Ruby Turner (born 22 June 1958, Montego Bay, Jamaica) is a British R&B; and soul singer, songwriter and actress. In 1967, she relocated with her family to Handsworth, Birmingham, England when she was nine years old. She is best known for her albums and single releases on both sides of the Atlantic, and has sung backing vocals for others such as Bryan Ferry, UB40, Steve Winwood, Jools Holland and Mick Jagger, as well as writing songs that have been covered by many artists including Lulu, Yazz and Maxi Priest. She achieved the rare feat, for a British singer, of reaching #1 on the US R&B; chart, with "It's Gonna Be Alright" in February 1990.

Between 1986 and 1995, eight of her singles appeared in the UK Singles Chart with "I'd Rather Go Blind" being the most successful reaching #24 in 1987. Turner performed at the Birmingham Heart Beat 86 concert, which featured George Harrison; and sang on BBC Television's ''Jools Holland's Hootenanny'', in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. She has also appeared as an actress on stage, film and television.

Musical style

Biography

Music

Her first album ''Women Hold Up Half The Sky'', was released in 1986 to critical acclaim. and produced hit singles such as a cover version of the Staple Singers song,"If You're Ready (Come Go With Me)", a duet with Jonathan Butler, and the Etta James standard "I'd Rather Go Blind". becoming one of the few British artists to top that chart. Four other US R&B; chart entries followed in 1990 and 1991, including "Paradise" from the movie ''Dancin' thru the Dark''.

Turner sang backing vocals on Mick Jagger's album, ''Goddess in the Doorway'', in 2001, and presented a documentary ''Shout Sister Shout'' about Sister Rosetta Tharpe for BBC Radio 2, in 2007. She sang on Seasick Steve's album, ''I Started Out with Nothin and I Still Got Most of It Left'' (2008). In September 2009, Turner released her first gospel music album, ''I'm Travelling On''.

In 2011, Turner narrated the BBC Four documentary ''Reggae Britannia'', which chronicled the history of British Reggae music.

Acting

In 2006, Turner made an appearance in ''Little Britain Abroad''. She played the Sheriff Judy. On 12 October 2007, she appeared as a guest star (as herself) in the BBC One soap opera, ''Doctors''. The episode title was entitled "Raising The Roof".

Her most recent theatre appearance, was a successful run in the London West End production of the musical ''Simply Heavenly'', which was nominated for 'Outstanding Musical' at the 2005 Laurence Olivier Awards. In 2009, Turner appeared in the BBC drama, ''Hotel Babylon''.

Discography

Albums

References

External links

Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:British female singers Category:British rhythm and blues singers Category:British soul singers Category:British film actors Category:British stage actors Category:British television actors Category:British songwriters Category:People from Montego Bay Category:British people of Jamaican descent

Julian Miles "Jools" Holland OBE, DL (born 24 January 1958) is an English pianist, bandleader, singer, composer, and television presenter. He was a founder of the band Squeeze (1974-1980 & 1985-1990) and his work has involved him with many artists including Sting, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, The Who, David Gilmour, Magazine and Bono.

Holland is a published author and appears on television shows besides his own and contributes to radio shows. In 2004, he collaborated with Tom Jones on an album of traditional R&B; music. He currently hosts ''Later... with Jools Holland'', a music-based show aired on BBC2, on which his annual show the Hootenanny, is based.

Life and career

Holland played as a session musician before finding fame, and his first studio session was with Wayne County & the Electric Chairs in 1976 on their track "F*ck Off."

Holland was a founding member of the British pop band Squeeze, formed in March 1974, in which he played keyboards until 1981 and helped the band to achieve millions of record sales, before pursuing his solo career.

Holland began issuing solo records in 1978, his first EP being ''Boogie Woogie '78''. He continued his solo career through the early 1980s, releasing an album and several singles between 1981 and 1984. He branched out into TV, co-presenting the Newcastle-based TV music show ''The Tube'' with Paula Yates. Holland achieved notoriety by inadvertently using the phrase "groovy fuckers" in a live, early evening TV trailer for the show, causing it to be suspended for six weeks. He referred to this in his sitcom "The Groovy Fellers" with Rowland Rivron.

thumb|right|Holland at the Tsunami Relief concert in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, 22 January 2005In 1983 Holland played an extended piano solo on The The's re-recording of "Uncertain Smile" for the album ''Soul Mining''. In 1985, Squeeze (which had continued in Holland's absence through to 1982) unexpectedly regrouped including Jools Holland as their keyboard player. Holland remained in the band until 1990, at which point, he again departed Squeeze on amicable terms to resume his solo career as a musician and a TV host.

In 1987, Holland formed The ''Jools Holland Big Band'' which consisted of himself and Gilson Lavis from Squeeze. This gradually became his 18-piece Rhythm & Blues Orchestra.

Between 1988 and 1990 he performed and co-hosted along with David Sanborn during the two seasons of the music performance program Sunday Night on NBC late-night television. Since 1992 he has presented the eclectic music program ''Later... with Jools Holland'', plus an annual New Year's Eve "Hootenanny".

In 1996 Holland signed a record deal with Warner Bros. Records and his records are now marketed through Rhino Records.

Holland has a touring band, The Rhythm And Blues Orchestra, which often includes singers Sam Brown and Ruby Turner. In January 2005 Holland and his band performed with Eric Clapton as the headline act of the Tsunami Relief Cardiff. He also headlined the Skegness SO Festival in July 2010.

Personal

Holland was an interviewer for The Beatles Anthology TV project, and appeared in the 1997 film ''Spiceworld'' as a musical director.

He received an OBE in 2003 in the Queen's Birthday Honours list, for services to the British music industry as a television presenter and musician. In September 2006 Holland was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for Kent. He is also known for his charity work: in June 2006 he performed in Southend for HIV/AIDS charity Mildmay, and in early 2007 he performed at Wells and Rochester Cathedrals to raise money for maintaining cathedral buildings. He is also patron of the Drake Music Project and has raised many thousands of pounds for the charity.

Jools Holland was appointed an Honorary Fellow of Canterbury Christ Church University at a ceremony held at Canterbury Cathedral on 30 January 2009.

On 29 August 2005 Holland married Christabel McEwen, his girlfriend of 15 years (between 1983 and 1995 she had been married to Edward Lambton, 7th Earl of Durham, but they divorced). The wedding, at St James's Church, Cooling near Rochester, was attended by many celebrities, including Ringo Starr, Robbie Coltrane, Stephen Fry, Lenny Henry, Noel Gallagher, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders.

Holland is also a patron for The Milton Rooms, a new Arts centre in Malton, North Yorkshire, along with Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton and Kathy Burke.

Writing

Discography

Albums that have charted and gained Certifications

Releases

Film and television

Current television programmes

Books

References

External links

Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:Boogie-woogie pianists Category:English rock pianists Category:English television presenters Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire Category:Bandleaders Category:Squeeze (band) members Category:I.R.S. Records artists Category:People from Blackheath, London Category:BBC Radio 2 presenters Category:Deputy Lieutenants of Kent Category:British people of Irish descent Category:English people of Irish descent