Pattie Brooks

Pattie Brooks
Background information
Also known as Patti Brooks, Patty Brooks
Born Fort Riley, Kansas, United States
Genres Disco, pop, R&B, jazz, soul
Occupation(s) singer, song writer, actress
Years active 1968-present
Labels Casablanca, Mirage Records, Nu And Improved Records
Website www.pattiebrooks.net

Pattie Brooks (sometimes credited as Patti Brooks and Patty Brooks) is an American singer most frequently associated with the disco era. She was born in Fort Riley, Kansas to a military family. Her first break came in 1968 when she auditioned for the chorus on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. In the next decade she became a sought-after backing singer, appearing on the Bobby Darin Show and touring with, among others Helen Reddy. She sang backing on Donna Summer's I Remember Yesterday album.

Casablanca Records career

In the mid-1970s Brooks came to the attention of disco producer Simon Soussain and her solo recording career was born. Her first of four albums on the Casablanca label was 1977's Love Shook[1] (credited as Pattie Brooks & The Simon Orchestra), the album peaked at #2 on the US Dance Chart.[2] Brooks remained with Soussain and in 1978 recorded her biggest club hit, "After Dark". This was selected to be part of the soundtrack to the film Thank God It's Friday and as the soundtrack topped the club play charts (#-1 for six weeks),[3] Brooks's contribution was up there with friend and labelmate Donna Summer's "Last Dance" as the most celebrated tracks. "After Dark" was the mainstay of Brooks's second album Our Ms. Brooks.[4] The album also included the hit "This Is The House Where Love Died" and reached #-22 on the US Dance Charts.[5] In 1979 Brooks moved away from Soussain as her third album Party Girl[6] was produced by Bunny Sigler of Instant Funk and Salsoul fame.[7] The result was a far more varied album that encompassed funk, pop, disco and ballads. While the album contained no major hits it did include "Got Tu Go Disco", the title song from the short lived Broadway musical. The 12" single peaked at #-67 on the US Dance Charts.[5] In 1979 Brooks branched out from disco by singing "Close Enough For Love", the title song to the Vanessa Redgrave movie Agatha. By 1980 the disco backlash had taken effect in the USA, and Brooks's fourth and last Casablanca offering Pattie Brooks[8] was very much a pop-soul affair, produced this time by Michael Smith. No hits were forthcoming and Brooks left Casablanca.

Post Disco activity

She returned in 1982 on the Mirage label with a fifth album In My World,[9] produced by Sandy Linzer. The album reflected the popular styles of the time, and produced a moderate club hit in the dance-rock tinged "Dr. Ruth" and a minor R&B hit in the ballad "Every Time I Turn Around". The album was remastered and released as a compact disc on the Funky Town Grooves label in 2009. This turned out to be Brooks's last album, although she remained active in terms of one-off singles. In 1983 she was signed by Backstreet Records, releasing the minor club hit "Get It On And Have A Party" and featured prominently on the soundtrack to the film Doctor Detroit,[10] including two duets with its star Dan Aykroyd. In 1985 Brooks released "Lifeline Dancing" on the Easy Street label, which was featured in the Emilio Estevez movie That Was Then... This Is Now. In 1987 she surfaced on West Holly Records with "All Talk", and in 1988 on Waterwheel Records with the maxi-single "Function At The Junction". Following these one-off releases Brooks returned to backup vocalist sessions and the occasional advertising jingle (most notably 1985's "Nature Valley Granola's Dandy Bar"). She has returned to making club appearances including a recent spot at L.A.'s "Don't Tell Mama" in November 2013.

Recent activity

In 1993 producer Rick Gianatos remade Brooks's greatest hit "After Dark." It was released on a vinyl 12" single b/w "Sweet Temptation." In 2006 Gianatos issued a CD single of "After Dark" on his Nu & Improved label with up to the minute remixes, the single was well received and spent several weeks on the US club play chart. A pairing with Gianatos again in 2011 produced the track "It's All About The Music," also released on the Nu & Improved label. Available on two compact discs, one featuring the U.S remixes and another with the U.K. remixes. There was also download-only remixes entitled "The Soul Mixes."[11] Once again Brooks was well received and had moderate chart success. In 2013 Gianatos recorded the brand new dance track "I Like The Way You Move" with Brooks. The track featured backing vocals by Scherrie Payne (former "Supreme") and Joyce Vincent Wilson and Pamela Vincent (of "Tony Orlando & Dawn" fame). Released as a "Bonus-Exclusive" on the compilation First Ladies Of Disco-Rick Gianatos Presents The Music.[12] Also in 2013 Brooks was included in the successful book "The First Ladies Of Disco." As of April 19, 2014, the video and CD-single (with ten mixes) of "I Like The Way You Move" was released. The video features a star-studded cast including: Scherrie Payne, Charlo Crossley[13] and Peggi Blu.[14]

Her daughter Yvette (Marine) Barlow was a member of the Mary Jane Girls.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Love Shook".
  2. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 43.
  3. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/ Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 43.
  4. ↑ "Our Ms. Brooks".
  5. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 43.
  6. ↑ "Party Girl".
  7. ↑ Hogan, Ed. "Review: Party Girl". Allmusic. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
  8. ↑ "Pattie Brooks".
  9. ↑ "In My World".
  10. ↑ Grenzel, Christian. "Review: Doctor Detroit". Allmusic. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  11. ↑ Brooks, Pattie. "Official Website".
  12. ↑ "First Ladies Of Disco".
  13. ↑ "Charlotte Crossley".
  14. ↑ "Peggi Blu".
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