experience a much more favorable fate. Title that will be used for the credits of the TV show Growing Pains.
We find her in 1987 on two titles of Leonard Cohen namely "Ain't no cure for love" and "First we take Manhattan", two successful titles which begins a year 1987 which will prove to be exceptional for the singer as well as the was the year 1982.
Indeed, her duet with Bill Medley on the title "(I've had) The time of my life" will experience the same level of incredible success as that encountered by the duo with Joe Cocker, both in the Charts and level rewards. It must be said that it will be part of the soundtrack of a small film called...'Dirty Dancing', one of the cult films of the decade.
A year 1987 which will also see the release of her album "Famous blue raincoat", album which will bring her a new success and therefore a new star to an already particularly well-stocked prize list !
New duo of shock and charm 4 years later in 1991 with as partner this time Jackson Browne on the title "Golden slumbers". Nice title which unfortunately will not meet the same level of success as its predecessor ...
New album "The hunter" the following year in 1992, an album which will mark the breaking point between the incredible career in the 80s version and the half-hearted career in the 90s version. Album from which her last success will be extracted the same year large-scale Singles side with the title "Rock you gently".
Anything that comes out later will meet with a mixed level of success. But that will in no way obscure the fact that she left two legendary titles in the musical history of the 80s and just for this remarkable performance, hats off !
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
60s Decade :
I can remember averything 1968
Easy to be hard 1969
70s Decade :
Right time of the night 1976
I’m dreaming 1977
It goes like it goes 1979
I know a heartache when I see one 1979
Don’t make me over 1979
80s Decade :
When the feeling comes around 1980
One more hour 1981
Could it be love 1981
Come to me 1982
Up where we belong 1982
Nights are forever 1983
All the right moves 1983
As long as we got each other 1985
Ain’t no cure for love 1987
First we take Manhattan 1987
Bird on the wire 1987
(I’ve had) The time of my life 1987
90s Decade :
Golden slumbers 1991
Rock you gently 1992
True emotion 1992
The whole of the moon 1993
Show me the light 1998
2000s Decade :
Fool for the look in your eye 2001
Fool for the look in your eye 2001
It's raining 2001
Prairie melancholy 2001
2010s Decade :
Just breathe 2018
Once I was loved 2018
So sad 2018
Tracks :
1968...the very first steps. Who would imagine at this stage that the very young Jennifer we are dealing with here will become in a few decades one of the leading singers of this end of the 20th century. Not many people, that's for sure...
1969 ... it is the musical Hair which will allow her to emerge in broad daylight and obtain her first success. A first success which will call for many others ...
1976 ... she will have to wait 7 more years to mature and especially to see her wildest hopes come true. She will land here her first top hit, admittedly classified mainly in the Country Charts but it doesn't matter, the result is there anyway !
1977 ... title after title, the young singer is establishing herself as one of the rising stars of the American musical landscape. And the future will prove that she has everything it takes to become one of the Greats !
1979 ... very quickly she will tackle the soundtrack of films, with to begin with this title present on the soundtrack of the film 'Norma Rae'. And in this very demanding field of soundtracks, she will very quickly become one of the best if not the best ...
1979 ... the rise in power is linear and ideally positions her at the gates of an 80s decade which will prove to be quite simply exceptional for her ...
1979 ... daring to cover one of Dionne Warwick's flagship titles is a daring bet to say the least. But in this case, the bet will turn out to be won hands down !
1980 ... a start to the 1980s with strong Country accents. Unfortunately, this is not really what the younger generations expect anymore. Copy to review ...
1981 ... a title that literally floats in the air for this new movie soundtrack. This time it will be for the 'Ragtime' movie. MA-GIC !
1981 ... she sets out again in Country mode, an area she loves but which necessarily isolates her. Too bad because she has everything to explode at the highest level, moreover in the traditional Charts ...
1982 ... a know-how in the Intimist more than obvious. An intimist area that will allow her to work wonders on the title that will follow !
1982 ... soundtracks which bring her luck and which will above all enable her to achieve recognition and especially the planetary consecration after which she has been chasing since her beginnings. And what recognition ! Her duet with Joe Cocker will shatter everything and make this title one of the most striking titles of the end of the twentieth century. CULT !
1983 ... she became in a few years 'Miss Soundtrack' and does not intend to stop there. Of course, not all of her soundtracks will reach the record level of success of the previous one, but all the same ...
1983 ... after 'Twilight Zone', here she is on a new soundtrack this time for the film 'All the right moves' and once again in duo mode. Unfortunately, not all soundtracks are necessarily alike and will not systematically bring her fame and fortune ...
1985 ... she puts the cover back in duet mode on the credits of the series 'Growing Pains'. Nothing exceptional but a good job once again. What more !
1987 ... a career that constantly alternates between titles for all audiences and more Country oriented titles. As a rule, it's either one or the other. She will have achieved the prowess of succeeding in both fields and that, few artists of that time can say the same !
1987 ... a year 1987 which saw her at the best of her form. The top hits parade at an impressive speed and make this year one of its best vintages. See downright the best because a Masterpiece is looming on the horizon ...
1987 ... a very 'Leonard Cohen' year. After performing a preview of a title that he will release the following year for himself, she revisits here one of his old titles dating from1969. Good pick on the previous one, bad on this one unfortunately ...
1987 ... then the second Masterpiece arrives ! She will have signed 2 of the most emblematic soundtracks of the end of the 20th century, just that with this time the soundtrack of the film 'Dirty Dancing'. This being the second of course and on a dance tempo this time. A-MA-ZING !
1991 ... it will take 4 years for her to recover from her emotions and here she is again in duo mode. This time not on a soundtrack but on a record in favor of the fight against AIDS. And the result is simply MAGIC !
1992 ... a decade of 90 which will be much more complicated to manage than unfortunately expected for the singer. It must be said that it is impossible for her to equal the 1980s as it was exceptional from all points of view concerning her ...
1992 ... the successes will be done more and more rare and mainly in the independent Charts. Cruel reversal of the situation ...
1993 ... here she revisits a title from the Waterboys dating from 1985. Who could have imagined that she would venture into a musical register at the antipodes of hers. And yet, the result is there !
1998 ... a new from the magical duo of 1987. A title that came out a few years later and which once again shows that these 2 were really made to get along. And especially singing together !
2001 ... we must nevertheless remember that she started her career at the end of the 1960s. A longevity at the very least exceptional that one finds only among the most talented, of course !
2001...certainly the best years are behind her but the adventure continues anyway. A desire to believe in it to the end which undoubtedly commands respect...
2001...and it is inevitably the fans of the first hour who rejoice at the highest point as soon as she releases a new opus...
2018...and yes, here she is again ! It took her almost 17 years to come back, but she is definitely there to the delight once again of her basic fans...
2018... not only is she coming back but what she continues to offer is far from deserving, that's clear. We'll be fine with it anyway...
2018 ... she will have gone through the 1960s, then the 1970s, then the 1980s, then the 1990s, then the 2000s and here she is back in this 2010 decade. See you next time because with her nothing is ever over , you must know it !
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Greatest Hits :
Discography :