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Scherrie Payne

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Scherrie Payne
Payne in 2024
Payne in 2024
Background information
Birth nameScherrie Ann Payne[citation needed]
Born (1944-11-04) November 4, 1944 (age 79)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Genres
OccupationSinger
InstrumentVocals
Years active1968–present
Labels
Websitescherrieandsusayeformersupremes.com

Scherrie Ann Payne (born November 4, 1944) is an American singer. Payne is best known as a member and the final lead singer of the R&B/Soul vocal group the Supremes from 1973 until 1977. Payne is the younger sister of singer Freda Payne.[1] Payne continues to perform, both as a solo act and as a part of the "Former Ladies of the Supremes" (FLOS).

Biography

[edit]

Early life

[edit]

Payne was born Scherrie Ann Payne on November 4, 1944, to Frederick Payne and Charcle Lee Farley (c. 1920-1977),[2][3] in Detroit, Michigan. Payne is a graduate of Central High School, where she graduated in 1961, and Michigan State University, where she also graduated in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Before she began her career, she taught at the Grayling School of Observation.[4] In 1964, she appeared on the Jet magazine as queen of the co-educational Cass Hall.[5]

Glass House

[edit]

Prior to her tenure with The Supremes, Payne was the lead singer for the group Glass House.[6] Other members included Ty Hunter (later with The Originals), Pearl Jones, and Larry Mitchell. The group signed with Invictus Records, formed by longtime Motown songwriters Eddie and Brian Holland, and Lamont Dozier, in 1969, among other popular acts of the early 1970s, including Freda Payne (who had a #1 hit in 1970 with "Band Of Gold"), and Honey Cone, who had a #1 hit with "Want Ads". In an ironic twist of fate, "Want Ads" was originally recorded by Glass House with Scherrie on lead vocals. The Payne sisters together made a new version, but did not like the song and when Honey Cone's lead vocalist Edna Wright walked by in the studio they suggested she should sing it. Unfortunately, The Glass House did not meet this same success. The group saw their biggest hit in 1969 with the Payne-led track "Crumbs Off The Table" [7] which managed the Billboard top 10. Between the years of 1970 and 1972, The Glass House released two albums and nine singles, including Scherrie's solo track "V.I.P.". Record World ranked The Glass House as the fifth 'Top Vocal Combination Group' in their 1970 R&B Awards.[8] However, they never really repeated the success of their first single release. They quietly disbanded in 1972, after the release of their album "Thanks, I Needed That."

The Supremes (1973–77)

[edit]
Main article: The Supremes

As a new member of the Supremes when their popularity was waning, Payne often remained quiet during interviews with the group; mainly because four years later, reporters were still asking about Diana Ross. When she arrived, Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong were the other two members of the group, which were her bandmates. Payne contributed as the lead singer to the group, with Birdsong and Wilson singing background. Payne sung lead on the single "He's My Man" (which also featured vocals by Mary Wilson) and "It's All Been Said Before", both taken from the album The Supremes. An accomplished songwriter, Payne was never able to write any material for The Supremes, which reportedly disappointed her.

Payne began to realize that Motown did not really care as much about the Supremes as they had in the 1960s, due to the changing musical tastes of the era and due to the fact that they were focusing to further the solo career of Ross. Payne's contributions did enable The Supremes to enter the disco era, however, with such dance hits as "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do The Walking" from the album High Energy, "You're My Driving Wheel", "Let Yourself Go", and "Love I Never Knew You Could Feel So Good". While each of these disco songslanded in the Billboard Dance Top Ten,[9] they did not perform as well on the pop and R&B charts. The single "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do The Walking" [10] was a #3 hit on the Disco charts, rose in the Billboard Top 40 to #25 on the R&B chart, and #40 on the Pop chart. The final three Supremes (Payne, Wilson and Susaye Greene) officially disbanded in 1977 with a farewell concert in London, with Supremes founding member Mary Wilson announcing that she would embark on a solo career. They then tried to replace her with Joyce Vincent Wilson of Tony Orlando and Dawn, but Motown responded with that the Supremes would not continue with original members. Motown decided to officially retire the Supremes, so Payne and Greene recorded an album together on the Motown label, Partners, under the name "Scherrie and Susaye" in 1979.[11] The album received mixed reviews and the two decided to part in order to embark on solo projects. Prior to the release of Partners, Payne released a solo single for Motown called "Fly" b/w "When I Look at Your Face" in late 1977.

Former Ladies of the Supremes

[edit]
Main article: Former Ladies of the Supremes

In 1986, Payne joined former members of the Supremes, Jean Terrell and briefly, Cindy Birdsong, to form The Former Ladies Of The Supremes or by its abbreviation, FLOS.[11] When Cindy left to pursue a solo career, Lynda Laurence took her place and they renamed themselves "Jean, Scherrie, & Lynda of the Supremes", recording the single "We're Back', featuring Ali-Ollie Woodson of the Temptations. Throughout the 1980s and the 1990s, they traveled worldwide to continue the Supremes' legacy. When Terrell departed, the group continued with Laurence's sister Sundray Tucker, who was a former member of Stevie Wonder's back-up group, Wonder Love, and this lineup worked prolifically with British record producer Steve Weaver, resulting in a catalogue of 40 new recordings, some of them re-recordings of the Supremes' original hits. Payne and Laurence continued to tour under the FLOS name with third new member Freddi Poole, who joined the group in 1996 replacing Sundray Tucker. In 2000, Payne and Laurence backed Ross on the Return To Love Supremes reunion tour, in which Diana allowed each of them to lead one of the classic Supremes songs.[11] The group celebrated their 20th anniversary in 2006 (with Birdsong, Tucker and Greene in the audience), and around this time began using the group name "Scherrie & Lynda of the Supremes". In September 2009, Vincent joined Payne and Laurence in the group, replacing Freddi Poole, who departed to join the Three Degrees. In 2017, Laurence left the group after 31 years with her tenure in the group, and was replaced by Greene. The group (now consisting of Payne, Greene, and Vincent) was renamed "Scherrie & Susaye, Formerly of The Supremes".[citation needed]

Solo work

[edit]

As a solo artist, in addition to "V.I.P.", which she recorded while a member of the group Glass House and was featured on their second album, Payne has had club hits, such as a cover version of 10cc's "I'm Not In Love" (featuring her sister [Freda], Edmund Sylvers, and Wilson on backing vocals) in 1982, followed two years later by "One Night Only", a song from Act II of the musical "Dreamgirls", which is a musical based loosely on the history of the Supremes and the advancing of the Motown sound into the disco era. The 12" Megatone Label Disco Single also featured Birdsong on background vocals. Both songs were produced by Rick Gianatos, whom Payne currently records with. Payne recorded a solo album for Superstar International Records which contained several duets with Phillip Ingram. The following year, Payne signed with British producer Ian Levine for his Motown reunion project, Motorcity Records. While with Ian, Payne released two solo singles "Chasing Me Into Somebody Else's Arms" (which was originally recorded in 1979 with Levine and Gianatos) and "Pure Energy" (co-written by Payne and released on Nightmare Records), as well as covers of two of Ross' songs, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "I'm Still Waiting". Other product recorded for Motorcity included "Who's Wrong, Who's Right"; "Hit & Miss"; and "One More Time."[citation needed]

Later career

[edit]

In August 2001, Payne was invited to perform at the annual prestigious open-air festival Sunset Junction Street Fair in Los Angeles. She performed Supremes' classics such as "Stoned Love" and "My World Is Empty Without You" in addition to a couple of her own solo hits, "I'm Not In Love" and "Another Life From Now". She made a return to performing at Sunset Junction the following year, performing a similar set. On January 14, 2007, Payne was the special guest star at the "If My Friends Could See Me Now" fund-raiser in Los Angeles, California. She performed her previous hit "One Night Only", from the musical Dreamgirls. Backing her were long-time friends Pam Vincent and [Joyce] Vincent, both formerly of Tony Orlando and Dawn. In 2012, Payne (along with longtime producer Rick Gianatos) recorded and released a version of the Supremes hit "Let Yourself Go" along with a music video. In late 2013, Payne lent her vocals to the Pattie Brooks single "I Like The Way You Move"; she can be seen in the accompanying video as one of the judges. On July 5, 2014, Payne along with Greene performed at the Sheraton in Los Angeles a concert program based on their album "Partners" which was released by Motown in 1979. They were subsequently featured in the magazine Daeida, with a photo shoot; the accompanying article chronicled career highlights with the Supremes and separately as well as the re-release of their "Partners" album on CD.[citation needed]

In 2023, Payne was inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame.[12]

Personal life

[edit]

From 1973 until 1977, Scherrie dated songwriter Lamont Dozier.[13] By this time, she was rumoured to be in a relationship with Lawrence McCutcheon.[13][14] Later, she dated Ronnie Phillips(d. 2003).[15] Phillips was the owner of the Dangerous Records label.[16] Together they have one daughter, Shoshanna Payne-Phillips (b. 1985).[16]

Discography

[edit]

Albums

[edit]
With The Glass House
List of albums, with selected details
Title Album details
Inside the Glass House
Thanks, I Needed That
With The Supremes
List of albums, with selected chart positions and certifications All records released on Motown Records.
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
[19] 		US
R&B
/HH
[20] 		US
Record World
[21] 		CAN
[22]
The Supremes
  • Released: May, 1975
  • Label: Motown (#M6 828S1)[23]
  • Format: LP, cassette
 152 25 179 —
High Energy
  • Released: April, 1976
  • Label: Motown (#M6 863S1)[24]
  • Format: LP, 8-track, cassette
 42 24 141 26
Mary, Scherrie & Susaye
  • Released: October, 1976
  • Label: Motown (#M6 873S1)[25]
  • Format: LP
 — — 181 —
"—" denotes the album failed to chart or was not released
With the Former Ladies of the Supremes
List of albums, with selected details
Title Album details
Supremely Yours
  • Released: 1995
  • Label: Reflections Records
  • Format: LP, CD
Supreme Voices
  • Released: 1997
  • Label: Platinum Music
  • Format: LP, CD
as lead artist
List of albums, with selected details
Title Album details
Bande Originale Du Film "Moi Fleur Bleue"
(with Jodie Foster)
  • Released: 1977
  • Label: Marcy Music
  • Format: LP
Partners
(with Susaye Greene)
Incredible
  • Released: 1987
  • Label: Superstar International Records
  • Format: LP, CD, digital download[27]
The Best of Driving Wheel Records: Millennium Mixes, Vol. 1
(with Lynda Lawrence and Sundray Tucker)
  • Released: 2000[28]
  • Format: CD
Vintage Scherrie, Vol. 1 : Remember Who You Are[29]
  • Released: 15 July 2016
  • Label: Altair Records, RGP Entertainment Group, Inc.
  • Format: CD, digital download

Singles

[edit]

with The Glass House

[edit]
List of singles, released with The Glass House, with selected chart positions All records released on Invictus Records
A-side title Year Peak chart positions Album
US
[30] 		US
Record World
[31] 		US
R&B
/HH
[32] 		US
Record World R&B
[33] 		CAN
[34]
"Crumbs Off the Table" 1969 59 54 7 5 51 Inside the Glass House
"I Can't Be You (You Can't Be Me)" 1970 90 — 33 32 —
"Stealing Moments From Another Woman's Life"
/"If It Ain't Love, It Don't Matter" 		— — 44 29 — Thanks I Needed That
/Inside the Glass House
"Stealing Moments from Another Woman's Life" 1971 — — 42 — — Thanks I Needed That
"Touch Me Jesus" — — — — — Inside the Glass House
"Look What We've Done to Love" — 139 31 35 —
"Playing Games" 1972 — — — — — Thanks I Needed That
"Giving Up the Ring" — — — — —
"VIP" — — — — —
"Thanks, I Needed That" — — 47 44 —
"—" denotes the single failed to chart or was not released

with The Supremes

[edit]
List of singles, released with The Supremes, with selected chart positions All records released on Motown Records
A-side title
B-side title 		Year Peak chart positions Album
US
[35] 		US
Cashbox
[36] 		US
Record World
[37] 		US
R&B
/HH
[38] 		US
Record World R&B
[39] 		US
Dance
[40] 		CAN
[41]
"He's My Man"
"Give Out, But Don't Give Up" 		1975 — — — 69 65 1 — The Supremes
"Where Do I Go from Here"
"Give Out, But Don't Give Up" 		— — — 93 — — —
"Early Morning Love" 1
"Where Is It I Belong" 		— — — — — — —
"I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking"2[42]
"Early Morning Love"4 		1976 40 54 56 25 18 3 53 High Energy
"High Energy"3
"High Energy" 		— — — — — 3 —
"You're My Driving Wheel"
"You're What's Missing in My Life" 		85 — — 50 46 5 — Mary, Scherrie & Susaye
"Let Yourself Go"
"You Are the Heart of Me"4 		1977 — — — 83 — —
"Love, I Never Knew You Could Feel So Good"
"This Is Why I Believe in You"5 		— — — — — —
"—" denotes the single failed to chart or was not released
  • 1 Both sides features lead vocal by Mary Wilson.
  • 2 Lead vocals by Scherrie Payne and Susaye Greene.
  • 3 Lead vocal by Susaye Greene.
  • 4 Lead vocal by Mary Wilson.
  • 5 Leads vocal by Mary Wilson and Scherrie Payne.
[edit]
List of singles, as lead and featured artist, with selected chart positions
A-side title Year Peak chart positions Album
US
R&B
/HH
[43] 		US
Dance
[44] 		UK
[45] 		UK
Disco
[46]
"V.I.P." 1972 — — — — Thanks I Needed That
"Fly" 1978 — — — — Non album single
"I'm Not In Love/Girl, You're In Love" 1982 — 35 111 21 Non album single
"One Night Only" 1984 — 41 — — Non album single
"L.A. Street Scene (It's A Jubilee)"
(Donny Osmond featuring Phillip Ingram, Scherrie Payne & Freda Payne) 		1985 — — — — Non album single
"On And On"
(with Phillip Ingram) 		1986 — — — — Incredible
"Chasing Me Into Somebody Else's Arms" — — — — Non album single
"The Right Stuff" — — — — Incredible
"Incredible"
(with Phillip Ingram) 		1987 57 — — — Incredible
"Testify" 67 — — —
"Pure Energy" 1989 — — — — Non album single
"Back By Popular Demand"
(with Jean Terrell & Lynda Laurence - Formerly Of The Supremes Together w/ The Originals) 		1991 — — — — Non album single
"Stoned Love"
(with Jean Terrell & Lynda Laurence) 		1993 — — — — Non album single
"One Night Only 2007" 2007 — — — — Non album single
"Let Yourself Go" 2012 — — — — Vintage Scherrie, Vol. 1 : Remember Who You Are
"Remember Who You Are" 2016 — — — —
"You Are"
(with Sam Green) 		2018 — — — — Non album single
"Unconditional Love" 2019 — — — — Non album single
"—" denotes the single failed to chart or was not released

Collaborations

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Over the years Scherrie has loaned her vocals as backing vocalist to many established performers, including her sister Freda Payne, on the following listed albums:

  • Supernatural High - Freda Payne (Scherrie appears alongside her sister on the song "Storybook Romance", which she composed; Scherrie recorded this herself a year later for the Partners album with Susaye Greene)
  • An Evening With Freda Payne: Live In Concert - Freda Payne
  • It's Your Night - James Ingram
  • Bickram's Lounge - Bickram Choudray
  • Late at Night - Billy Preston
  • Light Up Your Night - The Brothers Johnson
  • Calling - Noel Pointer

Songwriting

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For the past four decades Scherrie has also been a songwriter and composer. She has composed a musical entitled Ten Good Years, from which the song "Another Life from Now" was taken; the song features on the Partners album and remains a staple part of Scherrie's rare solo concerts. Songs she has composed or contributed to include:

  • "Now Is the Time to Say Goodbye" (written for and recorded by her sister Freda Payne)
  • "Storybook Romance"
  • "Leaving Me Was the Best Thing You've Ever Done" (co-written by Payne and Susaye Greene and included on their album Partners)
  • "I Found Another Love"
  • "You've Been Good to Me"
  • "Another Life from Now"
  • "Pure Energy"
  • "Who's Wrong, Who's Right"
  • "Don't Rock My World"
  • "Keep On Loving Me"
  • "Sisters United (We're Taking Control)"
  • "Light the World (With the Flame of Love)" (co-written by FLOS member Lynda Laurence)
  • "Crumbs Off the Table"
  • "The Fox"
  • "Hotel"
  • "Horse and Rider"
  • "Let It Flow"
  • "Hit and Miss"
  • "Your Love (Keeps Lifting Me)"

References

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  1. ^ Company, Johnson Publishing (April 14, 1977). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company – via Google Books. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  2. ^ "Obituary for Charcle Lee Farley (Aged 56)". Detroit Free Press. March 23, 1977. p. 9 – via newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Company, Johnson Publishing (April 7, 1977). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company. Retrieved January 16, 2024 – via Google Books. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  4. ^ "Scherrie Payne Biography". The History Makers. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  5. ^ Company, Johnson Publishing (March 19, 1964). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company. Retrieved January 16, 2024 – via Google Books. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  6. ^ Hamilton, Andrew. "All Music Guide Biography". AllMusic.
  7. ^ "Artist Search for "the glass house"". AllMusic.
  8. ^ "1970 R&B Awards" (PDF), Record World, p. 15, 1970, retrieved March 10, 2019
  9. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco 1974-2003. 246.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link) CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  10. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco 1974-2003. p. 246.
  11. ^ a b c "Scherrie Payne Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic.
  12. ^ "3RD Annual Women Songwriters Hall Of Fame Awards Celebrates Icons - Jan Daley Angela Bofill Ann Hampton Callaway". Ein Presswire. April 18, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Company, Johnson Publishing (March 24, 1977). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company. Retrieved January 16, 2024 – via Google Books. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  14. ^ Company, Johnson Publishing (March 31, 1977). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company. Retrieved January 16, 2024 – via Google Books. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  15. ^ Company, Johnson Publishing (March 18, 1985). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company. Retrieved January 16, 2024 – via Google Books. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  16. ^ a b "Shoshana's Bio". shoshanaradlein.com. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  17. ^ Hamilton, Andrew. "Inside the Glass House - The Glass House". Allmusic. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  18. ^ Hamilton, Andrew. "Thanks I Needed That - The Glass House". Allmusic. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  19. ^ "The Supremes Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  20. ^ "The Supremes Chart History - Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  21. ^
  22. ^
  23. ^ "151-200 ALBUM CHART: Week of August 2, 1975" (PDF). Record World. worldradiohistory.com. August 2, 1975. p. 29. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  24. ^ "101 THE ALBUM CHART 150: Week of July 10, 1976" (PDF). Record World. worldradiohistory.com. July 10, 1976. p. 40. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  25. ^ "Billboard's Recommended LPs". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 13 November 1976. p. 75. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  26. ^ Hogan, Ed. "Partners – Scherrie & Susaye". Allmusic. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  27. ^ Payne, Scherrie. "SCHERRIE PAYNE - Incredible (1987) 2019". Bandcamp. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  28. ^ Hamilton, Andrew. "The Best of Driving Wheel Records: Millennium Mixes, Vol. 1 - Scherrie Payne". Allmusic. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  29. ^ "Vintage Scherrie, Vol. 1 : Remember Who You Are – Scherrie Payne". Allmusic. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  30. ^ "The Glass House Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 15, 2019. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  31. ^
  32. ^ "The Glass House Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 15, 2019. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  33. ^
  34. ^
  35. ^ "The Supremes Chart History - Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  36. ^
  37. ^
  38. ^ "The Supremes Chart History - Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  39. ^
  40. ^ "The Supremes Chart History - Dance Songs". Billboard. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  41. ^
  42. ^ Hogan, Ed. "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking - The Supremes". Allmusic. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  43. ^ "Scherrie Payne Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 14, 2019.[permanent dead link]
  44. ^ "Scherrie Payne Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 14, 2019.[permanent dead link]
  45. ^
  46. ^
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