Jody Vanessa Watley (born January 30, 1959) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and one of the defining iconic artists of the 1980s whose music crosses genres from Pop, R&B;, Jazz, Dance and Electronic Soul. In 1987, she won the Grammy Award for "Best New Artist." Along with Janet Jackson and Madonna, she ranks as one of MTV Video Music Awards most nominated female artists ever, with six nominations for her 'Real Love' video. To date, she is best known for her role in being a pioneer setting trends and standards for dance, style, music and video. Early in her solo career she was also noted for her commercial dance pop stylings with a funky edge. Jody Watley is also noted as being the first Pop/R&B; singer to include a rapper on the specialized verse/bridge with their collaboration on "Friends" featuring Eric B. & Rakim, which would become a popular formula in commercial Pop/R&B;/Hip-Hop. In 2008, she was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from Billboard magazine, and was also prominently featured in the historic black issue of Vogue Italia in 2008. Watley was born in Chicago, Illinois. Influenced by Diana Ross,Watley made her first stage appearance at 8 years old with family friend and godfather Jackie Wilson. She got her start on the TV dance show Soul Train at the age of 14. Documented by Ebony magazine in 1977 as a part of "The New Generation," Jody Watley was one of the most popular on the show and recognized as a trendsetter for her style and dance moves. As popular stand-outs on the television show, Watley and fellow Soul Train dancer Jeffrey Daniel were selected to join Gary Mumford and become original members of the R&B; group Shalamar by show creator Don Cornelius.(Mumford was shortly replaced by Gerald Brown, and Brown himself was soon replaced by Howard Hewett as lead vocalist). The lineup of Hewett, Watley, and Daniel would be the most successful. Watley remained with the group from 1977 to 1983. The trio released several albums and scored several hits including the US Top 20 "Dead Giveaway", and the R&B; hits "The Second Time Around", "For The Lover In You", and "A Night To Remember". Watley, however, found it challenging to get songs she had written onto Shalamar albums; having limited success getting songs she wrote recorded. Due to conflicts within the group and disagreements and lack of payment from Solar Records, she eventually left the group in 1983 info from (Wiki).

• published: 05 Sep 2013
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