Angela Tomasa Bofill is an American R&B; and jazz singer and songwriter. Angela Bofill was born to a white Cuban father and a black Afro-Latino Puerto Rican mother. She performed with Ricardo Marrero & the Group and Dance Theater of Harlem chorus prior to being introduced to Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen (of the jazz label GRP Records) by her friend, the jazz flautist Dave Valentin. Grusin and Rosen signed Bofill and produced her first album, Angie, in 1978. Angie was well received both critically and commercially and included the chart single "This Time I'll Be Sweeter" (co-written by Gwen Guthrie), as well as Bofill's sprawling jazz composition, "Under the Moon and Over the Sky". Less than a year later, a second album, Angel of the Night was released and outperformed its predecessor. The album included the chart singles "What I Wouldn't Do (For the Love of You)" and the up tempo title track, as well as the self-written song "I Try" (covered by Will Downing in 1991). The reception of these albums positioned Bofill as one of the first Latina singers to find success in the R&B; and jazz markets. Following the release of Angel of the Night, the head of Arista, Clive Davis, (whose label had a distribution deal with GRP at the time) showed interest in Bofill, and she switched labels for the release of her next album, Something About You in 1981. The album, produced by Narada Michael Walden, was an attempt to move Bofill into more mainstream R&B; and pop material, but performed less well than her earlier releases, despite the relative success of the singles "Holdin' Out for Love" and the title track, which both reached the R&B; Top 40. The following year Bofill and Walden reunited for Too Tough, this time achieving a major hit with the title track, which reached #5 on the R&B; chart and spent four weeks at #2 on the Dance chart, as well as a Top 20 follow-up single "Tonight I Give In". Several months later, Bofill released her final collaboration with Walden, Teaser. The album failed to match the success of Too Tough but did produce one Top 20 R&B; hit, "I'm On Your Side", which has since been covered by several artists, most notably Jennifer Holliday, who had a Top 10 hit with it in 1991. Angela Bofill suffered a stroke on January 10, 2006 and was subsequently paralyzed on her left side. Bofill convalesced at Sutter Hospital in Santa Rosa, California. She was released from intensive care on January 15 and required speech and physical therapy. Because Bofill did not have health insurance, a benefit concert was organized to pay her hospital bills. The show, planned by manager Rich Engel along with the New York radio stations Kiss FM and CD 101.9, was held on March 11 at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood, New Jersey. Similar events followed, and other aid was sought from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. Her album Live in Manila (recorded in 2004) was released during this time. Unfortunately, Bofill suffered another massive stroke in July 2007, which required a long period of therapy and left both her speech and mobility impaired. Although she lost her ability to sing after her second stroke, in recent years Bofill did return to the stage (at the suggestion of manager Engel) in "The Angela Bofill Experience." The show consists of Bofill recounting her life and career, joined by artists such as Maysa Leak, Phil Perry and Melba Moore, performing Bofill's biggest hits and signature songs. In 2012, Bofill was profiled and interviewed for the TVOne documentary series, Unsung. Soul Train is an American musical variety television program, which aired in syndication from 1971 until 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B;, soul, and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists have also appeared. The series was created by Don Cornelius, who also served as its first host and executive producer. Production was suspended following the 2005--06 season, with a rerun package (known as The Best of Soul Train) airing for two years subsequently. As a nod to Soul Train's longevity, the show's opening sequence (during later seasons) contained a claim that it was the "longest-running first-run, nationally syndicated program in television history," with over 1,100 episodes produced from the show's debut through the 2005-06 season. Despite the production hiatus, Soul Train will continue to hold this honor until at least 2016, if and when its nearest competitor, Entertainment Tonight, completes its 35th season. (If ET does not complete a 35th season, Wheel of Fortune would pass in 2018 if it continues to air.)

• published: 08 May 2014
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